Help me decide:Bianchi XL vs. Giant TCR 2

[lyotard]

these rumours come up from time to time but we have yet to see any substantiation offerred of which i am aware.

the low level "assos", and "chic" constructions did look a little unworthy, and the "b-stay" on the '05 "active" is of a different order, but all '05 colnago have made in italy emblazoned upon them, and the first page of the '05 catalog has the statement "since always, my bicycles have been made in italy..." -ernesto.

as for "mid-range carbon", would you mean the E-1?, as it has the '05 afformentioned labeling.

the announcement is credited to colnago by g. pete, but their website has no mention.

will be interesting to see where the credibility for this self declared confirmation offerred here will go...
or not go.

one always could call trialtir and broach the subject, they are most agreeably conversant and knowlegeable, but perhaps these are the kind of cards that would be played closed to the chest on their part.

I am another Pete, but will confirm what that Pete said.

Colnago has announced that, starting with production this year, they will be having their mid-range carbon fiber frames manufactured in Taiwan. Their high end frames will continue (so they say) to be made in Italy.

No time to track down a source - pretending to work at the moment!

 

[Powerful Pete]

Someone has just started another thread on this... google "colnago and a-team" and read all about it! And don't shoot the messenger!

From the article I read at: http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=5294 Colnago does NOT intend to market their new Taiwanese made mid-range frames on the US market... but I guess that depends on how successful they are in selling them in Europe...

 

[rv]

hey there pete,
second time you brought up this connection, where can i look for proof of this claim please? it does contradict the colnago '05 catalog.

BTW, would you be a peter green fan? maybe heard "a hard road" or, "rattlesnake shake"

colnago joins the a-team...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/sponsors/italia/2005/colnago.php

 

[rv]

This is really all about names. There is nothing wrong with Giants or Shimano at all and in your case I would go that way.

The other thing to consider is do you really want to ride around on a Bianchi with shimano parts on it?.... Just a thought!

Jay

I happen to have da10 on my xl, and I like it. several reasons...I can use all my other shimano compatible wheelsets w/o buying conversion cassettes (and I have have several...climbing lightweights, deep rim carbons, training wheels) and I like the feel and performance of shimano. not going to debate shimano/campy because no one will ever win that argument.

 

[greenpeter2001]

Help me decide between the two. The Bianchi would be built up with Ultegra and Mavic Elites and goes for $400 more.

so you've had all our views
what did you buy?

 

[Sanford]

Thanks for all the replies. Between these two bikes, I definitely would choose the Bianchi as the Giant gives too much of a comfort ride. The Bianchi just feels a lot better. However, I am still test riding. Two that I am giving consideration to are Leopard (on-line and local to me) and a Raleigh Prestige. I also want to ride some Ti bikes to either officially rule them out or screw with my mind further. So I haven't officially picked one yet, but would get the Bianchi if the choice was only between that and the Giant.