Bianchi Infinito

[Dogtrousers]

If I were to get a new bike now, it would be the Bianchi Infinito, with 105Di2 gears, from Epic Cycles in Ludlow. And would have it with the cassette that goes to 36T.

I think If I were getting a new bike (which I'm not) I'd probably stick with Spa steel, which has served me so well, but go for an Elan with hydro discs. Maybe a subcompact chainset.

Fantastic! But please reassure us it's not in that 1970s bathroom suite colour they favour?

Sorry but that's the colour. Come to think of it, our bathroom in the 60s was exactly that colour.

 

[Alex321]

I think If I were getting a new bike (which I'm not)

Oh yes, I don't think I'll be getting a new bike anytime soon either. The boss wouldn't accept it when I've only had my current bike for less than 4 years - though I have done over 12.5K miles on it.

Sorry but that's the colour. Come to think of it, our bathroom in the 60s was exactly that colour.

When renting, you only have what they have in stock. To buy, there is a 2nd choice of colour. Though I suspect most people buying Bianchi want their signature colour.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Long steep descents with rim brakes can mean I have to stop to uncramp my hands, but the physical effort required to keep braking with the hydro discs was much, much less.

Always amazed reading posts like this.

I've done very long descents on both rims and hydro discs, and neither takes the least physical effort.

Complete mystery to me.

 

[Alex321]

Always amazed reading posts like this.

I've done very long descents on both rims and hydro discs, and neither takes the least physical effort.

Complete mystery to me.

Descents steep enough that you need to be braking continuously for several minutes at a time?

When I have done those on rim brakes (admittedly 35+ years ago, so not modern rim brakes), it was certainly a struggle. Much less so with hydro disc brakes.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Descents steep enough that you need to be braking continuously for several minutes at a time?

When I have done those on rim brakes (admittedly 35+ years ago, so not modern rim brakes), it was certainly a struggle. Much less so with hydro disc brakes.

Stelvio, Galibier, Hardknott, Great Dun Fell etc etc etc. Did the latter just a couple of weeks ago.

Never had any problem with properly set up rim brakes on a road bike. It's easy to lock up wheels without excessive force. Likewise on hired bikes with hydro discs. No real difference.

They're are advantages to discs, but physical strength for a road bike? Can't fathom it.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Your experience is different to mine, especially on the Grand Colombier which was a succession of steep pitches with tight bends at the bottom, with vertiginous drops, and distance to a dead stop was alarmingly long, so I kept speed to an absolute minimum at all times. Rims were too hot to touch. Hands were killing me. (That's the descent on the E side into Culoz - The descent on the W to Champagne-en-Valromey was a lot easier)

The Tourmalet is maybe not a fair comparison as it's not so steep and twisty.

But note that: I weigh a lot; I don't like going fast, especially not downhill.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Your experience is different to mine, especially on the Grand Colombier which was a succession of steep pitches with tight bends at the bottom, with vertiginous drops, and distance to a dead stop was alarmingly long, so I kept speed to an absolute minimum at all times. Rims were too hot to touch. Hands were killing me. (That's the descent on the E side into Culoz - The descent on the W to Champagne-en-Valromey was a lot easier)

The Tourmalet is maybe not a fair comparison as it's not so steep and twisty.

But note that: I weigh a lot; I don't like going fast, especially not downhill.

I can just about conceive of it if you're going *really* slowly; the combination of much longer time and all the energy going into the brakes rather than the air. Even then, it seems a stretch if your brakes are properly set up - surely your wheels lock before you're pulling hard on the levers?

What speed are you doing these descents? I just had a peek at Strava and I averaged about 40kmh descending both the Stelvio (1800m, very long, consistent descent) and Great Dun Fell (600m, not so long, but highly variable gradient with some really steep pitches).

I don't think I'm particularly fast, but maybe if you're doing much less than half that speed??

 

[Dogtrousers]

Wheels never locked. Absolutely no Idea of speed and no intention of getting into a macho willy waggling contest.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Wheels never locked. Absolutely no Idea of speed and no intention of getting into a macho willy waggling contest.

We're at cross purposes. For clarity faster descending is NOT better, genitals regardless. Purely trying to understand how experiences are so diametrically opposed. Will leave it at that and mute the thread.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Fair enough. Subject closed.

I will repeat that I found the experience of using hydro discs distinctly nicer than my (yes ... properly set up) rim brakes on my own bike. Not "dash out and buy a new bike" nicer, but certainly "get if buying a new bike" nicer. That's just my subjective perception.

I didn't really notice any difference with the carbon frame other than when I picked the bike up and maybe for a few minutes while I got used to it. Again, just a subjective opinion.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Absolutely - an important qualifier being the destinction between hydro and cable. I've found hydro consistantly excellent and while I've not used cable discs I'm aware they don't have a great rep and I can see why..

Cable discs IME are useless, rim brakes have far better modulation and stopping power.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It's easy to lock up wheels

A good reason to switch to disc brakes

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I took my first steps into modernity recently. On holiday I hired a carbon Bianchi bike with hydro disc brakes (105 I think, I didn’t check the groupset).

I’ve never ridden a bike equipped with either carbon frame or discs before. The other major difference with my usual ride (a Spa Steel Audax with rim brakes) was a much smaller load, I normally carry a few kilos of pointless extra tools, food, other stuff. This time I was much more minimalist: Spare tube, levers, some snack bars, multitool, waterproof, phone.

First impressions were that it had a different, positive feel, especially when climbing (of which there was a lot – I was in the Pyrenées). First ride involved desperately chasing my wife on a hired e-bike up a steep twisty road to our accommodation and with fresh legs I was happy with how things went. Another immediate impression was “hey, these brakes are the wrong way round”. But that’s France for you.

The main event was climbing the Tourmalet which is a long slog (just under 20km at just under 8% overall) And to be honest all differences of the bike soon evaporated. The engine was still the same and it was just a case of keeping the pedals going. I soon forgot that I was on a different bike. OK the weight difference may have meant I was going 0.01 km/h or something faster for the same output but that didn’t matter, I was riding alone and not against the clock. It was the same experience, of just getting into a sustainable rhythm and staying there. Oh, and the saddle wasn’t very nice which gave me a reminder to put in occasional stretches standing on the pedals to let my backside recover.

Coming down was where I really felt the difference. Long steep descents with rim brakes can mean I have to stop to uncramp my hands, but the physical effort required to keep braking with the hydro discs was much, much less. All in all I did like the brakes a lot, even if they were the wrong way round.

So am I going to dash out and buy a carbon framed bike? Nope. Did I like the disc brakes? yes I certainly did.

I could well be wrong but I had you down as a naysayers re discs in previous posts.

Am I thinking of someone else?

If it wasn't you then my apologies.

 

[Drago]

Cable discs IME are useless

All my bikes are hydro disc with the exception of my Wobble which has cable discs, and they're equally effective at hauling up my 120kg from speed. They don't feel as nice or as progressive as the hydro ones, but their retardation abilities are easily equal.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I had a similar revelation with the 105 discs on my Genesis; coming from a Tiagra / 105 rim brake setup.

While I'll happily scoff at much of what constitutes "progress" in the cycling world, I've become an unashamed disc evangalist

Disc brakes are like Kindles imo.

Many people dismiss Kindles without really trying them - much preferring "real books".

Between Mrs SD and myself we can think of several handfuls of people who reversed their opinion after properly trying a Kindle.

Same applies to a number of ex disc-dissers (!) I know who were anti but were instant converts after properly trying them.