# Advice for a Bianchi Noob...



## [email protected] (Apr 14, 2012)

I have been looking at new bikes for the past month and have ridden several different bikes including the Infinito, the Pinarello Rokh, Volagi, and Colnago CLX 3.0. They are all amazing bikes and have different strengths/looks. I decided to go with Bianchi for several reasons. 

1. I primarily ride for endurance to supplement my running and liked the geometry and feel of the Infinito (although he other bikes also had a more "relaxed" style as well) 

2. I liked the heritage behind Bianchi. 

3. While cost was not an initial factor, for the $$ I could get better components and a better all around package on the Infinito and the ride felt as good or better in most cases than the others.

That said, here is where I am at...

My build as it stands now is


FRAME: Bianchi Infinito with selected components from Chorus 11 package Celeste/White 55cm
Fork: Bianchi FF35 K-Vid Full Carbon Fork
Bottom Bracket: Campagnolo Record 11 Ultra-Torque Bottom Bracket 68 English
Brake Calipers: Campagnolo Chorus 11 Skeleton Brake Calipers
Cassettes: Campagnolo Chorus 11 Cassette 12/29
Chains: Campagnolo Chorus 11 Chain
Cranks: Campagnolo Chorus 11 Ultra-Torque Carbon Crankset 172.5mm 34/50
Front Derailleurs: Campagnolo Chorus 11 Front Derailleur 34.9mm
Handlebar Tape: La Spirale Eolo soft, white
Handlebars: FSA Wing Compact
Headset: FSA Orbit CE Plus
Integrated Shift/Brake Levers: Campagnolo Chorus 11 Ultra Shift Ergopower Levers
Rear Derailleurs: Campagnolo Chorus 11 Rear Derailleur
Saddles: Fi'Zi:k Aliante Delta
Seatpost: FSA SLK - Carbon
Stems: FSA Carbon Pro - Carbon Wrap
Tires: Hutchinson Fusion 3 700 x 23, folding, tube
Wheels: Fulcrum Racing 5

My biggest questions are in regard to size and wheels/tires.

I am right in between sizes (I am 5'8 with a 31" inseam) and I have opted for the 55 as I would prefer an easier ride for the most part (although I do push it often I just prefer to have the option) and it seems the sizing charts are all over the place (especially the many threads I read in these forums) I rode both the 53 and 55 on different days and not sure I could tell you a huge difference but when rode the 55 I was fresh and had a great ride/workout with hills. Nothing stood out as odd in the fit but I also want to make sure I can adjust it in any way necessary and several threads I read suggest that the 53 would be more optimal for this base don my size (thoughts?)

Wheels? I am clueless on this subject and all I know is the better the wheel the better the ride but at what point does the return on your $ start to diminish on wheels? Stay with Fulcrum 5 or go to 3? (I would estimate a 300 difference) or go with something different all together? 

Thoughts on the build? 

Thank you for your help (it has been both a blessing and a curse finding this forum as I was a Shimano guy until yesterday...)


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Go to Fulcrum R3 (or the Campag Zonda, same same almost). That is a sound investment.
Those bars are quite nice with the Campag commands, It's easy to reach the thumb levers from the drops, which are flared and also quite long for a compact style bar.
The saddle is for _your_ butt, so I cannot comment.

As for size, I'm a full 4" taller than you, all arms and legs and I ride a 57 (pics all over this forum, ahem). My gut feel is that 55 is on the large side for you, but I may be wrong. 
All else equal the 53 would require a 10mm longer stem and 15mm taller spacer stack than the 55 for the same fit. They will also steer somewhat differently because of the .5 degree difference in head tube angle.


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## [email protected] (Apr 14, 2012)

I was thinking the Zondas 2-way fit to cover all bases. My main concern would be ride quality, it seems they are a bit stiffer. How will this translate for ride quality? I am not really concerned about weight at all, but obviously rolling resistance and ride quality being top of the list leaning more towards RQ than resistance. 

I have seen photos of your bike- part of what has inspired me. where do I send the bill to?


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Stiff wheels are generally good for ride quality in my opinion. Better leave the cushioning for tires, saddle, chamois, bars, tape and gloves. 2WF is a good idea. Some folks in here are waxing lyrical about tubeless, but if it ends up not being your thing it's no big deal to go clincher again.

Send the bill to F. Coppi, C/O Madonna del Ghisallo, Italia.


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## [email protected] (Apr 14, 2012)

*Posted in wrench section...*

Wanted to get opinions on how to precede. I do not want to screw the LBS but not into overpaying either... 


I have been negotiating with my LBS on a new bike, and to get the build I want at a cheaper cost they were ordering the bike with an Ultegra kit and then switching it out for Athena. After some research I called them back to ask what the diff would be to do a Chorus build since when I look at it online its only about a $300.00 difference between group sets. For that matter it really is only 400 more than the 6700 set that comes on the bike. They quoted me $1,000 diff to build with Chorus over the 6700 which was 600 more than it was to build with Athena. 

What I cant understand is how can they up charge that much when the install cost is the same (frankly they have to install the Ultegra to begin with, most bikes do not show up with the group already installed unless the industry changed) I offered to pay them $600.00 more for the upgrades which would still be more than if I bought the kit separate and sold the 6700 and they scoffed about how they need to make a living (and by all means I want them to make some $$ but I was paying the MSRP on the Ultegra kit) and what I felt was a reasonable up charge for the Chorus.

So my question revolves around what I could expect to pay to have someone remove the 6700 and install the Chorus (assuming I buy it that way from them) or how difficult it may be to do this myself? (I am handy and have worked on my older Shimano stuff but never Campy) 

Thoughts?


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## skater75 (Apr 16, 2012)

Can I ask a silly question… What kind of warranty and support would you expect from the bike seller? What normally be reasonable to expect, – like free tuneups for the first year, handling parts replacement with the bike manufacture over the warranty period?
What would be warranty total period? Is that worth to pay extra and buy a bike in a reputable store which has been long time around or rather to look for bargains buying online or even at somewhat recently opened stores to save few hundred or even more on models from past years sold at discount?


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## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

I'm 5'8" with a 32 inch inseam. I have short arms. I have had bikes with a 53.5, 54.5, and a 55cm virtual top tube. The 54.5s felt perfect the 55 I liked and the 53.5 just felt too cramped. I would think a 55 would be great for you. You pobobly have a longer torso and arms than me. Also that 53 has a shorter head tube and you would need a lot of spacers.
Hope that helps some.


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## Lolamunky (Jul 28, 2010)

Ok this might be long but I promise this will help:

Sizing:

I owned a 53cm Infinito for 2 years and I am 5'9" with a 32.5" inseam.....A 55cm could work for you but my guess is that the 53cm will be faster underneath you but the 55cm will feel more stable so it depends on what you want to feel. My guess is that the 53cm is your real size but fitting isnt just about measurements its about anatomy and yours might be different and warrant a 55cm.

Bike Build: 

Dont get campy unless you have deep pockets.....I say this as a fan of campy, but someone who acknowledges that the parts you will need will be more expensive new and harder to find used....dont forget compatibility issues on long rides if you end up needing a new wheel.

As far as which groupset I would get Veloce simply because I no longer believe mechanical shifting above a certain price tag actually feels different in any way from one another outside of weight on the bike.....if you go electric this is a different story. If you go electric get Di2 Ultegra.

Extra credit: 55cm will probably come with a 172.5 crank if you buy it stock with the groupset, a 53cm comes with 170mm....I would make sure at 5'8" that whatever you do you make sure and get the right crank length.

Wheels I would get any sub 1400g climbing set and some nice mich3's or Conti GPs. I recommend Mavic for customer service or you can go with some of the small wheel builders who make some great low cost clinchers like Soul/Williams/Boyd.

If you want wheels that truly feel different get Hed C2 rims (there are many models with this shape) with the wider shape...they make your clincher tires less oval when installed and ride more like tubulars.


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## [email protected] (Apr 14, 2012)

skater75 said:


> Can I ask a silly question… What kind of warranty and support would you expect from the bike seller? What normally be reasonable to expect, – like free tuneups for the first year, handling parts replacement with the bike manufacture over the warranty period?
> What would be warranty total period? Is that worth to pay extra and buy a bike in a reputable store which has been long time around or rather to look for bargains buying online or even at somewhat recently opened stores to save few hundred or even more on models from past years sold at discount?


Skater, I am buying the full Ultegra Kit bike form them. They offered to do a swap to Athena at a great price (or so I thought) and I did some research asked them if they would go to Chorus for a fair up charge and gave them my supporting info on a fair price. They said no. No counter just no. OK, just sell me the kit as is and Ill get it done somewhere else and save 600.00 (another LBS is doing the swap for 200) 

It was an opportunity to give them some additional business and have them satisfy a customer as well. Keep in mind I will still have a warranty and I still supported 2 LBS all said and done and saved myself 600.00. I also would have been happy to pay 300.00 more for them to to the swap as it would have saved me a week but apparently they have more $$ then they can handle


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## [email protected] (Apr 14, 2012)

Thanks everyone has been awesome and very helpful!


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