Took the brother in law out to buy a road bike.

[loveable liberal]

He bought a Bianchi Eros, shoes and a helmet for about $1050 with a campy mirage group. Celeste everything, it looks really sweet. I finally have someone to ride with after 12 years of me, myself and a head wind.

[Kolesar]

1. Bianchi Eros?

I bought two. After a season or two, I bought a second Eros for my sweetie and riding partner.

Note that the paint on those new Bianchis are kind of "soft" and uncured when you get them. My bike scratched easily when new. I recommend leaving the bike in a hot place this month like the inside of a car or in a sunny room to help the paint cure. Also, for the first year, wax it with "soft" carnuba wax that will let the remaining volatile chemicals in the paint evaporate. Next year, switch to the hardest wax you can find.

I used to ride occasionally through the summer until I replaced my old road bike with the Eros. Then I flipped. I put 1000 miles on it between April and July. He's gonna have fun. The bike climbs like a demon and those Campy Ergopower shifters are sweet.

I was going to recommend he shop the Bianchi store if he wanted a more comfortable saddle (I bought the Selle Octavia in celeste), but apparently the site does not take orders from the US anymore. What did we do? (Oh, don't ask.)

www.bianchi.com the Bianchi shop: www.bianchi.com/en/shop/shopResult.aspx .

[loveable liberal]

2. came with a Selle Italia saddle, which is pretty comfy.

I wanted to post a picture of my ride, a steel frame Colnago, but I cant figure how to post a picture. Oh well. We ride tonight for the first time. Should be fun.

[mike_c]

3. wow, I was just going to post about my utter hatred...

...for the Sella Italia on the roadbike I just bought. I've already got a new Brooks on order. That SI was fine for the first hour or so, but after that it was torture-- not just on my butt, but it gave me leg pains and weakness from the unrelieved pressure against the nerves or something. I guess saddles tend to be pretty individual-- one person's "comfy" is another person's "ride shortening torment."

[loveable liberal]

7. its too bad you bought a new one....

I have a brooks racing saddle with the tool and the saddle ointment I'm willing to part with.

[Longhorn]

4. Posting a photo.

Upload the photo to a server such as www.photobucket.com (or your own website, if you have one.) Photobucket is free (and there are others.) Then click on the url of the photo, copy and paste here. That's all there is to it!

[loveable liberal]

6. all right... here goes....

>

[Wickerman]

8. That's a fine looking bike

and don't sweat the illegal code - you could go in and edit out that photo but this isn't too trafficked a group so should be ok.

That is a great bike you have and if you are serious about selling the Brooks send me a PM with a bottom $. :evilgrin:

[undergroundrailroad]

9. It sure is!

That's a fine looking mode of transportation.

Undergroundrailroad :hi:

[Kolesar]

5. I found the Bianchi USA website where you can order

http://store.bianchiusa.com/cgi-bin/store/

The Selle Octavia is no longer available in celeste, though (not that he wants it now). However, you can buy him the Fausto Coppi "bobbing head doll" :