Bianchi bike?????

Ellie82

Can i have your opinions on this bike please? Its my first road bike and of course will try before I buy but wanted to get you opinions on Bianchi bikes etc

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bia ... e-ec016956

Thanks in advance

gtitim

Hi, first off its Bianchi not Bianca (isnt that the ginger girl from Eastenders?). Anyway, Bianchi are very good bikes especially for a beginner - they are generally well specced for the money. However, yours seems a little steep to me considering that it has a Tiagra groupset. Im sure the Bianchi Nirone comes with the 105 groupset for around £700 but can't remember where I saw that, plus I don't know if there is a woman specific version.

Anyway, I ride a Bianchi myself and have done for the last 3 years. Its very light and reliable, reasonably good handling.

Let us know how you get on, happy cycling.

Ellie82

Doh must be that omnibus yesterday (edited now :oops: )

Thanks gtitim thats good to hear

jeepie

Really nice bike....

I ride a Bianchi myself and absolutely love it. I think that bike which you are looking at though is very expensive and I can't work out why - perhaps it's because it's women's specific?? I think you should be able to get 105 on your bike as the previous poster said and £100 cheaper too.

e.g. http://www.macdonaldcycles.com/acatalog/info_445.html

This looks a much better buy.

I would recommend sitting on the bike and getting sized so you know the frame fits you.

Slow Downcp

gtitim wrote:

Hi, first off its Bianchi not Bianca (isnt that the ginger girl from Eastenders?). Anyway, Bianchi are very good bikes especially for a beginner - they are generally well specced for the money. However, yours seems a little steep to me considering that it has a Tiagra groupset. Im sure the Bianchi Nirone comes with the 105 groupset for around £700 but can't remember where I saw that, plus I don't know if there is a woman specific version.

Anyway, I ride a Bianchi myself and have done for the last 3 years. Its very light and reliable, reasonably good handling.

Let us know how you get on, happy cycling.

Ellie82 was right first time - it is Bianca, which is the female specific Bianchi road bike.

Ellie82

Phew im not going mad, wondered where the hell I got that from

Ellie82

Jeepie wrote:

Really nice bike....

I ride a Bianchi myself and absolutely love it. I think that bike which you are looking at though is very expensive and I can't work out why - perhaps it's because it's women's specific?? I think you should be able to get 105 on your bike as the previous poster said and £100 cheaper too.

e.g. http://www.macdonaldcycles.com/acatalog/info_445.html

This looks a much better buy.

I would recommend sitting on the bike and getting sized so you know the frame fits you.

See what you mean about the difference in spec and what you get :shock: very strange that

Mister W

Bike and component prices have risen due to the exchange rates so while you may have found a bike with 105 for that price in the past you're less likely to now, particularly not a 2009 model.

My GF has an older version of that bike. It's a reasonable frame and better now that it's got carbon seat stays but it's still nothing special. The old version is quite heavy and the wheels are pretty rubbish. I think you could do better for the money. I'd also recommend a compact double chainset rather than a triple.

jeepie

This bike has 105 on it and is £774. Cracking looking bike too. (3rd bike down). I am not sure if this is the 2008 or 2009 model or whether that bothers you Ellie

http://www.macdonaldcycles.com/acatalog ... Coast.html

Mister W

and a compact chainset and better wheels. Nice

Check the geometry and sizing as it will have a longer top tube than the Dama Bianca but if it fits then that's a much better buy.

Ellie82

Are women specific bikes aload of rubbish? or is there really a difference. Seems (like others have said) they are making more money by saying they are made to fit women etc.

The bike you suggest looks almost identical anyway, I love white bikes 8)

jeepie

I'm a bloke so not sure about women's bikes and whether they are any good. To be fair you can see an appreciable difference in the top tube (crossbar) length between the two pics of the evans bike and mcdonalds one....

So I'd find a bike you like and give it a whirl. If it fits that's all that matters. I wouldn't get drawn into the marketing blurb too much the bikes look very similar.

PinkPedal

I couldn't say for sure but I do think that women specific bikes are a rip off especially components wise. Whether you need/want a ws bike will depend on how well they fit I suppose, it's really worth testing some out and shopping around to see what is most comfortable. I'm petite and that limits the options you have - many bike shops insisted I would only get a bike in a women's specific range. Out of my girly biking friends, only 1 has a ws. The general conscenus (I base this on no empirical facts whatsoever though) is that non-ws is better as long as it fits and you get more for your money.

I went for a Giant Defy 1 (not ws) but I like plainer, dark bikes. I knew it was the one as soon as I tested it, there was a marked difference in how well it fit me compared to others I'd tried. You can't beat trying them out! Also, if you are petite too, be wary of bike shops trying to sell you bikes that are too big/too long in the top tube and insisting that they fit you.

Happy shopping!

Shezzer

PinkPedal wrote:

I couldn't say for sure but I do think that women specific bikes are a rip off

it's really worth testing some out and shopping around to see what is most comfortable.

+1

Mister W

The key difference with a WS bike is that it will have a shorter top tube. The reasoning behind this is that women on average have longer legs in proportion to their height, which means they have shorter torsos and a shorter reach. They may also have narrower bars and short reach levers. I agree that often companies take the p**s and fit them out with cheaper components so if you can find a non-WS bike that fits then you're likely to get a better deal. You'll also have more choice.

Anonymous

Most women I know just get a 'mens' bike for exactly the reasons mentioned here...

They are taking the mickey!

Ellie82

Right thanks everyone, definately gives me much more a choice if they fit ok

GemmaAtkinson1

just to put my 2 pence in, im a female at 5'4 and iv spent 18 months riding a regular via nirone (not wokmens specific)
fit was great, and things like saddle position and stem length can always be tweaked. Id definately try to have a test ride on the male c2c range, as its so much more better value....

best of luck!

gtitim

Slow Downcp wrote:

gtitim wrote:

Hi, first off its Bianchi not Bianca (isnt that the ginger girl from Eastenders?). Anyway, Bianchi are very good bikes especially for a beginner - they are generally well specced for the money. However, yours seems a little steep to me considering that it has a Tiagra groupset. Im sure the Bianchi Nirone comes with the 105 groupset for around £700 but can't remember where I saw that, plus I don't know if there is a woman specific version.

Anyway, I ride a Bianchi myself and have done for the last 3 years. Its very light and reliable, reasonably good handling.

Let us know how you get on, happy cycling.

Ellie82 was right first time - it is Bianca, which is the female specific Bianchi road bike.

My apologies