Fuji Touring vs. Bianchi Volpe

bryanska said:

Hey there is a 2005 Fuji Touring sitting at my LBS on sale for $700. A
new Volpe is $850.

Next year the prices are going up. MSRP for the 2006 Fuji Touring is
going up to $900, from $750-800.

I am wondering if I should buy the Fuji Touring now. The only reason
I'm not, is because I want the Volpe too. Big difference?

If you don't buy the one you want -and- are not completely satisfied
with the one you do buy you will always regret your decision.

Well, I don't want one tons more than the other. The Bianchi has
somewhat cooler colors and a nice simple decal scheme.

OTOH, the 2006 Fuji comes in a groovy bronze, like an old 70s rig.

But I feel a bit silly paying hundreds more to just get the color I
like.

bryanska said:

Well, I don't want one tons more than the other. The Bianchi has
somewhat cooler colors and a nice simple decal scheme.

OTOH, the 2006 Fuji comes in a groovy bronze, like an old 70s rig.

But I feel a bit silly paying hundreds more to just get the color I
like.

Tell the LBS you will be purchasing one or the other, then give them
both an extended test. Take the one that you like the best and gives you
the best fit.

Quoted message said:

Tell the LBS you will be purchasing one or the other, then give them
both an extended test. Take the one that you like the best and gives you
the best fit.

Unfortunately, they're at different shops. The 2005 Fuji is 54cm and
fits pretty good, though I haven't taken it on a long test ride. There
are no Bianchi Volpes in the area in the 52cm size. The 55cm Volpe is
too big for me.

Conundrum.

They have comparable drivetrains, almost exactly the same. The Bianchi
has better wheels, hubs, clipless pedals, a threadless headset, and is
1 lb lighter. The Fuji has a threaded headset, nicer cork wrap,
Fuji-branded wheelset, nicer road tires, a big rear rack included, and
clip/strap pedals.

So the Bianchi's advantages are basically pedals, wheelset, and color.
The 2005 Fuji's advantages are price, better tires and an included
rack. Let me look at the costs overall, to bring both bikes in line
with my needs:

Bianchi costs $850. Add a rack ($40), smoother tires ($40). Total =
$930.

Fuji costs $700. Add cork ($10), pedals ($40). Total = $750.

So I can get this year's Fuji in a questionable color at a bargain,
less than next year's MSRP.

Does this look right to you? Again, I come to the question of glaring
differences. Can you think of any?

Ohhh, man that bronze is totally retrotastic.

Worth $200 in my opinion!

*drool*

bryanska <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> >Tell the LBS you will be purchasing one or the other, then give them
:>>both an extended test. Take the one that you like the best and gives
:>>you the best fit.
:>
:> Unfortunately, they're at different shops. The 2005 Fuji is 54cm and
:> fits pretty good, though I haven't taken it on a long test ride.
:> There are no Bianchi Volpes in the area in the 52cm size. The 55cm
:> Volpe is too big for me.
:>
:> Conundrum.
:>
:> They have comparable drivetrains, almost exactly the same. The
:> Bianchi has better wheels, hubs, clipless pedals, a threadless
:> headset, and is 1 lb lighter. The Fuji has a threaded headset, nicer
:> cork wrap, Fuji-branded wheelset, nicer road tires, a big rear rack
:> included, and clip/strap pedals.
:>
:> So the Bianchi's advantages are basically pedals, wheelset, and
:> color. The 2005 Fuji's advantages are price, better tires and an
:> included rack. Let me look at the costs overall, to bring both bikes
:> in line with my needs:
:>

Tires wear out, so that advantage will be gone after you run though the
stock tires.

:> Bianchi costs $850. Add a rack ($40), smoother tires ($40). Total =
:> $930.
:>
:> Fuji costs $700. Add cork ($10), pedals ($40). Total = $750.
:>
:> So I can get this year's Fuji in a questionable color at a bargain,
:> less than next year's MSRP.
:>
:> Does this look right to you? Again, I come to the question of glaring
:> differences. Can you think of any?

I would say that unless you're money constrained, get the one you really
like most. if you ride it, it's better that you enjoy even how it looks,
and if you really like the looks, you'll enjoy the bike better, IMO. If you
plan on leaving the bike the garage to look at, then buy based on price. 🙂

:
: I am wondering if I should buy the Fuji Touring now. The only reason
: I'm not, is because I want the Volpe too. Big difference?

I did that once---bought the cheaper bike in a champagne color when I really
wanted the next year's model in a navy blue. Every time I rode the bike I
thought of the one I had really wanted. This was in 1984 and I still have
the bike---but I still look at it and wish I had the other one.

Pat in TX
:

rdclark said:

bryanska said:

Hey there is a 2005 Fuji Touring sitting at my LBS on sale for $700. A
new Volpe is $850.

Next year the prices are going up. MSRP for the 2006 Fuji Touring is
going up to $900, from $750-800.

I am wondering if I should buy the Fuji Touring now. The only reason
I'm not, is because I want the Volpe too. Big difference?

The Volpe has lower gearing (48/38/28 chainrings, vs 42/42/30 on the
Fuji). That's a meaningful difference.

The Fuji has longer chainstays (44 vs 42.5cm). That's also a meaningful
difference, particularly for riders using panniers, especially if they
have big feet.

This has always been an issue for me on bicycles where I want to use
panniers, since I wear 11.5/46 shoes.

You can always change the components and/or gearing if necessary, but
the frame is there to stay.

And of course you meant 52/42/30 on the Fuji. Personally, if I bought
the Volpe, I'd change the big chain ring to a 52, and on the Fuji I
might change the small chain ring to a 28, but probably not.

I might change the cassette to an 11/34 on either.

bryanska said:

They have comparable drivetrains, almost exactly the same. The Bianchi
has better wheels, hubs, clipless pedals, a threadless headset, and is
1 lb lighter. The Fuji has a threaded headset, nicer cork wrap,
Fuji-branded wheelset, nicer road tires, a big rear rack included, and
clip/strap pedals.

FWIW, my Fuji tourer still has the original front wheel. The rear,
well, you need to have the shop (or yourself) pack the bearings and
tension the spokes.

Quoted message said:

So I can get this year's Fuji in a questionable color at a bargain,
less than next year's MSRP.

I like my bike's color, but I only notice it as it sits in the corner of
my office. I never look at it while it's in the garage and I'm in the
house, and there's better things to look at while riding.

But YMMV!

Pat

bryanska said:

Hey there is a 2005 Fuji Touring sitting at my LBS on sale for $700. A
new Volpe is $850.

Next year the prices are going up. MSRP for the 2006 Fuji Touring is
going up to $900, from $750-800.

I am wondering if I should buy the Fuji Touring now. The only reason
I'm not, is because I want the Volpe too. Big difference?

Remember, there is no guarantee that the 2006 Fuji Tour will not be
decontented, like Fuji wrecked their League road bike in 2005. It's rare
for their to be improvements. You really don't want to have to get a
threadless headset, it's a major hassle on a touring bicycle.

Quoted message said:

The Volpe has lower gearing (48/38/28 chainrings, vs 42/42/30 on the
Fuji). That's a meaningful difference.

EVen with the corrected figures mentioned below this post, it seems
like this is important enough to ask the shop to change the Fuji.

Quoted message said:

The Fuji has longer chainstays (44 vs 42.5cm). That's also a meaningful
difference, particularly for riders using panniers, especially if they
have big feet.

Thank you - I will surely be using panniers on this bike maybe 75% of
the time, essentially every time I commute. This will be a commuting
bike.

Quoted message said:

IMO, the Bianchi's spec is generally enough higher to justify its
higher cost.

True, especially with the Bianchi's better wheels. But now the Fuji has
the chainstay advantage, and I believe the headset advantage (although
stem variety is much reduced).

Of course, there's the elephant in the room: fit.

Thanks for exploring this with me - I can't think of anything else,
really. Can you?

rdclark said:

It costs a little more, but have you looked at the Cannondale T800?

As long as we are suggesting alternatives, I'll add my $0.02. I just
bought a Surly Long Haul Trucker. The LBS built it up for me using Deore
components, nice wheels, etc. for $1,100. I *love* it! The chainstays
are long enough that I can mount my full-sized Ortliebs on my rear rack
with no trouble at all.

Just a thought.

--mike

--
Michael Erickson
Senior Technical Marketing Engineer
Logic Product Development
http://www.logicpd.com

bryanska said:

Quoted message said:

The Volpe has lower gearing (48/38/28 chainrings, vs 42/42/30 on the
Fuji). That's a meaningful difference.

EVen with the corrected figures mentioned below this post, it seems
like this is important enough to ask the shop to change the Fuji.

Maybe, maybe not; it's your call. Higher potential speed vs easier
climbing.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The Fuji has longer chainstays (44 vs 42.5cm). That's also a meaningful
difference, particularly for riders using panniers, especially if they
have big feet.

Thank you - I will surely be using panniers on this bike maybe 75% of
the time, essentially every time I commute. This will be a commuting
bike.

I use the same panniers on two bikes, one with 45cm stays and one with
42.5cm. They are smallish panniers, and I wear size 11.5 shoes. I would
have trouble with full-size panniers on the smaller bike.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

IMO, the Bianchi's spec is generally enough higher to justify its
higher cost.

True, especially with the Bianchi's better wheels. But now the Fuji has
the chainstay advantage, and I believe the headset advantage (although
stem variety is much reduced).

I think the headset debate is irrelevant to anyone who rides in the US
and plans to lock down their bike's fit once achieved. I used to think
otherwise, but I haven't changed the height of the stem on my threaded
bike in several years now.

Quoted message said:

Of course, there's the elephant in the room: fit.

Thanks for exploring this with me - I can't think of anything else,
really. Can you?

It costs a little more, but have you looked at the Cannondale T800?
Even lower gearing than the Bianchi, *really* long chainstays, and
comparable specs to the Bianchi.

RichC

RichC

Quoted message said:

I just bought a Surly Long Haul Trucker.

Surly is great, and local too, right here in MPLS. But the LHT is too
expensive for me. There are couple of Cross-Checks around here, but
they're too difficult to find and test in my size.

Again, I come back to that Fuji for $700, which is low enough to make
me compromise.

However, I see it's in red. I don't see that color listed in the 2004,
2005 or 2006 Fuji specs (on their website). Does anyone know when red
was offered? If this bike is a 2003 maybe I can talk them down even
further. At a possible $600, even a wrong color bike is almost
irresistible. I'm newly house-poor.

Michael Erickson said:

rdclark said:

It costs a little more, but have you looked at the Cannondale T800?

As long as we are suggesting alternatives, I'll add my $0.02. I just
bought a Surly Long Haul Trucker. The LBS built it up for me using Deore
components, nice wheels, etc. for $1,100. I *love* it! The chainstays
are long enough that I can mount my full-sized Ortliebs on my rear rack
with no trouble at all.

This would be a better option than the Fuji or the Bianchi. Not a bad
price for a touring bicycle.

rdclark said:

It costs a little more, but have you looked at the Cannondale T800?
Even lower gearing than the Bianchi, *really* long chainstays, and
comparable specs to the Bianchi.

Except the one spec that is one of the most important considerations in
a true touring bicycle.

bryanska said:

Surly is great, and local too, right here in MPLS. But the LHT is too
expensive for me. There are couple of Cross-Checks around here, but
they're too difficult to find and test in my size.

Try One on One Bicycle studio on Washington Avenue in downtown Minneapolis.
It's right next to Cafe Havana. They probably have a half a dozen
Cross-Checks in there right now.

http://www.oneononebike.com/

--mike

--
Michael Erickson
Senior Technical Marketing Engineer
Logic Product Development
http://www.logicpd.com

bryanska said:

Quoted message said:

Tell the LBS you will be purchasing one or the other, then give them
both an extended test. Take the one that you like the best and gives you
the best fit.

[...54cm Fuji fits well...no Volpes in the area in the right size to try...]

They have comparable drivetrains, almost exactly the same. The Bianchi
has better wheels, hubs, clipless pedals, a threadless headset, and is
1 lb lighter. The Fuji has a threaded headset, nicer cork wrap,
Fuji-branded wheelset, nicer road tires, a big rear rack included, and
clip/strap pedals.

So the Bianchi's advantages are basically pedals, wheelset, and color.
The 2005 Fuji's advantages are price, better tires and an included
rack. [...]

Bianchi costs $850. Add a rack ($40), smoother tires ($40). Total =
$930.

Fuji costs $700. Add cork ($10), pedals ($40). Total = $750.

What would it cost you to upgrade the Fuji's wheelset?

Having bought a bike that had a so-so stock wheelset, and then
having dropped $400 to get a decent set of reliable wheels, let me say
that a good set of wheels is not something to be overlooked.

Fit über alles, but don't overlook the wheelset. It's one of the more
important components of the bike, along with the drivetrain.

--
Chris BeHanna
'03 Specialized Allez Elite 27
'04 Specialized Hardrock Pro Disc

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rdclark said:

SMS said:

rdclark said:

It costs a little more, but have you looked at the Cannondale T800?
Even lower gearing than the Bianchi, *really* long chainstays, and
comparable specs to the Bianchi.

Except the one spec that is one of the most important considerations
in a true touring bicycle.

OK, I'll bite. What is the one spec that is one of the most important
considerations in a true touring bicycle?

The one that doesn't fly in your eye?

(Slow morning.)

BS