First Impressions: Bianchi Vigorelli

By Josh Patterson

I’ve spent countless hours becoming acquainted with the rural roads outside the city of Pittsburgh this summer. While I do enjoy riding in the city, it is also nice to head out on the roads less traveled. Somewhere where I don’t have to worry about traffic lights or congestion. Bianchi’s Vigorelli has been my getaway vehicle.

It’s a simple steel road bike, constructed from Reynolds tubing which provides a lively ride without unwanted flex. Sure, it’s not as light or as stiff as carbon super bikes, but I found that it is much more forgiving and fun to ride. It’s not a race bike; it’s a road bike for road riding. The Vigorelli is the top model in Bianchi’s Gran Fondo line of classic steel bikes. The company’s goal was to create bikes that are a pleasure to ride. I have to stay I think they succeeded—I have done all-day rides aboard the Vigorelli in complete comfort.

So far the Vigorelli and I are getting along quite nicely. The bike is stable without feeling sluggish and the Shimano 105 group performs without complaint. Though I do wish the Vigorelli was more capable of handling commuter duties. The fork lacks eyelets for fenders, and while the bike can accommodate a rear rack, there is no provision for securing a rear fender between the chainstays, as the Vigorelli has no chainstay bridge. While versatility is good, I can’t complain about the ride quality of this bike.

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Look for a full review of the Vigorelli in Issue #13, on sale September 27. Order a subscription and you'll never miss an issue.