my bikes

(Apr 2001) My first bike : Trek 4500

I have had my Trek 4500 for a couple of years. It was great and served me well, apart from a couple of flats. This was my first bike. When buying it, I wasn't sure whether I'd be using mountain biking or road biking. So I settled for mountain bike.

But since then, I sooooo liked road biking, I out fitted my mountain bike with sleek tires, instead of the original knobby tires.

As I was doing longer (>24 miles), tougher (climbs) rides, this bike kind of dragged me behind. Also I wanted to do some multi-day touring. So I was seriously thinking about a proper ROAD bike.

(Feb 2003) Road Bike : Bianchi Eros (63") 2003

Here was my road bike criteria

price around $1000
road bike NOT a full blown touring bike

I test rode these

Lemond Tourmalet (steel frame)
Lemond Alpe de Huez (steel)
Trek 1200 (aluminium)
Bianchi Eros (steel)

I short listed Alpe and Eros. I picked Eros b/c

It is all about the bike shop baby : I test rode Bianchi Eros at Bicycle outfitter, Los Altos . I talked to NICE sales person called Matt. He is about my height - 6 ft 4 inches - and knew all about fitting tall people on bikes. We immediatly clicked and I liked his approach and candidness. During a test ride, he also let me try his 68" Rambuleigh(sp?) bike. He stood out of all the other bike shop assistants I had talked to. Also he was very help full in fitting the bike for me
- raising the handle bar stem by 2 inches (this included rewiring all the brake/gear cables!)
- shortening the handlebar reach so that I don't go too much horizontal
eros is this unique cross between touring / road bike. It is not meant for heavy duty touring. But for light, credit card touring it was ideal.
- it has eye-lets at the rear for racks
- has clearance for slightly bigger tires (right now it has a 700x25) in case of touring. Alpe de Huez in this had almost nothing clearance for bigger tires.
It rides NICELY . Nuff said.
Bicycle outfitter also does S&S couplings. The most practical way of transporting bikes in planes. I am planning on doing this some time, and do a Europe / Australia bike touring. S&S couplings install painlessly on Steel frames. A reason I ruled out Aluminium frame bikes (Trek)

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