buying a bike in Italy, and factories?

[rockpaper]

Hi all,

I am over in Italy for a few weeks, staying in Florence.

1. Buying a bike
One souvenir I would like might be a road bike.
Anyone have any thongs on where to look for bikes?
Florence seems to be a bit of a dud place for buying bikes.
Happy to get on a train for a weekend trip elsewhere in Italy.

Also, outside of Italy- any ideas? E.g. the Netherlands, Germany, and so on?


2. Visiting factories
Does anyone know if any bike factories might be open to the public?

Cheers
Rockpaper

[Ross]

I don't think you would get it any cheaper buying direct from the factory, in fact it might work out more expensive as you may have to pay GST and Duty when bringing it back to Australia. But if that doesn't worry you then there is Pinarello factory in Treviso

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinarello" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/pinare ... 27519.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bianchi_Bicycles" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mulger bill]

Given the pass from the MoF, I'd be headed to Caldonazzo for a chat with Dario Pegoretti. May not be to your tastes tho...
Helps that the GLW has family an hours drive away.

[rockpaper]

Thanks, Ross and Mulger bill.
I will check both options out.
With the dollar to euro exchange rate it is pretty pricey.
I was just in Milan, too, but did not have time to go the bianchi store at the time. Only 2 hours away...

Mulger bill, what is the GLW?

Cheers,
Rockpaper

[Gunlock]

Mulger bill, what is the GLW?

GLW = Good Lady Wife.

Also known as MoF (Minister/Master/Mistress of Finance) or SWMBO (She who must be obeyed) but rarely done so when within earshot.

EDIT: Tapatalk decided to insert a few extra linebreaks for fun.

[kb]

So SWMBO is likely from Haggard's "She", possibly by way of Rumpole of the Bailey. I haven't read it for a while and thought I'd refresh my memory on Wikipedia. And uncovered this gem

According to Haggard's daughter Lilias, the phrase "She-who-must-be-obeyed" originated from his childhood and "the particularly hideous aspect" of one rag-doll: "This doll was something of a fetish, and Rider, as a small child, was terrified of her, a fact soon discovered by an unscrupulous nurse who made full use of it to frighten him into obedience. Why or how it came to be called She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed he could not remember".[24] Haggard wrote that "the title She" was taken "from a certain rag doll, so named, which a nurse at Bradenham used to bring out of some dark recess in order to terrify those of my brothers and sisters who were in her charge."[25]

[thelittlebattler]

Thanks, Ross and Mulger bill.
I will check both options out.
With the dollar to euro exchange rate it is pretty pricey.
I was just in Milan, too, but did not have time to go the bianchi store at the time. Only 2 hours away...

Mulger bill, what is the GLW?

Cheers,
Rockpaper

Don't feel too upset, you didn't miss a whole lot.
Shop was pretty meh, with mostly shim 105 (not a single dura ace to be seen). And the bikes were just as expensive as here, and there was no way to peak behind the fence. Well, we walked through the open gate but got marched back out pretty quickly.

[lucky7]

I struggled to find much in the way of bike shops in/around Florence and Siena. Best I could find was only selling Specialized - which was a bit of a let down. No idea where the Italians go to buy a Colnago.

[open roader]

If you speak fluent Italian you may be able to beg your way into seeing the pair of tiny set ups at Colnago. If you don't speak fluent Italian you are likely to be told to shove off as was an acquaintance of mine. Either way with Colnago you cannot buy at the 'factory'.

[boyracer]

Hi all,

I am over in Italy for a few weeks, staying in Florence.

1. Buying a bike
One souvenir I would like might be a road bike.
Anyone have any thongs on where to look for bikes?
Florence seems to be a bit of a dud place for buying bikes.
Happy to get on a train for a weekend trip elsewhere in Italy.

Also, outside of Italy- any ideas? E.g. the Netherlands, Germany, and so on?


2. Visiting factories
Does anyone know if any bike factories might be open to the public?


Cheers
Rockpaper

A cycle mechanic mate bought a frame and fork in Brescia. He was walking down an alley off the piazza when he spied someone brazing a frame up in a small garage. A 'conversation' ensued, measurements taken a few days later, cash changed hands and frame was delivered back to Australia.
Cool story ,huh. The builder is Vianeli. Pierfranco Vianeli was gold medalist in road race, bronze in team tt at Mexico in '68 and rode for some pro team that made ovens 'n' stuff...
The bike is nice to look at, lugged steel w/nicely thinned lugs, chromed all over then candy paint. Some lugs have olympic rings cast into them for extra coffee shop cred.

[nickobec]

If you are willing to go to Koblenz in Germany, Canyon have a factory showroom with lots of bikes to try https://www.canyon.com/en/shop/showroom-testbikes/

[rockpaper]

Nickobec, thanks. I am exiting Europe through Frankfurt and friends live nearby so maybe a trip can be arranged.

Boyracer, good story. I doubt I would be lucky enough to stumble across something like that.

Open reader, thanks. My Italian is only passable so I doubt I will get in.
And lucky7, not really after a specialized in Italy, and as you say, not clear where people buy bikes here. Probably online from the U.S. haha


Littlebattler, cheers. Well, it saves a trip to Milan. More time on site seeing, wine drinking, food eating...

Thanks, all, for your helpful posts.

Rockpaper

[celeste boy]

On my way to the Bianchi store in Bergamo (near Milan) I asked for directions at another bike shop. What I saw was hard to believe. He was adapting standard bikes (the one he was working on was a Giant), mainly MTB and fitting a battery somewhere in the frame. I couldn't see it anywhere. he later demonstrated on the giant and you would never pick it that it was en electric bike. That'd my memory of Bergamo. Nothing too inspiring at the Bianchi store.

CB

[rockpaper]

Thanks, celeste boy. You have confirmed for me that going back to Milan is probably not worth it.

About the electric conversion: I saw adds for that recently in the Ride On mag, I think. Somewhere, anyway.

[coffeeandwine]

Not sure about lead times on these bikes but you could consider:

Passoni, Basso and Sarto.

Would have to agree with the suggestion of Pegoretti. (Because you can never get enough photos)