May 02, 2008

928 Carbon Bike (courtesy, Bianchi)

Do you have a question of your own?

For starters, find some cyclists and ask around as to their preferred shop. Or just wander into two or three. Take a look at the selection and see how you’re treated. The Italians take cycling pretty seriously, so you’re not going to wander into too many shops that will do you wrong.

What brand? Wow, that’s a tough choice. Bianchi is always reliable. Its 928 Carbon ($2,600 with Campagnolo Veloce running gear) would be a solid choice in a performance bike that’s suitable for triathlons. You’re also going to run into bikes from Colnago, which are absolutely lovely machines. A real classic is the Master X-Light, with real Italian steel in a lightweight, comfortable, and fast bike. The frame is around $1,900, then you can build with custom specs.

Two factories are near Aviano. One is Pinarello, a much-admired Italian make. They make a true tri bike: the FT1 Triathlon. It’s about $4,000, depending on whether you go with Shimano or Campagnolo running gear, and what level. But keep in mind, a tri bike is pretty specialized. Unless this is a super-serious pursuit of yours, I’m inclined to recommend a good road bike.

Another local maker is Cicli Spezzotto, which is an unknown brand in the United States but well-regarded in Italy. They make a tri bike, too: the SPZ 2000-Speed Air. Expect to pay around $4,500 for it. The very handsome road-oriented Z-108 is more reasonably priced at around $3,500, with Campy Chorus running gear.

I think it would be way cool to visit a factory and pick a bike that way. And you MUST buy an Italian bike. Anything else would be—how do they say?—cosistupido!

The 2008 Winter Outside Buyer’s Guide is now online. From snow sports to trail-running to camping, get reviews of more than 300 new gear must-haves.

RECENT QUESTIONS What set of walkie-talkies should I get for a three-month trip on Hawaii’s Big Island? Who makes the best three-season one-person condensation-free tent? What’s the best boot for a Denali summit? What’s the best altimeter for a winter ascent of Mount Rainier? What day pack should I use for winter adventures on the Gaspe Peninsula? Search the Gear Guy

GEAR GUY FEATURES Check out the bio of Douglas Gantenbein, aka the Gear Guy. Readers' Mailbag: The Gear Guy digs into some of your more bizarre, obscure (and let’s face it, downright weird) posts from years gone by to see if he can make sense of it all, or if it’s just time to run up the white flag. Previous column: Beat the Cost of Gear. The Gear Guy reports from the 2005 Outdoor Retailer summer trade fair, with his rundown of ten products to watch in 2006, plus the inside scoop on what shook down at the bi-annual gearapalooza.

MORE GEAR The Outside Gear Blog 2005 Buyer's Guide State of the Art: 2005 Bikes