The Cycling Thread

A few months ago I got a 2014 model Bianchi Impulso. It's at the lower end of their road range with an 6061 frame and partial Ultegra group set which because of the clearance price I didn't feel bad about making it the full Ultegra groupset with brakes and cranks from the UK. Wheels are Ultegra 6800 with Conti GP4000S2s and 50g tubes (they roll much nicer and are tougher than the OE Hutchinsons) after the front wheel was damaged by a flat during my first 70kph decent. The original RS10 rear is used on the trainer. I also picked up an Edge 500 kit with HRM/Sp/Cad sensors for $200 (GBP120-ish).

This is the 2015 model. Mine's silver and the group differs slightly from the 2014.
http://www.bianchi.com/au/bikes/bike...DMaster=195572

It's not the lightest or best bike around and I'm not a gear snob but I do like something decent.
For me it is about staying fit and weekend social rides which sometimes get competitive enough for me to wonder where the line is now. I manage to get out on the road 3 or 4 times a week (an hour on the trainer on the days I don't) and have a 15km climb in my 70km route which I get over okay now that I am finding my road legs again.

I'm not into lycra, signage or walking around with my toes in the air when I get off the bike either. Mountain shorts and a tee plus a mid-range pair of Shimano mountain shoes does the job. Phone and plastic goes under the seat.

This my first road bike in a long time and have only ridden mountain bikes (because of where I lived which also took me away from racing) since the mid 90s and I'm really enjoying riding on the road again.

[maviczap]

Cool, thats a nice bike and worthy of full Ultegra. Even if i won the Lottery, i would be hard pushed to buy Dura Ace, there's not much difference between the two.

The purist in me says all Bianchis should be celeste green though.

[carelesschucca]

hmm, posh groupsets they're way above my ability right now.

Is it bad that I'm already thinking about upgrading the brakes on my bike, maybe I expect too much but they are truly tragic
I've to go back to the shop to get it checked over (part of buying the bike) so if that helps I'll hold off, but I really didn't like the feeling the other day of coming down a steep single track hill and the brakes doing very little to slow me.

[maviczap]

Get some Swiss Stops mate, although if its wet or damp, then its just adjusting to the power of the brakes.

I have disc brakes on one of my road bikes that scare me more than any of my normal brakes!

I've got to swap the rotors round to see if it's those or the brakes, but as they are TRP Hydro's, I think its the rotors

Originally Posted by maviczap

Cool, thats a nice bike and worthy of full Ultegra. Even if i won the Lottery, i would be hard pushed to buy Dura Ace, there's not much difference between the two.

The purist in me says all Bianchis should be celeste green though.

Thanks, I thought so.

Back in the day I rode 600 and Ultegra with a little 105 mixed in, all good gear, but talking 6, 7 and 8 speed. Dura Ace and Campy were too much for too little. This years Ultegra is last years Dura Ace anyway as the tech gets handed down and improved.

The same could be said for 105. It's good value gear that I would have been happy with and probably much better than anything I rode on in the past. I was originally looking for an aluminium frame with 105, but it was the gorgeous hydroformed top and head tube, the colour and smart graphics on the Bianchi that did it for me.

There's a couple of guys banging around these parts on celeste bikes in celeste Bianchi clothing... it is possible to have too much of what someone must think is a good thing and they are way past that!
Mine has a little celeste in the graphics... just about the right amount IMO.


The other thing I'm up to is building a fixie similar to the Llewellyn Manorina for flat coastal rides. Summer club crits on a fixie was some of the most fun I ever had on a bike.
http://www.llewellynbikes.com/HTML/L...nBicycles.html
At the moment I am in the process of cleaning up and customising a Crescendo lug set for Columbus tubes. Nothing fancy, I only want nice clean, well defined points.
Most of the parts have arrived. Omnium cranks, Sram Rival brakes, DT Swiss hubs (straight pull road hub on the front and a front straight pull MTB disk hub with a bolt on sprocket and 120mm axle on the rear - QR on both wheels), DT Swiss RR440 rims...

[carelesschucca]

You guys are DANGEROUS for me... I must stop looking at this thread. Mav you did warn me that upgrades are inevitable

I had another footer with the brakes before I went out and they are a little better, It took a major fright and a very hard pull on the lever at speed to lift the back wheel, new blocks can wait till payday.

Today was my longest ride yet I managed 22.05miles in 1hr33 mins with a total height gain of 1081ft, I do love MapMyFitness. My legs are a little sore but I'm well chuffed.

[maviczap]

Good man, you're doing more than me at the mo.

Get yourself on Strava and join the Org group. Just search for maviczap amoung the users, and you'll find the Org in my clubs.

Dont worry we give everyone kudos, no matter what you ride or do

Well I have had my new steed for a little bit and managed to get a few miles in:



Even made it along to Loch Lomond in Scottish sun!:



Seems October is the new summer in Scotland!

Anyways the bike, well, it's excellent. I mean really I know everyone tries to justify a purchase but it's better in just about every way than the one it replaced. It's smooth, very stiff and handled beautifully on proper trails yesterday. If anything it felt a little stiff on the trails but there again my tyres were solid and I couldn't be bothered letting some air out.

Ahhh upgrades, don't mention the upgrades! I already have plans of shaving weight off and have caught myself looking at carbon fibre and XTR bits. If I start this by the time I end I will have spent more than on my real bike!...

[carelesschucca]

I'm on Strava but it scares me!!! I had a look at it but the Pro's go on there

I have found you. Does this mean I need to have both running while I'm out there now? I have also joined the SV group. I might get AJC to join too...

[maviczap]

Just run Strava