Behold, my new steel Ciocc!!

My new Italian Ciocc (supposedly pronounced Chee-oach, at least that's how the LBS says it):


(Pardon the crappy photo, but it was dark outside - I'll be sure to get some action-shots & close-ups soon)


When I got it home I took it on a 4 mile spin around the city, and it felt awesome. Sprinting is solid, and so is climbing. Shifting is like butter!

The only thing I don't like about it is the stem angle and the long steering-tube, but they left it long so it can be adjusted later. It'll be interesting to see how this bike feels after a century, or a double-century at that.

Here's the rundown:

• Ciocc steel frame (1,700 g or 3.3 lbs) - I've only really ridden steel frames and haven't wanted anything else. Sure, carbon would be lighter, but I'm only a low-level contractor out at Microsoft these days, not Bill G. And from what I hear there isn't that much difference between steel and aluminum frame weights.
  
• Campanoglo Centaur groupset (bottom bracket, cranks, brakes/shifters, deraileurs) (featuring a high gear of 53x11 that's gonna get me that 60 mph downhill I've been looking for!)
• Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels - these cost a little more than the frame did! But I'd only heard good things about 'em - and they're so worth it, you can feel the difference accelerating, climbing, etc.
• Easton EA-70 stem/handlebars - yeah, I should've gotten chrome ones, but I just couldn't wait!!
  
• Used SpeedPlay pedals (not bad for $30!), used Dura-ace seat post
• Bianchi race seat that's just temporary (and isn't very comfortable) - I've got a Brooks Swallow saddle on the way! Then this beauty will be complete.
  

My Bianchi Eros saw plenty of mileage, and it'll still be around for the nasty days when I don't want to take the nice European bike out into the nasty Northwest winter. (I bought my cyclo-computer back in May, and it says I've logged 4,471.8 km's or 2,778 miles - and about a year of riding before that, so I've probably done almost 5,000 miles on that thing! I think it's ready for a rest.)

If you're wondering where you can get one of these yourself, check out Velo Bike Shop, on Pine St on Capitol Hill in Seattle. Lloyd, the owner of the shop, said they're going to build up similar bikes and sell 'em - he said they had one on the floor for two hours and it was sold. I can see why!