My bikes

So, bike choices are abundant. Money is not. Shaina and I both wanted to get bikes so that we could ride together. I could go over every bike that we didn't buy, but you don't want to hear all that. So, we found these Bottecchia bikes and we liked them. So, how did I come to that decision and how have they turned out? Glad you asked.

Well, my goal was to get the best bike for the money and Shiana's was to get the cheapest one that looked good and that I would allow her to own (I refused to buy anything for her without at least Tiagra) because she was not sure she wanted to spend a lot of money for a bike when she hadn't even ridden one before. It came down to a Masi, Fuji, Scattante, or Bottecchia. The best bike overall would have been the Masi for sure with all Ultegra just under $1000 each. But she wasn't crazy about the color and they would have been identical. We ended up with matching, but reversed colored, bikes. I know, what do looks have to do with it. Well, it does to her and end the end, it did to me too. I really liked having a couples pair of bikes. They are not big names like Giant or Treck, but for beginner level riders who will never go pro, they are good bikes. I read a lot of reviews, and didn't find any bad ones from any one that had actually owned one. The price was also very reasonable and the store that sells them is local to us (normally ebay sellers). And they really are eye candy.

My bike
All carbon fiber frame
Ultegra rear
105 front and shifters
Compact doubles
Cane Creek brakes

Hers
Columbus Zonal aluminum frame with fiber forks
105 rear
Tiagra front and shifters
Cane Creek Brakes

New stem

My 110cm stock was a little too long and I found this 90 cm Ritchey on sale.  I was able to steal Shaina's for a couple of days and try hers which was the a 90cm. Weighs 60 g less than stock.

New bottle cage

Read several reviews and some say that their bottles fall out.  Mine has not yet and it only weighs 26 g.  Plus it matches the bike.

My pedals

The bike came with red Wellgo SPD type pedals.  I have been riding for several years on some crank brothers egg beaters though and really like them.  When I bought them, I bought mountain bike pedals, road bike pedals (which have been on the Giant until now) and shoes.  It was only natural to keep them here.  Just wish they where red.  Anybody want to trade red for blue?