New Toy

I haven't actually bought this thing yet, but I'm pretty certain that I will. I've called all the bike shops within 100 miles of my house that sell Bianchi, but no one has one in stock. I'm told the '06 models are all sold out and that if I want a new one, I'll have to buy an '07. The '07s are a little more expensive so I'm hoping to find a gently used on on eBay.

Why do I want this thing? I can't really justify the expenditure. I just want one. And I'm spoiled.

I've been commuting on my Bridgestone MB Zip for nearly 15 years. I worked in a shop that sold these beauties in the early '90s and we had one hanging on the wall forever, but the owner refused to sell it to me.

"You're too big, you'll break it." He insisted. Several Zips had come back to the shop with broken frames. On the day I quit, I asked the owner again if I could buy it. Still the answer was no.

So, I went searching online (long before eBay or the days of graphical web browsers) and bought one from a Usenet poster. I had it shipped to the shop where it was reassembled and I've been riding it ever since. I've never hammered it on trails, I'm sure I'd break it if I did. So it's been an around town ride and it has served me well. I'm not going to get rid of it, so don't ask.

I have been watching eBay for years, waiting for a "garage queen" MB-Zip to come up for auction, but it's never happened. There have been some Zips, but they've all been ridden as much as my own. Recently, there was a very cherry X01 that came up for sale and I considered buying it... until it sold for more the $2000!

So if an X01 sells for more then two grand is is less desirable than an MB-Zip, I figure there's no way I can afford an MB-Zip garage queen if one comes up for sell. So I've been talking with other commuters and have decided that what I want is a cyclocross frame which is a slightly modified road bike frame that can take fatter tires (and fenders) and I also want something light and simple, no gears, fewer moving parts, etc.

Well Bianchi's San Jose fits this bill. It's a single-speed cyclocross bike with braze-ons for fenders and a rack. So... I'll be buying one soon. I think. I hope.