My new ride
 

Thanks to everyone who helped me in picking out a new ride after mine got jacked. I ended up getting a good deal on a Swobo Del Norte and I get to pick it up on Thursday! Link: http://www.swobo.com/catalog/product...cPath=201_1502

I'll be sure to take some pics and let everyone know how it rides. I think I'll end up buying a fixie cog right off the bat too so we'll see how it handles fixed.

Heard nothing but good things about swobo good choice.

It looks like a tractor in that picture. Post pics when it comes in?

Lemme hit you guys n gals with a random act of GOOGLING info :lol

Did you know:
SWOBOs lead designer SKY YAEGER used to work for BIANCHI?
And while at BIANCHI she designed the 'PISTA' and the 'SAN JOSE'?

No? Well there you go. :)

She's also responsible for the chicken stickers and ugly-as-**** leopard seats.

Actually, that makes this thing way more interesting -- Sky was the one who contacted me in regards to the email I sent them. Now tell me *that* isn't good service. Obviously I have to see how the bike rides before I can make any great judgments, but if the bike is anything like their customer service they've got a customer / advocate for life.

Is the Del Norte a Steamroller equivalent?

That has got to be the most irritating graphic I have ever seen in my life.

leave it to bianchi.

If you put a 650 on the back, it would look even more like a cannondale mountain bike frame from the mid 1980's?
Not my cup of tea this weird bike.

Picked up the bike today and went for a quick ride. Not too far, but far enough to know that I needed to swap out the front chain ring with something bigger. Came stock with a 42t and I upgraded to a 46t. Still want to drop a few [teeth] in the back, but that'll come later.

Rides wonderfully! My old bike was an aluminum frame so maybe its the steel that makes the difference but I feel like I'm gliding everywhere. It does seem a bit twitchy compared to my last bike but I'll give it some more time before I pass full judgment. Definitely a sweet ride if anyone is in the market for a new bike. I'll still have to put more miles on it and give it a good workout but so far I'm very happy.

Edit: I'll post pics tomorrow after the sun is up and I can take snap a few in some decent light.

Well after putting some more miles on it I can definitely say its a pretty sweet ride. I am not a fan of the 700x32 tires though (I feel like I'm riding through mud) after getting used to riding on 25s. Here are some pics that my girlfriend snapped (and turned into a sweet collage).

The yellow chain links were necessary because I changed out the front chain ring for a larger one (and the co-op I was at didn't have any red links). Everything else on the bike is stock.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/...3a054e15_b.jpg

You don't like big tires? Then why did you buy this bike? To me that seems to be the whole purpose of this thing. I do like Swobo, in general, but why not the sanchez? this bike was not made to be fast...

Also, I always thoguht that chick graphic was weird. My friend has a nice bianchi road bike w/ that logo on it and I never understood it. At first, I was like "wait, is this designed for women?" But he explained that it was just a woman designer, and I was like "oh, why do I need to know that?"

Don't get me wrong about the tires -- its nice having the option of fat/knobby tires for some trail riding or winter weather, but as commuter tires during the nice season(s) the fat guys probably gonna have to go.

Edit: In response to why not the Sanchez, I wanted the versatility. This is my only bike right now so I wanted to make sure it could handle whatever I wanted to throw at it (fenders, fat/knobby tires, etc).