It’s the new Bianchi Crono D2
Did you see it at Interbike? Any thoughts or comments on it? What would you compare it to?
Thanks much in advance
Mark
I would wager that this bike will likely never actually be available.
Why do you say that? Bianchi has a list price on the website already. Or are you saying that the company does the proto, throws it out there, and sees if it sticks with any orders?
Thanks,
Mark
I would wager that this bike will likely never actually be available.
awwwe, we were hoping to do a road trip to your store!!!
Its so HOT, that it appears to be melting!!
Tom:
Why are you being evasive when it comes to this frame? How ‘bout checking with your Bianchi Rep and let us know the lowdown on this frame.
I also tried several times back in Jan 04 on this forum to have you answer some fit questions for the Bianchi Crono Aluminum TT Frame, but you were silent.
I e-mailed BianchiUSA to find out when this frame would be available in the States and have not heard back from them either.
well I would hope it hits the USA. Is already on the move in Australia - and orders are being taken - delivery time not confirmed but would imagine not too far off. Frameset is $5999 Aus dollars and it will be on display at the Sydney Bike show in two weeks…
Bump to Tom D
.
Rebadge this frame as a Felt, Guru, or Cervelo and Tom might provide some serious thoughts and also comments on this frame.
Simply a guess–in looking at the frame, maybe Tom is thinking the same thing as I am: “that’s a really cool looking frame–that doesn’t appear very aero.”
Maybe he’s putting form over function in what he carries, but doesn’t want to insult people who really like the looks of the frame??
I’m not being evasive, i am being realistic. You said it yourself: You e-mailed Bianchi and have not heard back.
I do not know this as a fact because I have not discussed it with Bob McKee, our Bianchi rep, but my guess is Bianchi will either bring in very few of these or none.
Bianchi is an excellent bike company with a full line of bikes ranging in price from the $300’s to well over $5000. We sell their their road, cyclocross, hybrid and mountain bikes as well as their unique single speed bikes. We don’t do huge numbers with them but enough to make it worth both our while and they are very well made bikes. I ride a Bianchi Liquigas team bike nearly every day- did 35 hard miles o it this morning and 27 yesterday.
The reality is the largest percentage of gross sales for Bianchi does not come from time trial style bikes. It is not their strength. Other companies do emphasize time trial and triathlon bikes. It is their bread and butter whereas Bianchis bread and butter are the Axis Cross bike we sell, Piste, Advantage hybrid, etc. Those are the bikes that pay the bills at Bianchi USA, not the occasional sale of a carbon TT bike- it simply isn’t part of their major program. As a result, I wager this Bianchi carbon TT bike is exactly like the Ford GT you see parked in the showroom at the local Ford dealer: something to draw attention to the dealership to sell more Escapes, Mustangs, Focuses and F150’s.
Don’t misinterpret or pervert my comments into any inference that the bike is somehow substandard. I don’t know anything about the bike. I can’t make any pragmatic assessment of it.
What I do know is there are several companies whose every day business is carbon TT bikes. Those are the “go to” guys when I really need to deliver a bike, not just look at it or use one as window dressing.
This bike may be great, but can my customers get it when they want it? I do not know. What if they bring in 30 bikes and they become popular? Then what? More people come in wanting that bike and there is no production capacity in place to meet the demand. I have enough trouble getting the more common, popular bikes.
Tom is human, it isn’t his responsibility to answer every single post regarding fit. He runs a successful bike shop and carries the brands that he wants to, he doesn’t have to justify that to anyone. Give the guy a break, he does a lot more for non customers than just about any other bike shop owner.
That being said, if you “know” someone at Bianchi, you can probably get one of the few they will ship over.
Well put.
I would wager that this bike will likely never actually be available.
“Don’t be too quick to judge. Assume the best in someone until they prove otherwise.” -Slowtwitcher, 8/30/05
This was kind of funny, juxtaposed as it was!
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the frank response, it was what I was looking for. If you happen to find out any further information through your Bianchi Rep, if you wouldn’t mind sending it over to me, through a private message it would be greatly appreciated.
The only Bianchi retailer that I have found so far in Toronto is actually a bike shop close to my house. Unforunately they seem to be focused more on mountain rather than road, and no TT/Triathlon at all.
Again thanks and much appreciated.
Mark
… so what is this, like reverse compact geometry?
Do you really want one of these? Here’s my advice - if you do then find contact info for the rep that covers Ontario and then present him with a business case that makes getting you one worth the time and likely hassle he’ll face to bring one in. You’re likely going to have to hook-in a retailer to make this work. Show benefit to him and that should ice the deal. A rep will be focused on increasing his business through his retailers. A retailer will be motivated by increasing retail sales…meet their needs.
Send them an offer referencing a long list of races / training events / clubs / group rides / outings you’ll attend and that you’ll:
show the bike to everyone, let everyone who asks try it out - let anyone the rep sends your way ride it, you’ll supply it back to the rep no questions asked whenever he might want to show it to shops or groups or at a bike show… you’ll be a marketing branch for him at no cost and you’ll outfit the frame with the appropriate level of components. This should atleast give you a fighting chance.
Assuming of course that a rep, that in all likely hood delivers a small overall quota back to Bianchi has the ability to pull in a frame like this.
I was thnking the same thing too. Unusual looking geomtry. The top tube is extremely high- It actually bows upward. I’m not sure why a person would want that or how that improve the performance of the bike/rider package.
It’s hard for me to get excited about this until I understand more about it.
Hey Pulfer,
Great advice, didn’t realize that this is possible. Thanks much, I will look into it.
Markb