1st Road Bike: Cervelo Soloist Team or Bianchi 928 carbon?

LBCBJ

Hello everyone,

I'm on the market for my first road bike and have narrowed my choices down to the...

Cervelo Soloist Team - which is all aluminum w/ Ultegra components
or
Bianchi 928 Carbon - an all carbon bike with Shimano 105's

I'm 6'0", 185lbs and will riding and racing with a college club
Any opinions out there? Thanks

david462

i posted a very similar thread twice last week and didnt get a single resonse. i was asking between the soloist team or tarmac expert. so, good luck.

FriendlyFred

Hi. I know nothing about the Bianchi, but did have a Cervelo Soloist Team. For me, it never fit me right. There was just something about that bike and me that didn't gel. Cervelo makes great bikes though, and you can't go wrong with the build or quality. I strongly advise test rides and a professional fitting on the bike you choose. The important thing is you're comfortable and thus having fun when you're riding. Cervelo are great bikes. ( I still have a Dual I outfitted for the road and love it. Not as much as I love my two BMCs, but darn close)

good luck!
FF

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My Stable: BMC TeamMachine (dura-ace) / BMC Road Racer (ultegra) / BMC Carborazor (Road Build-Ultegra)

LBCBJ

This does seem to be a pretty quite forum, so maybe people will eventually start to chime in, but thanks for at least responding dave and fred. I have not test rode either bike yet, but since the bikes are sold at two seperate stores, I would like to have some independent opinions since I know that each store will try to sell me their respective bike.

My main dilemma here is wheter I want an all carbon bike with slighty cheaper Shimano 105s (the Bianchi - $2299), or an all aluminum bike with Ultegra (the Cervelo - $2199). The team rides around 100-150 miles a week and races most weekends during the spring, and from what I understand is while the Cervelo the better racing bike of the two, the Bianchi is much more comfortable on longer rides, so I'm really torn as to which on to get. If you have had experience with either bike, or have any opinons on Shimano 105s vs. Ultegra, feel free to chime in.

Brent

david462

hmmm. well, you can always upgrade your 105 set (sell the old parts on ebay). so i'd say buy the bike with the frame you want.

sorry to thread jack but this might help you as well (another bike to consider).

*im torn between the soloist team and specialized tarmac (expert). my budget is roughly $2500 usd

FriendlyFred

I agree, this is the smart way to go.
Some personal opinon....I wouldn't have 105 if you gave it to me. For me, there's a world of difference between 105 and Ultegra. Again, my opinon....the Ultegra is cleaner in the shifts and the adjustment doesn't drift like my experience with 105 suggests it does. (two different 105 bikes, same issues). I'm running Ultegra, a triple on my Trek (5200) and a double on one of my BMCs (Road Racer) and haven't had any of the issues which I expereinced with 105. Back to the real topic.....test ride the bikes, chose a frame, then, if need be, upgrade the components. Remember, you won't need to change out everything. You can just change out the front and rear derailler and the shifters and you're good to go.

good luck
FF

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My Stable: BMC TeamMachine (dura-ace) / BMC Road Racer (ultegra) / BMC Carborazor (Road Build-Ultegra)

Meek One

Ride them both. Buy the frame you want and then get all of the almost free parts from your team to finish the bike...

__________________
-Meek
"Some people train to look pretty. I just train so I can be the strongest man there is. And then again, I'm already pretty." -Magnus Samuelsson

gotundersteer?

^
True Words.

I bought my Jamis Ventura Comp (because I'm broke). I already purchased a full set of Ultegra Components from a friend for pocket change. Like literally, less than most people pay for a pair of pedals.

carrone

You probably by now have purchased a suitable bike. I am currently looking at a first bike like you were, and have access to professional advice. The 105 gear range is suitable for what you require, and the frame for comfort is very important. The carbon fibre frame make it a more comfortable ride so that would be my pick

melslur

I would go for the Carbon Bianchi. Comments on shifting of 105 vs ultegra may be valid, but you shift a fraction of the time, relative to riding on the frame 100% of the time. I would go with the Bianchi, give 105 a fair try, then buy used ultegra if need be (people are always upgrading from ultegra to dura-ace or to SRAm or Campagnolo). Alternatively you could buy used ultegra now, and sell the 105 right away as "unused, came with new bike I just bought".

100%

the carbon Bianchi for sure.. i have ridden both bikes (owned a luna 928 (the cool white one)) and was a very comfortable, personaly i dont mind the 105 either. although i do ride ultegra ATM.

the cervelo was fast and nice but as someone else said it just didnt fit properly.. wasnt for me thats all.

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When I started steel sucked! Then Alloy rocked! Then Alloy sucked! Then carbon rocked! Then carbon sucked! Then Steel rocked! now i ride carbon????

i'm here coz i ride...

sogood

Unless you have fat wallets. It's cheaper to race using an alloy frame than a CF frame. CF is somewhat a bit more fragile in a crash and typically are more expensive to repair or replace. But Bianchi 928 is an excellent frame, but so is Soloist Team.

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Morphed Bianchi Camaleonte IV 2006, Ridley Damocles 2006, Garmin, Mac

tfstrum

Go for the alum and Ultegra if they both (bikes) fit the same. If you don't like or believe in upgrades you're ahead. If you don't mind upgrades the Ultegra is probably a better option when upgrading to the frame you really want.

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A person without an opinion is fairly safe, but seldom heard

LBCBJ

Since you've ridden both, would you consider the Bianchi 928 as race worthy as the Soloist (i.e. fast descents, good handling on corners, climbing, etc)? I plan on doing quite a bit if racing, and from what I gathered the 928 is considered a "softer" bike for racing than the Soloist, yet with the industry quickly moving away from aluminum, I question why I would want to get an aluminum bike that will likely be arachaic in a few years.

The same thing I keep hearing over and over is that aluminum is a better racing material than carbon becuase its stiffer, but then again aren't the large majority of pros using carbon (and I've heard the "well they use carbon becuase they're paid to" a thousand times). Plus, I can't really think of a bike manufacturer whose top of the line bikes aren't all made of carbon, with aluminum falling at the bottom.

But with that mind, I've also been looking at the Cannondale Six13 and the carbon synapse...any opinions on these as well?