I bought a couple of cool jerseys and some nice bib shorts from minor/local teams in Tuscany. Just came across them in a small store, not a cycling shop. The bibs were a great deal, 45 Euro. The jerseys were about the same. A friend of mine bought two bikes, a de Rosa and a Basso while living there. I'll ask him for a recommendation.

I spent a couple weeks in northern italy a few years ago and all the bike shops rock. I had castelli pimp gloves years before i saw them in catalogs. I did run into one shop that was sort of a shack, but they still had cool road bikes. Have fun and don't forget the vino!!!

In Tuscanny, a little north of Pienza, about 2 K, is "Cicloposse". They have great road bikes for rent. Pienza is maybe an hour from Sienna, 25 minutes from Buenconvento. A beautiful young italian woman will get you all set up, as will her husband... They were awesome to work with and recommended a bike shop in a town call Sienna de lunga, (I think that was the name), about a half hour north of Pienza. (I just bought some friends some jerseys and hats and stuff) Not much of a shop really, but they had everything you needed. (It just wasnt a USA retail kind of store.) I rented from Cicloposse in June for a solo bike ride from Pienza to Radificione, (a beautiful 80k ride from one mideveil town to another, serious climbing!) Absolutely no problems. go to cicloposse.com or do a google search for them as I may have the name wrong.

Have a great time, stop in Monticello for some Brunello tasting, eat lots, and enjoy! The people were awesome!!