# Need advice frm fashionable bianchi fashionistas!



## davidalone (Nov 23, 2010)

Hi guys

So I just built my new bianchi infinito 2010 (celeste) with my old sram rival groupset 3 weeks ago for a great price. but my black original sram hoods have worn out and broken so I have 2 options

- I own white sram hoods and celeste sram hoods are already on order.

so please vote: 
1) white hoods with black bar tape ( had it on my old white cannondale and looked tgreat!)
2) white hoods with celeste bar tape
3) white hoods with whtie bar tape ( whats currently on the bike, not really nice tho.)
4) celeste hoods with white abr tape
5) celeste hoods with black bar tape.

for reference, I'm using a cinelli RAM handlebar and an OEM black stem ( on a side note, would like to change stems- anyone got a recommendation for waht would go well wioth the infinito?)


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*celeste*



davidalone said:


> 1) white hoods with black bar tape ( had it on my old white cannondale and looked tgreat!)
> 2) white hoods with celeste bar tape
> 3) white hoods with whtie bar tape ( whats currently on the bike, not really nice tho.)
> 4) celeste hoods with white abr tape
> 5) celeste hoods with black bar tape.


6) celeste hoods with celeste bar tape -- for Bianchi, more celeste the better -- tape, hoods, saddle, pump, cables (if you can find them), bottle cages, bottles, seat bag, tires, pedals, helmet, clothing.........

PS: here is the only instance I've ever seen of "too much" celeste ;-)


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

2), 4) or 6), but I have a soft spot for 2) and plan to do that myself once the slushes of spring have passed.

The black/white 3T ARX PRO stem went well with my Infinito.










The black/grey 3T ARX LTD that I've just put on is not so pretty, but the crystalline look of the carbon fiber nods to the Campagnolo carbon cranks.


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## jpdigital (Dec 1, 2006)

My current setup is: Fizik black bartape w/ "fizik" logo & white Campy UltraShift hoods. But my Infinito is blue. Still, it looks very nice. And the general concesus amongst my cycling buddies/Bianchi owners is that the black looks much nicer than the celeste Cinelli bartape with the same hoods. Pictures pending...


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## adjtogo (Nov 18, 2006)

Black bar tape w/celeste hoods? It really is a matter of personal taste.

I have white bar tape with black Shimano Ultegra hoods. I'm seriously thinking of changing the bar tape to black. White bar tape is hard to keep clean. I use Simply Green to scrub the tape with a bristle brush, but all of the dirt doesn't come off. 

I think if I put Celeste bar tape on my 2011 Infinito, it may be too much.

Fixed, I agree, there is way too much celeste on that body!!


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

I'd vote celeste bar tape and black hoods. Celeste works quite well when you contrast it to black or white. I think the black hoods will look a little better in the long run. 

I'd agree that white bar tape is harder to keep clean. I just have it on my race bike.


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## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

You guys are missing an important Bianchi fashion violation: the SRAM groupset. Yuck!

Just kidding -- I'm with the rest of the group that says more celeste is always better.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

SilverStar said:


> You guys are missing an important Bianchi fashion violation: the SRAM groupset. Yuck!
> 
> Just kidding -- I'm with the rest of the group that says more celeste is always better.


It certainly lacks the pure style of Campy, but it seems to be an interesting system, albeit noisy sometimes.


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## davidalone (Nov 23, 2010)

hahah sadly I am not mnied enough to afford campy. coming from shimano dura ace and decided to give it a try. it does certianly look much more stylish than shimano.

will post pics when I get the celeste hoods soon.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

davidalone said:


> hahah sadly I am not mnied enough to afford campy.


The quality remains long after the price is forgotten.  

Seriously, here in Norway these are asking prices for Record, DA and Red:

Record: NOK 12500,-
Dura Ace: NOK 11900,-
Red: 10500,-

Not an enormous difference.

Prices include 25% VAT, and 1 USD is today 6.17 NOK.


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## davidalone (Nov 23, 2010)

you're talking to a poor college student who buys whatever is msot bang for buck  the bianchi would not even be in my budget range except that the shop sponsors my team so we get a steep discount


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

That's good on ya! 
One day you'll get old and slow and do like me: Shell out on expensive lightweight stuff just because you can afford it.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Celeste Tape with White Hoods - Old School.

Currently have Celeste with Celeste - would be good, but the shades of Celeste are different - gawddammit! - so I think I'll get white hoods so I don't have to worry about it anymore (yes, I do worry about these things! It's a sickness.) See picture below of my 928 for clarification:



Fixed - Nice pic of Celeste! She's Dec 2010 Playboy Cover BTW.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Just ordered some Eroica Celeste Hudz, LV. I hope I get a reasonable match with the handlebar tape.

Never got to order that saddle. Gone now. Dang!


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Yeah, good luck with that.
You know you can go on Fizik's site and custom order your Celeste saddle, right?
That will give you a jolt!


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## oily666 (Apr 7, 2007)

Don't forget your jersey.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

I had one of those, but it was too big, so I gave it to my brother in law. I kept the pink edition, though. Great spinning class fashion statement.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

oily666 said:


> Don't forget your jersey.


Nice...if you can get it.

I have a Bianchi Celeste Jersey, Bianchi Rosa Jersey and a Ceramica Flamina - all really sweet! (and available at Bianchi USA Online Store or Nonstopciclismo.com). Still want a classic Bianchi Team Jersey - perhaps my wife gets me one for X-mas?


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

I just noticed they sell a 3XL KOM kit. There's something very wrong with that.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

LostViking said:


> Nice...if you can get it.
> 
> I have a Bianchi Celeste Jersey, Bianchi Rosa Jersey and a Ceramica Flamina - all really sweet! (and available at Bianchi USA Online Store or Nonstopciclismo.com). Still want a classic Bianchi Team Jersey - perhaps my wife gets me one for X-mas?



You can get them here

jersey
http://all4cycling.com/shop/mercatone-uno-jersey-giro-ditalia-1998-pm-3925.html

shorts
http://all4cycling.com/shop/mercatone-uno-giro-ditalia-1998-bib-shorts-pm-4014.html

full kit
http://all4cycling.com/shop/kit-mercatone-uno-giro-ditalia-1998-pm-4034.html

many sizes left


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Salsa_Lover said:


> You can get them here
> 
> jersey
> http://all4cycling.com/shop/mercatone-uno-jersey-giro-ditalia-1998-pm-3925.html
> ...


Thanks Salsa! I don't care what the other posters say about you, you're alright in my book! (<- joke) 


Might have to get one as a tribute to the Pirata!


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

LostViking said:


> Thanks Salsa! *I don't care what the other posters say about you*, you're alright in my book! (<- joke)
> 
> 
> Might have to get one as a tribute to the Pirata!


??

you are talking about the ones with compacts, stacks of spacers and flipped up stems, aren't you ?


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

"you are talking about the ones with compacts, stacks of spacers and flipped up stems, aren't you ?" - Salsa 

Yeah, them too!


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## KM1.8T (Aug 11, 2007)

Never enough.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Gilding the Lily*



KM1.8T said:


> Never enough.


Nice! are those white hoods ar Celeste with a lot of glare?

Only improvement I would do is throw some Celeste tires on that beauty - just to drive the point home to all those poor suckers out there who ride anything else than a purebred Bianchi!


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## KM1.8T (Aug 11, 2007)

They are Celeste, just a little washed out from my iphone picture. I used to run the vittoria's in celeste on my other Bianchi's but the flat so easily so now I am running the conti's.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Celeste Vitoria Tires*



KM1.8T said:


> I used to run the victoria's in celeste on my other Bianchi's but the flat so easily so now I am running the conti's.


If you don't have proper air-pressure, I've found my Rubinos do indeed flat easily (see picture above), but keep them pumped hard and that's less of a problem. I plan on trying Rubino III's this season to see if they are any more resistant to flats - in Celeste of course!


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## pagosacx (Aug 14, 2010)

I take an old intertube and cut it in half and run in inside as a liner. yes it adds a little weight but I never flatted. I went two years with out flatting.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

kbwh said:


> Just ordered some Eroica Celeste Hudz, LV. I hope I get a reasonable match with the handlebar tape.


They did not.The Hudz (soft compound) are not as comfortable as the original ones from Campagnolo. There is less material where I put my fingers to hammer in my best aero tuck, and that edge is a bit sharp. I'm sure it can be fixes with a bit of Blu-Tack under them though.

Moreover I think now that non-black hoods disrupt the visuals of the Ergos. I'll stay all black with Celeste tape. No white Campagnolo hoods for me, alas.
I'll save the Celeste Hudz for a white handlebar tape day. That could happen if I should run out of celeste tape stock. We cannot have no celeste in the handlebar area, that's for sure.


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