Not sure why but i have an urge to buy a road bike (bianchi racer (good or bad?)) i’ve never ridden on the road so not sure what to expect, i still enjoy mountain biking but my old joints are struggling to take the big knocks (stainburn). Will i buy and sell within a month?
Cheers
Armo

Because it is only a baw hair less boring than golf?

Why not?

A race bike is not ideal for winter riding tho.

Because it is only a baw hair less boring than golf?

You arent doing it right 😉

OP why not borrow or hire one to see if you like it first?

You arent doing it right

Which one? 😉

Bianchi…. Make lovely bikes, but have a bit of a middle aged crisis bike feel to them. Buy something cool instead, like a steel framed lovely, or a Scott, or a something else.

Road riding is wanton suicide. Far more dangerous than any downhill track or black route.

Still good fun if you don’t mind murderous cars and especially lorry drivers.

I can’t, you should buy one. It’s all cycling after all. I have precious little time to ride as it is, so to be able to have a ride and put the road bike away as clean as it went out is great. Buy buy buy!

You’re asking strangers on an internet message board to answer questions about you that you can’t even answer?
And they tell me I’m mental?
I’ll indulge you anyway.
Bianchi manufacture a number of “racers”. They’ve not gone bankrupt yet which suggests they’re generally saleable.
Expect to ride on the road on a more rigid and quicker bike at the same time as other vehicles.
I can’t help on the last one. Best ask your (and/or) wife, mum, mates, budgie ad. infin.

Thanks for the replies, i thought it could be fun and good for the winter riding as the trails tend to be soaked. Monksie im also mental but i need advise and guidance on road bikes as i usually only ride off road. I must admit the cars/vans etc worry me as thats why i stopped riding my motorcycles!

Have you thought about a CX bike? I love riding on the road but it’s tough going in the winter, lethal if it’s icy, and cars can be a nightmare (is still awesome though)

CX is a middle ground faster on the road than Mtb, and makes the better drained tamer trails seem more fun than a MTB, so you can stitch both together on a ride?

Oh and youll need a roadie for the summer too…….

It sucks. Unless you need it to train for racing forget it. Do a bit of trail maintenance instead. Infinitely more rewarding.

I must admit the cars/vans etc worry me as thats why i stopped riding my motorcycles!

just stay away from the busiest roads, i find road riding far more enjoyable when the trails are sodden. icey roads aren’t much fun but cold crisp sunny winter days are.

I just put low tread rubber on the 29er. I’m happy having the best of both worlds. I did 30 miles today down south after the rain had stopped and the trails were pretty much flooded. Some of the roads were flooded too… but doesn’t matter as much.

Wow how negative. So anyway, done properly its s lot of fun, gives you loads of opportunity to challenge yourself, you’ll get much fitter aerobically. You can also jump out the road, do a ride and get indoors with less faff than an mtb. Parts wear less, and if your local trails don’t hold up well it gives you a good alternative and a different type of cycling to experience.

Don’t be put off by the traffic issues. No you can’t stop stupid drivers, but if you don’t get suckered into the “must have” Sky Garmin Postal stealth kit there’s plenty you can do to make yourself very visible.

Bianchis are great, don’t listen to crikey I’m have one and am only 40. Oh….. Seriously though there’s lots of good machines out there that ride very differently so don’t necessarily get stuck on a name.

get a cross bike and a spare set of wheels or tyres
you can do sooo much more than ride gravly fire roads i ride most of my local trails albeit slower than on mtb but still fun then swap out the wheels and ride tarmac untill your legs fall off i found my tricross held up fine for a tri race aswell uber comfy over long distance.

Because your mates won’t like the way you climb faster and go for longer. There’s something I find in road riding that makes you keep the pressure on the pedals, probably the instant speed reward, that translates into better athletic performance on the trails.

Get one, it’s great – get off off the a-roads and onto the quiet country lanes…

The only reason I can think of is that you can’t afford one.

it’s one step away from wanting a skin suit

definitely get a cx bike. At this time of year I find road bike hard to deal with. Ice, leaves and puddles hiding potholes make it all a bit sketchy. I pretty much usually just ride the road these days but am going to do more offroad for a few months.

Whats a cx bike? Nearly bought the bianchi c2c at j e james today but something stopped me (not the money or wife) , could be just fanny fright or not wanting to wear lycra not sure but boy that bike looked sexy. Also i thought road bikes are ideal for winter training?

Cos next you’ll be asking if you can wear baggies, a peaked helmet and use a camelbak

because you’ll get knocked over by a car driven by a dippy woman applying her makeup because shes gonna be late to get her nails done. that or by any other driver who fails to see someone riding a bike on the road becuse ‘they just didnt see you guv, sorry’

Buy something cool instead, like a steel framed lovely

cos steel is cool !!!. steel is used only by people who think by riding one there cool. Anyone who’s remotely into road bikes know there not. Carbon is where it’s at, just as strong, doesn’t rust and way way lighter.

Anyway, to answer your question, definately get one. stick some guards on and your ready for winter. Yes, you will get icy roads and idiot drivers but for the other 99% of the time you’ll love it. Improve your fitness and try find one of the many local club rides and ride in a group. As Duggie said, if you do it right you’l love it. Just DONT join strava 🙂

If you want it buy it, life is too short.

BTW road biking is better than mountain biking, but keep it under your hat.

armo there is about 5 threads on the 1st page reg cross bikes have a view at the muddy goodness u can get up to

Better IMO too but also much more dangerous. Also seeems common for off road bikers to progress to the road..then go back to off road..then back to road..and so on.

Carbon is where it’s at, just as strong, doesn’t rust and way way lighter.

For the mostpart you are indeed very right, but steel is more resilient to knocks and scrapes and being chucked up the road. It’s also eminently easier to repair, hence it will always have its fans regardless.

But if it’s performance you’re after, then yes, Carbon has been winning in that respect for quite some time now.

As for Bianchi’s. Good bikes. What more do you want me to say? They’re one of, if not the oldest bike companies out there so they must have been doing something right all these years. They’re usually more expensive than their American or Far Eastern counterparts, but they will also argue you’re paying for the heritage in the design. You pays your money and takes your choice.

But if the shop I work in was burning down, and there was only one bike I could save, it would be the Bianchi Oltre with Full Campag Super Record, just so you know! It might be completely pointlessly expensive, and you can probably get the same performance for much less money, but by god it’s lovely!

Of course, no ones ever died, or hurt themselves on an mtb have they… *massages steel plated screwed together shoulder*

I got my first road bike last summer after years of mtb. For me its just about keeping fit i dont get any buzz out of it and your far more likely to die. If mtb is your main focus dont spend a fortune on your road bike cos you will soon regret it

I love mine for fitness and getting an exercise “fix” for lack of a better description. Not always fun but better than running and 30-40mph (haven’t managed to get above that yet in the east midlands) descents are fun 🙂