Cube or Bianchi

thegodplato

Almost bought the Cube Attempt Triple from Formby Cycles but it had been sold when I phoned them. So now considering the Cube Peleton Triple or Pro. Really like the Bianchi Via Nirone's as well but as I'm new to this road biking thing confused with all the different groupsets that are available especially when there are people liking all of them and people that wouldn't touch certain ones. What are the real differences between the Shimano 2300, Sora Tiagra, Campag Xenon and Veloce? Would I as a newby really notice the difference?
Also, sizing seems to be a strange thing. I'm 5`10" witha 32" leg so on the Bianchi sizing chart I'd be looking at the 57cm sizes yet I've seen people saying they have a 53 and are the same size as me.
Bloody sales are driving me mad as I see something that I like but its not in my size!

TMR

The correct answer to this is to buy the one which fits you best.

Don't make the mistake that so many of us have in the past of buying a bike which has amazing reviews and which you really like the look of, only to find it gives you dreadful back ache after 30 mins because the head tube is too low and the top tube too long!

I urge you to go for a proper bike fit first, to determine what geometry will suit you best based upon your flexibility. Then, before you part with a penny, take as many suitable bikes for a test ride as you can. If a store refuses a test ride then walk away.

Buy nothing until you're 100% certain it's right for you.

Good luck

thegodplato

Thanks for the reply. I was really meaning about the difference in gears and whether there is a real difference.

TMR

I see.

The differences with the lower end groupsets is mainly weight, design of the hoods, some don't have hidden shifting cables etc. So mainly cosmetic differences with a little more weight.

Personally, I'd go for full Shimano 105 (or the SRAM/Campag equivalent) as a minimum. I have 2011 105 on my Ribble and it really is all you need to get you started.

centimani

Hiya Plato...
They're both nice looking bikes, although i'm biased, i have the Via Nirone Xenon and had the older Xenon 9 speed too.
Breaking it down...
Shimano 2300 is 8 speed and is the cheapest shifting system generally fitted to roadbikes. No experience of it, but its probably fine.
Shimano Sora is 9 speed. Ive had plenty of older Sora 8 speed gear, dependable and solid.
Shimano Tiagra is 10 speed. A grade above Sora obviously...and more expensive accordingly.
Campagnolo Xenon is 10 speed. again, solid and dependable, ive never had problems.
Campag Veloce is 10 speed, again, better than Xenon and more expensive.

As you progress up through Shiamno or campags groupsets, weight is one gain, smoothness and function also improves.
TBH, ive been toying with going up to veloce on my next bike...but deep down i'm doing it for the feel good factor...i'll probably never feel the difference in quality. Sora and Xenon equipped bikes have stood me very well.

The bikes you're looking at...
The Cube (i assume) has Fulcrum 7s on, fairly well regared wheels but they do state maximum rider weights, may be worth checking.
The Bianchi, ive had two Via Nirones and wouldnt hesitate getting another, although i am looking at the Impulso when its released. The wheelset has changed since i had mine, the old Miche / Ambrosios wheelsets are bombproof, but i've heard the newer wheelsets they fit now arent as good. Whether thats true or not, i dont know.

BTW, i'm 5'10, 32 inside leg, i ride a 55cm Bianchi.

thegodplato

The Fulcrum wheels are only on the Attempt which is damn hard to get hold of. The 2012 Peleton has Shimano ones whereas the 2012 Peleton pro has Easton wheels. I suppose the more you ride different bikes, the more you realise whats good or not so good.
With the groupsets I don't think I can justify the difference between the `bottom` and the `top` just yet as I don't believe it will make that much noticeable difference as I'm coming from a 10 year old non suspension MTB!! - although the aim is to be doing LeJog in 2013 and we are doing a C2C in April 2012. I've been told to look for bikes with 105 if I can afford it. Some people say the Sora is a bit hit and miss and needs constant attention to run smooth whereas the Tiagra, etc are more accurate. With the Compag, is there Xenon the equivalent to the Sora?

t4tomo

I have a Bianchi VN7 - excellent bike, I love it plus I think there are few things in life a stylish as a Bianchi. Mines a 57cm and I'm 5'11" with 32" inside leg. I'd try both 55 and 57 if I were you and see which feels best. 53 will definately be too small.

ilm_zero7

centimani wrote:

Breaking it down...
Shimano 2300 is 8 speed and is the cheapest shifting system generally fitted to roadbikes. No experience of it, but its probably fine.
Shimano Sora is 9 speed. Ive had plenty of older Sora 8 speed gear, dependable and solid.
Shimano Tiagra is 10 speed. A grade above Sora obviously...and more expensive accordingly.
Campagnolo Xenon is 10 speed. again, solid and dependable, ive never had problems.
Campag Veloce is 10 speed, again, better than Xenon and more expensive.

.

to the OP, I agree with this quote, and have Racing 7's and Veloce on my winter bike. I have to say both have been bulletproof and stood up to UK roads well. I am often amazed at how smooth the Veloce set is when fully cleaned off and lubed up in comparison to my more expensive groupsets too. Its a cost compromise, but not a huge step down in use.

my choice would be Bianchi, with Fucrums and Campag, but you need to sit on it, to make sure its comfortable.

VintageGt

A freind of mine has a Cube Attempt, my brother has a Via Nirone. Having both got about 2 years in the bikes the Bianchi still runs like the day it was bought, with 105 on. The Cube has had several issues and needed a fair bit of fettling and adjusting on regular occassions, the Cube has full Ultegra and used to be white intil the colour went washed out a a pale yellow.

Due to these experiences, I'd get the Bianchi 8 days a week.

When I got my last carbon bike I looked at Cubes, ended up buying a Bianchi Infinito. In my opinion, Bianchi is far higher quality and, to be honest, just a far sexier machine.

Each to their own of course. Best of luck whatever you get.

thegodplato

Settled for the Bianchi. But I love the Celeste colour so its Campags for the new model. What pedals should I be using?

TMR

thegodplato wrote:

Settled for the Bianchi. But I love the Celeste colour so its Campags for the new model. What pedals should I be using?

Which ever you prefer?

It's a really personal thing, just like saddle selection. Try them all until you find some you like; your LBS should be able to help.

Soni

Regarding the differences of the groupsets, I can only comment on my personal experience.

I had a Trek 1.5 2010 which had tiagra shifters and sora front/rear derailiers, the bike never shifted properly despite several inspections by various different shops which ended up making me fall out with 2 retailers on the process as I couldnt believe I had paid out £700.00 for a bike that can't even change gear without hesitating or jumping or ghost shifting....

In the end it even was shipped back to trek and they were really good but even that didnt sort it properly.

On the end I sold it and due to how helpful trek were and because I liked the comfort of the frame, ended up buying the 2011 2.5 trek with ultegra throughout and never had a problem.

So, if u asked me, I would never touch tiagra or sora, but I know those who said on these boards its workwd fine for them....

spokegeezer

Stanley222 wrote:

What you also have to remember / decide what you like is that the Campag shifters have a thumb operated lever for when riding on the hoods however Shimano only have this on the Sora - everything above Sora has finger operated shifters that sit behind the brake levers.
Go have a look at them and you'll see what I mean - some people don't like or find it difficult to use the thumb operated thingies!

Especially when riding on the drops cause you cant reach the thumb thingy to select a smaller cog!

Soni

Stanley222 wrote:

Soni wrote:

So, if u asked me, I would never touch tiagra or sora, but I know those who said on these boards its workwd fine for them....

Weird! I have a Specialized Allez that has Tiagra rear and Sora front gears with Tiagra shifters - I've been riding it for 2 years in all weathers for a good few thousand miles and never had a single problem with it!

Hi Stanley,

Exactly, thats what i meant, personally i wouldn't touch it due to the problems i personally experienced, however like i said i understand there are loads of people out there who haven't encountered any problems so i may have just been unlucky.

I was puzzled from day 1, i went from having a Marin Palisades Trail MTB that i bought 12 years previous for around £400.00 that shifted accurately and precisely each and every time and was a fantastic bike, to paying out £800.00 12 years later for a 'road bike' that couldn't shift at all! I was told by the dealer that to get the same type of bike as the Marin i would have to pay nearly double what i paid for the road bike i.e., around £1500.00 to get something with Ultegra, and my point was whats the point of them even creating a bike if it can't change gear.

However, in the end i purchased a Trek 2.5 2011 with Ultegra and have never looked back, clean and accurate shifting all the time, I'm getting a carbon machine in the next couple of months and have already decided that anything less than Ultegra is a no no for me due to the past problems, Ultegra is the benchmark for me at all times......