Help bianchi c2c v ribble gran fondo

juststartinout

hi all looking to get my 1st road bike and i've decided on either the bianchi c2c via nirone alu 105 or the special edition ribble gran fondo carbon 105.I want to use the bike for some serious training and maybe some sportives if i can get some fat off me.Sat on the bianchi seems comfortable havent had a test ride.I was wondering if anyone has experience of any of these or could give me there opinion as i just cant decide.HELP ME

bianchi777

I have a Via Nirone 7 all aluminium with Campagnolo Mirage. I've owned around four or five racing bikes and it's easily the best (and also most expensive) bike I've had. It's comfortable and responsive...although I didn't initially agree with the saddle and changed it to a different one.

...drop the Shimano too...get Campag

zedders

I have a 2007 Bianch c2c and the new Ribble sportive! Which I purchased in May this year. Admittedly the Sportive is not the same as the Gran fondo but believe they are not to dissimilar.

My Ribble is definitely more comfortable to ride over longer distances. Less road buzz, and a more cushioned ride, and lighter. But having just turned the Bianchi into a winter ride after leaving it in the garage for the past 6 months, and having been out several times on it recently, I forgot just how good it is! It too has its own charm. It handles well and is solid. I think both would be a good bike to be getting started with.

So IMO consider the wheels, and other components and weigh up cost. If you can test ride the Bianchi first, then that maybe that’s the way to go.

I would also say Gran Fondo, named after Italian cycling with 105? Bianchi (Italian) with 105? Nothing wrong with 105 at all, but maybe not on one of these choices? You might not be worried about 105 on either of these bikes now, but if you get into you riding somewhere along the line you’ll wish you had Campag on such a bike!

pickled

I can't help you on the Ribble but as an owner of 2009 c2c I can confirm it's a comfy ride and handles well. Stock wheels are a little on the heavy side and I think I'll change the seat soon to.
I went for Campagnolo Veloce as well. It just seemed the right thing to do!

Evil Laugh

Just test as many bikes as you can that you'd be happy to buy. Fit is everything and they all have different geometries.

Try bikes with different makes of groupset to see what brand you like the action of best.

Don't just let someone on here tell you to go for this or that, try it out.

I can't be doing with the thumb shifter that Campag use but I wouldn't have known that unless I'd tried it out.

A bit of advice though --I've had a lot of problems setting up one of my 105 shifters/front derailleur and it would seem I'm not alone. Am looking to upgrade to Ultegra or switch to Sram if I can't get a resolution.

bianchi777

pickled wrote:

I can't help you on the Ribble but as an owner of 2009 c2c I can confirm it's a comfy ride and handles well. Stock wheels are a little on the heavy side and I think I'll change the seat soon to.
I went for Campagnolo Veloce as well. It just seemed the right thing to do!

This is off topic but your bike is Bellissima! I wish mine had been in available in celeste

pickled

Thanks! Not everybody likes it though. On the last sportive I did a guy along side me said it looked like an acquired taste. :?

@Evil laugh.
Spot on with that advice.
I did the same and discovered that I much preferred the thumb shifter.

hopper1

zedders wrote:

I have a 2007 Bianch c2c and the new Ribble sportive! Which I purchased in May this year. Admittedly the Sportive is not the same as the Gran fondo but believe they are not to dissimilar.

My Ribble is definitely more comfortable to ride over longer distances. Less road buzz, and a more cushioned ride, and lighter. But having just turned the Bianchi into a winter ride after leaving it in the garage for the past 6 months, and having been out several times on it recently, I forgot just how good it is! It too has its own charm. It handles well and is solid. I think both would be a good bike to be getting started with.

So IMO consider the wheels, and other components and weigh up cost. If you can test ride the Bianchi first, then that maybe that’s the way to go.

I would also say Gran Fondo, named after Italian cycling with 105? Bianchi (Italian) with 105? Nothing wrong with 105 at all, but maybe not on one of these choices? You might not be worried about 105 on either of these bikes now, but if you get into you riding somewhere along the line you’ll wish you had Campag on such a bike!

What is it with this Italian frame, therefore Compag, sh1t? :roll:
That's a very jurassic approach...
The frames will have been built in Taiwan, so therefore Shimano is more appropriate.
I have a Cinelli, with.... SRAM and I love it.

pickled

Not our fault if you don't get it. No need to be rude.

fungus_the_muffin_man

pickled wrote:

Thanks! Not everybody likes it though. On the last sportive I did a guy along side me said it looked like an acquired taste. :?

@Evil laugh.
Spot on with that advice.
I did the same and discovered that I much preferred the thumb shifter.

I'd have told him to go do one! The cheeky tw@t. Was he on his perfect carbon specialized Tarmac :roll:

I had something similar at a sportive. There was a guy ( in his RC club gear) on a Focus ( 105) I asked him what it was like as I nearly got a focus ( thought they were lovely bikes etc..) but got put off by the racey position stuff I'd heard. He asked me what I'd got so showed him my Bianchi. The look he gave it, you'd have thought I'd walked into his house and shit on his mantle piece :evil: I was quite happy when I realised I'd beat his time on my first ever sportive after only riding for 6 months 8)

I'm not keen on lots of Celeste but the nirone 7 is a gorgeous bike. Infact since joing the Bianchi family I've yet to see one I don't like. At least they can never be accused of not trying to be original with their frame shaping, colourings etc...

I'm also a non conformist, who has a non traditionalist red bianchi and shimano ultegra.

bianchi777

I think you need to own a Bianchi before you can appreciate the celeste. I know before I got my Nirone (I bought the all aluminium black metallic one equipped with mirage/veloce) I wouldn't have dreamed of riding a celeste bike...but as I posted earlier, now I wish I'd spent a little bit more and got the celeste all veloce one.

pickled

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

pickled wrote:

Thanks! Not everybody likes it though. On the last sportive I did a guy along side me said it looked like an acquired taste. :?

@Evil laugh.
Spot on with that advice.
I did the same and discovered that I much preferred the thumb shifter.

I'd have told him to go do one! The cheeky tw@t. Was he on his perfect carbon specialized Tarmac :roll:

I probably should of, but I was a bit out of breath... He was on Specialized Allez BTW

zedders

hopper1 wrote:

zedders wrote:

I have a 2007 Bianch c2c and the new Ribble sportive! Which I purchased in May this year. Admittedly the Sportive is not the same as the Gran fondo but believe they are not to dissimilar.

My Ribble is definitely more comfortable to ride over longer distances. Less road buzz, and a more cushioned ride, and lighter. But having just turned the Bianchi into a winter ride after leaving it in the garage for the past 6 months, and having been out several times on it recently, I forgot just how good it is! It too has its own charm. It handles well and is solid. I think both would be a good bike to be getting started with.

So IMO consider the wheels, and other components and weigh up cost. If you can test ride the Bianchi first, then that maybe that’s the way to go.

I would also say Gran Fondo, named after Italian cycling with 105? Bianchi (Italian) with 105? Nothing wrong with 105 at all, but maybe not on one of these choices? You might not be worried about 105 on either of these bikes now, but if you get into you riding somewhere along the line you’ll wish you had Campag on such a bike!

What is it with this Italian frame, therefore Compag, sh1t? :roll:
That's a very jurassic approach...
The frames will have been built in Taiwan, so therefore Shimano is more appropriate.
I have a Cinelli, with.... SRAM and I love it.

Sh1t? I think not. I, as everyone else is entitled to my own opinion! And it's MO if you buy a bianchi you should get campag with it. It doesn't matter where the frame is built. It's still a bianchi. Most frames are now built in the far east. It's just economics. I bought mine with Sora. And I now wish I hadn't. But then when I got mine, I was a complete novice and I didn't understand the Shim Vs Campag debate. As I said theres F all wrong with 105 or Shim. But as far I'm concerned a bianchi without campag, is like pizza without cheese, and shouldn't be done.
If the OP wants 105 then fine.

fungus_the_muffin_man

:oops: double post

fungus_the_muffin_man

bianchi777 wrote:

I think you need to own a Bianchi before you can appreciate the celeste. I know before I got my Nirone (I bought the all aluminium black metallic one equipped with mirage/veloce) I wouldn't have dreamed of riding a celeste bike...but as I posted earlier, now I wish I'd spent a little bit more and got the celeste all veloce one.

Mine was a you can have it now very cheap bianchi I don't even know if it was available in celeste? I do like it in red though. When I eventually upgrade again I'll probs go for an all celeste bike. That or sell my Trek 1.5 and mtb and get a nice non carbon bianchi to use as a winter/ commuting bike. Oh I'd get it in Campag as well to see what all the fuss is about

Since getting mine I've started to buy lots of celeste to go with the bike so I've just bought a celeste Fi is ik Pave cx saddle from America, ordered some celeste bar tape and I'm seriously thinking of getting some celeste tyres from America as well.

Now if I could find some celeste bottle cages 8)

acidstrato

havent ridden either but sat on another ribble to know i was happy enough to order one for myself so went for the gran fondo. if you see my post on it you'll see there isnt alot of info on them because its new and people havent got them yet

but if you choose the ribble my advice is get the order in soon so you get it before next summer

juststartinout

Thanks for all your help.the jury is still out on this one but thinking a visit to preston to check out the ribble is in order before i decide and test ride both if poss.what i have learnt is that if i get the bianchi campag is the way to go.thanks again for all the input.

bianchi777

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

Mine was a you can have it now very cheap bianchi I don't even know if it was available in celeste? I do like it in red though. When I eventually upgrade again I'll probs go for an all celeste bike. That or sell my Trek 1.5 and mtb and get a nice non carbon bianchi to use as a winter/ commuting bike. Oh I'd get it in Campag as well to see what all the fuss is about

Since getting mine I've started to buy lots of celeste to go with the bike so I've just bought a celeste Fi is ik Pave cx saddle from America, ordered some celeste bar tape and I'm seriously thinking of getting some celeste tyres from America as well.

Now if I could find some celeste bottle cages 8)

Ah Red...is this a steel Bianchi? I saw a picture of a red steel one a few days ago and was completely enamored with it.

As for the celeste bottle cages, have you tried the Bianchi online store? Never used it myself but they sell a whole load of Bianchi branded items for fanatics!

The only problem is they limit you to five items per purchase

http://www.bianchi.com/bianchistore/en/home/home.aspx

http://www.bianchi.com/bianchistore/en/ ... ster=46859

Philby

I have a 2008 Bianchi C2C Via Nirone in white and with Shimano Ultegra / 105 and its been brilliant.

I've had loads of admiring comments on it. Personally I don't like Celeste that much to have a whole bike in it, but quite like it on small areas. I got mine in the sale in February and got nearly £200 off the rrp - so wasn't too bothered whether the groupset was Campag, Shimano or SRAM, or indeed the colour (though was lucky that they had white), as long as they had the right size. I'd tried numerous brands and none fit me quite like the Bianchi - sat on it and knew immediately that this was the one for me - and as it was the last one they had in stock in my size (57cm) I wasn't really in a position to have the Campag / Shimano debate.

I've experienced very little road buzz - although I have the version with carbon forks, seat stays and seat post - particularly compared with a Lemond I was using before.

top_bhoy

Philby wrote:

I've had loads of admiring comments on it. Personally I don't like Celeste that much to have a whole bike in it, but quite like it on small areas. I got mine in the sale in February and got nearly £200 off the rrp - so wasn't too bothered whether the groupset was Campag, Shimano or SRAM, or indeed the colour (though was lucky that they had white), as long as they had the right size. I'd tried numerous brands and none fit me quite like the Bianchi - sat on it and knew immediately that this was the one for me - and as it was the last one they had in stock in my size (57cm) I wasn't really in a position to have the Campag / Shimano debate.

Was it true love or Fatal Attraction???