Is it the bike or the rider?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
October 1, 2018

At Pisong Kape yesterday VM Jun Vic was making kuwento of their Teresa ride last Saturday where he overtook 4 out of five Bianchi riders - (the one he couldn't was a Dr.)   But he was wondering was it because of the bike or because of him. He has a large tummy and slightly overweight

I disposed off my Bianchi because I think Pinarello is a better bike than Bianchi:  in terms of weight, geometry and being aero shape

He had Pinarello F10 with Campy 12 groupset. I would say it is because of the bike. I was on F10 last Sunday. Having gone first from Morong, nobody was near me up to Pisong Kape and even managed to get past by RB and MTB who were much much ahead. I was only at 36 x 11.

On the way back, I got off slightly ahead at Biak na Bato and they caught up with me only at Maybancal Titing Kabayo for the buko juice drink.

At Cardona  up at Callahan I was with the leader.   With VM, Pres Luis, Netoy and Jess.   That was not so bad.   The F10 is a good bike for flats and hill climbs.

I am glad I have one.   No  wonder it is the world's top selling expensive bike.  Wala ka nang hahanapin pa
(Kaya wala na akong motivation for a new bike project or upgrade)

                                              My PInarello took me to Real with the Maws

                                                   Top of the line Groupset  Campy Record 11S

                                                            G3 lacing for CULT Campy Ultra 2 WS

Nabili na Bianchi, ano pamalit? Pinarello F10 kulay black with blue streaks

Wheels of Happiness

Maganda bang pamalit sa Bianchi Oltre?   What do

Jumbo Lotto team only 3/10, but still is very popular carbon fiber frame

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal  Philippines
April 25,2018

                                          Now available at its distributors,  only P200k ++ each !

Bianchi Jumbo Lotto only 3/10


The Jumbo Lotto team was rated only 3/10, a little bit of disappointment (based on team performance) but despite this, the bike evokes so much love and admiration from fans. It is a very popular brand. And many bike lovers I know would like to have a Bianchi XR4 Oltre.   One kapadyak who owns two Italian steeds has just bought a Bianchi Oltre XR4 frame.  Wow.

(My Bianchi is a Jumbo Oltre XR4 edition.  Little bit paler Celeste Green, and with Jumbo Lotto decals)

At the tambayan in Wawa, I get known as the biker with the Bianchi.

Being one with the bike and being a better biker

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
April 24, 2018

It is only lately that I feel that I am one with my bike.  After nearly 10 years of biking. That comes from:

     1.  Constant use of the bike, and knowing its quirks and capability;
     2.  Being happy with its parts and performance: 

          1.  The fit:  TT tube 50 cm
          2.  Weight due to 1.2 kg alum frame, 1.435 wheel set, lightweight seat post,  stem, and drop
                bar:  short reach, (compact) and  120 mm drop.

          3.  The addition of Jagwire nipples for the cable leading to crisper shifting, and better
                braking

Hence, I on several occasions can pace with the paceline (or even lead the peloton) or lead other similar age riders.  And I do not get fatigued as it was before.

With a good bike and with great appearance, you are more motivated to bike, and bike better

Cost analysis of carbon fiber frames and wheelsets, financing study

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
April 20, 2018

Engineer  June and I gamely tried to negotiate with a local dealer of carbon fiber frameset and all we could get from him are  (best price)
         



Bianchi XR 4   $600

Pinarello carbon frame $555

                                             Kulay ng F10 ni VM

                                          Specialized Venge Vias  $700.00

Is this post a Bad Influence (BI) over other kapadyaks (Recyclists)?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
March 26, 2018

In my conversation with a fellow Recyclist at Wawa this evening, I learned that I could be a bad influence to other cyclists. Others have  been aspiring to build their dream bikes:  beautiful, eve super bike status -  light and fast just like the Bianchi I built. So far Joel is getting one;  then there  may be Jess and Engr. June.  Jimmy may be saving too. Echo plans to buy my Fuji.

One of those that I have infuenced to invest is Vhen Apran.  I advised him to get an alum Ridley at P15,000, buy an AmCla 350 sprint at P5,000..  Buy a Specialized helmet for P1,500 (which when VM Jun Vic compared to his  own helmet said was an exact  copy of the more expensive P11,500 orig helmet.)

And so many bike frames that costs  5 to 10x more than the OEM would likely get stock.  Even the new bikes of VM would not find many buyers. Why buy a P200 to 300k bike when you can build one with Durace groupset for just P100k.  

And so Bianchi and SWorks have their own agents at Customs to watch for OEM bikes.  But those who are dreamers will get their cheap carbon fiber frames.

My neighbor Long who is an MTB and mountaineer greeted me me while I was cleaning  our drainage and spoke about the Bianchi project.  He said some of his colleagues bought the cheaper carbon fiber OEM at 12k.  It figured in an accident and still stood tall.  It did not did not break down as others have speculated being not original.

KAYA NGA TINAWAG NA OEM -  ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER

                                          Celeste Green at home in a green garden

                                With Toseek Carbon drop bar, Ultegra STI

More of JB pictures at Vigan ride from Ado Gonzaga's post

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
February 25, 2018

Some more of my pictures at  Vigan ride (it could be Viagra ride?)

                                          JB at far end (upper right hand corner) of the long table

                              At the short program of lunch hosting by Holy Gardens La Union

Are bikes B bikes , bike frames made in Taiwan counterfeit? You will be surprised. Or are "original" bikes not made in Taiwan?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
February 20, 2018

                                                      Bianchi frames are made in Taiwan.
                                            So fake ba OEM bikes being brought in from Taiwan?

There was a very long thread in a group FB page regarding this question:  Are Taiwan made frames, carbon parts counterfeit?  The house was divided:   a group says it isnt;  the other say it is.   I was one of those who say that many US and European "original bike marketers" outsource their manufacturing offshore ie to China and Taiwan.   These are centers for excellence for carbon manufacturing:   high tech equipment, processes. The source of top grade carbon fiber, Toray is Japan

I saw this in a bike forum:   From Road CC forum

Oltre XR4 made in taiwan???

by ccasavantes December 24 2016

13 Comments

    

Hi there, I am writing because I recently bought online a new bianchi oltre xr4 frame, and when I got it, I  realized that this was made in Taiwan. My question is basically if you guys know that this is a genuine Bianchi frame, or could be a chance that is a counterfeit piece.

The reply:

kev-s [283 posts] 1 year ago

1 like 

All Bianchi frames are made in Taiwan

Most well known Italian brands like Pinarello, Wilier and some of the mid to lower end Colnago's are made in Taiwan  (Colnago produce their top end frames the C59, C60, Master, Arabesque etc... in Italy)

Do a Google search and there's loads of info on this telling you why they moved to Taiwan and how they control the quality, here is a good starting point

May pa mga infringement of copyright pa sila eh sila nag outsource ng manufacturing.....(bakit hindi sila consider na namemeke?).

This is a long article on where your bikes are really made?  You guessed it right - in Asia.   They may buy the frame for only $200.00 put  labels,, paint it put GS and the wheels and presto the price jumps to 10x that much.   Let us not be fooled by these behemoths about real origin of their bikes.

Discussion: Where are your bikes really made?

Same content repeated in Australian forum

The harsh truth is out.   Many 95% of your expensive bikes are made in China and Taiwan and are not fakes.

Baka mawalan ng gana purists....Na brain wash tayong mabuti ng marketers for believing that there is an original and fake.

Getting a great value for money for SRAM group set

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
January 26, 2018

Actual pictures

As preparation for my forthcoming OEM Bianchi Oltre bike, I tried to look for  a group set that would be worthy the bike that will be bought

I thought of Ultegra R8000. But at P30,000 (I can get from online at P29,000)  It weighs 2,200 grams+ We can get an equivalent value same weight 6800.  Some say you can get a good value at P17,000 but  none can give a quote. I nearly got one from Mars Kingdome at P21,000 but changed their mind and upped the price to P25,000. I would rather get an R8000

Eto sayang, from whom I bought the SRAM red, he sold his Durare for only P34,000 (50% of the current price of  Durace)

SRAM red for Sale -Bike Parts for Sale

And then I saw this ad last Sunday evening. Posted in November selling a SRAM red group I texted and pm him and he called me up. I saw the parts last Wed,  He gave me a senior citizen discount.

Today I paid the amount and got the parts. The SRAM red weighs 1975 grams and is lighter than Durace. My problem will be the bottom bracket that is special since the drive side is 24 mm and the non drive side is 22 mm.  Riders, former student who use it swear by the crisp shifts, and better braking. It takes some doing though getting used to double tap:  short tap for downshift (high gear) and long tap for upshift (low gear)

I bought a group set at 1/4 I would have paid for Durace, and 1/2+ for what I would have paid for Ultegra. I am so happy for my achievement today  Thanks sir Bjay.  for the opportunity and the senior citizen discount

More pictures

                                                   170 mm carbon fiber crank

                                                     BB 30  fit

                                              Stunning graphics at the  crank arm, solid
                                                       aluminum crank axle

                                                        Inalis ang rubber hood to get a better
                                                                     of the shifter

                                                     Kinalawang na ang lugar ng handle bar attachment
                                                                    nut

                                             Deep scratch in front top of the shifter

                                                 FD shifter body, ti daw?  at may yaw?
\

                                            RD with ceramic bearing and 1:1 actuation for
                                                       crisp precise shifts  (vs 1.4:1 sa shimano)

                                                     Group set from solid alum billet

                                       Note uneven spacing of teeth at 4 quadrants of the 26 cog

                                         BB 30 bearing, circlip and shims for US bike attachment

                                                       Front brakes

                                                            Sram Chains

The SRAM group set have beautiful and attractive graphics and are lightweight. The red group is lighter than a Durace.   However I got mine for a bargain for many reasons:   may mga deep scratches, mga kinalawang, and because the seller like Atty Fortun was generous and was kind to senior citizen.  Salamat sir.  Bjay.

Sale of Freccia Celeste Bianchi is aborted, will repaint this to look like original Bianchi

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
January 18, 2018

                                          Di maibenta, gustong piyesahin

                                                        Pagagandahin ko na lang


Part of my plan this year is to rid myself of old bikes, other MTB and just have one MTB Ti, one Bianchi OEM.   I even planned to sell/return Fuji to VM but I changed my mind.  I will get the Cosmic wheelset, the carbon drop bar, and Campy GS.

However the response to the post was discouraging because I did not know the brand model  of the Bianchi frame I had.  It is a very light bike, maybe just 2 lbs shy of Fuji weight.  Has an Ultegra 6600 GS. and Alex Rim wheelset, and FSA carbon crank 53 -39, Cogs xt 11 -32.  And the inquiries were part out, barat, or simply inquiry na lang

However I found out that it is a Freccia Celeste, top of the line alum bike of Bianchi, weighing mere 1.234 grams, and whose geometry is in the like of Specialissima. 

So I decided na I will have it repainted, throw in a lighter carbon fiber drop bar, seat post, and possibly get a Fulcrum Quattro wheelset (1,700 grams).  Retain Ultegra GS 6600, (2,700 grams) And therefore, I would end up with a 7.2 kg bike.  Good enough for an Freccia Celeste.  Sana maging maganda gaya ng nasa mga Google images post

From this:   

To this?

A good paint and sticker job at Stickermania can accomplish this.