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Specialized venge elite 105 or Bianchi oltre xr1 ultegra?
Im having troubles on deciding which bike to buy. The price is the same but there are some better components on the oltre and other that is better on the venge. The wheels are crap on both but the handlebar is sworks om the venge and some bisnchi aluminium kind on the oltre. The brakes are 105 on venge and FSA gossamer on oltre...the weight is 0.5kg less on the oltre. I love specialized as a brand but the oltre is much mor nice looking and with better components....but i cant decide which one to buy, what do you think is the best buy?
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37 comments
Took my first ride on the bike today. It is fantastic!! What a bike! Compared to the Venge I believe the bike is much more comfortable and the handling is faster compared to the Oltre.
Got a test ride on venge elite found the new 105 11 speed really good added bora 50 and went out and got pb on all strava segments first time out and the bike itself looks the mutts nuts always gets admirers.
Specialised build great bikes just look at the peleton
San Remo is nice looking!
Merckx San Remo 76 with full Athena and Fulcrum Racing Zeros.
Just saying.
I have had a tarmac Pro SL previously so i know what im buying...
So after raving about the Venge, you've bought a Tarmac. And the " I believe it will be a great bike " comment, does this mean you haven't even tried it? And is the Tarmac any newer than the Venge?
Finally i decided to buy a Specialized Tarmac Expert.
So I went to my LBS and bought one today, I belive it will be great:)
From a Venge to a Tarmac?
Ok.
And?
Try the Oltre xr2, it will feel different to the one, try the Infinito CV, you obviously like Bianchi as it was one of your choices so give them a go. Out of the four you've put there, I would go for the Canyon. You can still send it back if you don't like it.
After serious consideration about the venge i realized that it is an old bike, it was released in 2010 and is probably put to sleep this year. In an economical way of looking at the venge it is probably a catastrophe. So now I am back on square one again
The supersix is available in an EVO and an EVO High mod, can I as a non pro notice the difference?
I have looked some other bikes to consider. What are your advices?
Supersix EVO Carbon RED
Supersix EVO Carbon Ultegra Di2
Tarmac Expert Ultegra (non di2) Is this an new SL4 frame?
Canyon Aeroad 7.0 SLX
Non of theese are available in store to test either:(
I need your advice once again, im sorry for beeing this indecisive.....
Why not try this 4 step process:
1) Decide what you want from the bike/what you will use it for
2) Go to a good bike shop and discuss, they probably have something that will fit the bill
3) Ride what they suggest
4) Buy the one you like
At the moment nobody can give you any advice because they don't know what you will use the bike for. Agonising over the value you will get with this groupset versus that on that bike etc shows you aren't really interested in how the bike rides at all. By your current metric just buy the one with the biggest discount on wiggle.
If you want an areo bike (if you are looking at the venge presumably yes), then buy the one with the best metrics for aero. Nobody makes an aero groupset so it makes no difference what groupset you buy.
At the moment you look like a spoilt kid desparately trying to waste pocket money on the tat in the shop at the end of the museum.
Having had experience of specialized's warranty department, I'd buy the Bianchi......!!
I've heard they won't replace a faulty frame if they can help it. Aralditing the BB cups in was one response I know someone was told to do on a new carbon frame with oversized BB shell. They used be really good for warranty claims.
Flipside, a Oltre xr2 rider had a third party shop damage his brand new frame in a work stand. Crushed the top tube. Bianchi sent him a new frame to my LBS free of charge. The Head of Bianchi has also visited our LBS. He just turned up to have a look around the shop. Touches like that go a long way.
Are not all bikes manufactured in asia today? I belive even cannondale are made there?
My concern is that I want a bike with a specific feeling. I didnt say bianchi is shit, it just dont work for me. It is probably a better buy than the Venge Elite but it must feel righ.
But Asia is a broad term, Thailand is one of the best places for carbon frames and carbon material (Giant being one of the main players). I also know that Cube have improved in quality since pulling assembly from Asia back to Germany and Specialized have had a lot of issues with bikes since out sourcing more. I believe it was something like 30k bikes in the UK that had to be re-painted or re-assembled by mechanics from Specialized. I also know of some issues with their frames being out of tolerance on the BB shell. Which is a shame because I have always been a fan of Specialized, I've had 3 of their mountain bikes which have been superb and I cannot fault their mtb or road shoes, they have also given great support with me getting a saddle and set up that doesn't hurt.
And I'm not saying you've bad a choice, we are all different and require different qualities/characteristics in our bikes.
Bianchi has been owned by a Swedish company since 1997; you certainly are a sucker.
Who owns it is completely irrelevant, look at where they are made, unlike Specialized which are made in the far east.
I'm sorry but doesnt Bianchi own Crescent?, a brand I would never buy....
Personally I belive the Oltre is a great bike on the paper, but it felt dead. Like an aluminium bike. Even if i get 20% off the price I can say that I never buy that bike.
Tested both the venge and the Oltre today. The venge was equipped with roval 50mm carbon clinker wheels so the compare is not totally equal. But i did not get any wow experience on Oltre as i got on venge. What a frame!!
Seems to me you'd made your mind up before you tried them. If you find the venge 'wow' I honestly can't determine what you look for in the way a bike rides.....
Should i buy a 55 inch bike? Im 178cm/86cm inseam. I have previously ridden a Tarmac 54 inch and it was quick and fun but maby little short.
I have found that the dealer also has pinarello raza ultegra and De rosa planet ultegra. Do you have any comments on these bikes vs the bianchi oltre?
Pardon my english, i use an iphone and it tries to correct my language into swedish:(
I believe the Oltre will be great, I will take a test ride tomorrow and see if that is the one:)
The man maketh the bike. Either way you'll be fine.
But if you can buy one on Wiggle I'd go for that. At least you'll get a packet of Haribo...
Can I throw the Infinito CV in? I have just bought the Chorus CV, I was deciding over the XR2, the Infinito CV and a few other Italian brands as I wanted something more chic. I've ridden several brands from road to mtb and I have to say the CV has blown me away far more than any other bike. For the smooth ride and speed at which it propels forward it is superb. Also a stunning bike to look at. From the very first test ride i was hooked.
I tool a test ride on the Specialized shiv today. I had already out it out of consideration after your advice here at road.cc. But I could not leave it without tested it. And what do I think, It was a killer. Yes it killed Evert thought of me buying a tempo bike. It is totally useless for anything else than triathlon or tempo. It was stiff as h*ll, but i wouldnt dare to use it in traffic. It is fast as lightning but it is a tool. There are absolutely no joy except in exobisionism (id it spelled like that?). So I will buy the Bianchi instead.
It's a matter of personal taste, if you like the history and Italian flare buy a Bianchi or in car terms the Ferrari. If you like brash americanised sledge hammer style buy the specialized or the muscle car.
Personally I'm a sucker for the Italian heritage and style in full knowledge that in terms of parts I'm paying more for less but I would argue soul is priceless
Unfortenately im a 54" size.
I have seen the s5 for sale for 3600€ but it is out of my budget, i have to draw the line somewhere.
I bieleve the oltre plus carbon high profile wheels from light-bicycle could be a good combo. Then could i change to ultegra brakes and buy a better handle bar for less than a venge expert...
I have 20% on cannondale, de rosa and pinarello also. But those bikes are rather expensive....but this cdale could be an alternative...
http://www.biker-boarder.de/shopware/Cannondale-SuperSix-Evo-Ultegra-3-2...
I read several articles, my favourite is cervelo S5 but the price is crazy. Canyon aeroad has also great reviews but i like to test the bike before purshase.
My previous bike were a specialized and i really like that brand, even if it is own by merida...
I have previously said that I dislike bianchi since the bikes are often not specially well deigned and with low spec. The new oltre xr1 is a nice bike but with some boring parts. Why did they specify the bike with FSA gossamer brakes? And the fulcrum 7 wheels? That is the first that I will throw in the bin if I buy the bike. The handle bar is also rather rough, 340grams heavy, compared to the cheaper venge 105 elite that is equipped with sworks handlebar in carbon, 105 brakes and fulcrum racing5 wheels...for almost 700€ less...
Ok, the crank is some other brand than shimano on the venge. The tyres on oltre sucks, I do not know how specializeds cheapest tyres are but those are probably ok.
I have 20% of discount on the bianchi, but even with the discount it feels like someone is fooling me. With those really poor wheels and the brakes and handle bar, is the bike relly something to buy? Or should i pay 2600€ for a elite 105 venge or 3300€ for a venge expert?
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