JasonJ03

So I'm new to road cycling. I signed up with my work team for the Ride to Conquer Cancer this year, and am excited to start training and logging some mileage on the saddle. I'm hoping to start out with a bike under $800 this summer. While searching for used bikes, I came across a 2005 Bianchi Carbon XL - Reparto Corse (can't post the link though due to new account).

The owner is asking $900 (Canadian Dollars). I haven't been able to find much on these bikes online. So I thought I would ask if anyone has any experience with them. Is it worth spending a little more than my budget on this one?

More info from the posting:

Bianchi Carbon XL - Reparto Corse
Frame: Bianchi XL Carbon 2005
Size: 56 cm
Rider height : 175cm - 185cm (5'9 - 6')
Fork: Orbea carbon
Headset: FSA
Handlebar: Deda Fluida
Seatpost: carbon
Saddle: fizik arione
Shifters: Shimano 105 Front
derailleur: Shimano ultegra
Rear derailleur: Shimano 105
Crankset: Shimano ultegra
Wheelset: Fulcrum Racing T

I appreciate your insights.

Thanks,

Jason

Dave Mayer

OK... I'll start. Lot's of red flags here. First off, the top-end Bianchi carbon frames have been widely cloned/faked. Is this real, or a sketchy knock-off?
Second: the mismatch between the frame and fork. The Bianchi came with a fork - obviously, so why was the original swapped out? Did the original meet its fate when the owner entered underground parking and forgot that the bike was on the roof rack? Or because the frame was bought from a police evidence locker sale and had been involved in a vehicular homicide case? Or, the bike was stolen, chopped up and reassembled by drug addicts?
Other:
Wheelset is cheap but competent. The hub bearings and freehub will need servicing. Which should have occurred yearly.

The drivetrain is likely pooched - i.e. the chain, cassette and chainrings. I volunteer at a big-city bike Co-op. Essentially every bike that comes through our door needs an new chain, and the damage caused by the stretched chain causes everything else to be shot as well. This bike is 15 years old; assuming it was ridden and not hung in the garage, the chain should have been replaced roughly 30 times. New chain, cassette and rings?: assume roughly $300 replacement cost at shop rates.

The STI shifters are probably shot as well. You'd have to test on the road. Every non-vintage road bike that is donated to our Co-op features shot shifters - hence the reason for the donation.

All for now. I'd have to carefully look at every part of the bike.

Iride01 

First time cyclist can be so mislead. Any bike you have to fix up and don't have the expertise and experience to DIY it is going to be a money pit.

IMO, you'll be better off buying a new bike within your budget and then using what you learn from that experience to guide your next purchase. You can get a new bike for what you want to spend. It is not really so much about the frame of old or new bikes but rather their components. I'd rather have new low tier components on my bike than old high tier components that are several models old.

Maelochs

I have to agree with @Iride01 .... if you don't know bikes, you could buy a great bike or a bad scam and not know until it was too late to do anything about it.

For about a grand US (I think that is 33 million Canadian) (?) you should be able to buy a very good new road bike which will let you learn a whole lot about cycling and bikes. After a season or two of riding you might want to upgrade, or even buy a different type of bike .... and if you go shopping for used bikes you will know a lot better whether you are buying a Garage Queen of someone's broke-down headache.

I like Fuji (Fuji Bikes | Sportif 1.5 Disc for instance) or Giant (https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/contend-1 for example) for bikes on par with some of the bigger names for less money.

The benefits of buying new are numerous---first off, you will probably need some adjustments for fit before you start riding, and some more adjustments to counter cable stretch after a few weeks. Most bike shops will do a free tune-up (or several) with a new bike. And if something doesn't work, you won't be faced with some guy refusing your calls and responding to texts with "All sales are final."

You will also want a water bottle and cage, a seat bag with a multi-tool, spare tubes, a mini-pump, probably shorts or bibs, maybe shoes and pedals, possibly gloves, maybe lights, possibly a helmet .... if you buy from a shop you can maybe get a better deal by buying things as a bundle.

Also people at the shop should be able to help you if you have any questions about any aspect of what you are buying.

Buying used .... you have no idea if the parts are used or used up. You have no idea if the bike will start shaking and rattling after a few miles down the road ... you don't know if the bike was wrecked or abused ....

You can definitely get awesome deals on used bikes .... and equally you can get completely robbed. Once you know your way around bikes, you can take your time, scan ads, look at a lot of bikes, and wait for that Garage Queen .... that really nice bike some person bought anticipating frequent riding, which ended up tucked in the back corner for a couple years, with barely a mile on it .... sometimes you can get an amazing bike for a fraction if its original price. But until you know what you are looking for .....

bpcyclist

Check this out as a possible option: https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/contend-ar-1-2020. A bit over budget, but it shows what you can get in this general price range in a new bike today.

CliffordK

Do you have any cycling buddies that would check the bike out with you?

As above, the Bianchi/Orbea Fork surprised me. Bianchi would tend to label their own,although, I wouldn't be surprised by Reynolds, or a few other brands that specialize in components.

Ultegra/105 comes in a number of different models. I'm not impressed with the 9-speed Shimano products. I haven't used the 10-speed, but at least some of the 10-speed should be good, and, of course, the 11-speed is good (less likely on a used bike).

Anyway, I'd be tempted to take a gander at the Bianchi.

You also mentioned the bike:
Size: 56 cm
Rider height : 175cm - 185cm (5'9 - 6')

That is probably about the height size I'd expect. How tall are you?

CliffordK

Do you currently own/ride a road bike? What?

zacster

That Bianchi is old enough to have parts that are going obsolete. I know because I have a 2005 bike myself that is my main road ride, and when I rode something new a few months ago I could see and feel the difference in the components. My bike was no slouch either, with Chorus 10 and light wheels at the time.

Go new as things have changed a lot in the last 10 years.

koolerb

Try to keep the bike you buy 2012 or newer. I think thats the year Shimano 105 went to 10 speed. ??? I'm probably wrong, someone will correct me. 10 speed Shimano is good stuff. For $800 you can buy a nice used bike. The newer the better. I'd pass on the Bianchi.