Help me choose

tibor_imo

Hi all,

It's a while overdue but I am finally going to bite the bullet and upgrade from my beloved 80s Olmo steel frame.

Bike will be used daily for a hilly commute - 10k each way - and for weekend spins with a view to some club cycling/events down the line.

I've narrowed it down to the two options below:

Bianchi Via Nirone

Pros: It's beautiful.
Cons: (according to reviews) On the heavy side, brakes not great.

Giant SL Contend 2 Disc

Pros: Well speced for price
Cons: It's not a Bianchi.

Any opinions on the above or other suggestions in the sub €1500 price range?

Thanks in advance,

LCD

tibor_imo wrote: »

Hi all,


Cons: It's not a Bianchi.

Get the bike that makes you smile every time you look at it

fat bloke

LCD wrote: »

Get the bike that makes you smile every time you look at it

So...neither of those then you're saying?

Alanstrainor

That Bianchi is a beauty. The 105 groupset is nice too. I have the Giant Contend SL 2 Disc and love it. Mine is for the most part a commuter so the disc brakes were very important to me. The braking is amazing in all weather and the maintenance of the discs is minimal compared to rim brakes. If the discs aren't such a draw for you though, I would think the Bianchi could be the better choice.

tibor_imo

Yeah braking would be important alright but I feel like anything will be a massive improvement on my current setup so the discs prob aren't a necessity.

WMP

I don't know anything about the Giant but I've ridden the Via Nirone and thought it was a great bike. That was also across mountains. At the time I had a Trek Madone 4.5 (carbon frame with 105) and I thought the Alu Bianchi was a much better bike.

With decent brake pads the brakes should be fine or you could upgrade to 105 brakes if really needed.

Miklos

Buy the Bianchi because the Bianchi is a Bianchi.

eeeee

I have a controversial opinion on Bianchi's - I don't think they're all that special :eek: and I really don't like the celeste colour, I think it looks like toothpaste.

I promise I don't need my eyes testing!

Cee-Jay-Cee

I love Bianchi bikes and especially Celeste colour schemes but the weight of the bike would put me off completely. If it were my money I’d be looking at a Canyon Endurance.

ted1

See here https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057871757/1

You should be looking at bikes with the newer 105 groupset R7000

Also I’m not a fan of the giant hybrid mechanical/hydraulic braking, I think it looks awful.

hesker

Patiently waiting for pics of the Olmo

tibor_imo

I feel like I'll be shamed for the state it's currently in!

Will try dig out one of it in better days.

tibor_imo

From a summer or two ago. Sitting in Merrion Square and a Japanese tourist approached us asking could he take photos with the bike!

CantGetNoSleep

ted1 wrote: »

See here https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057871757/1

You should be looking at bikes with the newer 105 groupset R7000

Also I’m not a fan of the giant hybrid mechanical/hydraulic braking, I think it looks awful.

Would you not go for a deal on the older 105? Is new one that much better?

ted1

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Would you not go for a deal on the older 105? Is new one that much better?

I have the older 5700. And plan to have the next bike for 4 years (about 80,000) so want the new one.

Also the 5800 doesn’t have hydraulic brakes. Or shifters. It uses a none group set one. That is much bulkier then the r7000.

So for me the shifters and brakes are the main reason to get the R7000

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.cyclingweekly.com/news/product-news/shimano-105-r7000-vs-shimano-105-r5800-what-are-the-key-differences-374671/amp