Bianchi Specialissima Carbon Road Bike, Full Campag Super Record Groupset – 7.05kg - £7500 New
Frame Size 57cm
(measures 560mm from centre of headset horizontally to centre of seatpost and the headtube measures 160mm inline with the 57cm frame dimensions)
£1400 O.N.O
Here we have a very impressive build at truly a bargain price, everybody has heard of and wanted a bianchi they are a true superpower in Italian bike frame design and the specialissima is their flagship model.
The frame only back in 2015 when it was first released was £3950 which was basically the most expensive carbon bike frame to be sold!!
Its price was justified by being not only one of the very the lightest frame you could buy but also one of the most comfortable yet stiff when required, it is described as a technical masterpiece.
If that incredible frame wasn’t enough, this bike has been built up using my favourite mechanical groupset, the Super Record component set.
The feature I love most on these is the ability to down shifter 4 gears in only one press, it is a very quick system and one of the lightest money can buy.
We also have some K-Force Carbon Bars, Zipp Carbon seatpost and the stunning San Marco Carbon FX Saddle. All looking good so far!!
The frame, although still beautiful does have quite a few cosmetic scrapes, you can tell it has been ridden well but they are only cosmetic so you will still get the ride of a £7500 bike under you.
This bike is fast, comfortable and just eats up the road, new owner will be very happy with it but it certainly not a new bike.
The frame geometry can be found on this website
https://www.twohubs.com/Product/Bianchi/Bianchi-Specialissima-CV-frameset/1709743
 
Build list:-
Frame  Specialissima super light carbon w/Countervail,  (£3950)
Fork  Bianchi Full Carbon w/Countervail, 1.1/8”>1.4”
Shifter Campagnolo Super Record 11 Speed Carbon  (£450)
Front Mech Campagnolo Super Record 11 Speed Carbon  (£160)
Rear Mech Campagnolo Super Record 11 Speed Carbon  (£440)
Chainset Campagnolo Super Record 11 Speed Carbon  (£800)
Brakeset Campagnolo Super Record 11 Speed Skeleton  (£280)
Seatpost ZIPP Carbon 27.2mm (£200)
Handelbars FSA K-Force Carbon (£310)
Stem Bianchi REparto Corsa Aluminium (£91)
Saddle  San Marco FX Carbon  (£200)
Wheelset Campagnolo Zonda Aluminium (£400)
 
Bianchi Specialissima
A technical masterpiece in engineering and development, which is reflected in the price
 
With its vibration-absorbing 780g frame, the new Bianchi Specialissima showcases what can be achieved with technology and engineering, and counters the often-heard argument that the UCI's rigid restrictions stifle advancement in bicycle frame development. Making a lightweight bike is relatively easy – you just remove plenty of material – but making something light yet as stiff and responsive as the Bianchi is a real masterstroke.
Acceleration is phenomenal – power down, the legs spin, 'snick', the chain drops a cog and the Specialissima surges forward, optimal cadence is passed, 'snick' again, and the whole process recurs. It becomes addictive and so much fun that you actually look forward to stopping so you get to do it over and over again.
The Specialissima uses what Bianchi has named CounterVail  to soak up impacts from the road before they pass through the frame to the rider. While it's noticeable on the flat, it's on the descents where it really becomes your friend.
The CounterVail soaks up road vibration, all that little buzz that you don't really pay attention to, but once it's gone it's a marked improvement. It means you can get on with the business in hand of getting the bike to the bottom of the hill as quickly and as easily as possible.
The benefits are noticeable, especially towards the end of an 80-mile ride. You don't get so much fatigue in the arms and upper body, plus you don't have to concentrate on the bike so much; taming it on rough roads you can just let it go and do its thing while you just enjoy the ride.
Other than the carbon layup itself, a lot of the stiffness comes from the tube profiles. It's a common theme: increase the size of those running along the bottom of the frame to cope with power transfer, while leaning out the upper half for rider comfort.
Bianchi hasn't gone super-light with the fork at 340g, and I reckon that's a sensible option. The frame can carry a lot of speed into the bends so you need something solid and secure between you and that front wheel, and that is exactly what you get. No chatter under braking or flex when banked over in the bends, yet it's not so stiff that it rattles your teeth.
The larger lower portion of the head tube allows for a larger surface area to attach the down tube so this can be increased in diameter too; well, I say diameter but technically the tube isn't round, more of a squared off oval, morphing as it continues towards the bottom bracket area.
Here Bianchi has gone for BB86 Press-Fit bearings. Thanks to the bearing cups being pressed into the frameset instead of sitting externally, the BB shell width can be increased from the standard 68mm to 86.5mm without really affecting the Q-factor, the distance between the cranks.
That extra width simply means a larger surface area to attach the down tube, seat tube and the chainstays to and it's the latter where Bianchi has really exploited things. The chainstays are huge in a vertical plain as they leave the bottom bracket, meaning a huge amount of stiffness under power; you won't feel even the slightest hint of flex as you mash the pedals.
So, the CounterVail is shock absorbing, but what exactly is it? We'll hand that one over to Bianchi: 'A patented viscoelastic carbon material with a unique fibre architecture that cancels up to 80% of vibrations while increasing the stiffness and strength of our carbon frames and forks.'
The CounterVail layer is then sandwiched between layers of high modulus carbon fibre in the Specialissima's construction. It's not a new thing created for this model – it's been around for a while in Bianchi's Infinito CV (endurance) and Aquila CV (TT/triathlon) bikes.
High modulus carbon fibre is used throughout the frame and fork, which is how Bianchi achieves the impressive weight versus stiffness ratio. High modulus carbon fibres go through more processing than standard fibres, meaning they are smoother and more round, which in turn means you can pack more fibres into the same area, creating more stiffness per cross sectional area. In that quest for ultra-light weight, even the dropouts are full carbon fibre, though they do have small metallic inserts where the quick release spindles touch, for longevity.
 
Overall
In conclusion, the Bianchi Specialissima is an awesome piece of engineering and very impressive to ride. It's quick, like insanely quick when you stamp on those pedals, just surging forward as you slap through the gears to keep up, and you'll never get bored of climbing.
The handling is sweet, too. It just goes where you point it, and thanks to the CounterVail technology smoothing out the surface it's never unsettled regardless of speed.
Verdict
A technical masterpiece in engineering and development, which is reflected in the price
 
I am perfectly happy to post a bike which I have done so many times without issue, price will be £100 with full insurance