"Mark" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> 1. After 4 months, rust spots on chrome parts. My garage is only slightly humid but I had a Fuji
> Grand Tourer in there for 20 years and it looks fine.
I've been riding a Bianchi Boardwalk as my city bike for over ten years and am fairly happy with it.
I don't recall a problem with premature rust. Talk to the dealer.
> 2. Hitting a small crack in the pavement puts the wheels out of true.
New wheels do go out of true easily, esepecially less-expensive mass-produced wheels. You will
have to get them trued a couple of times before they start holding up. I imagine you got a free
tune-up with your purchase. Get them re-trued then and then again a few hundred miles after that
initial tune-up.
> 3. The bracket attaching front derailleur to the frame come loose 4 times. Bike shop fixed it for
> free (you need some special tool to do this).
Strange. I find it hard to believe that is due to some component problem specific to the
Bianchi, though.
> 4. Paint is coming off the front fork.
Flaking off due to nothing in particular or coming off due to mechanical abrasion? Scratch some pain
in the area with your thumbnail and see if it flakes off easily. If so, I'd complain.
> 5. The fixed gear selection thingy needs to be adjusted every week.
Not entirely unusual with a brand new bike.
> 6. Hit a small twig while going 2 MPH (approaching a Stop sign) and the bike came up 90 degrees on
> its front wheel. I fell to the side and severely damaged my wrist and knee. I have NO idea how
> a small twig could have caused a bike with a 200 pound rider to do a hand stand. My theory is
> that being 6"2 and riding relatively upright, the center of gravity is too high. (Not a Bianchi
> frame design problem I guess but a warning to other tall riders). On my touring bike, I hit
> plenty of objects and never ever had a bike "Stand up".
Riding more upright is like driving an SUV: You are more prone to tip over. As far as your accident
is concerned, you are probably correct in that it wasn't a problem specific to your Bianchi. The
factors probably included your balance at that moment, the angle your tire hit the twig, bike
geometry (esp. wheelbase), tire geometry, etc.. It could happen on any bike. Most importantly: Get
back on your bike. Don't let this fall affect your riding.
> I thought a hybrid should take more of a beating than a regular touring bike but this model seems
> to be very "sensitive". (And I'm talking about just black pavement riding, God forbid I try it on
> a gravel or dirt road).
It's my understanding the the Avenue is Bianchi's low-end hybrid. Though I believe that Bianchi
produces good bikes in general, ultimately you must consider that you're not riding on
higher-quality wheels and components and they may break down more often.