Results tagged “Bianchi”

I recently posted about some of the issues when it comes to buying a woman's bike and how frustrating my girlfriend was finding it. Great response to it from readers on the issues as well.

Today I can announce that she is the very happy owner of the Bianchi that she had set her mind to getting. And it's thanks to Geoffrey Butler Cycles in Croydon.

Not only did they have the bike in stock and held onto it for her for over a week while we tried to find the time to make the trip across town (3 different trains to get there, taking around an hour and a bit) but when we got there they were helpful, attentive to her needs as the customer and delivered a good experience for her as a first time buyer. The first of those is obvious enough but the other two might need some explaining.

By taking me along there was the risk that I could have got in the way and suggested things that might not have been entirely helpful. I know what I think she needs to buy, but is that the same thing as what she does need to buy? Possibly not, which is why it was great that while the guy (apologies for forgetting his name) serving us listened to what I had to say, he focused on why my girlfriend was saying more closely.

I remembered to bring along the Shimano M324 Combination Pedals I'd bought her ages ago and we got them fitted. I might have picked up a few shoes to suggest but it wasn't me who sensibly suggested a pair of Specialized Road Shoes which mean she can now upgrade to any three-bolt road pedal she likes when she wants to move on from the SPD fitting on those pedals. They were also considerably less costly than any other pair of shoes she owns.

It's been said of the bike trade that it doesn't traditionally cater for the needs of women, something which was confirmed by what we we've seen and heard about the availability of clothing and accessories for women, but the quality of service at GB Cycles was totally contradictory to that received wisdom. My girlfriend is now happy to make the trip round to Croydon again if we need anything because it was such a positive experience.

My girlfriend is currently in the process of trying to buy herself a road bike. Were she looking at men's bikes then she'd have a huge array of brands, equipment and parts to chose from. As she's a woman, she's forced to accept that the industry seems to believe there's no need to cater for half the population properly.

It's not that she hasn't been able to find something she likes. With her eye for style and a desire for a bike that she wants to look at and enjoy riding, she has settled on the Bianchi Dama Bianca She

Any excellent choice both on the choice of brand and appearance. The alternative was the Specialized Dolce Elite but some unknown reason they've chosen to change the paintjob from a clean white to the uninspiring and frankly a bit ugly nail varnish red (I'm assuming that's what they're attempting, although I've been told "If it was red that would be fine. But it's burgundy, who wants that?").

Beyond that the issues are multiple and incredibly frustrating for me, as someone trying to help her with the process using my knowledge, and her, as someone who just wants to buy a bike she likes and ride it.

Let's deal with her issues first, as these are the most important.

Do you have it in stock?

Bianchi seem to be having a bit of a nightmare getting this season's models into stores. Evans are going to phone once they've got the size and model in. Apparently they are planning only to bring in six (yes, 6, six) of the 53cm size into their shops in the current order. 4 are pre-sold, so if we want one we're going to have to be lucky and keep chasing them.

The rise of the euro

Since we first looked at the bike the euro has risen strongly against the pound. It's affecting the whole bike industry and it's why the bike has jumped from a price of around 675 GBP to 871 GBP. This is hitting everyone hard and seems to be coming without warning from retailers.

Complete lack of a site reviewing women's bikes

Pretty much any bike that goes to market for men will have a review somewhere online, no matter how incomplete or partisan it may be. I've done a few searches now in similar terms and come up with next to nothing. What really annoyed me was the almost complete absence of an English language site that focuses on cycling for women. There used to be shecycles.com but that now only redirects to RoadcyclingUK where I could only find review of a 2006 Specialized Dolce.

Arguably it's like there being no male equivalent of Net-a-porter for men but, as a wider point, it's the lack of choice that bugs me. There's probably five bikes to choose from at that price point for a woman compared to dozens for a man. How on earth are we meant to get more women cycling if they can't find a bike they like?

Lack of choice

I've already touched on this but my girlfriend has been reading this and pointed out the things I was perhaps ignoring: she just wants to buy a bike and be able to ride it, not worry about buying several hundred quid of modifications to make it right.

Off-the-peg is what the vast majority of hobby cyclists will buy as their first serious bike. If you want to go boutique brand/custom built it is going to cost you much more in any case and that is a big financial commitment if you are still trying to decide if cycling is for you.

The specification on lots of the bikes I looked over was lower than the male equivalent in some cases which could be down to the lack of volume to offset cost, or the premium on "women specific" design.

Now that I've got this bee in my bonnet I really want to hear from people in the bike industry, both manufacturers and retailers, as well as women cyclists about the hurdles that seem to exist to them getting into the sport and recreation of cycling.

As the season draws to a close, the big shows also get underway as manufacturers show off what they think we will want to buy next year. I've got a few items on my wishlist, most of which aren't brand-spanking new.

Bont cycling shoes (350 USD)

As worn by the GB cycling team at the Olympics. Jamie Staff had a pair I think and possibly Victoria Pendleton too. I fancy a pair in black, maybe white, that patent leather look is slick and suitably futurist. I'm apparently a size 40, according to their sizing chart.

Zipp 404 clincher wheelset (1500 GBP)

The daddy of the deep section. I've seen enough people riding them and heard them whooshing past me often enough to know I would like a pair. They may not be the lightest wheel or whatever but there's something about the shape and look of them on a bike that says business. I've marked myself down for Shimano drivetrain clinchers because I can't face the prospect of tubulars and getting glue all over the kitchen.

Hed Jet 50 wheelset (663 GBP)

I'll settle for these in lieu of the Zipp wheels. My friend Robin has a pair and they look very swishy indeed. He says they roll well and give that proper aero feel once you get up to speed.

Bianchi B4P 928 T-Cube Frameset (1300 GBP)

Call me heathen if you must but don't tell me it doesn't look sexy in monochrome, even more so that the classic celeste. I've been wanting one for quite a while now and it's nothing to do with it being what the Barloworld team ride. It's a Bianchi, they are always sexy. The 53 size seems to be exactly the same geometry as my current Merckx frame, something which sways me further.

Rapha Cap (25 GBP)

My current one, which I've had since sometime in late 2005, has given up the ghost - the peak cracked and caved in. So I'm in the market for a new one as it's one of those items which I get far too much use out of to go without. The depth is right, the material is comfortable and unlike other caps I've tried, it does the job in the rain and sun alike. The medium size fits me fine.

I'm sure there's more stuff I'd love to try or buy but these are the top items. If you would like to buy them for me don't let the current financial climate stand in the way of an impecunious purchase for me.