D2 Super Pista Update.

Ok. It's fair to say that this bike is quick-the D2 SP. It's been a ball to ride and is a regular town bike since the end of winter. The funny thing with riding this frame is that it's actually opened up a new yearning for ANOTHER Bianchi bike to be in my stable...the 1885.

The tubeset of the SP is similar in shape and construction to the 2009 1885. Knowing what I know about riding the SP, it has to be on another level when you mix up those ingredients and bake up a B4P geometry, race frame.

Looking into the pedigree of the 1885 you'll find a unique manufacturing process that not many bike manufacturers are using-Super Plastic Forming or SPF for short. In a nut shell you have Hyrdroforming aluminum tubes and you have SPF. The shaping concept of SPF is similiar to Hydroforming but instead of a high pressure hydraulic fluid inside of the tube/die, the aluminum is almost heated up to 1000 deg. F in the die, then slowly injected with a gas instead of a fluid. This will allow the tubing to expand and reshape itself to a much greater size and shape. All the while maintaining a high level of strength and becoming heat treated in the process. 2009 also marks for a first time since it's introduction in 2005, an 1885 frame in all aluminum- no rear carbon fiber seat stay.

With 9 frame sizes ranging from 46cm - 63cm/+2cm, there's a frame for every cyclist...unless you're Zinn. That guy makes me look small! The B4P geometry that I have been riding for over a year now is solid. On my T-Cube and Mono-Q, the handling is predictable and inspires confidence to push the handling limits of the bike. If you build this frame up with SRAM Red and carbon 50s, you're looking at a sub-17lbs crit bike that will withstand the g-forces of a 35mph_outside pedal down on the corner_crappy DC road surface_local race. Phew, really!

Now if we could only get a 63cm in stock...
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Will Mahler