My roommate has a line on a Bianchi Giro with Veloce. He’s fairly new to cycling, wants to start doing group rides, and this would be his first real road bike.
I’ve never ridden Veloce. How is it? Good enough for him to ride for a couple of years?
As long he is fit properly and comfy on the bike it will work until he gets to the point he feels he can upgrade!!
Veloce works just as well as higher level Campy groups. It’s just heavier. I’ve used it for years on winter bikes. My winter commuter has been through five or six winters with nothing other than drivetrain replacements.
caleb,
I started cycling on a Bianchi Eros with Campy Mirage. The Giro is at least as good a frame if not just slightly better. Both the Eros and Giro are considered entry level frames. I think they both have pretty much the same geometry. My Eros was a great bike for a number of years until my cycling ability started to exceed what the frame was engineered for. It did everything very well and was comfortable to ride for hours on end. It had slightly relaxed geometry. It just wasn’t all that great when you started to push its limits, i.e., 40+ mph downhill into a sharp turn.
The Campy Veloce is a step or two up from Mirage. The Mirage made me a Campy fan for life. I’m sure he will love this bike if he can be fit well on it and decides to purchase it.
In 5 years and about 15,000 miles the only things I wore out on it were the right shift lever and and the headset. Both were relatively inexpensive to repair/replace.
BTW, My Bianchi was a Tom Demerly/Bikesport fit experience. I guess he pretty much nailed it! I’m still cycling and loving it, just on more expensive rides now, but I still have that Bianchi. Its on the Computrainer.
caleb,
I started cycling on a Bianchi Eros with Campy Mirage. The Giro is at least as good a frame if not just slightly better. Both the Eros and Giro are considered entry level frames. I think they both have pretty much the same geometry. My Eros was a great bike for a number of years until my cycling ability started to exceed what the frame was engineered for. It did everything very well and was comfortable to ride for hours on end. It had slightly relaxed geometry. It just wasn’t all that great when you started to push its limits, i.e., 40+ mph downhill into a sharp turn.
The Campy Veloce is a step or two up from Mirage. The Mirage made me a Campy fan for life. I’m sure he will love this bike if he can be fit well on it and decides to purchase it.
In 5 years and about 15,000 miles the only things I wore out on it were the right shift lever and and the headset. Both were relatively inexpensive to repair/replace.
BTW, My Bianchi was a Tom Demerly/Bikesport fit experience. I guess he pretty much nailed it! I’m still cycling and loving it, just on more expensive rides now, but I still have that Bianchi. Its on the Computrainer.
That’s what I needed to hear. My first roadie had Sora, and I rode it for 12,000 miles. So long as I know it functions as well as Sora, I’ll tell him to get it. It’s amazing how little difference there is between the bottom of the line and the top.
Veloce 10 speed, I think, is more like 105 than Sora. Campy stuff rocks - lasts forever & the shifters are serviceable. I would use it if I didn’t have an eye towards reselling my demo bikes. It’s much easier selling a Shimano equipped bike.
I think Veloce and Ultegra are a better likeness.
I’ve had Mirage on my Bianchi for years and it’s still going strong. I’ve sweated many hours on the trainer and ridden in all sorts of nasty weather. Rain, snow, cold, and dirty salty roads. Other than replacing worn out cables, cogs and chain, I’ve never had a problem.
You can’t go wrong with Campy.
Lactic,
Agreed, Veloce is on par with Ultegra and is worlds above Sora.
Perfect build for a noob - he may never outgrow it and if he does, it won’t be for performance reasons.
He bought the bike tonight, but - unfortuantely - decided he wanted Shimano 105 on the bike. Still, it’s a pretty sweet ride.
Pics to come.
really??? I would take veloce over 105 any day of the week. Actually…i just did. The shop is putting together my new bike with veloce as we speak. It is similar in price to 105 but in my opinion MUCH better.
Someone commented on veloce being heavy but i think it’s only about 80 grams more than centaur. Centaur has a little more bling than veloce with some carbon components, but veloce is really really really good stuff for the price.
One cool feature you should point out to him is the way the cables are setup on each bike. On shimano you have those hideous cables coming out of the side of the shifters. Campy wires come out the back and are wrapped in the bar tape. In a sport where people are so concerned with how fast spandex shoe covers will make them, you’d think that the aero benefits of hidden cables would be something to look into.
caleb,
What a missed opportunity! I hope he saved mega bucks. If it was the same price, the shop is laughing all the way to the bank.
Then there is the whole other issue of a Italian bike with a pedigree unlike almost any other outfitted with Jap gruppo. This guy should be shot!
Ooops, I forgot, he’s a nube. Oh well.
Agreed, Veloce is on par with Ultegra and is worlds above Sora.
Hijacking the thread here for a moment . . .
So, is it worth it then, to put Veloce on my Colnago Master X Light?
Choices are:
- Spend no money and put the 105’s on that just came off my tri bike.
- Spend $600 (give or take) on Veloce and get 'em in the next 5-6 months
- Spend $1100 (give or take) on Chorus and get 'em sometime in 2008 (barring unforeseen expenses).
Factor in that I’d prefer to have Italian components on my Italian bike. Common sense tells me to use the 105’s until I can afford the Chorus that I really want, but I’m afraid if I put the 105’s on, I’ll end up never taking them off. I’m not a bike racer (other than when I do triathlons, and then, I use my tri bike), and I’ll admit that the only reason for wanting Chorus is the “cool factor” with the nice frame. Would I notice THAT much difference between Veloce and Chorus (amateur that I am), or should I just stop being a slave to the cool factor?
Factor in that I’d prefer to have Italian components on my Italian bike.
For me, that would be a big factor.
Not something I could justify, perhaps; but somethign just seems wrong about an italian bike w/shimano (or sram,for that matter).
-charles
Factor in that I’d prefer to have Italian components on my Italian bike.
For me, that would be a big factor.
Not something I could justify, perhaps; but somethign just seems wrong about an italian bike w/shimano (or sram,for that matter).
-charles
Except that, if I remember correctly, Ernesto Colgago only put Shimano on his bikes.
Choices are:
- Spend no money and put the 105’s on that just came off my tri bike.
- Spend $600 (give or take) on Veloce and get 'em in the next 5-6 months
- Spend $1100 (give or take) on Chorus and get 'em sometime in 2008 (barring unforeseen expenses).
If it’s a choice of riding now or not, I’d use the 105. If you have something else to ride now, I’d get the Veloce in the spring, at least judging by the reading I’ve done on it the past few days.
If it’s a choice of riding now or not, I’d use the 105. If you have something else to ride now, I’d get the Veloce in the spring, at least judging by the reading I’ve done on it the past few days.
I have my tri bike to ride now, so it’s not like I’m rideless. Thanks for the input. I wish money was no object . . . .
Danno,
First bike, the Bianchi, had Campy Mirage. Every bike after has had Chorus because I aiways wanted a bike with Chorus. Presently, three of them have Chorus. For me, the only way to go, but I was once where you are now.
Sounds like you have your head straight. We will give you a pass so you can run 105 until you can afford Chorus for this bike. Once you put it on, you won’t believe how wonderful it is. You will absolutely love it.