Team-BHP - The Bicycles thread

Bianchi Intrepida Ultegra Selected frame 54+

Height : 177 cms.
Weight : 74 Kgs.

Available sizes, 51, 54, 57 and 60.

Tried size 57, it is too big for me. Haven't tried the size 54 but he told me it will be all good.

Jacket, shorts
Saddle bag , Done
Tools and spares, Done (spare tube and puncture kit, missing)
Rear view mirror
Gloves
Bottle cage, I believe one will come with the bike, need to check.Yup, it does, but will change that. Doesn't look good with the bike
Pedal and shoes (free with the bike)He is pushing for SPD-SL, lets see. Its not free, but upto 50% off. I was wrong, earlier.
Pump, Done

So, most of the accessories I have. All I need now is the bike :uncontrol.

Curious to know if Bianchi is a good brand? I have seen, and am familiar with Treks, Cannondales, Specializeds, Meridas, Scotts, Giants, etc on my numerous travels but not this.

Is this a made for India brand?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecenandu (Post 3989869)

This is the bottle cage that comes with the bike, not good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebring (Post 3989878)

Yup, Bianchi is a good brand, AFAIK. It is an Italian brand, founded in 1885.

There are several other shops which sell bikes here, but they keep on changing the brands they offer based on demand and I believe, profit margin for them.

@ecenandu: Congrats on the acquisition! Love the classic Bianchi celeste colour.

Beware of the nose-rest of the goggles though, I removed mine once for cleaning and it never quite went back on it snuggly after that.

@Sebring: It's a good brand, but for the C2C model which didn't feel like value for money on hindsight. The older Trek 7.1FX I had earlier felt like it had a much better fit and finish (think Fiat vs. Ford). Moreover, we don't hear a lot about these in the English forums where the Cannondales and Treks are more popular.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nareshov (Post 3990056)

Thank you.

Not yet, buddy. Just went and booked the bike, will collect it, by this Friday.

Sure, thanks for the pointer.

Quite small, isn't it.

So went ahead and checked its performance. Took the air out completely, well almost from the rear tyre of my MTB. And then went ahead and pumped the air with the mighty blackburn pump.

So here is the result.

27.5 * 2.2 inch tyre inflated in 2 minutes 35 seconds.

Not bad, eh.

Haven't had any punctures on my MTB, yet in two years. I'm not so sure of keeping that record on my roadie, though. So, I'm just warming up for the future.

Sorry if I am coming in late. I gather that you are going in for the Intrepida bike. Comparing it with the Impulso, I would have also preferred your choice. My reason is my personal preference of a more slack head angle. The Intrepida has a 71 degree head while the Impulso has a 71.5 degree head.

About the pump, I am a little skeptical. Such small pumps usually can not manage to fill upto 100-110 psi. Also, while pumping, since you are holding the pump without it resting anywhere, you run the risk of damaging the valve. I would suggest trying it out with a 23c road tire to know how reliable it is.

I also saw some comments about the quality of some tires. I guess I should add here that road tires are more susceptible to flats, mainly because the material is thin to save weight. Also, if you will get a flat or not, is a matter to luck. I have at one point of time, had a spate of flats. On one ride, I had as many as three flats, within 70 or 100 kms. Then all of a sudden, with no change in the tires or tubes, I just stopped having flats. I ride four different bicycles, and over the past two years, I have had just one flat.

During the rainy season, because of road debris, the chance of flats increases. So, if you are riding long distances, its a good idea to carry not only spare tubes, but also puncture repair kits.

Regarding components, I use the 11 speed Ultegra on one bike. It is noticeably better than the 10 speed shifting, particularly the front shifter. However, for even entry level competitive riding, you will not feel any real difference whether you are riding a 105 or Ultegra.

Quote:

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg (Post 3990828)

Sorry if I am coming in late.

Never too late, buddy.

Thank you for sharing your views.

Regarding the pump, yeah, 100 - 110 psi will be tough. The spec says a max pressure of 160 psi/11 bar.

My MTB had enough pressure for a ride, I will definitely share my experience once I get my roadie.

All bicycle gurus,

I am a complete noob in bicycling world. I always wanted one from the time I stepped into my high school but because of my parents paranoia about traffic and accidents I never got one. Had to make do with riding my cousin's BSA or hercules MTB. Let me not bore you all further and come straight to my question.

I am currently on a warpath to reduce my carbon footprint. Have started using mass transport (from car to carpool and now this) and would like to reduce much more by biking rather than riding. Added benefit is that I would also be fit. Which bike would you suggest to me based on my needs below.
1. To do my local runs to the gym (2 kms each way).
2. Weekend short rides . I do not have the intention or the stamina to do a long runs on the highway at-least for now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorqueyTechie (Post 3991165)

I am currently on a warpath to reduce my carbon footprint. Have started using mass transport (from car to carpool and now this) and would like to reduce much more by biking rather than riding. Added benefit is that I would also be fit. Which bike would you suggest to me based on my needs below.
1. To do my local runs to the gym (2 kms each way).
2. Weekend short rides . I do not have the intention or the stamina to do a long runs on the highway at-least for now.

Depends on your budget.

I would have gone for a hybrid, if I was in your position. Since your ride is not that long, MTB would also be a good choice, it gots the looks.

But, once the cycling bug hits you, you wanted to go faster and go longer. That is why I said a hybrid is a safe choice.

I too was in a similar situation two years back, I bought an MTB with 2.2' inch tyre, lockable front suspension and disc brakes. I mainly went for it because of the way it looks.

Anyway, for your usage a hybrid or MTB won't make much difference.

MTB - Looks, can go off roading, slower on tarmac.
Hybrid - Faster than MTB, mild off roading.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecenandu (Post 3991209)

Depends on your budget.

I would have gone for a hybrid, if I was in your position. Since your ride is not that long, MTB would also be a good choice, it gots the looks.

.....

Thanks ecenandu for the suggestion. Yes I understand about the want to upgrade sooner. But I would like to see how it goes initially before I go for the bigger ones.

My budget would be around 5- 7k. Any suggestions in the price range?