Price: $3,275

Weight: 3.14 lbs. (frame)

Components: Campagnolo Centaur 10 speed

Frame & Fork: Double-butted aluminum frame,
1 1/8-inch carbon/alloy fork

Geometry: 73.5º head tube, 73º seat tube, 57.5 cm top tube

Sizes: 46cm – 63cm (tested 57cm)

Comments: “A classic ride.”
www.bianchi.com

Bianchi remains synonymous with “quality” as it unleashes another line of
superior-quality bikes that riders such as Marco Pantani have no qualms
about riding in the world’s hardest races. Ridden by the Mercatone Uno and
Coast Professional teams in 2002, Bianchi’s most famous pilot was the
stylish Italian Fausto Coppi, who rode these celeste-green machines his
entire career.

The SL Lite Alloy Centaur is a new stallion in the Bianchi barn. The
tubing used is a 7000 series aluminum, double-butted and tig-welded.
Bianchi refers to the welding as “one single passage,” in that the welding
flow is not interrupted and the filling of the weld bead is avoided,
thereby minimizing stresses and avoiding damage. New are an oversized
re-profiled top tube and a 1-1/8-inch compact steering system, reducing the
wall thickness and ultimately the weight, but not comprising any rigidity.
The geometry is identical to the Mercatone Uno XL EV4 and EV2 bikes in that
it has a “sloping” characteristic that makes for a rear triangle that
responds quickly to accelerations. Also new in the rear triangle are the
CNC rear dropouts that are supposed to increase rigidity and power transfer.
The SL Lite comes with a 1-1/8-inch carbon fork with an aluminum alloy
steerer tube, shaving off 60g from the 2001 model. A “kinetic energy
equilibrium system” was used to engineer stiffness for forward propulsion
and a vibration-damping effect.
Done in the traditional celeste-green, the SL Lite comes equipped with a
Campagnolo Centaur 10-speed gruppo and factory carbon wheels. ITM stem and
bars with Selle Italia custom Bianchi seat finish off a traditional look.

My sessions on the SL Lite consisted of group rides through the rolling
Niagara, Ont., region where the escarpment feels like a mountain. Note to
self-testing bikes is probably easier in the summer months when I’m 20
pounds lighter. The sloping top tube was easy to adjust to-always remember
to adjust your normal ride by three centimetres to compensate for the
downward slope.
The ride is nice, and has a smooth, uninterrupted feel-the frame is quality
and responds to accelerations and handles descents easily, with no
shuddering or pulling noticed. There is a good balance between stiffness
and comfort that is readily apparent on long flat sections, and it is on
these longer bike rides that one often begins to notice neck and shoulder
fatigue when on a lesser-quality frame.
Cornering on a sloping top-tube-style bike takes some getting used to, as
your angles on the bike react differently to the forces generated on them.

A steadier feel on the rear end makes for more control, especially if the
back end happens to slide in wet conditions. Descending is affected the
same way, and the feeling of handling a smaller, more compact machine
around bends and switchbacks is very enjoyable.
The front end absorbs bumps well without compromising control or comfort,
which is great if you plan to sit on this bike for more than two hours at a
time. Carbon forks are now readily available on many high-end models, and
suits the SL Lite.

The Centaur gruppo would be the one upgrade I would consider making on this
bike. The drivetrain is nice as always, with its inherent Campagnolo
quality, but when you’re ready for an upgrade to Chorus of Record, you’ll
see and “feel” a difference.
Overall, the Bianchi SL Lite Alloy Centaur is a great bike for entry- to
mid-level riders who will be able to ride and race right up to the time
they sign with Pantani and Mercatone Uno.