Junior Member
Hello everyone,
Lately I've been pondering buying a new bike and recently I was visiting Rome, Italy, so I went to a few bike shops there. I was initially looking for cyclocross bikes, since they are almost nonexistent in my home city of Athens, Greece. I've since decided though that my main use for this bike will be touring, although I wouldn't mind having some fun in the mountain trails around Athens. I can get touring bicycles here in Athens as well, but I was wondering about this offer I got from Cicli Lazzaretti in Rome and I wanted to ask everyone's opinion on it:
As I am hung between cyclocross and touring, he gave me a choice of frames made by Alan:
Frame: Alan Unicross, Alan Treking or Alan Cross Ultral Easton (+150EUR)
The Treking model is not in the catalogue since they make it on order for Lazzaretti, he claims the geometry is just like the Unicross, but has brazeons among other differences. All frames are aluminum, you can browse them at Alan's website.
Brakes: Ritchey cantilever brakes, I didn't note the model but I think they were Ritchey Logic.
Rear derailer: Campagnolo Veloce
Front derailer: Campgnolo Racing Triple
Shifters: Campagnolo Chorus w/ additional levers on the flat bars
Hubs: Campagnolo Chorus (front and back)
Chain: Campagnolo 9 speed
Chainring: Campagnolo racing triple
Freewheel: Campagnolo Veloce
Rims: Campagnolo Montreal
Spokes: Steel Inox.
Tires: Vittoria
Seat: Selle Itali ACTIVA TREKING
Seat post: aluminum
handlebar: drop bars in aluminum
For the complete bike the price, taxes included, is 1500 EUR. For me it is a bit expensive, what do you think?
The bike shop, Lazzaretti, is very reputable so I don't doubt their technical competence, only that perhaps the language barrier has prevented them from completely understanding my needs.
My main question to the forum is, is this bike suitable for touring long distances? I am considering organizing a tour from Athens to the Netherlands later this year so this should give you an idea what I mean. Is there anything I should pay attention to regarding the components? Anything I should ask him to change?
Lately I've been pondering buying a new bike and recently I was visiting Rome, Italy, so I went to a few bike shops there. I was initially looking for cyclocross bikes, since they are almost nonexistent in my home city of Athens, Greece. I've since decided though that my main use for this bike will be touring, although I wouldn't mind having some fun in the mountain trails around Athens. I can get touring bicycles here in Athens as well, but I was wondering about this offer I got from Cicli Lazzaretti in Rome and I wanted to ask everyone's opinion on it:
As I am hung between cyclocross and touring, he gave me a choice of frames made by Alan:
Frame: Alan Unicross, Alan Treking or Alan Cross Ultral Easton (+150EUR)
The Treking model is not in the catalogue since they make it on order for Lazzaretti, he claims the geometry is just like the Unicross, but has brazeons among other differences. All frames are aluminum, you can browse them at Alan's website.
Brakes: Ritchey cantilever brakes, I didn't note the model but I think they were Ritchey Logic.
Rear derailer: Campagnolo Veloce
Front derailer: Campgnolo Racing Triple
Shifters: Campagnolo Chorus w/ additional levers on the flat bars
Hubs: Campagnolo Chorus (front and back)
Chain: Campagnolo 9 speed
Chainring: Campagnolo racing triple
Freewheel: Campagnolo Veloce
Rims: Campagnolo Montreal
Spokes: Steel Inox.
Tires: Vittoria
Seat: Selle Itali ACTIVA TREKING
Seat post: aluminum
handlebar: drop bars in aluminum
For the complete bike the price, taxes included, is 1500 EUR. For me it is a bit expensive, what do you think?
The bike shop, Lazzaretti, is very reputable so I don't doubt their technical competence, only that perhaps the language barrier has prevented them from completely understanding my needs.
My main question to the forum is, is this bike suitable for touring long distances? I am considering organizing a tour from Athens to the Netherlands later this year so this should give you an idea what I mean. Is there anything I should pay attention to regarding the components? Anything I should ask him to change?
There is a bike from bianchi that was for a long time the only thing available as a good compromise between cross and tourer. I think it was called the volpe. I hope they're still making them.