# Bianchi an Italian Schwinn



## Norcoastal (Oct 31, 2009)

I have a bit of a bruised ego and need some picking up.

After doing a lot of research, I got a Bianchi 928 carbon bike with 105 components. I just got it today and an really excited about the bike.

I got a flat (yes on my first time out) and I took it to my LBS to get it repaired.

This shop sells Specialized, Cannondale and Jamis road bikes. The owner was tring to sell me a CAAD 9 Cannondale with Tiarga components before I got my Bianchi.

When I asked him what he thought of my new bike, he said that "it's just an Italian Schwinn".

I let it go, but it really bugs me.

I thought (and still think) that Bianchi's are top of the line bikes.

This guy made me feel like I made a mistake.

Am I right...is Bianchi a good bike company?

I need an ego boost right now.

Thanks


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## Daren (Jul 25, 2008)

been riding a 928 since 2005 and its great. Sounds to me like the guy was trying to get you to regret your purchase and come back for the Cannondale. If you like the way it rides, screw his opinion.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Daren said:


> been riding a 928 since 2005 and its great. Sounds to me like the guy was trying to get you to regret your purchase and come back for the Cannondale. If you like the way it rides, screw his opinion.



+1...Enjoy the Bianchi....The company has a very long history.....


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## rhauft (Aug 8, 2006)

The heck with him, take your business elsewhere. 
Btw, you should be fixing your own flats. Problem solved.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

The remark about Bianchi being the Italian Schwinn does have a little bit of veracity to it, but I wouldn't get all torn up about it. Both marques have long histories and are strongly associated with their respective nations.. Over the decades both marques have marketed seemingly hundreds of models and sold untold thousands of individual bikes, from the cheapest of the cheaps to the most deluxe of the deluxe. And sometimes cheap models and massive sales can taint a reputation a little. But that doesn't mean the upper-end models aren't absolutely world-class.

In any case, the Specialized, Jamis and Cannondale companies can only dream of have such an intense, deep level of product identification. Probably the only modern maker who can even touch Schwinn or Bianchi in terms of brand recognition in their respective spheres is Trek. Or perhaps Giant.

It might be mentioned, too, that some pretty fair bicyclists have ridden Bianchi bicycles to victory over the decades. Such as Fausto Coppi and Marco Pantani.


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## Norcoastal (Oct 31, 2009)

Very well said, I feel much better now.

Thank you


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## Duke249 (Apr 4, 2002)

probably more like the Italian Trek, or Italian Specialized, or Italian Cannondale, or Italian Giant, etc.etc. They all have a very broad product offering ranging from very entry-level to very high end. Nothing wrong with that.


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## Norcoastal (Oct 31, 2009)

The guy's implication was that a Bianchi was not a quality bike company. It was a put down.

I knew he was pissed that I didn't get the Cannondale that he was trying to sell me, but he make me feel like Bianchi was a piece of crap.

He's the closest LBS and the best, but I may have to go somewhere else.

F him!


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## Duke249 (Apr 4, 2002)

Well in that case, the guy is an uneducated d-bag. Ask him how insulting his customer is a good business practice.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Meh, ask any shop owner their favorite bikes, and it's the brands they carry. Ask them the worst bikes on the market and it's the stuff their competitors carry....especially if you didn't buy a bike from them. 

Definitely learn to fix a flat. Most of the time you'll be in the middle of nowhere when most flats happen.

Bianchi has been a very solid bike company for 125 years. Not too many companies can say either of those statements. Almost every bike company will have low end Chinese or Taiwanese bikes. Most shops make the bulk of their $ from cheap/intermediate bikes from people that might ride them once or twice. A few companies like Time, Look, and Ridley don't make a low end bike, but they sell on such a small scale compared to other companies. Although, unlike Schwinn, Bianchi did not sell out and isn't available at Wal-Mart. :thumbsup:


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## Norcoastal (Oct 31, 2009)

Great point, I'm going for a bike ride on my Bianchi, which I love!!!


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## Daren (Jul 25, 2008)

Norcoastal said:


> Great point, I'm going for a bike ride on my Bianchi, which I love!!!



Post some pics of that bad boy here:

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?p=314426#poststop


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

Duke249 said:


> probably more like the Italian Trek, or Italian Specialized, or Italian Cannondale, or Italian Giant, etc.etc. They all have a very broad product offering ranging from very entry-level to very high end. Nothing wrong with that.


+1 If you go to Italy, they are everywhere and ridden by every type of rider, sort of like....ah....Trek.


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## Norcoastal (Oct 31, 2009)

I'd like to post some pix. I can't figure out how?


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## rothenfield (Jul 13, 2009)

Norcoastal said:


> I'd like to post some pix. I can't figure out how?


I'll try to answer this one having had to learn myself. It's pretty easy actually. Most people start out using the "Upload Photos" button underneath the message post area. You'll need to have the photo already loaded onto your computer. Clicking the "Upload Photos" button will bring up another window which will allow you to browse your computer for the photo you want to post. Once you've found it, click the upload button and it will bring the photo into your post. Hit the "Submit Reply" button and your photo will appear as a thumbnail with your message. The problem is that this method only allow smaller file sizes, so if you have a larger more detailed image, say over 100 megabytes, it won't load. If you want to load a larger image, you'll need an image management service such as "flickr", I use photobucket. Sign up for one of these free services and upload your photo to it. The photo will be assigned a link that you can then copy using your edit function and paste right into this message area where the photo will magically appear.

Wow! That took longer to explain then I thought. Hopefully I got it right.


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## Norcoastal (Oct 31, 2009)

Thanks!

I'll give it a try tonight.


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## The Weasel (Jul 20, 2006)

Norcoastal said:


> This shop sells Specialized, Cannondale and Jamis road bikes. The owner was tring to sell me a CAAD 9 Cannondale with Tiarga components before I got my Bianchi.
> 
> When I asked him what he thought of my new bike, he said that "it's just an Italian Schwinn".


As if Specialized, Cannondale, and Jamis don't produce a bunch of low priced/low spec'd models for the mass market. Please, that guy's an asshat.


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

Norcoastal said:


> I have a bit of a bruised ego and need some picking up.
> 
> After doing a lot of research, I got a Bianchi 928 carbon bike with 105 components. I just got it today and an really excited about the bike.
> 
> ...


I had a shop owner imply my CAAD9 was crap. He wasn't trying to sell me a Bianchi but I'm sure you get the point.

Bianchi does make some garbage, and they make some very great bikes. Just like 99.9% of big companies in any industry.

I don't know much about your particular bike but if it's good or not has surpisingly little to do with the brand name. The particular model by the brand matters because pretty much any maker makes some good and not so good bikes.

The Caad9 is a great frame......but a shop owner plugging a bike with Tiagra over one with 105 is probably a decent indicator he's clown.


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## Norcoastal (Oct 31, 2009)

Here's my Trucker!


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## Daren (Jul 25, 2008)

Beautiful :thumbsup:


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