# Bianchi Via Nirone 7 or Cannondale Caad 8



## lastingxcauses

I am debating on whether buying a nombre 7 or a CAAD8, Ive been riding for about couple months now. Putting about 25-35 miles per day if not more. I am riding a pass me down cannondale 1986 and 48", Im 5' 10" and should be riding at least a 54" Sigh but all well it is going well so far... Ive been saving up money and could finally or almost lay out about no more than $1300 on a new bike. I am more fond over the shimano Tiagra/105 etc anything not Sora in other words lol. Has anyone ridden a Nirone 7 yet? I found this one for a good price.
Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Alu Xenon Compact Road Bike 2011 - White/Celeste 59cm
Also I have a local shop that sells Bianchi and parts as well as another for Cannondales and parts. Please give me your opinion and reviews between the two bikes thanks.


----------



## sherlock

Ride both? Both are decent bikes; I assume you're looking at the CAAD8 6 (Tiagra) or the 5 (105)?


----------



## lastingxcauses

Yeah for cannondale i am looking at CAAD8 6 (Tiagra) and it looks like the Nirone7 has Campagnolo Xenon & Veloce. Ive ridden the CAAD8 but not the Nirone7 because the shops dont have that model available, I am planning on purchasing it online if i go that route.
Thanks


----------



## Nickk

I'm considering a Via Nirone 7(105) also and I'm between that and a Felt F75, I'm interested in what you end up with. I haven't ridden the Bianchi yet but plan to this weekend.


----------



## lastingxcauses

Nickk said:


> I'm considering a Via Nirone 7(105) also and I'm between that and a Felt F75, I'm interested in what you end up with. I haven't ridden the Bianchi yet but plan to this weekend.


Oh very nice! let me know what you think about the bianchi, I am leaning towards the bianchi because my local bike shop is giving me a good deal on an 2011 via nirone 7 sora... so we'll see =]


----------



## sherlock

Nickk said:


> I'm considering a Via Nirone 7(105) also and I'm between that and a Felt F75, I'm interested in what you end up with. I haven't ridden the Bianchi yet but plan to this weekend.


I don't know about the Via Nirone 7 (looks great in Celeste!), but I've got an F75 and tested a CAAD10 105 too. Went for the Felt because I liked the ride—nice for aluminium and responds really well—the look, and the handling. It's got a fairly aggressive head tube length and HT/ST angles, but is stable under speed in corners and when descending.


----------



## Nickk

I test rode the Bianchi last night, I said I need to sleep on it. I called back within and hour to plunk down a deposit. The bike just felt better than the "Felts" did.

The plus' and minus' were:

Felt F75 105
+BB30
+tapered headtube
+good customer service history
-price
-fit(perhaps a little too racy for me but that could be adjusted)

Bianchi Via Nirone 7 105
+styling
+fit
+price(left over 2011, in Celeste)
-not BB30(I won't notice and decided that isn't a deal breaker)
-not a tapered headset(see BB30)

in the end it broke down to feel and the Bianchi just felt better to me, I'm picking it up on Sunday. Now I need some road shoes and pedals!


----------



## sherlock

Nice choice. I love my Felt but the Bianchi's are great bikes—they have a similar attention to detail to Felt on their bike finish/components.


----------



## Nickk

will post a pic when I'm able from a post count perspective


----------



## lastingxcauses

Nickk said:


> will post a pic when I'm able from a post count perspective


nice cant wait to see them!


----------



## Mus

Hi all, newbie to the forum. used to rides lots when I was younger and have started my commute to work on a bike in the last few years (its only 2 miles each way). Had a Bianchi Brava, grey, beautiful steel, stolen! I loved that bike. Now shopping for another one. I'd like to buy from the same LBS as I got the last one as they gave me a GREAT deal and they are wonderful to work with. and they are the closest. They carry bianchi, higher end italian and specialized mainly. I tested the Via Nirone 7 among others brands (cannondale, specialized, etc). I LOVE the Nirone 7 and it fits me perfectly. I am now debating between the sora, the tiagra and the 105. I love the white and celeste sora color scheme, am not so thrilled with the tiagra white with red accents color, and like the black 105. My lbs is willing to swap the sora shifters to tiagra, which would bring the cost up close to the tiagra bike. but of course the rest would remain the same (they can get their hands on an older 9 spd shifter set). So I am in quandary. go sora, which is enough for my current use and even as much as I realistically will do in the next 5 years at least, and like the looks the best and is just under 1k but I am not a fan of the thumb shifters, or for the same cost go up to the tiagra which has the red accents that just make the whole bike look cheaper actually, or spend the same amount and just get the shifters swapped for tiagra and live the the rest of the sora group (never had a problem with it on my old brava, btw). or pluck down an extra $400 (40% over the sora bike) for 105 in black which i don't like the looks of as much as the sora but do like and in general has better components (i.e., better rims, tires, etc) in addition to the drive train. The LBS has a sora in my size, but not a 105, but I did test an infinito with 105. different frame I know but not radical i understand in terms of geometry. I did not think the 105 was dramatically better shifting than the sora actually in the rear. the front was better. though under pressure I guess I would notice improvement. 

Help!


----------



## Mus

Hi all, newbie to the forum. used to rides lots when I was younger and have started my commute to work on a bike in the last few years (its only 2 miles each way). Had a Bianchi Brava, grey, beautiful steel, stolen! I loved that bike. Now shopping for another one. I'd like to buy from the same LBS as I got the last one as they gave me a GREAT deal and they are wonderful to work with. and they are the closest. They carry bianchi, higher end italian and specialized mainly. I tested the Via Nirone 7 among others brands (cannondale, specialized, etc). I LOVE the Nirone 7 and it fits me perfectly. I am now debating between the sora, the tiagra and the 105. I love the white and celeste sora color scheme, am not so thrilled with the tiagra white with red accents color, and like the black 105. My lbs is willing to swap the sora shifters to tiagra, which would bring the cost up close to the tiagra bike. but of course the rest would remain the same (they can get their hands on an older 9 spd shifter set). So I am in quandary. go sora, which is enough for my current use and even as much as I realistically will do in the next 5 years at least, and like the looks the best and is just under 1k but I am not a fan of the thumb shifters, or for the same cost go up to the tiagra which has the red accents that just make the whole bike look cheaper actually, or spend the same amount and just get the shifters swapped for tiagra and live the the rest of the sora group (never had a problem with it on my old brava, btw). or pluck down an extra $400 (40% over the sora bike) for 105 in black which i don't like the looks of as much as the sora but do like and in general has better components (i.e., better rims, tires, etc) in addition to the drive train. The LBS has a sora in my size, but not a 105, but I did test an infinito with 105. different frame I know but not radical i understand in terms of geometry. I did not think the 105 was dramatically better shifting than the sora actually in the rear. the front was better. though under pressure I guess I would notice improvement. 

Help!


----------



## lastingxcauses

@Mus, 
I would say If your planning to invest a decent amount onto a bike I would make it the way I like it to be if possible. Sora had thumb shifters, tiagra and 105 are finger shifters. If you like just meet the middle and go with the tiagra. So go with the white/celeste w/ tiagra, this is going to be a solid bike and this time take care of it and protect it =] IMO.


----------



## jmitro

The Via Nirone 7 with Shimano 105 was my first bike 6 months ago. I loved it; put over 1100 miles on in 3 months before trading it in for a carbon 928SL. The aluminum frame was simply a bit harsher of a ride, and not quite as rigid as the carbon frame, but it sure looked nice. I've never ridden a Cannondale CAAD, but from what I hear it's the best aluminum frame out there. YMMV.


----------



## Mus

fyi, the bike was very well taken care of. In fact I had just tuned it up. Someone broke INTO THE HOUSE and took it. among other items. Care to tell me how to better reasonably protect it?


----------



## Mus

I rode the CAAD and it was not as comfortable; both the CAAD 9 and the more upright version (name escapes me at the moment) that is more similar to the geo of the C2C range were harsher to ride than the Bianchi.


----------



## roddjbrown

I tried both and went for the Bianchi. It arrives Friday! Definitely a day "working from home" / looking out of the window for a van


----------



## Bianchi-67

Just got the Bianchi Via Nirone 2012. Really enjoying it.


----------

