# Stradalli bikes?



## country cyclist (Oct 28, 2013)

I was hoping someone that has actual experience with these bikes could tell me if they are worth looking at. I can't find any real testimonials or reviews on them. I did however read that team Colavita switched from Jamis to stradalli for the 2014 season. So are they worthy to consider a choice?


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## pushstart (Feb 5, 2012)

I believe these are just open-mould frames (like Hongfu FM066?) with a label slapped on them. I am sure someone can provide more detail. If that is the case, you might want to look at the Chinese carbon threads. Even if true, though, not that there is anything wrong with open-mould frames; you just have to decide if the markup is worth it.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

pushstart said:


> I believe these are just open-mould frames (like Hongfu FM066?) with a *really ugly* label slapped on them. I am sure someone can provide more detail. If that is the case, you might want to look at the Chinese carbon threads. Even if true, though, not that there is anything wrong with open-mould frames; you just have to decide if the markup is worth it.


Fixed


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## pushstart (Feb 5, 2012)

So true; these have to be the loudest (and ugliest) branded bikes of modern times.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

pushstart said:


> So true; these have to be the loudest (and ugliest) branded bikes of modern times.


The girls on the ads are nice though. Cheaper than the bikes.


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## pushstart (Feb 5, 2012)

This topic looks to have been covered before: Stradalli Carbom frames


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

I built one of the team bikes (training bike for a rider that lives near me). There is absolutely nothing special about these frames. I haven't ridden it, other than around the block to check the shifting, but I can't imagine that it would anything other than mediocre ride quality. It's kinda heavy. It's definitely ugly. It has an internally routed rear brake cable, but they don't send the frames w/ a guide tube. Instead there is a piece of thin plastic string through the top tube that does absolutely nothing to help get the housing through the tube. 
I'll have to check w/ the rider and see what it rides like. There is no way this frame was developed w/ anywhere near the expertise that a company like Trek, Specialized, or any other large manufacturer does w/ all of their products.


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## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

tihsepa said:


> The girls on the ads are nice though.


If you're into porn actresses moonlighting as bicycle models


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Retro Grouch said:


> If you're into porn actresses moonlighting as bicycle models


Get the rest of my post in your quote.

"Cheaper than the bikes"

I think the girls are open mold models, like they got thrown out the back door at the Pinarello factory.


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## wagg (Aug 11, 2012)

which I am


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

One of my riding buddy's got one, he claims it has a kinda harsh ride. But light!


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

Retro Grouch said:


> If you're into porn actresses moonlighting as bicycle models


Tell me more.


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## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

9W9W said:


> Tell me more.












Carbon fiber stripper pole sold separately


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

LOL, buy these rims. WTF? Man podium girls police is going to have my arse for this.


__
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## country cyclist (Oct 28, 2013)

9W9W said:


> LOL, buy these rims. WTF? Man podium girls police is going to have my arse for this.
> 
> 
> __
> ...


Look's like a nice set of wheels, Ya think there real? HA Ha.


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

Is "Stradalli" Italian for "Straddle Me"?


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## adjtogo (Nov 18, 2006)

country cyclist said:


> Look's like a nice set of wheels, Ya think there real? HA Ha.


If the models come with the wheelset, I'm in!! Definitely!!


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## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

As others mentioned, nothing special, nothing wrong with them either. They are Chinese carbon open mold with western representation. Based on the team riders for the company (the company is my neck of the woods) I don't see anyone breaking one. If you want a carbon frame and can't afford or don't want to pay the prices for the big names and aren't comfortable ordering direct from China they are a good alternative. 
As to the models, it is a European thing, think page 3 girls or Euro spots car calenders (think Pirelli).


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## junior1210 (May 2, 2013)

Considering the mark up on their frames, I'm surprised they're still around. $1500-$2500 for a carbon frame is a bit much unless it has a documented pedigree. For that kind of money you can get Pinarello, NeilPryde, Colnago, Oreba, plus the Treks, Cannondales, and Specialized offerings. All for the same or less. Hell, check out Ribble's house frames, they just introduced a new carbon aero frame in addition to the 4-5 other carbon frames they sell. Again for less than Stradalli, and all from reputable sellers that will stand behind their products.


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## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

junior1210 said:


> Considering the mark up on their frames, I'm surprised they're still around. $1500-$2500 for a carbon frame is a bit much unless it has a documented pedigree. For that kind of money you can get Pinarello, NeilPryde, Colnago, Oreba, plus the Treks, Cannondales, and Specialized offerings. All for the same or less. Hell, check out Ribble's house frames, they just introduced a new carbon aero frame in addition to the 4-5 other carbon frames they sell. Again for less than Stradalli, and all from reputable sellers that will stand behind their products.


Indeed!

This is the perfect example of the old saying of, "Not paying for the steak, but the sizzle."

Source a mediocre carbon frame from China, slap an Italian name on it that sounds more like a type of pasta, and you have instant street cred. Oh yeah, market it with STD carrying models to "class it up" and really draw in the sophisticated consumer to purchase one.

Pure genuis


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Retro Grouch said:


> slap an Italian name on it that sounds more like a type of pasta


You forgot "...rip off a famous carmaker's badge font,...."


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

if you take away the logos on the wheels, then the bikes aren't "loud" at all


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## pushstart (Feb 5, 2012)

aclinjury said:


> if you take away the logos on the wheels, then the bikes aren't "loud" at all


I think the Ferrari font and logo are not exactly subtle, but it is true that the wheels are the primary offenders.


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## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

junior1210 said:


> Considering the mark up on their frames, I'm surprised they're still around. $1500-$2500 for a carbon frame is a bit much unless it has a documented pedigree. For that kind of money you can get Pinarello, NeilPryde, Colnago, Oreba, plus the Treks, Cannondales, and Specialized offerings. All for the same or less. Hell, check out Ribble's house frames, they just introduced a new carbon aero frame in addition to the 4-5 other carbon frames they sell. Again for less than Stradalli, and all from reputable sellers that will stand behind their products.


While it is the internet, let's keep things factual. Road frames run $700 to 1400, TT frames $1300 to 2k. Price wise they don't seem to do a lot of mark-up on the groupsets with a complete bike. I don't own anything from the company, don't have any plans on buying from them, but do see the bikes on a regular basis.


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## jspharmd (May 24, 2006)

IMO, the reason people find these bikes ugly is a combination of the logos (not too bad) with the cheap price, and the fact that they are open mold frames. If people saw this design from LOOK, they would be talking about how classic these frames look. "they took the classic Ferrari logo and make a fantastically classic bike". 

Take a look here for plenty of big name ugly bikes http://forums.roadbikereview.com/general-cycling-discussion/ugly-bikes-313819.html

BTW, I know nothing about these bikes. I'm just an outside observer of behavior.


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## junior1210 (May 2, 2013)

mikerp said:


> While it is the internet, let's keep things factual. Road frames run $700 to 1400, TT frames $1300 to 2k. Price wise they don't seem to do a lot of mark-up on the groupsets with a complete bike. I don't own anything from the company, don't have any plans on buying from them, but do see the bikes on a regular basis.


I stand corrected. Just checked their site (hadn't done so in some time), their prices seem to have come down since I had last looked at them. Still doesn't change change the fact that their frames have a premium mark up without any reasoning (that I can see). Carbon frames are common enough now that there has to be more to justify pricing than "it's carbon". Not when you can buy a mid-level carbon frame/fork from Ribble or Nashbar for the same or less than Stradalli even starts at. There have also been some questionable reports of their customer service. I can't corroborate weather those stories are true or not (I've never done business with them), but I know for a fact that other companies that sell carbon frames at equal or less pricing have outstanding customer service (like Nashbar and Ribble).

O.P. asks if they worthy of consideration. Sure throw their name in the hat, but keep in mind there are many other sources for frames, wheels, and complete bikes, and quite a few of those other sources can equal or beat Stradalli's offerings and do so with the peace of mind that comes with an outstanding reputation in the industry and unquestionable customer service.


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## mtor (Mar 1, 2007)

pushstart said:


> So true; these have to be the loudest (and ugliest) branded bikes of modern times.


I agree. you speak the truth


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## bigjohnla (Mar 29, 2010)

I never considered buying one but their spoke models are kind of nice !


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## AndreyT (Dec 1, 2011)

AlanE said:


> Is "Stradalli" Italian for "Straddle Me"?


No, it is latinic spelling of Russian "страдали", which means "[we] have been suffering".


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

jspharmd said:


> IMO, If people saw this design from LOOK, they would be talking about how classic these frames look.
> BTW, I know nothing about these bikes. I'm just an outside observer of behavior.


Keep your day job. These damn things are ugly as hell. And if they put it on a LOOK they would still be ugly as hell and, French.


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## Zachariah (Jan 29, 2009)

*Scam Artists*

Sorry for the thread revival - but Stradalli is nothing but Chinese generic carbon, with seriously ugly, "Italian wannabe" logos. Their business model is simple: buy LOW sell HIGH and DENY every customer complaint/claim. They got Colavita Olive Oil as a sponsor, just as they were ending their relationship with Jamis, in 2014. They are notorious for selling branded groupsets and never delivering on them. They are rude, vulgar and never believes the customer is ever right. Avoid these scheisters like the plague.

Seriously, do they really think sex can sell bikes?


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## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

Zachariah said:


> Seriously, do they really think sex can sell bikes?


News Flash, there isn't much that Sex doesn't sell.


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## pedalbiker (Nov 23, 2014)

Zachariah said:


> . Avoid these scheisters like the plague.


You've given absolutely no specific reason why you said any of the above. Makes it hard to take seriously.


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## SundayNiagara (Apr 17, 2014)

pedalbiker said:


> You've given absolutely no specific reason why you said any of the above. Makes it hard to take seriously.



Ask around.


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## pedalbiker (Nov 23, 2014)

SundayNiagara said:


> Ask around.



Classic. 

No substance, just innuendo.


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## SundayNiagara (Apr 17, 2014)

pedalbiker said:


> Classic.
> 
> No substance, just innuendo.


The web is yours to view.


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## pedalbiker (Nov 23, 2014)

SundayNiagara said:


> The web is yours to view.


 
I'd rather watch you flail about talking a lot without saying anything.


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## SauronHimself (Nov 21, 2012)

Zachariah said:


> Sorry for the thread revival - but Stradalli is nothing but Chinese generic carbon, with seriously ugly, "Italian wannabe" logos. Their business model is simple: buy LOW sell HIGH and DENY every customer complaint/claim. They got Colavita Olive Oil as a sponsor, just as they were ending their relationship with Jamis, in 2014. They are notorious for selling branded groupsets and never delivering on them. They are rude, vulgar and never believes the customer is ever right. Avoid these scheisters like the plague.
> 
> Seriously, do they really think sex can sell bikes?


Were you the one who ordered the full XTR bike? If so, you should probably know you can't move forward unless you have all those promises in writing or unless you have other hard evidence. FL is a two-party-consent state, so you have to notify them if you plan on recording future conversations with them.


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## Clipped_in (May 5, 2011)

SundayNiagara said:


> Ask around.


Ok, I've not been in on this pi$$ing contest, but I'll play.

Five years ago I needed a crash replacement frame at a time when my bike budget was pretty well spent for the year. I decided to take a chance on a Stradalli Milano. There wasn't much consumer feedback available on them at the time except that a lot of local racers (south Florida) were using their bikes with favorable results. Open mold direct--source wasn't nearly as big as it is now.

So, I ordered a frame from what I viewed as a a domestic distributor thinking I would have some recourse if things went wrong initially, but not expecting there to be much if any kind of warranty over the long term. When the frame arrived, it looked great. Except the badge on the bottom side of the down tube was installed upside-down. Big disappointment since everything else look good. I contacted Stradalli, sent them pictures and confirmed the problem. The said they would replace the frame, but that I would have to pay shipping to send it back. They said they would make it up to me by sending some water bottles and t-shirts. It cost me $50 to Fed-Ex the frame back to Florida. They sent me a new frame along with some mis-fitted ugly t-shirts and some water bottles.

The frame has performed very well with no complaints. The return shipping for their mistake soured me. Based on what I've read online since that time, I would never deal with them again.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

There's another brand I've seen that does something similar. It's called Cycles Fanatic. They even sell the open mold Cervelo S5 ripoff. 

I realize that the typical house hold name companies (Trek, Cervelo, etc) are making huge margins on their bikes, but I don't trust these direct from OEM bikes with extra stickers. As far as I'm concerned the big companies have a stricter QA policy and that is their (albeit expensive) value add. I doubt either Stradalli or Cycles Fanatic do any in-house testing. I'd rather not roll the dice with either of these companies.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

country cyclist said:


> I was hoping someone that has actual experience with these bikes could tell me if they are worth looking at. I can't find any real testimonials or reviews on them. I did however read that team Colavita switched from Jamis to stradalli for the 2014 season. So are they worthy to consider a choice?


I have considerable experience with Stradalli pictures.

I'm happy to give you my opinion on any product pictures you might have. Please, post them


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