Bianchi

nbalcombe

I'm fairly new to road biking, i've only been riding around 18 months, and my ebay special Trek 1000 is due an upgrade. My LBS has just become a Bianchi dealer and I quite like the look of the intenso. Now, I understand that Bianchi has a huge amount of history and tradition but I'm noticing that some people are going a bit Bianchi overload, especially with the Celeste colour scheme. I've seen people on Celeste bikes and then in full Celeste Bianchi kit, I've also seen a lot of people in Bianchi branded gear, both riding and casual.

To me this is a bit like owning a Porsche and letting everyone know that you do by wearing the Porsche jacket, hat, key-fob etc...

Is the Bianchi brand that big a deal? What's so special about the Celeste colour? I'm almost tempted to not get the Celeste colour just to be a bit different.

bianchimoon

I think you're over thinking this one

smoggysteve

Would you buy a car based on colour before anything else?

I love my Bianchi's and I have only ever had one in Celeste. The others were always white or red. I like the Celeste colour on the bike but I don't wear it. Bianchi are the oldest bike company still going and have a massive following because if their history and marque but that doesn't make them any better or worse than other brands. Its all down to personal preference

rolf_f

bianchimoon wrote:

I think you're over thinking this one

Indeed. Any bike can be over colour coded to the rider. Just because a bike is a particular colour doesn't mean you have to match it whichever the brand. I once saw someone on a red Specialized. He had red Specialized jersey and shorts, a red Specialized helmet and red Specialized shoes. Probably his gloves were Specialized red as well but by that point red overload had caused my retinas to go blind to the colour. The effect was both smart and ridiculous at the same time. I'm sure there are people doing the same thing for every other brand of bike as well......

Is the Bianchi brand a big deal? It's kind of an Italian Raleigh; it makes all sorts of bike at every level. I like them but not because of any brand image nonsense.

PS - celeste is a nice colour and more interesting than red, black white etc. It also has an interesting history in its own right. If you like the colour, buy one in that colour. If not, don't. You have the choice.....

freefall_junkie

Bianchi make some great bikes but whether you buy into the whole celeste and company history thing is very much a matter of taste. I have an Infinito CV - I bought it because it rides beautifully, looks gorgeous, and very importantly for me, the geometry is bang on for my long leg/short torso proportions. The Bianchi brand was secondary, and in fact my bike is predominantly white and black with just the odd hint of Celeste. The Intenso is a very nice bike - buy it if you like it

alanparsons

Rolf F wrote:

I once saw someone on a red Specialized. He had red Specialized jersey and shorts, a red Specialized helmet and red Specialized shoes. Probably his gloves were Specialized red as well but by that point red overload had caused my retinas to go blind to the colour. The effect was both smart and ridiculous at the same time.

I think the guy you saw was Alberto Contador whilst winning the Tour of Spain last week.

Bar Shaker

I quite like the Bianchi branding image and am sometimes a bit envious of the Bianchi kit my gf has. It is stylish and well made.

The clothing is made by Nalini. Good fabrics, nice cuts and stylish.

Boardman have a jersey you can buy in Halfords and that's it. It's a missed revenue stream for them, considering how many people own their bikes!!

cougie

If you are getting a Bianchi - then the Celeste is THE colour.

I'd probably go no further in matching than to get the one jersey.

With cycling you can go a little bit too matchy - or the opposite and end up looking like you got dressed in the dark.

People do the same with Sky kit and Pinarello bikes though.

crankycrank

Buy a bike you enjoy riding, dress how you like, go ride and don't concern yourself with what the others are doing or how you look because honestly no one really gives a toss. Enjoy the ride.

nicklouse

Mmmm Cycle Europe bianchi or a real Bianchi.

Do some research.

freefall_junkie

nicklouse wrote:

Mmmm Cycle Europe bianchi or a real Bianchi.

Do some research.

Cycleeurope is the parent company which own several brands including Gitane, Definitive, Peugeot as well as Bianchi. This doesn't make Bianchi any less 'real'. Lamborghini are owned by VAG, along with Audi, VW, Skoda and SEAT, and last time I looked Lambos were rather nice cars What matters to me is the quality of the product, not some vague notion of authenticity. In fact you could argue that the financial clout of large holding company is a good thing - you wouldn't find many small manufacturers investing in the R&D to come up with the Countervail frames. Of course Bianchi frames are not made in Italy - it is outsourced to some vast Asian factory, just like almost every other brand. When a bunch of independent journos vote the Infinito CV as their bike of the year they must be doing something right, and lack of 'realness' didn't stop Lars Boom taking a brilliant win aboard a Bianchi on this year's toughest TDF stage over the Belgian cobbles .

damocles10

Bianchi make great bikes, my first road bike was a Bianchi which won a few races, the size was just right....if someone wants to go all out with the Celeste kit too who am I to stop them ?

bianchimoon

freefall_junkie wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

Mmmm Cycle Europe bianchi or a real Bianchi.

Do some research.

Cycleeurope is the parent company which own several brands including Gitane, Definitive, Peugeot as well as Bianchi. This doesn't make Bianchi any less 'real'. Lamborghini are owned by VAG, along with Audi, VW, Skoda and SEAT, and last time I looked Lambos were rather nice cars What matters to me is the quality of the product, not some vague notion of authenticity. In fact you could argue that the financial clout of large holding company is a good thing - you wouldn't find many small manufacturers investing in the R&D to come up with the Countervail frames. Of course Bianchi frames are not made in Italy - it is outsourced to some vast Asian factory, just like almost every other brand. When a bunch of independent journos vote the Infinito CV as their bike of the year they must be doing something right, and lack of 'realness' didn't stop Lars Boom taking a brilliant win aboard a Bianchi on this year's toughest TDF stage over the Belgian cobbles .

Well researched post FF_J well said that man

nbalcombe

Thanks for all the interesting comments guys. I guess I am over-thinking it a bit too much, It's bit like when you're thinking of buying a new car and you start noticing loads of the same cars on the road.

I still like the idea of going non-Celeste just to be a bit different. Anyways, off to the the bike show this weekend so I'll try a few bikes/groupsets out before making my choice.

Don't want too garish a colour though as none of the kit I own will go with it!

bianchimoon

Good luck, i'm sure you'll love it whatever model you go for

il sole

I agree with the general sentiment here. I reckon if my first bike hadn't been a wilier, I'd probably have bought a Bianchi...Personally I love all the history and tradition with old italian bike firms, be it wilier with how their name came about, or bianchi with their celeste colour...I've got a friend who is just about to order the new top end one, that will be his 4th bianchi
regarding wearing the company's colours, I must confess to wearing a matching zero 7 jersey and gloves whilst out on my wilier :oops:

ben@31

Is the celeste colour just a corporate image, to make Bianchi unique and stand out from the competitors? If they did not have celeste and made the same colour bikes as everyone else, would I have even known who they were?

They even put a bit of folklore into the colour about how it originated? Was it in dedication to a WW1 fighter pilot or the colour of some fit lasses' eyes?

* I reckon it was surplus paint that was left over from the ww1 aircraft factory. They probably had tons of the stuff at the end of the war going cheap.

Anonymous

nbalcombe wrote:

I still like the idea of going non-Celeste just to be a bit different.

Just don't get a Bianchi then it won't be celeste. A Claud Butler will not be celeste, and will certainly be different.

Have never got the concept of getting something just because others don't have it/to be different.
Its as bad (if not worse) than getting something just because others do have it.

Get something because you want it. This is all the more important when its a bike IMO.
If you have good taste it will probably be at least a bit different anyway.

Would you rather someone say "mmmm, thats a nice bike" or "mmmm, thats different"?

ben@31

Rolf F wrote:

I once saw someone on a red Specialized. He had red Specialized jersey and shorts, a red Specialized helmet and red Specialized shoes. Probably his gloves were Specialized red as well but by that point red overload had caused my retinas to go blind to the colour.

At least you saw him. Which means hopefully other road users do too.

I came from Leeds originally and known people to cycle at night, with no lights, dark clothing, nothing reflective, no helmet and across busy junctions. Accident waiting to happen. Makes me wonder if a car runs them over do they have a defence?

Just out of interest. I've owned a red Specialized and kit with some bits of red in them.

rolf_f

ben@31 wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

I once saw someone on a red Specialized. He had red Specialized jersey and shorts, a red Specialized helmet and red Specialized shoes. Probably his gloves were Specialized red as well but by that point red overload had caused my retinas to go blind to the colour. [/quoteAt least you saw him. Which means hopefully other road users do too. I came from Leeds originally and known people to cycle at night, with no lights, dark clothing, nothing reflective, no helmet and across busy junctions. Accident waiting to happen. Makes me wonder if a car runs them over do they have a defence? Just out of interest. I've owned a red Specialized and kit with some bits of red in them.

It was broad daylight. Unless I had cataracts I'd have hardly had trouble seeing him even if he'd been wearing grey with a white stripe down his back!

alanparsons wrote:

I think the guy you saw was Alberto Contador whilst winning the Tour of Spain last week.

It was a while ago but maybe the Tour de Shipley does have a red leaders jersey!

freefall_junkie

Another 5 star review for a Bianchi http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/cate ... -14-48823/ Very pricey though :shock:

nbalcombe

An update on my Bianchi dilemma. I went into my LBS to try out a few Intensos, joking said unless you can do me good deal on an Infinito CV. Long story short, after giving the Inifinito a blast around the car-park, I have one on order.

Colour looks amazing too, the right mixture of black, white and celeste.

Happy days, can't wait to pick it up!

bianchimoon

excellent, keep us posted as to how you get on with riding it!