Does it have a flop hub?

I'm 99% sure it does.

yes.

tomorrow i test ride on one. when my size arrives - i buy it.

but as an 3-yr nyc geared/brake veteran, i have a question for fixies...
how do i stop short, SHORT, with no brakes whatsoever? Rudimentary question perhaps,
but important for me to ask.

I'll probably start figuring it all out tomorrow, but any technical advice would help.
thank you.

You don't at first. You can stop pretty quickly with no brakes but your body (and mind) has to become accustomed to it. It's much more physical than just squeezing a lever, so you kind of have to get in shape for it. You can still ride starting out, just be very cautious and give yourself plently of room all the time.

FYI - 2005 Pista is fixed/fixed - in case that matters.

get a front brake on there while you are learning...
any short reach brake will work.
you can put a cyclocross lever on the bars near the stem.
shop can do it for you. its not expensive.

So I couldn't put a freewheel on there? That would suck if I couldn't.

Yep, you can put a freewheeel on there, but be sure to also put a brake on there. Nothing like a brakeless single speed.

Will the rims on that model support a brake?

fudge yeah.

when you are learning, ride slow and pay attention. don't try to do anything stupid that you see in the alley cat videos. that comes later.

it's always fun to hear stories of switchers since it always reminds me of starting off on my fixie. like when my friend tried to ride mine today and said, 'this is weird.' but he liked it. then i hopped on it and was off like nobody's business.

i didn't start with a brake just because i was too lazy to rewrap my handlebars and didn't want to pay for new tape. i actually do have a set of black 105 brake sitting around with levers too. but i was riding far slower than i normally do and just being 3x more cautious. but it definitely does take sometime getting used to and all the things you see on the internet make it seem like a piece of cake, but it takes work to reach total zen. and when you do, it's awesome.

I sometimes ride brakeless and seldom use the brake on my daily commuter bike, though I had the peace of mind knowing it's there if I need it. I can effectively skid and skip. I think I am a good rider.
However, having said that, you can't really stop SHORT, as in on a dime on a brakeless fixie. I'm talking about if you have any reasonable amount of momentum. Obviously, if you are putting around, you can stop on a dime.
But, as others mentioned, its not about stopping short, its about anticipating what is going to happen, controlling your speed and committing to a line. You'll develop good stopping power in your legs, but you'll also develop a quick reaction time and a keen sense of observation for traffic, peds, other cyclists.
When people get really good, its almost preternatural. I'm not there yet.

Well, in my estimation it definately hinges on your enviornment. Preternatural or not, if you're in a dense urban area, it becomes nearly impossible to anticipate every little thing that can jump out at you. I know when I hit the trail, I have little or no need at all for a brake, but I've had well more than one occasion that on the way home cutting through the city a car door has unexpectedly popped open or a person steps out from between two parked trucks. Having a brake saved my life, or theirs. No one is psychic.

agreed. thats why I usually ride my bike WITH a brake. And why I said ALMOST preternatural. I, too, have been saved by a brake.

"Saved by a brake"...Do I hear a CBS miniseries similar to "Touched by an Angel"? That's cool. Thanks for the advice. I'm trying to sell my brandnew Brava so I can get the Pista instead. I rode my friends fixie a while ago and it was really fun. I've also been riding single speed lately and I like that too. So if you know anyone looking for a Bianchi Brava...

Also beware of stopping 'on a dime' with a front brake. I'm a three time veteran of pitched over the handlebars, in my brake days. Nary a fall since going brakeless.