Test riding experience

[dachshund]

I test-rode some bikes yesterday - yay! I went to two stores. The first place had Giant and Trek. I rode a Giant OC1 and a Trek Pilot 2.1. The Giant was too small, the Trek was nice. Then I went to another store, and I have to admit the Trek is now a blur in my mind. This is because I had more fun at the second store. :)

This place has Bianchi, Cannondale, Scott (etc). I'm partial to Bianchi since I rode one for many years, so let's get that right out there. :) I first rode a Scott. It had an aluminum frame, lovely bike - all black with dark gray accents. Anyway, the first one was too big, I was too stretched out. I'm happy that I could tell it was too big - I was afraid it would all be too foreign and I'd have to do this several times before I could get to square one. Then I got on a Bianchi Veloce. That was quite nice. But whoa - what's this button by the thumb! Different shift levers, so I mostly rode along and played with the shifting.

Then I rode the Scott with a smaller size frame. That felt OK, and it had the familiar Shimano system. I took a longer ride on this one. In between these rides I chatted more with the salesperson and quizzed him on stuff. Then I got on that Bianchi again. Oh, that felt better! This was the moment when I smiled and thought, "OK, I could like this...".

So the Bianchi is the best so far. But there are a couple of issues. I did start feeling pain between the shoulder blades in back. I told this to "salesguy", and he said the handlebars are probably too wide, and the stem might be too long. He described the sizing they'd do using a trainer, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this stuff can be worked out.

This bike comes with a compact double, 34-50, with a 13-29 cassette. I recently set everyone off on a discussion of "double vs. triple". Thanks to your helpful advice, I do think I understand the concepts. I plugged numbers into the gear calculator, and it's clear that I would lose a bit on either end of the range. The question I have, especially for Bianchi fans and owners, is: can I get a triple chainring on this bike? I've done some searches and there are references to the Veloce with a triple. I'm going back on Saturday, so any advice would be much appreciated.

[jobob]

Hi -

I was just looking at the specs for the Veloce on the Bianchi website, and I also looked at the specs for the Eros.

I might be reading the specs wrong, but it seems to say that the Eros has the same frame as the Veloce. Or, I could be misunderstanding, maybe what they mean is that the Eros is made from the same frame materials as the Veloce. The Eros comes with a triple.

Here are the specs for the Veloce.
http://www.bianchiusa.com/06_veloce.html

And here is the Eros. (available in celeste)
http://www.bianchiusa.com/06_eros.html

And, while you're at it, look at the Eros Donna, which being the Women's Specific design (WSD) version comes with narrower handlebars and a shorter stem, and might be better with respect to the shoulder issues you noticed.
http://www.bianchiusa.com/06_eros_donna.html


Maybe the shop has an Eros and an Eros Donna you could test-ride? I would think other local shops have them if the one you're talking to doesn't.


Also, you could always ask the shop if they could install a triple crank on the Veloce. It might cost you more though. And if they sneer, they don't deserve your business !

Good luck! :)

[farrellcollie]

I ened up with the scott contessa roadster after not being able to get bianchi imola to fit me as well - I wentt with fit - but I sure did want the bianchi to work. I did not like the bianchi eros donna as well - the campy shifting was odd to me and bike jsut felt off. I wish I was and inch or two taller.

[dachshund]

Thanks, jobob, those are really good suggestions.
Amy

[dachshund]

Update:
I checked the LBS near work. Honestly, I like the guys in this store better than the shops near my house. But it's in the city, about 45 minutes away. Drat!

The Eros has the same exact frame, just different components. This salesperson thinks I'd need a smaller frame, like a 49. I didn't have time to ride anything here. Funny, since the other place did some measurements. I'm kind of puzzled by this. One guy looks at me and says, "oh the frame was probably too big" and at the other place, where they took measurements and I rode their bikes, they didn't offer this. I'm suspicious :)

And the guy I just talked to said most of their bikes go out with triple chain rings, and that the whole "compact double" thing is kind of a he-man, machismo thing. Guess which store I'd rather plunk down my money in!

[salsabike]

I got an Eros Donna this year and LOVE it. Smooth ride, like Campy shifters. It is a wonderful bike. I'm 5"4', short arms and torso. It fits me very well. I got a bike fit done by a PT, rather than a bike shop, so could go shopping armed with some objective info about what I needed size-wise. That was really helpful.

[dachshund]

Do you know what size frame you got? I'm 5'4 :)

[SandyLS]

My 2005 Bianchi Veloce came with a triple. As a part of my bike fit my shop put on narrower handlebars and a different stem. I also switched out the stock saddle for one more comfortable for me. I love my bike and the beautiful Celest color it comes in. Which ever bike you choose, I highly recommend that you get a professional fit. Mine was included in the price of my new bike, but even if it had not been it would have been worth the price to have it done. Have fun shopping.

[Starfish]

I got a bike fit done by a PT, rather than a bike shop, so could go shopping armed with some objective info about what I needed size-wise. That was really helpful.

Who did your bike fit? Is it over there near U-Village? I'd like to hear anything more about this process with a PT, rather than LBS.

[Fredwina]

Sometimes, I think your size is determined by what the salesperson thinks they can sell you or have in stock. My first bike was a 49cm Schwinn Voyageur, and my primary bike is now a 54CM Cannondale. I'm at the age where I shoudl be shirnking, not growing.....

[dachshund]

Well I decided to listen to my own comment and go back to the store where the sales people seem to have a better grasp on what size I am, instead of... other stuff. I rode the Bianchi Veloce with a 49 frame. That didn't feel at all "stretched out", it just felt like riding a bike. I'm going back Sunday to do the sizing with their fitter... And, they're having a big sale, so I'm saving some $$. Pacific Bicycles in SF, CA, in case anyone wants to check out their sale.
And, it's celeste green :)

[salsabike]

I got a size 50. It fits perfectly and I absolutely love the bike. Have put about 400 miles on it so far and am totally happy with it. It's bleached celeste, by the way---nice color.

The PT who did my bike fit is Erik Moen. He's a great guy and an expert cyclist himself. He was written up in the Seattle Times' Sunday Pacific Magazine a month or so ago. You can find him at http://www.bikept.com/. He also works at a physical therapy shop in Kirkland, I believe. I found his name on a local cyclist's blog as well as on the local bike club's message boards. He is very well known around here and well thought of. I went to him because I'd hurt my back muscles a bit riding up a hill on a bike that was too big for me, so I wanted both exercises/consultation and a bike fit. He not only took measurements, watched me ride, and provided basic fit numbers for me but offered (for a consultant's fee, of course, which was totally fine with me) to meet me at the LBS and do a fit on the bikes I wanted to test ride. Which he did do.

It was really nice not to have to count on a bike shop, which is trying to sell me a bike they want to move, to make fit recommendations. I know that some LBSs do good fits--it's just nice to not have sales pressure going on at the same time.

[Starfish]

He not only took measurements, watched me ride, and provided basic fit numbers for me but offered (for a consultant's fee, of course, which was totally fine with me) to meet me at the LBS and do a fit on the bikes I wanted to test ride. Which he did do.

Thanks...this guy sounds like a great resource. Good to know!