Beauty meets functionality
Written: Dec 05 '02 (Updated Dec 05 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Striking design, undestroyable no-frills components
Cons: seat could be more comfortable, limited off-road capability
The Bottom Line: This bike is a combination of stylish Italian design and Japanese practicality and durability.
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| frankhartmann's Full Review: Bianchi Milano |
If you are a single person desperately in need of getting a date or just somebody who relishes human interaction, this is the ride for you. If you are somebody, however, who cherishes his personal space and loathes to be approached by strangers, stay away - I emphasize - stay FAR away from this bike!
This bicycle is definitely a head-turner. It does tend to cause strong reactions in other human beings, which can go both ways. I had a boss who bluntly told me that the bike was the most ugly thing he had ever seen. On the other hand, countless people have shouted out "great bike!" while I was riding by them or stopping next to them at an intersection.
In a nutshell, this bike is the perfect urban commuter bike. It has been my main mode of transportation for almost one year in Madison, Wisconsin. The tires have a very low rolling resistance on asphalt, which will make you pass people on mountain bikes so fast they will see you only as a blurred image.
My favorite thing about this bike is that its components require practically zero maintenance. The gear shifting system is integrated into the hub of the rear wheel - sealed away from moisture and aggressive road salt (we have plenty of that in Madison in the winter!).
In fact, the shifting system has other advantages as well. I never had to have it adjusted one bit - and I have put over 2,000 miles on my bike! Another benefit is that the shifting happens very quickly. You can almost instantly go from the first to the seventh gear. In spite of the low number of gears, the gear ratio of the highest and lowest gears are almost comparable to a 21-speed bike. The first gear is sufficient for steeper hills (at least in Wisconsin!)
All other hubs are supposedly equipped with no-maintenance seals as well. Again, this is great if you are commuting in the winter on excessively salted roads, like I am.
The most unusual thing about this bike is that it has rear flashing lights integrated into the seat! This consists of a series of 7 LED lights, which use hardly any electricity at all. In the last year, I only had to change the batteries once - even though I frequently ride at night.
I can only think of one slight drawback to this bike, which is its seat (In spite of its snazzy built-in lighting system). Especially on longer rides, the seat can leave you pretty sore due to its narrowness and lack of cushion. But then, before owning this bicycle, I was used to nice cushy mountain bike seats.
The seat has another drawback as well, which will come as a bit of a surprise to the owner. Its bright red color tends to "bleed." This happens especially when the seat is wet or when one sweats heavily. On the second day at a new job I just started, a colleague pointed out to me that my pants were strangely red in an unmentionable place. Very embarrassing! Fortunately, the stains are not permanent, and the color comes out easily in the wash.
In spite of this little "flaw," I can highly recommend this bike. Don't be fooled by its stylish looks - this bike is very tough and forgiving. I don't call it my "mean green biking machine" for no reason!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
frankhartmann
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Member: Frank Hartmann
Location: Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 3 members
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