Serrota vs. Bianchi bikes--any thoughts on these bikes?

Triathlon Forum
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Soon enough I’ll be in the market for a new set of wheels, and I want to get something that I’ll enjoy for years. A bike that’s versatile enough to do long rides (70+) and fast enough to race decently enough at a triathlon (intl) or do a weekly (for fun) trimetrial. (I want a road bike not a tri bike)

A local bike shop carries Serrota…do you guys know much about them? They seem pricey, but maybe it’s worth it for the fit?

I told the guy I wanted to get something great and not spend over 3,500.00 He said it’s doable.

In comparison to Bianchi, I wonder if for the money I’d be getting as much bike though.

Any thoughts?

thx! kc

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Hey kittycat,

I think you hit the nail on the head with Serotta. At the risk of pissing off everybody who owns/sells and builds Serotta, the best reasons to own one- and this is a very, very good reason- is fit.

The people who sell the bikes tend to be well versed in bike fit, especially if they have attended Serotta’s fine fit school AND they have substantial experience working with the brand in their store.

Serotta bikes that I have seen are solid. As with many brands, some customers/dealers ascribe mystical significance to the brand. That is warranted with respect to the fit. If you are lucky enough to be near Serotta’s fitting facility- a visit there for a fitting is a must.

Now, you also mention Bianchi. That is also a fine road bike in its many manifestations- some better than aothers as with all brands. And the Bianchi may be every bit as good as the Serotta if it fits you.

But ultimately, the quality of your ownership will be most predominantly determined by the quality of your bike fit.

I always say, don’t compare bikes- compare fit. In my opinion, becasue Serotta has really walked the walk as a company in their commitment to bike fit, they have an edge few others enjoy.

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As a confirmed Bianchi fan all my life, I’ll pound the Bianchi drum. When I upgraded last year and do more Road events than tri’s, I looked for a bike that would do both well. When I looked at frames and their angles, I found Bianchi to have more tri like seat tube angles than some of the other brands (look, gios). Now 74.5 isn’t astounding but that’s more angle than many. The head tube has a shallow 71 degree angle and makes it rock solid even on the aero bars, as a side note, i can climb standing, on the aero pads. Not my feet but elbows. The icing on the cake is the Celeste color and the racing history of the brand. I need to mention that all my two wheel vehicles have to come from Italy including my Ducati Motorbike. They love cycling, cyclists and have a passion for the sport.

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kittycat,

I rode a Bianchi Eros for five or six years and loved it until I began to notice that my cycling experience was exceeding the design limits of its geometry. I then began looking for my next bicycle.

After about two years I went to ride a Lemond Zurich at a local bike shop. I was unimpressed. I was invited to try a Gunnar Tirebiter (a Waterford brand) and was still unimpressed but thought it was modestly better than the Zurich. Lastly, I was invited to ride a Serotta csi. I was blown away. This was the bike I was looking for all my life. It was the bike I would be looking for in 5 or 6 years after I had purchased the bike I was presently looking for.

To make a long story short. Serottas are great bikes. You will be hard presed to find a better bike. Maybe you can find a similar great bike, but better? Serotta has been making bikes for more than 30 years. They have continously worked at improving the ride and handling of their bikes. They have numerous patented features they were responsible for introducing to bike manufacturing.

Had I purchased the Serotta instead of the Bianchi in the beginning I probably never would have known what I was getting. It could have been a very expensive mistake if my riding had not followed the path that it did.

If you know what you want in a bike, go ahead and buy an expensive bike and get a good fit to get the right bike. If you aren’t quite sure what you want in a bike and don’t know to what degree you will continue in the sport you could be buying a bike that you will never be able to appreciate. Your riding will just never advance to the level that will bring out the special nature of an expensive bike.

Lastly, as Tom so well stated, fit is everything. If a bike fits well, it will be enjoyed by the person riding it. If it fits poorly or not very well, the rider’s biking experience will suffer and so will their enjoyment of cycling.

Last lastly, I doubt that you will be able to find many people who own a Serotta and don’t like/love their bike.

Oh, by the way, I’m biased. Consider my comments as such. I own three Serottas. All steel frames. The first purchase experience was so fantastic that as long as it could be duplicated, I was in. You go with what you know!

I hope you enjoy your new bike as much as I have loved mine. Hope to see you on the road sometime to say hi and discover what bike you purchased.