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Bianchi Vigorelli as a First Road Bike?

10K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  mpre53 
#1 ·
I am 46 years old and heavy (106 Kg [234 lbs]), and currently have a comfort oriented hybrid bike (a ??2005 Trek 7200 Multitrack) and would like to move to a road bike. I am also considering a higher end "fitness" bike (a road bike with flat handlebars from what I can see) but feel that I will end up buying both if I go down the fitness bike route. The fitness bike fits however with my current bike posture and comfort zone. I am a recreational biker and am currently out of shape but will try to work on that this summer. My aim is to participate in group rides of up to 30-40 miles. I will never race.

I am exploring various road bikes and so far have test ridden the Specialized Roubaix, Trek 2.3 Domane and Trek 1.1, and the Giant Defy Composite 3 and the Bianchi Vigorelli. I seem to fit 53-54 cm best but have also ridden 56 cm. Of these the Trek 1.1, Giant Defy and Bianchi Vigorelli seemed to fit reasonably well, however my ride on the Vigorelli was very brief (too brief to judge discomfort other than the saddle hurting). I wanted to like the Roubaix (one of them is on sale) but liked its feel the least (I also did not like the Trek Domane).

The idea of a steel bike appeals to me and the Bianchi Vigorelli in Celeste is visually attractive. Coming from a hybrid a hardcore racing oriented bike would be too much of a shock. How forgiving is the Vigorelli as a first road bike? I will likely ask the LBS to install an accessory stem to raise the handlebars and change the geometry to a more upright posture at least initially until I am more comfortable with the road bike. The fact that Bianchi allows installation of a bike rack suggests to me that this bike is not very hardcore. I am looking for a more relaxed bike.

Am I a little misguided about my attraction to the Bianchi Vigorelli or is this a reasonable first road bike? I will try to re-test the bike with a longer ride this time.
 
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#4 ·
Find something with a tall head-tube or to put it another way, a bicycle designed for the saddle to be about level with the handlebars. You're looking for a light-touring/credit-card touring type of bicycle by the sounds of it. Unless you really want to jump to a racing bike? Do you want something with aggressive geometry, or do you just want something that will go fast on the roads with dropped handlebars? Depending on your preference, there are a lot of options to test ride...

Vigorelli is probably a good choice. You might want to check out the All City Mr. Pink. Some other sweet bikes that you may like: Salsa Warbird, Kona Rove, Specialized Tricross (steel or aluminum), Jamis Bosanova.

Best thing to do is try a few different styles and see what really calls to you.
 
#5 ·
It’s a simple steel road bike, constructed from Reynolds tubing which provides a lively ride without unwanted flex. Sure, it’s not as light or as stiff as carbon super bikes, but I found that it is much more forgiving and fun to ride. It’s not a race bike; it’s a road bike for road riding. The Vigorelli is the top model in Bianchi’s Gran Fondo line of classic steel bikes.
 
#6 ·
Given what you say about the type of riding you're look at I think it's a very good choice.

Something to keep in mind: A large percentage of how the bike rides, smoothness wise, has to do with the tires and not the rest of the bike. So don't rule something out if it seems a little harsh if you test it with 23mm tires pumped up with high PSI. I don't know what this Bianchi comes stock with. Also, at your weight, if you end up getting a bike that comes with 23mm tires you'll probably want to switch them out for 25mm or bigger if the frame will take them. Definitly check that the frame can take bigger tires. From what I understand most, if not all, of the type of frame you're looking for will take them.
 
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