Another sold out Harpeth River Ride. @harpethbikeclub @bianchibicycles @granfondocycles

The 2012 Harpeth River Ride kicked off yesterday evening with the rider registration pick up and a Harpeth Bike Club awards ceremony in Franklin, TN.

We had my Oltre on hand to display to the fans of cycling as well as an Infinito Di2. Participants of the ride were excited to stop for a minute and cycle through the Di2 bike while it was on the stand. Like Shimano says, 'Don't test ride Di2 unless you're prepared to buy Di2...' and many left the tent with a new bike on their wish list and my discussions with them.

I'll be back there again, this morning for the end of the ride activities. Early thanks to the Harpeth Bike Club, Gran Fondo Cycles and Nissan for a terrific venue and event.

More later.

Gran Fondo ride of TN.

Gran Fondo Cycles Gran Fondo 10/9/11

Here are few photos from the Gran Fondo ride presented by Gran Fondo Cycles.

{lesson- if you want photos while from a ride, don't pack your skinsuit as your only means of gear...damn cyclocross season.}

This one goes to 11.

In addition to the previous photo I posted, I shot a mini clip of the bike, along with a few more photos.





As usual, I waited too long to get one of these. Ugh. Upon return from TN, I discovered that we were fresh out of 61cm frames. This is understandable as we typically stock only a pinch full of that size. Personally, it's nice to ride a frame size where there are not too many other of the same model out there. Point being, my 1885 is one of 2 frames for that year in the US...warm fuzzy feeling.


Clayton preparing the frame for the build up.


This one goes to 11. Yeah, yeah, I know that saying is overdone when referring to Campagnolo's 11 speed groupos but I like it! The eagle is sitting high over the tapered head tube; 1 1/8" to 1 1/2" bearing system.


The money shot. A very broad bottom bracket region, BB30 technology (adapter cups used here for the Ultra-Torque crank) and who doesn't love a large eagle on the bottom of their down tube? The chain stay and the top half of the fork are modeled after our D2 Pico TT frame.



The most common question for any avid cyclist who throws a leg over a road bike, "How much does she weight?". I think most guys ask that of everything they use as a shoulder ornament.

2011 Nero Oltre 59cm. (across all sizes, only 8 Nero frames in the US)
Campagnolo Record 11
Campagnolo Neutron wheel set
Deda 100 stem
Deda 100 handlebar
Fizik bar tape celeste
Fizik Aerione saddle white/celeste stripe

Legends hanging high at Gran Fondo Cycles.

Ok. That last post didn't come through as smooth as I wanted. I need to figure out the MoSo integration into blog postings; probably should stay with the Blogger App instead of emailing a tweet to this blog.

Last month I was linking together dealer visits through the southeast and stopped by Gran Fondo Cycles to what Lynn had cooking up at the end of the summer. Below are some shop photos from the visit, one of which I particularly like...a custom built Infinito Rival.


Check it out, the blue Infinito Rival on the right. Lynn should do well with the 2011 Sempre too.



Classic banners from past Interbike shows. Il Pirata and Felice keeping watch over the sales floor!



This is one of my favorite Bianchi banners showcasing DeLuca- the Killer! He's on a custom FG Lite frame. Carbon frames where starting to pick up momentum in the cycling world around this time(circa 2006) and he was adamant about riding a communicative, stiff, light frame, not a damp carbon constructed one.

Weighing in at 1050 grams for this FG Lite, and only 10 grams heavier than our rocket ship 2008/2009 T-Cube frame, this frame was as light as some carbon frames on the course at that time. I'm still a huge fan of the old Liquigas Team frames.

2011 Bianchi Bicycles- B4P, D2 Cyclo-cross

This month we're shipping out our 2011 B4P Sempre...or as we'll refer to it from here on out; The Sempre.



Personally, I have two shops in my territory who will be taking delivery of the 2011 boy racer bike-- Gran Fondo Cycles in Nashville, TN and Just Riding Along Bicycle Shop in Laytonsville, MD.

Retail on the bike is...arrh, not just yet, you'll have to call the shop to get that detail but I will say this again (many times)-- this bike frame is ahead of many bikes from the big dogs in this price range. With the Sempre, you're paying less and getting more in quality; UHM carbon and Nano-Tech, Not a plastic frame with upgraded components. Because in the sprint, a stiffer frame gets you to the line, not the next level up derailleur.

2011 will also bring a face lift for our Cross-Terrain bikes. As pioneers of this category, we are updating the frame design on the Cortina, Torino and Iseo bikes. Verona=r.i.p. Classic colorways and graffics will be at the forefront of these models along with the category name change to 'Turismo'.

Another category of major focus are our D2 bikes; precisely the cyclo-cross models. Stepping back from our mountain bikes, we're shifting the focus on dirt, over to the drop bar nobby bikes. New paint, historic names and groupos will maintain the buzz for our loyal 'cross dealers.


I'm amped for this baby! The Zurigo-- Named after the place in Switzerland where Renato Longo netted his 5th CX world championship victory way back in 1967. The Zurigo is aimed at the working class 'cross racer; offering them the ability to race on Sunday, commute on Monday.

After a 3 year hiatus, SRAM is back on our cyclo-cross bike. This powerful component brand is well respected and utilized through out the cyclo-cross racing community thanks to its 'Zero-Loss' cable pull ratio, stout lever construction and communicative shifting while you bounce across the course. This SRAM Apex build kit gives you the flexibility of low range off road gearing with the high end gearing of a road bike.

2011 Zurigo availability is mid-August.

Flood conditions hit Nashville's Gran Fondo Cycles.

I received a heads up from TN this morning, depicitng the situation from Nashville, TN.

Gran Fondo Cycles was affected by the flood waters but like any die hard retailer and cyclist, Lynn and the crew got to work quickly; minimizing damage on their inventory. And attacking the clean up like Fabian on the 2010 cobbles.

Coverage!

2010 Infinito Ultegra weight.

Yesterday's trip to Nashville couldn't have been timed any better. While visiting GFC, the FedEx man delivered two spanking new C2C Infinito Ultegras. Giddy as my 7 year old this past Christmas, I talked Lynn into letting me turn some wrenches on one of the newly delivered bikes.

Not wanting to 'taint their finishing touches' on the build, I handed the bike over to Jeff for bar wrapping and cable cutting.


I'm not sure what's in Jeff's cheek, possible a ball of Redman chew?


So, the Bianchistas want to know, how much does this bike weigh?


Out of the box, all stock, sans pedals and accessories for a 57cm frame size-- 17.07lbs That's awesome for a bike with a non-racing wheel set. I recall in my retail days, stocking a 2007 C2C 928 Dura-Ace with Mavic Elites for pretty much the same weight. And this is full Ultegra 6700 at $2999.00 usd.!

The money shot. I simply adore the bottom top tube logo and Italian flag on the fork legs. I need a 61cm please!

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Will Mahler

Gran Fondo Cycles/ Nashville, TN.

My travels for the first week of November brought me to Nashville, TN. I was paying a visit to see Lynn and his crew at Gran Fondo Cycles. Oh ya, and sneak in some pedaling time as well!

After hanging out for the better part of the morning, talking bike with Lynn, Britton, Jeff, Jay and Clayton, my loaner bike was finally finished with all of its needed repairs. Not that the bike was in bad shape, rather it needed some TLC like shifter cables and a new chain. Clayton installed my Speedplay pedals and I kitted up.


The temperatures were in the 50s so out came my knee warmers.


With Lynn as my tour guide, we rolled out into what could be described as terrain that looks very much like back home; Lancaster, PA. Traveling in a northwest direction we snaked along the back roads, leaving the bustle of Nashville traffic. I was surprise by how quickly we were away from traffic and situated amongst the changing leaves of Tennessee. Quickly as in faster than what you could probably accomplish in Charlotte, NC; another great riding spot.


Scenic farmland of TN.


The other side of the road. Loads of fenced in farmland, massive houses.


This estate belongs to country music star, Alan Jackson. His home is for sale...one of his many homes. Down the road from here is a former home of Amy Grant. Talk about needing a map to the stars homes, oh wait, that's what Lynn is for!


So the burning question is what fabulous celeste bike did I ride? Answer: 2006 San Lorenzo. Without turning this post into a flaming bike review...well, ok here it goes.

I've been on carbon bikes for sometime now. And it's obvious that carbon road bikes are in all the magazines, reviews, under tons of bike teams but every once and awhile there is a bike that wakes you up. Wakes you up as in reminds you of what a communicative handling bike should be like. Carbon road bikes are fabulous for their overall low weight but make a frame out of full Scandium and now you have a bike that speaks to you and weighs within a pound of a carbon equivalently spec'd bike.

The handling of the Scandium San Lorenzo was stellar! The bike has better steering response than the carbon bikes that I've ridden so far. Not to say carbon bikes handle like a turtle when changing your trajectory; but rather a giga-milli-nano second quicker steering response on the Sc frame. And cornering, yeah, faster tracking around the turns when you dump your outside pedal and lean into the corner. You can almost steer the bike slightly with your butt and less with the bars.

The ride quality wasn't harsh either. I rode a 61cm frame; the tubing is longer and has a bit more compliance than the common 53cm or 55cm frame sizes. Hopefully Lynn or Jay will let me know when it's up for sale...


Bike coolness. A 2008 S9 Matta Ti. Grouppo- 2010 Shimano Ultegra 6700. The amazing this about this build is how there are 2 production years between the frame and grouppo. The matte finish on the crank, brakes and derailleur match wonderfully. Lynn has a good eye for details like this; frame, kit overal build of the bike is killer. Another reason why your next custom build should be done by GFC!

(L-R) Clayton, Lynn, Jeff and Britton

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Will Mahler