The Fastest Climbing Bike Ever - But How Good Is It Now?

[@thomasvilladsen4218]

Pantani did not ride Bianchi bikes. He had his frames made specially by a frame builder by the name of Pesenti. Pesenti used aluminium with berylium added which enabled him to make a frame of 980 grams or there about. I believe he got the tubing from the US, but that I am not certain about. You will notice that Pantani only had one bottleholder on his climbing bike. That is because the walls of the downtube was so thin that it was imposible to weld the studs in. You will also notice that the welding on Pantanis frames looks much better than on the Bianchi you are riding. Finally Pantani also used a cabon seatpost also made by Pesenti and he did not use the Time fork, instead he used a fork from the japanese company Misuno. Of course the whole thing was painted in original Bianchi colors.

[@jamesmedina2062]

FASCINATING STUFF

[@Slash90ita]

cool stuff. where did you get all the info?

[@thomasvilladsen4218]

@@Slash90ita I bought a Pesenti model Fly in 1999 where he came to a bike store in Stockholm and took measurements for hand build bikes. He brought som of his Pantani frames as demo

[@Slash90ita]

@@thomasvilladsen4218 very very cool!

[@ralphc1405]

Wasn't Metal Matrix composite metals experimented back in the mid-late 1990s???

[@nickthewine3394]

As Pantani proved, it’s not what you’re on, but what you’re on. Bless him.

[@TacticalShiba]

Legendary comment XD

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

Yeah, I guess the guy must have been doped-to-the-gills back when he was what...16 years old? Not claiming he wasn't doped later but IMHO what the oxygen vector dope did for him was more making him competitive in chrono stages rather than the mountain superiority he already had. Meanwhile, BigTex went from barely anybody in stage racing to TdF winner in comparison. RIP Pirata.

[@imoverthetop44]

I can't argue with any of your input!

[@Tuffjobs]

Marco was clean!

[@benedictearlson9044]

The sport was ruined by the scandals and Pantani lost his life at a very young age ultimately, it's just a tragedy all round. There were many victims ofc, José María Jiménez was another and who died just a couple of months before Marco. Sad to think about but at the time wow the racing was unreal, the Peloton was full of gods. And David Duffield played a huge part in bringing it all to life.

[@colindewolfe3647]

I was on Les Deux Alpes that day, standing in the freezing pouring rain on the side of the road after having ridden up on my Vitius 979 from Grenoble where I saw the start and had taken a picture of Pantani leaning over his bike. He came around the switchback just stomping on the pedals, and then waited, and waited and waited for Ullrich. And waited. Mind blown. I can see myself standing by the side of the road in the very blurry Italian tv footage. Something I'll never forget.

[@prestachuck2867]

I will presume that you were shuttled in a motor vehicle from the race start to the base of the climb, otherwise you would have had to ride faster than the pros did to get there first. 😄

[@colindewolfe3647]

@@prestachuck2867 Nope. I left right after the broom wagon went by. They took a left at Rochetaille and I went right. They went over both the Croix de Fer and the Galibier and all I had to do was 100 km less without 2 high mountain passes. Their climbs were on a huge loop. I wasn't the only one. There was a steady stream of us, including a guy from Newcastle who I couldn't understand and we had to speak in French

[@DolleHengst]

Me and my dad watched Pantani during his legendary 1997 Alpe d'Huez climb. A moment i'll never forget. By the noise and excitement of the crowds below us, we could instinctively hear something special was taking place. Then around the hairpin emerged this tiny little bald man, a childlike head with huge ears. The sheer speed and effortless motion were utterly breathtaking.

[@chadjackson4786]

juiced to the gills

[@James_Talavera]

​​@@chadjackson4786o??? Everyone juices. Try juicing too and see if you can duplicate Pantani's time. Beep beep beep beep... I know you can't.

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

Watch your grammar plz, in that context it’s ‘My dad & I”. A hint, make the phrase singular in you head so you can work out which of ‘me’, ‘my self’ & ‘I’ is more suitable.

[@frankspeakmore7104]

@@James_Talavera Somebody rode a 50cc moped up the Alpe d'Huez, they were still slower than that addict. Go figure.

[@Florislaurens]

Sadly his legend is taken down a little bit, or to some maybe a lot, by the fact that he didn't ride on peanutbutter sandwiches only.... But then again: I guess they all didn't back in the day which evens it out somewhat. So still a hero to me....!

[@CJONE764]

First i want to say what a great film Si. Smashed this. This is perfect content for me. As a 10-year-old watching il pirata monster up the alp, in the rain, solidified my love of cycling. As it wasn't a team sport, it came down to me vs someone else. You couldn't rely on others to pull you through. As much as we all know about Marco and his troubles, there's still something about watching him dance on the pedals, hands in the drops, that has that je-nais-sais-qoi that modern cycling has only just refound with pog, rog, pidcock etc all smashing it against each other uphill.

[@curtvaughan2836]

One can disparage Pantani and Armstrong all one wants, but nevertheless, their legendary duel up Mont Ventoux in 2000 was incredible. Doping was rampant not only in professional cycling at the time. Even the non-endurance oriented mainstream sport of baseball had issues in the late 90s, with doped up guys like Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa racing each other to smash the 30+ year record held by Roger Maris. Don't know if one or both of the dueling cyclists were juiced at the time, but the racing competition was amazing.

[@gcn]

Thanks for the comment Christopher! Would you say you are more into the old school vibe over the modern bikes? It's great seeing the new racers smashing it up the climbs 🙌 Do you think we are heading in to the glory days of racing?

[@TheFinav]

320m? I honestly find it hard to believe the human body can survive for long at this altitude.

[@simonrichardson5259]

😂 I’ve just spent three weeks in the Himalayas to acclimatise.

[@mikedittsche]

The Dutch call such heights upper stratosphere.

[@janeblogs324]

320m? That's about where our house is above sea level

[@jonm2522]

with drugs and EPO anything is possible.

[@hernanhernandez3861]

I was in Venice when Pantani won stage 15 in 1998. The city came to a standstill to watch the victory. He was amazing.

[@patricenatalini66]

aretter tous avec votre pantani doper ras la guele serieux , j apelle pas ca un sportif moi j apelle ca un escrot

[@mountainmoments]

so was his "medical team" ;)

[@paullinnitt5450]

I was on the Galibier in 98. It was a breathtaking stage. Pantani was behind when he passed us. We got back to St Jean-du-Maurienne to see him cross the finish line. Unforgettable (although I’ve never been so cold)

[@gcn]

Wow what a memory to have! Have you re-watched the stage to see it all unfold? 👀

[@pantani9886]

I am a massive Marco Pantani fan, and wanted to get his kit to look like him! In 2008, I bought a carbon Bianchi, and built it up with Campagnolo Record groupset, with red pro levers. I tracked down most of the kit, and had people looking, although I am 6'3", and overweight! In 2012, I reluctantly sold it all, as was too busy with work, but in 2017, I got a load of money, and decided to get my "Dream Bike", after checking out "Bike Show", etc. I went for an Italian-made Colnago C60, with full Campagnolo Super Record EPS, Bora Ultra tubular wheels, etc. I then thought about getting Marco's clothing, which would be extremely difficult, but not impossible. I had a massive bit of luck getting his Vittoria Blitz shoes in the yellow, in the UK 13, brand new in the box for £50 in the UK! It has been extremely hard to refind the original socks & mitts, but after over 4 years, I found a man in Bologna, Italy, who had a massive load of his kits from his earlier Carrera days, to his later years, and luckily the mitt's, and sock's I wanted, although the socks were a smaller size, so had a piece added to make my size! The Briko glasses in yellow/lime were hard & expensive to get, but found replacement Briko sun lenses in Croatia, as had Briko red lenses fitted. I only have the 1997 yellow Santini Mercatone Uno shorts in a 3XL/4XL, and his 1996 Nalini Carrera winter bib-tights in a 4XL (Taglia 8) to find! I am also trying to source his Bianchi in a 63cm?(I am 6'3"). I also live just up the road from Cheddar Gorge, in Burnham-on-Sea, where this was filmed!!!

[@zeez4178]

I. Admire your passion

[@jdjames997]

I also have a C60, it was also my dream bike, and i ride it to this day and get comments and looks from many. Your attention to detail and passion regarding the Italian kit and to honor Marco is pretty fantastic. I’ve often thought about buying a modern aero type bike with new tech, but I’m afraid i won’t be impressed over my C60, so I haven’t done it- yet. Climbing is big in my area, and I’m not sure how much I’d ride an aero bike, even though they seem to climb pretty well. I believe the final rim brake bikes will endure for many years, i could care less about disc brakes, so why bother?

[@davidmurray3685]

Pure. 100%. Emotion. I truly love what you guys at GCN are doing lately, from your epic riding adventures, to your quirky challenges. But this video Si, goes straight to the heart. I loved your passion in this clip, the history lesson, and your joy on this classic, it's beautiful. Brilliant work buddy ❤

[@gcn]

Thanks David! Great to hear that you enjoyed the video - Is there anything that you think we should be covering? 📽

[@hansschotterradler3772]

Bike alone won't cut it; you've got to be on the MP juice for the full experience!

[@s2pacific]

Hi GCN! How about a neo retro shootout against new machines.(Both TT and road)

[@wiwiwiii]

Marco Always in our hearts

[@alinapopescu872]

Yes, he is.

[@TheHandThatBites]

He was my favourite

[@jonathanrobinson2628]

A really enjoyable love letter to the Bianchi. I got into cycling as a 13 year old and remember Pantani well. Rushing home from school at lunch to catch up with Eurosport and the Tour. For all of the controversies of the period, it was still a great time to be a cycling fan. Kudos on the video. More like this please :)

[@gcn]

Do you still have the same excitement watching the modern racing? 👀

[@sandydennylives1392]

Saw Pantani's first emergence in I think '95/96 on the Alpe in a pub.

[@PercyTP5161]

Great comparison. Just goes to show....for all the wind tunnel testing on the modern bikes, the difference between an old pro/mid-level 105 bike and a top-end machine can be how you feel on the day.

[@michadebicki6534]

Dentists and lawyers won't believe it! :D

[@veganpotterthevegan]

Simon's 10w is sizeable for a guy that's 165lbs. These bikes aren't really very close. *I love my round tubed SEVEN. It has over 200k miles and counting on it. But my new Domane is really better in every way beyond impact resistance and nostalgia. I have similarly shallow wheels on both, and the exact same tires and power meter. On flats at a doodling 230W, the Domane is nearly 1mph faster. That difference only gets bigger as the power goes up, or if I'm riding down hill. The Domane also cost me far less than half of what that SEVEN retailed for(I was a shop employee when I bought it). $5200 today vs $12000 in 2007 money. That SEVEN would cost close to $15,000 today

[@dontobi1736]

Arguably, climbing is probably _the_ special case where it's least about the bike and most about the cyclist. Time trials being on the other end of the spectrum.

[@DoNuT_1985]

@@dontobi1736 I think, the chosen climb wasn't even steep enough to rule out the aero benefits of a modern bike and that's why it was faster with 10 watts less and a slight weight penalty. On longer and steeper climbs, mortal riders would also get issues with those gears, I can't put down my measly 200-250W at 60 rpm for too long but I probably could with a modern 12-speed and 34t cassette. 😁

[@gcn]

It all comes down the the engine at the end of the day 🙌

[@xGshikamaru]

I wholeheartedly agree with Si's conclusion, there's something about going as fast as you can from the bottom to the top of the climb that is pure joy to me. I don't have the lightest nor the most aero bike of all, but once the gradient picks up, I just embrace the pain and fight gravity. I would find the descents precarious on that Bianchi though

[@alfredongos]

9:16 Oh, my God!!!... That bike is beautiful with those metallic details and I agree, combining celeste with that ocre colour is something I could never thought might have gone together, but they add up to the vintage look.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

It was watching Pantani ride these beautiful Bianchi bikes back in his heyday that got me into the brand. On my 2nd Bianchi now, and I just love it!

[@gcn]

Lovely! Have you submitted a photo into the bike uploader on our app??

[@mikehermesmeglio]

I still have my 1999 Mega Pro XL

[@hayes6262]

How about test the last winning rim brake vs the new bikes and see what climbs faster

[@stevec6232]

Dogma Rim brake vs Dogma F

[@Gk9311]

rim brakes ??? blasphemy !!!!!!!

[@dakalla]

add the descent into it, in rain!

[@hayes6262]

@dakalla great idea. Use a pro and see if they descend any faster now in the rain than they used to.

[@fabianirsara9846]

@@dakalla not an issue if you know what you’re doing

[@DavidMartin-tk4fs]

Thank you for this video, clearly made for me. Right era, right bike, right rider, great music and hit the nail on the head about the emotional connection to the bikes you love - IMHO you should not judge the person by the bike they ride any more than the people they might find they love, if it gets you out there that’s all that matters... ...and if somebody does manage to be among the quickest on their local routes with... e'hem, classic gear then that shows the quality of the old stuff too. If someone on the latest carbon aero monster was to swap bikes with them they might be in for a bit of an shock. 😉 👍👍👍

[@gcn]

Thanks a lot, David! Glad you liked it.

[@jikemenkins7098]

To all my dear friends at GCN, and all those watching who may read this: Please remember, a weld is a functional metallurgical feature, not an aesthetic device. Please remember that the relative quality of a weld is judged by factors the eye cannot always see; penetration, fusion, no undercutting, no cratering, consistent height and width. These are the merits a weld would be graded by in an academic/tradesman's testing environment. The true quality of a weld is only judged by destructive testing, where the internal results can be inspected by cross-section, and the tensile strength can be measured by a pull test. I would wager that Bianchi paid top-wage for a master welder to produce those frames, and produce them quickly and on-demand.

[@turtleneck369]

exactly!

[@jamesmedina2062]

Plus every alloy welds differently and take a much fatter bead than a steel frame

[@andrewantill2978]

I was thinking the same, there’s nothing wrong with those welds. I think people who don’t weld expect a smoothed out alu weld = good.

[@emmett1ish]

Was going to same the same thing, my Dad was a welder there is nothing wrong with those welds, aluminum welds are always going to look a little chunkier than steel.

[@terbennett]

This has to be my favorite GCN episode for 2023. Great job Simon!

[@pablodiaz6130]

Ride Bikes road mtb DH recumbent folding Fixie

[@jackofalltrades9393]

I agree. I don't know what it is or why, I just like riding bikes and I just like bikes. I'm not even that good at it, but I love this stuff. Clearly Simon does too!

[@andrewlove1971]

so much truth here, that is because of the deep passion this bike brought up... GCN does a lot of episodes... This one moved the commentator... deeply..

[@238949]

For us normal humans, how our bikes make us feel is so much more than how much they are worth, loved the video, would love a Bianchi bike of any age x

[@gcn]

Absolutely!

[@TwistedOnyx369]

I started riding a bike (as an adult) during this time period. I love the Celeste color and I love Bianchis. And watching Marco Pantani back in the day was awe-inspiring. Great video thanks so much for this comparison. It was wonderful to relive this time period.

[@gcn]

That Celeste colour is dreamy 🤤 Would a Bianchi be your first choice?

[@TwistedOnyx369]

@@gcn My first 2 road bikes were Bianchis. The only reason I'm on a Scott Addict now (love it by the way) is that Bianchi was backed up during the pandemic. Ultimately I'm really happy with my Scott, but I love Bianchi.

[@alexanderakins5777]

Brilliant production. I’ve always loved Si’s videos but the emotion and love for cycling really just hit me in the chest. Please keep making videos like this one because my god it was one of your best. Find the money to give a raise to the whole team who contributed to this one. 🙏🙏

[@gcn]

Thanks for such kind words! We all love out cycling here at GCN and it's super cool to hear that this is spreading through our videos. Have you shared this video with your cycling buddies? They will be sure to love it 🙌

[@billyjo1148]

@@gcn dan getting carried away with the juice

[@JSC131]

That Bianchi is truly beautiful!!! Great episode Si.

[@gcn]

It's a stunner!

[@daniboi4067]

​​@@gcn GIANT TT Version Fastest.

[@TheChancerdog1]

Man this has been my favorite video GCN has produced. Those cycling days of this vintage get me pumped every time. Love the throwback clips and nod to one of the greats red blood cells and all he was great

[@10ktube]

I think some of the GCN sponsors are going to be cranky pants at the total joy expressed riding that "old" bike, you guys never get that amped up riding the new, fancy stuff! Totally awesome video, and bike (the "old" one).

[@whssy]

My 95 De Rosa Columbus EL with 98 Record is still more fun to ride than any carbon bike I've owned since... and I've owned more than a few.

[@padraic8873]

What a great bike! I was always a huge Pantani fan, saw him at the start of 1998 Tour in Dublin, stood around for hours waiting for him!

[@raykleiner3151]

You hit the nail right on the head! Those older bikes create emotional connections, unlike the modern bikes which basically all look very similar often coming out of the same factory under different names.

[@a1yallop]

Great video, love that classic bianchi bike. Don't forget also that the bianchi would keep going up and up those mountains long after the battery ran out on that Pinarello.

[@robbybobbyhobbies]

Do a lot of 1,000km rides with no access to power on a road bike? Then yes, the Di2 battery might run out on a ride. On planet normal cyclist I think it's a non-issue.

[@gustavofontanetta8889]

Great job buddy !! You’re inspiring lots of cyclists around the world. Big thumbs up from Brazil !!

[@luukrutten1295]

At some point Bianchi started filling the tubes around the bottom bracket with "structural" foam to prevent tube buckling and increase life of the frames. I love the looks of this thing.

[@maartenthomassen]

this title is the wrong one. Beautiful video. but because of that big smile and love for cycling in all it's romance. Cycling Pantani's bike. No way it can beat a 2 secend advantage of the modern bike. It's the pure love for cycling and it's history. Love it!

[@mikemurray507]

Great piece, emphasising what I love about riding my older bikes more than my modern ones. In the case of mine, they may be slightly heavier but they're so much more pleasurable and comfortable to ride. Plus of course, stainless steel spokes and a polished Dura Ace groupset glittering in the sun

[@gcn]

Whatever makes you want to ride is the correct bike choice! 🙌

[@thenormalberries6767]

This was well done! This dude's not nearly as dead inside as most cycling presenters.

[@vidyapremkumar3851]

tires ! modern tires are so so so much better than what pantani's bike ( or the one you rode ) had. that by itself will be a huge difference!

[@brianrainey2739]

OMG. Thats my bike. In the garage. Riding it today. Full Record with Campy Nucleon wheelset. Still butter smooth after all these years! 😁

[@arnebernert5191]

You’re blessed 😇!

[@bicyclist2]

The mid 90's to the mid 2000's is cyclings glorious hey day. I remember when threadless headsets became a thing. I will always prefer the beautiful aluminum Bianchi XL shown here over the ugly black & white Pinarello. I have an old carbon LOOK KG361 from 98' that I love. I love the look of European geometry with the horizontal top tubes. Thank you.

[@PK-qq1lz]

Thank's for that, Si! Could feel your emotions. That is why we love riding bikes. RIP Marco!!!

[@JoeBManco]

The Bianchi is straight-up a beautiful bike. Thanks for doing this episode.

[@jakereich]

My favourite bike of all time!

[@walterhofer937]

Yes? Looks like it was badly welded together from old water pipes.

[@andrewantill2978]

What’s wrong with the welds?

[@walterhofer937]

@@andrewantill2978 Rough and uneven

[@walterhofer937]

@@andrewantill2978 To be honest I'm not a fan of the frame geometry with horizontal top tube, the high saddle stays. Stem also does not fit the bike.

[@Pauleyjh]

So good, great subject, fantastic production... thanks

[@jonasvieth]

Si really smashed it with his humorous and a little bit sarcastic comments about the “rock n roll” days of cycling 😄

[@andrewpeterson5882]

Honestly from an aesthetic perspective, that era was peak racing bike design for me. They just look so good. I love the flat top tubes and old-school round tubing, curved forks, but more modern looking and comfortable hoods. I'm never gonna be really fast but I like my bikes to have sauce, and Pantani's bike has SAUCE.

[@wille9040]

I actually just bought an almost identical Pantani Mega pro XL for an absolute bargain. It is the absolute perfect balance of vintage beauty and somewhat modern performance for me personally . It got me to pick up cycling again which after all is all that matters :)

[@towhee7472]

Hey, same story here! The guy who sold it didn't even know what he had - Now I own the dream bike of my childhood.

[@gcn]

Amazing! Some lovely inspiration!

[@johnfowler4820]

Check the frame very carefully and regularly as my sons one cracked where the bottom tube meets the headset. He is extremely lucky that he was going slowly at the time

[@DerFilmgucker]

@@johnfowler4820Mine cracked near the dropout. But it took a lot of heavy climbing.

[@charliecook6909]

Modern vs vintage is an awsome series , si's the man ,old bikes are the best , everytime I get on my raleigh banana it fills me with joy

[@topbanana3413]

That Bianchi is such a beauty! Just looking at it makes me want to go for a ride!

[@thebelly925]

44 and 23 out back? That popping sound is coming from your knees!

[@dannfong9471]

I love the look of this era bikes. They seem so simple but there is so much more then meets the eye. I have never ridden a modern, all carbon, electronic shifting bike and I'm sure I will smash my PRs with them and it would be an amazing ride. But I really cannot let go of how I gravitate more towards these kinds of bikes.

[@denverspin]

They are art.

[@chrismadge7292]

Great video Si, that brings back some very evocative memories watching the likes of Pantani storming up the climbs in the tours.

[@handwerkergermany8587]

This Retro vs modern bike tests , i love it ! very entertaining please more like that.

[@gcn]

Glad you like them!

[@bjrnsthr-rousinger6537]

Took me back down nostalgia lane, excellent video

[@gcn]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Tomcat6541]

Been watching since the days of Dan, Matt, Simon, and Tom. GCN has maintained a class above all other cycling channels. These are the videos that keep me coming back for more. Do you guys remember Simon and Matt at the Taiwan KOM Challenge?

[@markrskinner]

We need more classic bikes.

[@RichardQuayle-n9e]

I was feeling emotional before watching this…..as a 6ft pantani fan who had the brikos and still wears bandanas under my helmet I loved it. Those Shamal rims is what I lusted after during the 90’s and why I love climbing hills but hate descents. The pain of a 10 mile TT never appealed but cresting a hill was my dream. Thanks GCN.

[@markclevedon81]

Amazing result and I must admit to being surprised given the Bianchi's gearing but it does show that with carefully chosen ratios, frame design and that emotion, the gap can be closed. I tended to excel on hill climbing on similar gearing in my native Wales but age and the quest for comfort means that I now ride a 50-34 and 11-30 or 11-32. The problem is that I invariably resort to spinning and probably put a lot less power through the wheel despite that sensation of going faster. What about comparing the reliability of old and new on a longer endurance ride? Just like classic cars weren't those old bikes built to last? Mmmm???

[@gigglingchicken8444]

My first road bike which my dad gave me was a Bianchi in that celeste color from the 90s. It got me started in biking. I moved to mountain biking and gravel biking as I dont like riding with a lot of traffic and I prefer biking in nature. Bianchi will always have a special place in my heart. It was a lot of fun and that color is soooo pretty.

[@greer176]

The silver rim of the bianchi is so cool

[@BRMCaptChaos]

The 'rule of cool' expressed in a bike. What a thing. I love those Campy Shamal wheels more than I should. Nice vid Si. ❤

[@fhowland]

I’ve ridden Alpe Du Huez.. I simply cannot fathom riding up it with only a 44/23

[@Robert-mn8gc]

If u had been doing the K's & mountain ⛰️ training these / those guys were doing 4 yrs on end of course u could . Yong 16.5 yr old in the town l reside in & his power numbers 4 his age & ftp r out of this world 🌎. Good enough 4 2 of the tour pro teams 2 email 📧 him & say keep up the good work rate & u r on a short list 2 come over next yr 👍 He's won some big races in Australia 🇦🇺

[@gcn]

Alpe D'huez is a hard climb no matter what gear you've chosen ⚙

[@arnebernert5191]

44/23, unbelievable! Some days ago I complained about using 39/28 to survive at the very early ’Maratona delle Dolomiti’. 😅.

[@Robert-mn8gc]

@@arnebernert5191 U guys need 2 understand that the Pro Peleton Riders r riding 800-1200 ks per week plus plenty of rehabilitation on there muscles, massages & perhaps 2 Gym Sessions 🏋️‍♂️ 1-2 a week during the racing season ( not during races ) & 2-3 a week off season. And Hills & Mountains all the time ⏲️. There weight is lite , especially the Billy Goats 🐐 like Contador & Pantani. Armstrong was an exception. He was 75/78 ks race weight .

[@whssy]

I rode it in 2003. 39-29 lowest gear. Was on the 25 most of the time. That was despite not having trained. If I'd been in the racing form I had in 93-4 when I weighed at least 8kg less, it would have been perfectly doable in 39-23. One of my workmates rode it the year before with 42-21. I used to ride up Holme Moss in 42-21 and not even use the lowest gear. And I wasn't even one of the fast guys. Last time I went up Holme Moss was for the Tour. 36-25 lowest and it was a struggle! Age does that to you.

[@endcensorship874]

Back in the day, I had a set of “race day” wheels that were super lightweight… but super fragile. I broke a spoke about once a week. I just prayed if and when one broke, it was at the end of the race or in training the day before. Yeah, we used o put up with a lot crap back in the day to be “lightweight.”

[@juanpinca1716]

always give me smile when i pass thus modern bikes with my steel bike going uphill 😁

[@jameslee-pevenhull5087]

2004 Specialized SWorks E5. DuraAce, Corima CF deep section tub sprints. 6.8 kg, bang on the weight limit. Mine has Ultegra group and RS80 25mm section. 7.1kg.

[@bobschrank473]

Great video GCN! I raced a set of tubular Electrons for years way back when - I think the first gen only offered tubular, otherwise you were on Protons in terms of lightweight climbing wheels. Never broke a spoke but back then I weighed quite a bit less. They were wonderful wheels in all conditions.

[@whssy]

The original Fulcrum 3s were pretty much the same wheels just a slightly deeper rim and really low weight and so well balanced and stable. Still have mine to this day. Still running a pair of really light 1999 Record hubs built up with DT Revolution and Mavic Ceramic rims too.

[@millermark445]

He talked about a bike's "emotional association." He's on to something - I can relate. Which is one reason I ride an '86 Schwinn Paramount. The fact that Schwinn was an iconic American brand, coupled with the bike's Waterford-made, lugged steel frame and tasteful paint scheme, gives the bike a certain panache that riders like me can relate to. Also, if you're a retro rebel like me, you look askance at all the bells and whistles (disc brakes, electronic shifting, carbon everything) manufacturers insist we need and want and will happily pay for. But not all of us.

[@AlexCauthon]

Not sure an average gradient of 4% is really enough for this test, since the climbs he was most famous for were double that and the average speed will be lower so aero comes less into play. The fantasy is real though, I myself have a vintage bianchi to feel like coppi or pantani on occasion

[@gcn]

We didn't have Alpe d'huez available unfortunately 😉

[@1barnet1]

@@gcn Well you guys have the brecon beacons close enough.

[@richardmccaughey5928]

All my fondest memories (and most vivid) of being on the bike are mountain climbs, be they in the Sierra Nevada or the Santa Monica's above Malibu. Some on a Trek Emonda but many on a Bob Jackson 753 or an '87 Falcon Reynolds 531P. Climbing, more than any other endeavor on the bike, brings out any emotional attachment one might have for one's bicycle. By the way, beautiful countryside.

[@АнтониоРодригес-ф4т]

Bianchi would clock the same time or even faster on climbing campa wheels!! Great episode! ❤❤❤

[@VyantQuijt]

Oooh now I'm even more excited to be taking my '98 Bianchi Malloy out to the southern french mountains this summer. It looks a lot like this pro bike. I'm not a climber by any means, but I bashed it up the Mont Ventoux 2 years ago with 39*28 for my lowest gear. When you run out of gears to drop, mettle will have to do.

[@reinholdachleitner2069]

As the saying goes it's definitely the rider not the bike,awesome to see the old Time Equipe Pro red pedals.💯👌🏻

[@RFVCXR200R]

Great video! I mean we all like a Pinarelli or whatever it's called, but it's good to see Bianchi get some proper love.

[@flowers42195]

As a Italian old enough to saw the best Pantani it always sad to remember him especially in those epic stage of giro & tour '98. I wonder today a modern Pantani with actual material how strong would be.

[@johngoldenbritt5112]

Last fall I completed Tour du Tucson on same 96 Klein Quantum 2 frame that I rode on my last Century in 2001, but now with Record 10, Neutron Wheels and different stem of course. The spirit of a good frame and gruppo is worth experiencing at least once in a lifetime.

[@adam-qu6dh]

people get sucked into this whole elite cycling vortex where they think it is all about lycra, carbon, aero bottles and all. where in reality they are dropped easily by bicycle couriers.

[@neoneherefrom5836]

Yet those bicycle couriers would go even faster with all those things. ;)

[@whssy]

That's the influx of golf dudes for you.... Mid 90s you didn't need to spend more than a couple of grand and you had state of the art gear. Carbon wheels were exclusively for time trialling.

[@christoforobarra875]

Si gets it, this is what it’s about. I have a couple of bicycles of this era and this level. They don’t hold you back; they do spur you on

[@Astraeus73]

I was there watching the filming for this episode and at the time I wasn't that taken by they Bianchi. Having seen it being used on the climb in this video, I have to say, it looks bloody lovely! Great episode GCN and nice to meet you and the crew.....😊

[@carnivoredoc]

That was a great vid. Thanks Simon, the history was gun, and the emotion part you imparted was spectacular. Awesome.

[@andredegraaf1643]

This time your comment at the end hits it on the head. It's how a bike makes you feel on an emotional level. All of my heroes rode on steel and that's what I raced on. I blew past a guy on an Orbea Orca yesterday and the guy was quite a bit fitter than me but I felt stronger.

[@lordllewellynofdarkdelight2613]

Thank you! This was a very enjoyable video. You are so right the emotion of riding a race bike clone is tangible. Every hill brought that to mind on my bike. You motivated me to refurbish my Pantani clone. Thank you.

[@DnDMF]

7:09 Those welds look perfect to me.

[@zeez4178]

Me too ! He hasnt a clue about welding

[@mircozelle]

i feel the same. maybe not perfectly even, but 100% functional

[@chadshanks5409]

The bandana and sunglasses really made the test legit!!

[@emmett1ish]

Its been mentioned in the comments already but as the son of a welder I just wanted to reiterate there is nothing wrong with those welds. Aluminum welds are always going to have a wider bead than steel, so they might not look quite as clean but that's the nature of the material not the quality of the work. With the way aluminum transfers heat and its tendency to warp there aren't that many people on the planet that could handle those welds on material that thin.

[@Evaso_CC]

The alloy Shamals at over 2000grams will have had a massive impact. Not sure Pantani ever climbed mountains on those?

[@christiancondin4496]

But they look oh so fine. I take the weight penalty any time.

[@taxi9554]

Yes! Exactly what I thought. Heavy wheels…also at that time

[@banjo7127]

Only Gewiss Balan climbed on Shamals I believe. They definitely handicapped the Bianchi with those wheels.

[@AndresMUy-vd2fy]

Usaba las Campagnolo Electrón

[@whssy]

@@banjo7127 Fairly sure they used Boras for climbing. Apart from Riis who was on ADAs.

[@bullswoodskirmish1646]

Loved loved this video it was a joy to watch CGN rocks! Well done Dan Vintage Velo (You Tube ) for lending the bike - always love watching your videos too :)

[@shoff535]

Nicely done! A real fun comparison. I suspect your performance on the Bianchi would have been more impressive if you had been able to ride the Electron wheels. I have mid 1990s alloy Ventos and 1999 era Electrons and the weight difference for the set is over 550gms The Shamals are probably lighter than my Ventos..

[@Digi20]

550grams actually equates to around 2 watts power difference (@350W going up an 8% incline) - that is probably made up by the deeper wheels in aerodynamics, even with speeds of around 18kph.

[@whssy]

@@Digi20 Is it as simple as that though? I climbed faster with lighter wheels, for sure - because they felt faster to me and I felt I could go harder. I think for lighter riders (I was 55kg back then) the lighter wheels would feel very different than for more powerful but heavier riders.

[@JuanEBianchin]

Excellent video guys!!!! Great info and technical stuff, but with a good dose of nostalgia also! 👏👏👏Greetings to you from Argentina 🇦🇷

[@gcn]

If you could ride any bike from history up any climb, which would you pick? 🚲🏔

[@totalrepawns]

anything with rim brakes

[@jacopoastolfi2012]

A us postal trek bike

[@alinapopescu872]

Marco's.

[@luukrutten1295]

I'd take one of Indurains banesto Pinarello bikes tig welded by the legendary dario pegoretti himself. The last quality steel bikes of the mid 90s. I might need some EPO myself to get on with the gearing of that era though...

[@chrisstrider]

Coppi Bianchi

[@anthonymiller6234]

Great video. The Bianchi Mega Pro XL's are very iconic indeed. I can't quite believe that Dan let you ride it!! 🙂

[@TheABom1989]

Why do cyclists glorify Pantani? Is it that he was the foil to Armstrong? Would love to see the comments if this video was on Lance’s Trek with the same romanticism.

[@stevecooper7038]

😂

[@alexjohnson6462]

I am unsure if your comment is intended as commentary about those two specific riders, or the brand of bikes. If it is about the bikes I feel like saying tell me you are under 30 years old without telling me you are under 30, because I think the answer is pretty clear as day to anyone over a certain age as to why there would be more nostalgia for Pantanis bike versus Lances bike. There was a rising percentage of Trek devotees in the Armstrong days, but Trek was still very much an emerging brand at that era. Trek did not enjoy anywhere near the same reputation as Bianchi bikes had. Bianchi was simply a legendary brand at that point, and peoples nostalgia both now and then reflected that. The Trek had little reputation other than being a very innovative up and coming company, but even an innovative bike sadly still needed the "marketing" of a great athlete behind it, and Trek may never have been viewed as positively as it is today without Armstrong giving the brand the boost it needed just at the right time. Bianchi may not have the same reputation today, but its clear most are viewing this video in the context which wasintended - that being to view Bianchi through lens of when that brand was still very popular, and ridden by one of peoples favorite riders of that era (Pantani).

[@TheABom1989]

@@alexjohnson6462 mate, I thought it was pretty clear why I made the comparison. Lance is panned for his systematic approach to drugs. Pantani wrote the textbook that Lance learned from, yet the way he is talked about in this video is very different to how Lance is talked about. I grew up watching Lance, and loved watching him. I had to acknowledge that he was flawed and that my idol wasn’t all that. I’m just wondering why Pantani gets to still be a god. It is literally said in the video “None of us could ride as fast as Pantani” and that is because he was on drugs. None of us should be able to ride like him. Calm your boomer farm bro, it’s not an age thing it is a consistency in cycling thing.

[@LVQ-so5th]

I was thinking the same. Some cheaters (Lance) are vilified while others (Pantini) are given a pass.

[@TheABom1989]

@@LVQ-so5th agreed. Like I understand that Lance was a bully, but he was the reason Cycling came to the US so if Pantani we can look past the flaws, surely we can with Lance. Or they should all be blacklisted.

[@tunaficiency]

Remember seeing Marcos bike in the flesh in a bike shop in Shrewsbury looked stunning and weighed nothing must admit was a massive Marco fan got into road biking in 96

[@romeeees]

44-23 smallest transmission? i would die up the hills.

[@stevemawer848]

Back in the late 1960s I raced on 54/44 and a 6 speed block of 14,15,16,17,19,21. We were tougher in those days. 🙂

[@whssy]

No we weren't. We were just younger when we were active. Riders on expensive bikes these days tend to be 40 plus and often never ever rode competitively, let alone when in what would have been their physical peak. Cycling has become a pastime for people whose kids have left home these days. Youngsters can't even dream of affording high end gear in this day and age.

[@MrSmithUK]

Very interesting article. 25 years and 2 seconds! Good to see the classic M.U. Bianchi in action. I own one & I totally get the Pantani dream. Ironically, I had to take EPO to stay alive due to kidney failure. I look forward to the day when I can get back to riding it again :-)

[@kaltonian]

very nice bike....and still to this day looks and performs well

[@kevincockburn7805]

Those older bikes just look so good. The shamal wheels really do take it over the top.

[@wingtip76]

I have yet to see a modern-day rider to match his panache and spirit. He's been my idol from his days in Carrera all the way to his death. Pantani is a legend!! Addio Pirata

[@chrism5433]

Awesome review 🍻

[@hotcakes1117]

How awesome are old, simple bikes.

[@gcn]

Very awesome!

[@djalcazzar]

This is the kind of content I stick around for. Top work on this on, the feeling it gives me is why I've always ridden!

[@leonardfairground5937]

It’s so funny how all the journos do their best to avoid talking about Pantani and drugs and yet always make it so obvious that any reference to Lance has a not so subtle reference to his, not insignificant, drug fuelled achievements. I assume it’s more to do with Armstrong being nasty to people and Pantani just being destructive to himself.

[@johnwestwell2241]

My local bike shop was, for a time, a Bianchi dealer. For a limited period (probably in early' 99), they had one of Pantani's 1998 TDF-winning bikes on display. Complete with yellow stem, yellow Vittoria tubs and a Pirata yellow saddle. The tubs needed a bit of air (the shop staff didn't dare pump them up), and it didn't have any pedals fitted, but it felt ridiculously light compared to my bike. Having said that, it was a tiny frame.

[@dakalla]

7:15 i think the welding looks good. Better don't look on current aluminium Scott or Cannondale bikes.

[@janeblogs324]

They look perfect, just remember he's paid to promote his channels sponsors. It's called being a shill

[@GigglingChinchilla]

As a little boy I saw those gorgeous (sorry Si) Celeste Bianchi bikes on tv, and vowed to myself to one day get one. Two weeks ago I bought a '00 Bianchi Pro Race in Celeste, not the best bike ever, hell it, has a triple on the front! But god it's beautiful and rides amazing. And as Si says, it's about how it makes you feel, not the raw numbers.