Roadcycling.com reviews the Bianchi 928 Carbon SL ISAP Super Record road bike.
Since I began road cycling in 1998 most bikes I've owned were from the same manufacturer. I was extremely excited to be given an opportunity to test Bianchi's ultimate 928 Carbon SL ISAP Super Record road bike. In addition to being the top of the line, it was mated with top of the line Campy Super Record component group and Fulcrum Speed Racing XLR wheel set. Once I had the Bianchi 928 SL set up for my measurements I noticed how light weight it is, not surprising from a full carbon bike with carbon cranks and hubs.
My first time out on the 928 SL I thought I would test out how it handled around sharp corners and how it climbed short steep hills. I hit my practice crit course. After the first corner I remembered why I don't like to practice crit corners. This was the site of my first crash! Not today though, the 928 SL turned like a dream. I had more confidence from the bike and pushed a number of corners at 30 plus mph. I didn't feel any pushing or skipping. When I dove into a corner and positioned the bike at an angle it smooth and accepted my acceleration at any point in the turn. I was having so much fun I did multiple laps with one lap faster than the last. I even punched it out of the saddle a couple times coming out the corner and found the bike remained rigid and stable even when I stood on the pedals. It felt as though the rear triangle enabled me to distribute the power with finesse or all out very efficiently. I'm not a sprinter but I felt with the 928 SL under me I could actually win a sprint in my local Thursday night worlds!
With a smile on my face I was off to tackle some short steep hills. I attacked the first hill with as much power as my chicken legs could muster; again the 928 SL was responsive. My first thought was I wish I had my power meter on as I might have hit my 30 second all time power record. I backed off the power a little on the next set of hills but I still found that the 928 SL reacted soundly to my efforts. As with the crit corners and sprinting, it transferred my efforts instantly.
What goes up must come down. My next time out with the 928 SL was on long climbs and long fast descents. I hate climbing and just thinking about it gives me a rash. I decided to do a climb that was about 5k in length with an average gradient of 7.5%. Challenging for a rider of any ability! I hit the base of the climb conservatively to see if I could increase my speed as I climbed. I rode in and out of the saddle and found I was more comfortable out of the saddle. Seated, I didn't feel like I was able to transfer the power to the bike like I was accustomed to. Obviously, gravity and terrain were factors. Out of the saddle, the 928 SL responded and I could feel my speed increase even on the steepest grades. I was able to do so with essentially the same cadence. I wasn't pushing myself. Having a full carbon bike from head to toe didn't hurt either. Also, the Fulcrum Speed Racing wheel set was an added bonus. Thank god I finally hit the top; now the fun begins, descending.
I decided to do my test descent on a road that goes down from Mt Rushmore. Yes I live in western South Dakota but I don't have a cowboy hat or own a horse. This is a whopper of a descent. It's about 2.5 miles long with grades from 5% to 15% with a couple of lazy corners in it. I was going to find out in a hurry how the 928 SL handles at high speeds. I hit the descent going about 20 mph and quickly increased to 45 mph with a max of 51 about half way down. I was again impressed with how the 928 SL handled. The head tube was very stable and the high speed corners didn't create any chatter from the wheel set or frame. I did experience some lateral pushing from cross winds which I could feel because of the high profile Fulcrum wheel set. It wasn't anything an experienced cyclist hasn't felt before. With every test of different terrain, the 928 SL never faltered.
Bianchi 928 SL ISAP Review frame close-up
My last test for the 928 SL was on the flat on our local time trial course. It was here I really noticed how comfortable it was. I was able to stay seated for 15-20 minutes at a time which is something I really enjoyed. It dampened the road vibration significantly which my underside, neck and hands were thankful for. I was able to accelerate to 25 mph with little effort and hold a speed of 23-27 mph for extended periods of time. When seated the 928 SL transmitted the power I was giving it. When I put the hammer down, it jumped so you better hold on!
Overall the Bianchi 928 SL Super Record was a very impressive bike to ride. It handled well at high speeds, cornered like a sports car and was responsive out of the saddle both in climbs and sprints. It did a nice job of dampening road vibration over rough roads. I wish I could have experienced more snap on the long climbs. I just didn't feel like I was dialed in on the bike. It might have been my positioning on the bike or just the nature of the terrain. One thing I did have a trouble with was setting the seat height for the Fizik Kium saddle. The 928 SL has an integrated seat post. You have to add or remove carbon spacers to adjust the seat height. I had difficulty removing the seat post so the spacers could be added or removed.
The Campagnolo Super Record component group worked well with the 928 SL. I was extremely impressed with the Fulcrum Speed Racing XLR tubular wheel set. The bike's color scheme is pleasing and gets people's attention. The color accents and Bianchi logos drew attention from riders and non riders alike. Having the high profile Fulcrum wheel set makes the bike look bad ass.
When I think of fast things from Italy, Ferrari's and Ducati's come to mind. The Bianchi 928 Carbon SL IASP Super Record has been added to the list. It is a bike that meets all the performance requirements of any racer. For more information about the Bianchi 928 Carbon SL IASP Super Record or other Bianchi bikes and cycling products visit www.Bianchi.com and www.bianchiusa.com.
