Vilano Shadow Road Bike - Shimano STI Integrated Shifters

CUSTOMER REVIEW



First off, I must say that I am very new to the road bike thing. I wanted to get my feet wet to prepare for the Hotter Than Hell in Wichita Falls Texas in 2014. So I took the plunge on this entry level ride. Central Texas is unforgiving, road wise. What we lack in natural terrain features we more than make up for in road debris and crappy roadways. With that out there, I hope that this posting serves as a decent review for would be buyers.While the internet is a valuable resource, researching this bike is fruitless. I have been unable to find anything of any value. So I relied on Amazon customer reviews to pull the trigger.To start, UPS delivered on a Wednesday afternoon. I immediately noticed shipping container damage. The package they say weighed 35 lbs. It did feel lighter. Unpacking this bike was easy. I did note damage ( large deep scratch) to the stem and the right sided handlebar tape was undone because of a broken end cap. Oh well. Assembly was easy, very easy. 15-20 minutes. I felt that I had researched enough about setup, seat height and handlebar angle to get it right. And that is how it went. The wheels were true, and for the most part the rear derailleur was nicely tuned. The front derailleur however is another story. While I can shift, the travel required to do so is EXTREME. But I'll expand on that a little more shortly. Common sense dictated that replacing the tubes with "slime tubes" only made sense. The preinstalled rim tape is sufficient and tough enough. Quick release front and rear are purely awesome!! But lacking a pressure gauge set me up for my first failures. I inflated the tires until they were rock hard. My first ride was a quick 2 mile test for shift tuning, resulted in a flat rear tire. After a change and rock hard'er' inflation, I rocked another rear flat! Clearly ensuring that proper tire pressure is maintained is CRITICAL. And as the ride gods have it the local rains started putting me out of commission for two full days. In the meantime, I purchased a pump with gauge that allowed me to go to 110 as the tires suggested. My local bike shop suggested I drop 70 bucks on some 'gator skin' tires to solve my flat issue. I did not!!! So the rains cleared and I had a dry Saturday morning to play. 14 miles with no flats felt good. The bike was responsive and I felt comfortable at 29 MPH on a steady downhill. My iPhone mounted to the handlebar nicely so I can use my favorite GPS ride tracker. I took it out again Saturday night for 16 miles without incident. Sunday found me confident enough to rack up 25 miles -again without incident. The bike felt comfortable. I am coming from a mountain bike that sees 200-250 miles a month. But this road bike stuff is a new beast. It is relatively light-weight. Approx 23-24 pounds by my guess. The bike is sturdy. I feel secure on it. I do not feel fast. I have not been able to shake the 'mountain bike' lack of aerodynamics. I am 5' 11" 180 lbs. and my average speed is roughly 17-18 MPH. But this bike is for beginners. I test rode a nice top of the line road bike at my local bike shop that was rocking the upper 3 grand range, and honestly I wasn't impressed. I admit I felt cocky. I signed up for the Waco Wild West 100. It was yesterday at 8 AM. I opted to do the 50 mile route, which I completed in 3 hrs and 26 minutes!!!!! I was 9th across the line after stopping at 3 rest areas. I trust this bike. In my scattered pre race jitter I packed my replacement tubes and FORGOT my pump !!! The ride was uneventful!!! I trust this bike!!! I have faith in the sturdy feel. A pair of padded cycling gloves overcame the road vibration which without is excessive. More than likely the road conditions of Central Texas. Overall this finish (I chose white) is gorgeous and without flaw. The components are pretty solid entry level, yet dependable. Frame is sturdy. The rims I'm sure are heavier than most, but I am not seasoned enough to care. Handle bars are sturdy and overall allow the bike to be extremely maneuverable. During my 50 miler I felt like a seasoned enough rider to handle turns at police protected intersections at my cruising speed of roughly 18 mph. The tires provided more than adequate grip. The handlebars are comfortable. Now lets talk left shifter for the double chainring. I have already discussed my build a bit. My hands are not monstrous, nor are they small. My shifting problem is troubling. The play in that shifter is excessive. To the point where it is perhaps a defect. To shift in one shot I have to use my right hand, over the handle bar and pull the integrated brake lever towards midline. Not cool when riding down the road in the middle of nowhere, but I survived, the bike survived. And I trust it. Potential future upgrades include new tires, because I have after a week and half noted some major tread wear. Braking is fine on this bike. Maybe the future may hold some Shimano brakes for consistency. I am toying with getting some aero bars. I must say overall this bike is gorgeous. For those debating pulling the trigger on this one, don't. I am glad I did despite the small hiccups. Please feel free to ask questions if you have any.