It’s
hard to beat the versatility of a cyclocross bike.
Cyclocross bikes aren't exclusively for racing on a cyclocross course. ‘Cross bikes are
commonly used for commuting to work, riding on rail trails, tackling centuries,
touring, and logging off-season training miles under harsher than normal conditions.
Clearance for wider tires and fenders, rack mounts, and all-element brake
options help make ‘cross bikes the only bike most riders will ever need.
With
increased demand for do-it-all bikes, Bianchi has brought out new models for 2015
and updated current models to help dealers satisfy the demand they are seeing
on their shop floors every day.
It
all started back in 1986 when Bianchi introduced the US market to its first
cyclocross-specific model, the Volpe. The Volpe quickly became the adventure
bike of the everyman.
For
Bianchi Dealers, the Volpe has been one of the top four best selling bikes east
of the Mississippi. With a track record like that, you don't want to make
changes that would ruin a good thing. After much input from our dealers and
defining how we'd like to see the new version sit within our bike range, we now
have the Volpe Classic.
The
steel framed Volpe adventure bike has been updated for 2015 with new brakes,
upgraded crankset, enhanced touch points, and new tires. Retaining its long
running heritage within the Bianchi steel bike line up, we have a frame that
offers the rider the ability to run a cyclocross or trekking tire with fenders.
You will want to mount the necessary front and rear racks when the trip to the
store requires more than just a backpack to carry the goods. When the hills go
up, the gearing goes down on the Volpe Classic thanks to a crisp shifting
Shimano Tiagra triple ring crank. Keeping with the Shimano parts theme, Tiagra
hubs offer miles of smooth rolling and cyclocross specific CX50 cantilever brakes provide ample stopping on the double walled wheel set. A satin black
paint job with a brown saddle and bar tape keep the Volpe Classic simply stated
and buttoned down in appearance.
It
is no surprise that more bikes for 2015 are coming to market with disc brakes
and the Volpe will be doing so for the upcoming season. The Volpe
Disc is built for speed and
utility. Utilizing the same platform as our well loved Volpe with a back end that
has been stretched outward to accommodate disc specific wheel and a larger
tire. Hayes CX Expert (old CX5) cable disc brakes offer single finger stopping
power and the multi-surface Kenda Kwick Tendril 35c tires are well suited for
street, dirt and gravel roads. A full 10-speed Shimano Tiagra build kit with
50/34T compact crank complete the build on the nickel satin Volpe
Disc.
Last
season we brought out the Lupo which will be carrying over to
2015 as the baby brother to the Volpe. It will feature many of the same parts
as last season’s Lupo - Shimano Sora drivetrain and hubs along with Bianchi cantilever
brakes. The crank has been changed to a compact and the tires upgraded to a
Kenda Kwik Tendril 32c for greater versatility. The Lupo is based off the Volpe
and in a price range that puts the rider on a bike that leaves them cash in
their wallet to buy a set of lights and Banjo Brothers Market Panniers.
The
market for fixed geared bikes has really shrunk in the past six years but the
need for a simple to use and reasonably priced “urban” bicycle has not changed.
To better suit that market, we now offer the Strada. It’s based off
our best selling cyclocross bike, the Volpe. Featuring the same double butted
Bianchi Cro-Mo tubing, tire clearance for a 38c tire, and geometry based off
our Coast to Coast bikes (with a longer chain stay), the Strada uses Shimano’s
Claris build group, cantilever brake set, and a riser bar instead of a drop
bar. The stock tires are Vittoria Randonneur 28c with a reflective sidewall for
high visibility during low light riding conditions.
Any
given fall weekend, from Providence to Portland and down to DC, riders are
pinning on numbers to race one of their local cyclocross events. This type of
bicycle racing has been growing like wildfire and shows no signs of slowing down
anytime soon. Many of these weekend racers are racing bikes that they used for
training throughout the winter in addition to the occasional commute to the
workplace. This sort of bike needs to be quick, agile and durable.
The Zurigo
Disc steps up to that challenge with two build kits for the racing
privateer; Shimano Tiagra and SRAM Apex. Both builds feature disc brakes with
the Shimano bike, painted in celeste, using the new Hayes CX Expert system. The SRAM bike in gloss black relies on the Avid bread and butter BB5 disc stoppers. The Zurigo Disc frame is
constructed of hydroformed aluminum tubing that’s pulse TIG welded for the
highest level of temperature control. The frame passes EN safety testing thanks
to Italy’s diligent QC facility in Treviglio which means it can take a pounding
at DCCX or the Dirty Kanza 200. A carbon fiber fork takes the edge off the hard
hits and tubeless ready rims open up a new level of bike control for the rider. The internal rear brake housing keeps the down tube smooth and easy to
grab while reaching for it during a dismount and run-up during your next
cyclocross race. A Pressfit 30 bottom bracket opens up crank options for the
rider should they want a stiffer pedaling platform.
If
you need one bike to ride all season long, race the next Monster Cross event
and keep your annual mileage legit, we have the new Bianchi Zolder. This new
Bianchi cyclocross bike has a carbon monocoque frame with a Pressfit 86 bottom
bracket and a tapered head tube. A full carbon fork with a 1.5” bottom bearing
provides quick steering while internal shifter cable routing will keep the
shifting smooth and free of dirt.
The
latest disc brake wheels from Fulcrum are the Racing Sport DBCX which offer
increased contaminant protection at the bearings via larger double lip seals,
keeping the bearings running smoother and longer versus standard seals. Built
up with the latest kit from Shimano, they've upped the game for the workhorse 105
build group including improved ergonomics at the shifters, better front
derailleur leverage (for quicker up shifts), and the addition of an extra cog
on the cassette giving the rider eleven gears to choose from at the rear.
The
bottom bracket drop of this bike is 2mm lower than our previous generation
carbon cyclocross bike so it falls in line with the demands of riders using the
Zolder for long days in the saddle across all kinds of road conditions.
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