# Bianchi Axis. Comments?



## Osager (Sep 8, 2004)

My brother-in-law is tired of commuting with his mountain bike and wants a faster ride. He has to traverse some gravel and dirt and cobblestones, and he has one or two killer hills on his 15 mile ride, so he's decided on cyclocross. He asked me about the Bianchi Axis, which he can get for I think about $1200 as an end-of-year clearance (I think he's looking at the 2004 model). I checked it out and to me it looks good, but I think he mostly likes it because it's Italian and has a nice paint job. We are both sort of just getting started with the whole bicycling/commuting thing; we are not experts or terribly experienced riders.

Would anyone talk him out of it for that price? Other suggestions? I think he does not want a bike made in Taiwan but USA is OK. 

http://www.bianchiusa.com/571.html for specs


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## azmadoc (Mar 23, 2004)

Great bike, maybe a tad much for commuting. Others can correct me if I'm wrong, but many Bianchi frames are made in Taiwan. Not sure about the axis.

I'd consider the Bianchi Volpe. $400 cheaper, steel, has full rack/fender mounts

Depending on terrain, you may not really need a cross bike. You could simply put some tough 28c tires on a road frame: Gatorskins, Conti top touring 2000's, etc. That certainly opens up the possibilities for bikes and would be more versatile.

For USA built cross bikes, I'd look at the Gunnar Crosshairs.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Nothing wrong with Taiwan, think globally.*



Osager said:


> I think he does not want a bike made in Taiwan but USA is OK.
> 
> http://www.bianchiusa.com/571.html for specs


Bianchi is an Italian company, the Axis (a really great bike and value IMHO) is designed by Bianchi USA and made in Taiwan. Change the stock tires and you have a really great commuter there.

If you must have a Made In USA production bike in the same price range try the Trek 520 for about $1100, a great steel tourer/commuter.


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## CBar (Oct 26, 2004)

*I have the '05 model and love it...*

And yes, it has Italian roots and looks great. However, I believe the frames are built in Asia, if that really matters. More importantly, the bike performs well. My only gripe is the front derailer, a 105. One of my requirements was a triple, due to my somewhat limited (but improving) climbing abilities. The FD is a bit clunky when moving from the small ring to the middle. Some of this may be user error and other movements are great. The RD is fantastic, brakes decent, saddle very good and Ultegra shift/brake levers very good. I think I lucked out with the levers, I've seen some with 105's.

I changed the tires to some touring 28s and shortened the stem. The 57 fits me (6 1) very well. I only have 400+ miles on it since November and hope to get a century or two in this year. My longest ride has been 50 or so miles. No significant discomfort on those trips. I'm 47 and in decent shape. Another CX bike with a triple is the Jamus Nova. That might be worth a look also. Good luck....


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## TWD (Feb 9, 2004)

I like mine a lot.

I've got an 02 Axis and use it for just about everything imaginable (daily commuting, gravel roads, singletrack, cross races, fast group road rides, pulling kids in the trailer etc...). I've got 10K miles on it and it's still going strong.

It does just about everything without complaint. No complaints about the frame and fork for sure. Pretty generous tire clearance both front and back, and rack/fender mounts (big plus for the conditions I ride in). My '02 model has braze-on rack mounts on the seat stays but the newer models don't have those.

Bianhci does a pretty good job with the component spec (modest but functional), though my biggest complaint is that they downspec the cranks, BB, and pedals. Those were the first things to go on mine.

The only other thing I would say is that I would prefer a set of traditional 32 hole 3x wheels compared to the low spoke count wheels that Bianchi specs on the Axis. Not as flashy, but you can fix them very easily if needed. This is essential for a daily commuter.

I run 2 sets of wheels on mine anyways, one with road tires and another set with cross tires, so all I have to do is swap wheels if I want to ride road or off-road. Tires make the biggest difference for versatility.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*Excellent bang for the buck...*

...so it might be "overkill" for commuting--I know it's good for virtually anything I use a bike for, whether that's touring, commuting, fire roads, singletrack or just foolin' around. (O.K., I admit it--the one thing I _don't_ do with it is cyclocross...  ) It has fine parts spec, and for an aluminum bike it's pretty plush. So it's made in Taiwan? That in no way compromises its quality. I was impressed with it enough that I ultimately wound up buying six (three '00s and three '01s). I'm a sick man....


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*You bought 6???*



The Walrus said:


> ...was impressed with it enough that I ultimately wound up buying six (three '00s and three '01s). I'm a sick man....


What are you doing with them all?


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## fastfullback (Feb 9, 2005)

*cornering the market?*

Six of the same bike. I need to learn your justification skills, clearly... I was getting grief for having three different bikes in the garage.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

Uhhhhh--it's a little hard to explain. I'm prone to attacks of the "What if...?s", as in "What if I were running _this_ drivetrain instead?" while not wanting to mess with what I've already got. These attacks can be pretty frequent and very compelling, so next thing I know I have the Axises multiplying, trying to edge out the Jakes or the Wazoos.... The weird thing is, I realized a while back that I was doing about 85% of my riding on one Axis (#4), at the expense of nearly every other bike. I know, I know--I should thin out the herd, but I just can't bring myself to do it. 

I should mix things up next week and hitch the B.O.B. up to Axis #6 and spend a few days on the road.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

Well, since I've been a widower for 30+ years and have no dependants, I only needed to justify this to myself--and I'm quite a pushover.


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## CBar (Oct 26, 2004)

*You're my hero....*

Now I feel bad about thinking about adding a different bike to my collection. I never even considered getting another Axis....


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

It isn't quite as heroic as all that--I confess that "only" four of the Axises were purchased new, as complete bikes, and two of those I got as close-outs at about a 1/3 reduction in price. As to the other two, one began life with me as a new frame/fork, and one I got off eBay.


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## Osager (Sep 8, 2004)

*Thanks!*

thanks to all for the helpful answers; will check out the suggested bikes

cheers!


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