I was unsure about buying my first road bike sight unseen off the web, but after reading the reviews and comparing it to other bikes in this price range I knew I couldn't beat the deal. The bike arrived 4 days later, packaged very well ((to the point where it was a pain to unpack!) Moderate damage to the box but no visible damage to the bike. Had to have the wheels trued, had a local shop do all the initial setup to validate the warranty- I would recommend that route since in my case the local shop said bring it back in anytime for a quick tune for free as the cables stretch and what not. I've only put about 15 miles on it so far- live in the rainy PNW- but so far the bike has been great. I like the integrated shift levers, the size is perfect (56cm) and it looks great, even the seat is comfortable for me. It's early to know for sure yet, but based on my experience thus far, I'm giving it and Giantnerd 5 stars. Thanks!

The Tommaso Imola is the perfect bike for a beginning road rider. The price point is great, the build quality is great, and it has enough style to stand out in the pack.

I have since removed and upgraded almost all of my components, so that the frame and fork are pretty much all that remains. I love the ride and geo of this bike. It is fast, responsive, and stiff. The carbon fork does a great job of dampening the ride. With a new groupset, my bike moved from a beginner road bike to a good intermediate road bike. I race at the collegiate level, and my Tommaso fits in just fine.

I love riding a Tommaso. It is a quality company, with great looking bikes, and as a person who prizes individuality, I love being the only one on my team with one.

CONS: This bike is not light, but that is not entirely unexpected. My frame, with a full Ultegra 6700 groupset, carbon bar and stem, Thompson Elite seatpost, Ritchey WCS Streem saddle, and Vuelta Aerolite wheels (another source of weight) weighs in at about 21 pounds. I figure with lighter components and wheels I could probably bring that down to about 18 pounds, which is still not very light, but completely manageable.
Also, the compact geo is so tight (I have a 54cm) I can barely fit two bottle cages, and the cage on the seatpost can only hold an average size bottle comfortably.

Bottom line: If you are looking for a great introductory, upgradeable road bike and have a lower budget, the Tommaso Imola is the perfect choice.

This is my first new road bike and man am I happy. Just got the bike this afternoon took about 20 minutes to put together and I was off. The setting on the bike were great and so comfortable. Can't wait to put some serious miles on this bike, I did get a genius build which was great because i could unpack and ride right away. This bike is totally worth its money.

I entered a century bike tour with my friends as a fundraising event and the three of us all purchased this bike! Rode 45 miles the first time out and loved it. It's light yet sturdy and i was easily able to figure out and shift gears. It also came with free shipping and arrived in 5 days which was perfect. I recommend this bike to anyone who is looking for a good relatively inexpensive bike that is high performance and fits your budget.

Trucker Dan, please have your neighbor call us immediately. If he purchased the Genius Build we stand behind our work 100% and will send him a new bike no problem. If he took it to you without purchasing the Genius Build it is not uncommon for a bike to have an out of true wheel, untuned brakes and derailleurs, or other work that needs to be done. That's why the bike must be built by a Genius here at Giantnerd or a professional mechanic.

Everything you're listing sounds like how an unassembled bike would arrive. Again, please have your neighbor contact us immediately so we can use the information in his account to make sure we take care of him fully.

I have been riding and building new and classic bikes for years. When my neighbor told me he got a new road bike I offered to help assemble and adjust everything for him. Here is the list of problems I found while building this bike, tommaso imola:

The rear wheel was out of true due to a spoke that got slightly bent during shipping. This was easily fixed but I discovered the rear wheel was not dished properly and was out of center by about 5mm. Not a easy fix. The front wheel was true but was also about 3 mm out of center.

The rear brake felt mushy. I removed the cable to find the cable and housings had some sticky substance all over them. I had to clean the cable with solvent and replace the brake cable housings to get acceptable brake feel.

The brakes have no ability to adjust toe-in making setup difficult. The cable tension adjuster is poorly designed and difficult to turn. The brakes are also very flexey and lack power.

The bars tape job was bad, the wraps being too close at the bottom of the drops and the tape did not extend all the way to the bugle of the bars like it should. Whoever taped the bars also did something very funny around the shifters creating a bulge at the back side of the shifters. I tried to unwrap to fix but the tape was too sticky and tore easily.

The shifters were positioned too far down on the bars. With the shape of the bars this made proper brake lever travel impossible with the stock position. I had to move the shifters about 3 cm up on the bars and retape with new bar tape.

The rear derailer hanger was out of alignment. I was able to get the rear shifting to work but it was less than perfect. I had to use a park derailer hanger alignment tool to get it back straight.

None of the derailer limit screws were properly adjusted.

The front shifting has some major problems. The front derailer lacks range of adjustment to shift properly into the little ring. The derailer hits the frame before it travels enough. The bike needs a bottom bracket with a longer spindle to bring the chain line out in to prevent this interference with the frame. This is a major problem and cannot be fixed without replacing the bottom bracket.

This is what I found after working on it for about 2 hours. I'm sure I find some more issues once it gets some miles on it. I gave up on the wheels and let me neighbor borrow some old wheels I wasn't using anymore. While not causing direct issues the tires seem very cheap and the seat is overly padded and probably not very comfortable.

To perform correctly you are going to need and experienced mechanic that can spend several hours working on the bike and $60 to replace the bottom bracket, bar tape, cables and housings. I would also recommend replacing the brakes if you plan on riding more than around the neighborhood.

This bike looks and performs like a bike that would cost 3-4 times more. For years, I've been riding a restored, vintage Fuji road bike. I decided to upgrade and buy myself a new bicycle that I could use for city riding and triathlons. After extensive research on different brands, models, features etc, I stumbled upon Giantnerd.com and the Tommaso imola.

My only regret is not having done this earlier. This bike is amazing and has made biking around the hills of San Francisco 1000000000x more enjoyable. I now find myself taking the longer routes (because I can) and taking on hills that I would've never attempted to with my old bicycle. The imola is supremely lighter, I can carry it up stairs, one-armed and with ease. I ordered it without the genius build because I figured it would be beneficial for me to learn how to put the thing together myself. Thanks to YouTube, a set of hex wrenches and about 1 hour of dedication, I was out riding this thing. I'm 5'7" but have shorter legs so I did end up having to pay $5 for the friendly folks at my LBS to shave about an inch off my seat post. The dude at the bike shop was impressed with the bike as well and gave me a quick inspection to make sure all was safe.

Although it does not come with pedals, I found a pair of track pedals from All-City bikes for about $20. They go perfectly with this bike.

It has been about a month of riding my Imola & I have received tonnes of compliments on what I nice bike it is. i've also lost weight, gained muscle and a newfound love for cycling. I love this bike so much that I bought one for my cousin in Brooklyn as a graduation present.

I purchased this bike a week ago today and received it yesterday. I could not believe how quick I received the bike. Thanks a lot to Giantnerd for that. I am a beginner and this bike provides more than I was hoping for. A friend of mine who has been biking for most of his life was very impressed with the Imola with carbon fork. He felt it was a very good buy and you can't beat the price. I'm just hoping the weather in Buffalo, NY starts to get a little nicer to I can take the bike out some more. One things that I couldn't tell from the pictures but really liked when I received the bike is the threading of the carbon on the fork. It looks great!

Quite smooth shifting. It did need a spacer installed between the front sprockets and the frame to shirt perfectly. Not sure if that's normal? I changed the rims out for looks mostly... http://www.tumblr.com/blog/dennisjjc

I put about 1000 miles on my imola this year and had to replace the back tire. it was 45 dollars just to get the equivalent tire. Proving once more that the imola is an incredible value.

I bought my Imola this past summer. I wanted to get into biking and triathlons. The Imola is an awesome deal and you get way more than you pay for!!! Just finished my first tri last week and it was a smooth ride. Thumbs up!

Purchased this to get back into riding from time away from biking. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about purchasing online but with the return policy i figured I could lose.

I'm happy to say that I won't be returning this bike as I have found it to be a great cycle for the money!

Probably one of the best purchases I have ever made. This bike is great for beginners/intermediate riders. It can be used as a tri, road, or even a commuter bike if needed. This bike can take a beating (mine has) and still look brand new. If you are on the fence BUY IT you will not regret it. Happy riding.

6 months later and I still am infatuated with my imola. I bought it as a birthday present to myself and went with the imola w/ carbon fork because it was simply the best bike in my price range. Similar bikes component wise were 200-400 dollars more and I simply wasn't having it. At first I thought this deal was too good to be true, but then I took the imola on a 22 mile ride the first day I had her assembled and she impressed. She withstood some ruthless Cleveland weather and an 200 mile trek across Ohio. I brought the bike to school with me in Ohio's Appalachia'a (Ohio University in Athens, Ohio) and I can climb hills with ease. Great purchase and I'm a Tommaso fan for good.

I purchased the bike early last week and the bike was delivered in about 4 days. I ordered the bike with the Genius Build and had the bike setup in about 20 minutes tops. The bike is very light and has a really smooth ride. I had to purchase separate pedals as the bike does not come with it but that was a simple to install. The bike awesome and I would recommend this to any beginner looking for a solid and clean looking road bike.

Been riding the Imola since September 3rd, and still love it, and look forward to the next ride. Next weekend will be my first group ride, can't wait. Tomasso Imola was the perfect choice for me.

This bike is a nice purchase. For the price, it does the job. Easy shifting, good braking, and a sharp looking seat. Overall, the bike just looks classy, and its a smooth ride. My only issue is when the gears are set to certain positions, the chain is rubbing up against the bracket, but I think a LBS can adjust that rather quickly. Once that is done, I will give it 5 stars. This purchase is a no-brainer, especially for a beginner. Just bought a trainer to use with it for the Winter months. Can't wait!

Got my bike a week ago and couldn't be happier! Rode it all weekend and to work today (13 miles). The shifters seem solid and are able to handle all the hills SF can throw at it! For those of you who might be thinking about putting it together yourself, there wasn't really assembly instructions. It just came with a user manual that glossed over everything so if you're not that handy then I suggest the genius build or take it to local bike shop. Also, putting it together yourself voids the warranty.

Ps, this bike is gorgeous!

DO IT!! You will not find a better bike for the price. I ride this bike to work 5 days a week 12 miles each way and i use it as a crosstrainer for MTB and it easily handles everything I can throw at it. This is my first true road bike and I couldn't be happier with the purchase.

I got my Imola this last June and have been on it virtually every day since. I am on the Washington State University cycling team and this bike has held up to the abuse. I ride it every day to school and for practices, the shifting is smooth and concise. I LOVE MY TOMMASO IMOLA!!! My wife has one as well.

I got my Imola this last June and have been on it virtually every day since. I am on the Washington State University cycling team and this bike has held up to the abuse. I ride it every day to school and for practices, the shifting is smooth and concise. I LOVE MY TOMMASO IMOLA!!! My wife has one as well.

this is a great bike. this is my first road bike and i am very pleased. I searched for months to try to find an actuall name brand roadbike under 600 bucks new and had absolutley no luck at all. i was just searching the web one day and found giant nerd.com I didnt hesitate much on buying the bike, just looked at a couple of videos and pics and just went for it. The shipping said 10 to 14 days so i was kinda bummed but came home from school one day and it was on my doorstep on a monday oh and by the way i ordered it on the previous friday so i was super excited. i didnt get the guiness build because i didnt have enough money but had a freind whos works in a bike shop help me set it up. ive had it for about a week now and put 73 miles on it and it has never ever had one problem so far. it shifts so smoothly and is super fast. as for the carbon fork i went ahead and got it because i figured it would make a smoother ride since i live out in the country. So if you are thinking about getting the tommaso imola with carbon fork dont hesitate it is absolutley amazing. Giant nerd is also the best customer service i have ever been part of. i called them about my order and they were all super nice and even offered to upgrade my shipping for free. so get out there and get a amola they are well worth it and AWSOME thanks so much giant nerd!!!!!!:)

I am a first time road bike owner, coming from a mountain bike. I ordered it, and received it within four days, way faster than expected. Took it out for my first ride, so smooth and fast. I picked up a lot of speed over the mountain bike on my normal ride. Great service, great product. Can't go wrong!

i got my imola about an hour ago and i gotta say i'm happier than when i got accepted to my first choice university(columbia). i rode it for about 40 minutes and the ride is smooth thanks to the carbon fork. compared to some of the other entry level bikes i tested out from the local LBS, like the trek 1.5 and cannondale caad8, i think the imola is on par with them. the imolas components are at a lower level compared to those two but it rides the same if not better. great service from giantnerd and very fast shipping. you cant go wrong with the carbon fork imola.

I took out my lmola for the first time today for about 10 miles, it rode smooth and fast...Great buy and fast Shipping

I rode my new Imola to work for the first time this morning. Just over 10 miles in a heavy crosswind and no problems whatsoever. Bike is light and rides very smoothly. My friends all love the way it looks, too. Great bike. Thanks Tommaso and Giantnerd. Amazing product and amazing service.

The two things I love most about the purchase:

1: The Service: I am very new to this site. In fact, i just found out about Giantnerd 3 days ago, the day I purchased the bike. Since me being new to the whole community, I was kind of "iffy". But after getting my order right at my door step in 3 days time rather than 10, all I could say is I'm loving this website and coming back for more!

2: The Bike: My previous bike was stolen, therefore I decided to treat myself to a better one. I found this bike and bought it immediately. It looked nice. And after getting the actual bike and riding it for an hour without even noticing, it was like a smooth crank that just made me want to keep going. In other words, I love this bike. It is by far the most suitable beginners bike i have ever tried, and I am so happy that I found it.

Tommaso and Giantnerd, I love you both!

I finally ordered this bike after a year of debating. Took advantage of $50 off price. Bike delivered quickly but I didn't check my confirmation, wrong size. Also the handlebar tape was dirty from genius build and the chain also had issue with contact thru guide. I contacted the nerds and had a replacement even BEFORE I had packed up the other one for return. Great service!! The new bike was the right size, tape was wrapped to keep it clean. I still have the chain issue but haven't played with it yet, the gears I use make no contact. I am 55 and this is my first road bike and I love it. My wife, who will be in a tri next month on her Cannondale CAAD 8 is impressed. The weight and operation of the two bikes are identical, and mine is 24 speed, hers is 16. The saddle on mine is much more comfortable than hers as well. Now I can keep up with her! Great bike for the money and even better after sale service.

I am happy to report that the front derail is now working properly! I have changed my rating accordingly. Background: Upon delivery, the Frt derail would not shift onto all chain rings. I took it to a LBS that could not fix the problem - they claimed the deail. was wrong for the diameter of the seat tube. I was resolved to live with it but decided to take a shot myself. Voila - I ROTATED the tube bracket slightly and now all rings are within range. Bottom line - the front derail. has very little play in its adjustment. If you are having problems - stick with it and a proper adjustment can be found. But your LBS may not have the patience (mine did not). I had a wonderful 25 mile ride over rolling hills using all gears and rings - it was great. No clicking or rubbing whatsoever.

I just purchased this bike last week, took it to the LBS, had the bike assembled, and adjusted, took it out today and road 80 miles on it. Smooth ride, and great looking. They said 10 - 14 days on shipping and it actually got to my house in three days. Price, and quality is a good. Showed a picture of it to my friend in Costa Rica, and now he wants one. Thanks Giant nerd

I had my Tommaso Imola with Carbon Fork shipped directly to my LBS. They were so impressed by the quality of the bike for such a low price that they called to tell me how much they liked it. They're even thinking about ordering a few to keep on their showroom floor. That's the best compliment I can think of. Way to go Tommaso and thank you Giantnerd for the seamless transaction.

buy this beautiful bike it will drive you far and its awesome

this bike is amazing great to get into the sport and great for speed and riding around

I just got my Imola w/carbon fork the other day, over a week earlier than it should have, and when I got it back from my LBS for the build I couldn't wait to go for a ride. This morning I took it on a 10 mile ride as well as a 5.5 mile commute and the difference be between this bike and my old bike is night and day. I'm gonna have this one for a long time to come. Thanks Giantnerd and Tommaso for a great product

After months of investigation and looking, I decided to purchase this beautiful bike. I couldn't even find a better used bike for this price. I can't wait for it to get here so I can start riding. Thanks Giantnerd!

I bought this bike a little over a year ago as a gift for my girlfriend. She had never trained on a bike before so I figured that this was the perfect entry-level set-up. Before I knew it she was out-pacing me on our training rides and posting better mile times. The bottom line - she is kicking my ass on the hills... Thanks Tommaso.

I have been riding my Imola now for 10 months, it was great out of the box and the only change made was a new neck for fitment purposes, and I changed bar tape to black tape. The white was getting way to dirty.

The good:
- Price, duh.
- Great gear range for all types of riding.
- Clean looks get lots of complements

The not as good:
- I was not in love with the seat at first. I picked up a new PI pro bib and that made all the difference.
- Its light, but not that light. You may get carbon envy when you see the ultra light bikes going up the hills.
- The groupset needs adjusting semi regularly. I have adjusted it once a month or so. Upgrading soon to 105 black!

Overall thoughts:
I love the bike! This bike proved to me that I love cycling. As my first road bicycle the experience has been great. I am outgrowing the groupset that came with the package and will be upgrading soon.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this bike to anyone. Buy it, ride it, love it.

The Tommaso Imola seat post diameter is too big for the front derail. The front derail did not operate properly out of the box even with extra fee for Genius Build so I took it to LBS. They confirmed that that the seat tube is too big and prevents derail from fully "relaxing". I challenge anyone to ride in lowest gear without clicking (guide against chain). Shifting from middle to smallest (lowest) chain ring is very difficult also. After warranty period I plan to swap out components for something that will shift properly. Derail tech. specs. not included with bike but can be downloaded from Shimano web site.

I've had my Imola w/ carbon fork for about a year and a half now and honestly, the bike has just gotten better since i've had it. I only have had one issue and that was when my chain snapped, but that isn't uncommon. So I think this a great bang for your buck.

I've had my Imola with Carbon Fork for one year now, and I can say that it rides just as well now as it did when I got it. Aside from new handlebar tape and a few scratches in the paint it still looks like new. I need to adjust the rear derailleur every once in a while to keep it shifting smoothly, but other than that it's holding up fine. Still very fast for a beginner bike.

After riding mountain bikes for a while I decided it was time to invest in a road bike. Looking countless hours on the web for a decent deal on a good bike, I came across the Tommaso site. Perfect. I decided on the Imola carbon for my first and am glad I did. This bike it quite the punch for such a low price, I've put thousands of miles on it in a year's time and it hasn't slowed down. Next time I need a new bike, I'm looking for a Tommaso!

This thing is great for the price. It was practically tuned up and ready to go out of the box. Transitioning from steep hills to moderate hills is like butter thanks to the triple up front. Throw on some decent pedals and voila, you got a sweet ride for the price. Only thing I have changed out were the rims, got some lighter ones. Awesome bike!

I started biking in 2003 and got rid of my truck in 2005...when I decided to do a triathlon 2 years later I needed a good racing bike yet only had limited funds...this bike was everything I could ask for and even though I am still building up my bike legs going up hills (I have MS, so I have had to build up slowly over the years) yet I easily pass higher end bikes going down and love the way this bike has held together over four races (in one of them - the Bellingham Traverse - my team took second place) I love this bike and as I get better and better and stronger (I finally completed a 42 mile race - my longest yet) I have already made the decision to stick with Tommasso, all the way.....

I did my research for nearly a year before buying a bike. I test rode the high $$$ bikes and seriously contemplated buying a bike that was nearly double the price. I read all the reviews on this bike and after comparing, I found that this bike was complete with everything I had desired in my new road bike. I am more of a weekend warrior when it comes to cycling so I'm not out to long hundreds of miles each week; however, since purchasing my bike in Feb of this year I have logged almost 1000miles. This bike is truly a pleasure to ride.

The service and response from GiantNerd has been fantastic as well. Almost a week after receiving my bike, GN ran a promotion offering free shipping on this very bike. I posted on the GN facebook page about my purchase and having just missed the promotion by ordering a week before and within a week I received a handwritten card thanking me for my purchase and a special discount offer as compensation for the loss of free shipping! I am truly a Nerd for life!

Honestly, a bike like this, you just can't find for the price. I've owned other "brand name" road bikes, aluminum with carbon forks and paid a few hundred more with not much of a difference. Components may not be at the top of the list but they definitely do the job. Great bike!

In the beginning of 2012, I will be riding my tommaso imola across the country. St. augustine to san deigo. I don't have a doubt in my mind that this bike will hold up to my expectations.

I have ridden this bike for a while now and its more amazing than before! Bottom line is you cant get a road bike like this one for the price tag! I don't plan on racing so this bike cuts it!

I received my bike last Saturday and have rode it two times for about 45 miles total. Let me tell you that this is an inexpensive road bike that packs a nice punch and looks a heck of a lot nicer than other road bikes....unless you are willing to over $1000 for a good looking one.

Obviously the components are not high level ones but as a beginner who isn't racing, they work just fine! The only thing that bugs me, which is a quick fix, is that it has white grips which are turning grey already... I will change them out to a darker color which will resolved the problem.

Overall it is a clean looking bike that performs well and doesn't cost as much as other bikes.

Awesome job Tommaso!

Love the bike! It has been a pleasure to ride! Every day my rides are getting longer and longer. Every part of the bike feels well made and is a joy to ride.

I own this bike now for about a month and I love it.Only thing was strange is to learn how the shifter works.Other then that the bike is awesome.It look's expensive and create a lot's of attention.Good job Tommaso and thanks for Giantnerd to make the purchase so smooth.

I've had my Tommaso Imola for about 8 months now.

I live in Indiana, and as such I am forced to endure some nasty weather over the winter months. Since I live too far from my campus to walk, I either have to drive (boo) or ride a bike.

I will say that I spent more time driving than biking, but my Imola prevailed in the harsh, disgusting Indiana climate whenever I used it.

Now that it is almost agreeable weather, I am anxiously waiting to take my imola on some longer routes. It is still a head-turner to those in the cycling community where I live, and a jaw-dropper when I tell them how affordable it is.

Thanks tommaso!

The imola itself is an amazing bike... easy to get started on and if you know a bit about bikes you'll notice that it's a lot packed into a compact frame for an awesome price! easy to handle and gear shifting is smooth. i went with the imola with the carbon fork because i live in the cleveland area and roads get tarnished annually due to snow and ice, but the carbon fork eliminates a good amount of the road buzz so i don't feel like my body is still vibrating when i get off of the bike. I tried riding past a few speed traps on this bad boy but i couldn't reach 35mph... although my girlfriend did clock me going 27 once! i'll be riding my imola from lakewood, ohio to athens, ohio this spring, about 188 miles to raise money for st. jude and i can't wait to embark on this ride... i'd also like to note that i can't help but stare at my imola evertime i walk past it... just a beautiful looking bike and i couldn't be happier

www.myenergy4stjude.org/mfarunia

I knew NOTHING about road biking a year ago when I decided to venture out from strictly mountain biking. I researched for months to decide what I needed and wanted. All my fears were put to rest from the moment I took my Imola out of the box. I cant imagine a better beginner bike for the incredible price. I loved it so much I sold my friend on the Monza. Tommaso value is outstanding. I have little doubt where I will be headed when it comes time for an upgrade, so do yourself a favor... Stop reading this review and get riding!

This winter I picked up some Ultegra pedals and it really has added a lot of power. I loved the imola so much that I talked my cuz into getting one. fantastic value and a great bike.

I am a beginner when it comes to road biking. i was looking for used bikes in the local classifieds. I had NO IDEA what I was looking for. My brother told me to check out Giantnerd. I'm so glad I did!!!!
This is my first road bike, and I LOVE IT!! The weather has been hit and miss here, but even if I get 15 minutes of sunshine, im on it and riding.
Intitally I thought I was going to have to return it. Through that process, I talked with (i think) Mike and Jared.
They were super nice and super helpful.
I was SO glad when I didnt have to return it. SO GLAD!
I love it. I have referred all my cycling peeps to giantnerd. As well as any of my active, outdoor peeps.
Im getting ready to order more stuff....
Thanks!!

I have had the Tommaso for less than a week and it's been snowing. I got to ride it on the road for the first time yesterday and it was chilly and I wasn't prepared for a long ride. In fact, I was planning on going 5 miles at most just to get the feel for it then bring it back home and put it on the trainer. After about 5 miles, I couldn't bring myself to turn back toward my house and went another 15 miles. I ended up riding 25 miles with frozen toes and wish I would have kept going until the sun went away. I always figured people were being exaggerative when saying how responsive a bike is but now it makes a lot more sense to me. The wheels are quite stiff for being lightweight and the carbon fork is also pretty darned stiff while absorbing a whole lot of vibration.

I recently received my Tommaso Imola. I have around 50 miles on it. I absolutely love this bike. I am still looking for the optical display on the shifters but again I find this bike to be user friendly and a joy to ride.

Bob.

I just bought this bike on Saturday night, it shipped today and will be here on Thursday even though the free shipping was supposed to take 10-14 days. It's going to take 3. I'm on the edge of my saddle right now.

its my baby

I took my Imola w/ carbon fork out for its first long ride this weekend and I fell in love with it. Luckily, since my love did not happen at first sight, due to the poor pro-build service that I'd paid the extra $60 for...

I'm a road bike newbie, so I'd brought it into the shop to get my pedals installed and to have a pro take a look at it. Instantly he noticed that the rear derailleur and the brakes were not installed properly, so I had to pay them to adjust & check everything. Then before i picked it up the next day the front tire went flat, while it was just sitting there in the shop! Apparently, the rim tape was not applied properly and was bent, causing it to go flat. So all in all, I had to shell out an additional $110 for service and new tire. The Giantnerd people were fairly nice and quickly refunded my $60 for the pro-build service, but would not refund any additional for the new tire.

Once everything was working smoothly, I took it out and had a blast on the bike. It is rides really nicely and it couldn't be more pretty. I know if I get more serious about riding, I will need to upgrade, but overall I'm happy with my purchase.

I just made my first 100 K (62 mile) ride on my Imola. It performed flawlessly. The route was mostly flat, but had rain and cold, brisk headwind for part of the ride and some pretty steep overpasses. The gearing on the bike made it all manageable. Some of the roads were rough and bumpy, but the carbon forks smoothed out the bumps. I continue to be impressed with this bike. I'm looking forward to my next distance ride - probably mid-February or early March.

I bought the Imola with Carbon Fork because it was a step up from the Tiempo and Imola (without Carbon Fork) for only a tad more. At $450, the bike is much cheaper than even the cheapest road bike at my LBS and, since I'm just starting to ride, I figured it would be a great starter.

Overall, the bike is a great value for what you pay, but even as a non-bike-nerd, there are a few things to note:

1. The bike is heavy. My boyfriend has a Specialized Allez and, while it is much more expensive, it is also much lighter. You can feel the difference in the resistance between the two.

2. The ride is not that smooth. I opted for the Carbon Fork because I was told it would help absorb road shock. I'm glad I did because I can't imagine riding the regular Imola or Tiempo with the amount of shock I feel on this bike. It's not super terrible, but I can definitely feel it.

3. The bike seat HURTS. I hate to sound like a baby, but every part of me that rode on that bike seat (for only 5 miles, btw) feels like it's bruised. I am definitely upgrading to a gel seat. I know they say you get used to it, but it's been two days and I'm still sore.

Finally, one thing to note if you're going to buy this bike is that you should also order pedals as the bike does not ship with pedals. Maybe I missed this in the wording somewhere, but I was bummed because I opened my bike and there were no pedals! No big deal, I bought some at my LBS that day, but you should order the bike, get your Nerd Dollars, and get yourself a pair of pedals for free.

All in all, good starter bike, but I'll be saving up for something like a Specialized in the future.

I purchased my Imola back in early December. With some time off during the holidays, I was able to take several rides - from 10 to 25+ miles. I really enjoy this bike. It is considerable different than the old Raleigh Hybrid I was riding - primarily in the riding position and the shifting mechanism. However, the shifting came very easy and is really better than what I was used to. The riding position was a bit of an adjustment, being more bent over (an adjustment for an old guy!). But, I am pretty well used to it now and did a 27+ mile ride a couple of days ago and did fine, with the exception of some discomfort in the saddle area. I am realizing that all of my advisors are probably right - I must reconcile myself to spandex! (The next big step for this old country boy.) Anyway, I know it's listed as a "beginners'" bike, but I'm very impressed with the Carbon Imola. It's a lot more bike for the money than I was finding anywhere else. But I must agree with other reviewers - the friendly customer service and the geuinely friendly folks at giant nerd were one of the best parts of the whole experience. Thanks for all the help in purchasing my new Imola - It is a great bike.

I researched many, many bikes before making my purchase from Giant Nerd. I chatted and spoke to reps on several occassions and they were always friendly, and available. The components on the bike that I purchased (Tommaso Imola w/carbon fork) were similar to another brand bike that I was looking. Everything appeared to be equal, except customer service. Giant Nerd was ALWAYS available to me with questions, etc. This was the tipping point for me. By the way, the other bike co. I was researching didn't even have a telephone number on the website (everything was done via email). Along these lines, Giant Nerd forgot to include my second water bottle and cage with my original pro-build order. I contacted them and within three days, I had the items and all were delivered via FedEx!
I do recommend the pro-build. The bike was nicely packaged and was free from damage. The wife has to wait a few more weeks to receive her bike as her Christmas gift. I highly recommend Giant Nerd. Their prices are great and customer service even better.
Thanks!

I ordered this bike for my finace the night before Thanksgiving and it arrived Tuesday!!! Wow! I added the professional build so that it would be ready to go when it got here... I was super impressed with the quality of the bike for that price.. he is just starting to ride so we wanted a beginner bike that wasn't a huge investment in case he didn't end up riding much. I ride several times a week and he has always wanted to join me. He couldn't wait to get on it and take it for a spin around the block.. it was 26 degrees but he went anyway. After putting the wheel, pedals, and seat on and a minor adjustment to the handlebars he was ready to go. I would recommend this bike to anyone who is just starting out... its sleek looking and great price.
I cant wait for warmer weather and more rides soon.. lets see if he can keep up with me!

I've put only about 50 miles on my Carbon Imola thus far, using it primarily in stop-and-go traffic to and from work. This is a sweet bike. Yeah, it's beautiful, as so many others have said (I must admit to looking back at the bike every time I leave it; the bike is too gorgeous not to), but the bike is so much more than that. I had the pro build, which I'm thankful for. The front deraileur needed adjusting after a few rides, but that's to be expected. Pedaling feels tight; I don't feel I waste any energy, like I did with the old Trek 820 MTB I'd been using. The bike is fairly light, and climbing is a breeze. I'm 6'2" and got the 61cm frame, so my bike was shipped with the Sunrace STR80 shifters (this is a recent change from Tommaso; be sure to note the difference in the specs if it's been a while since you've looked at the bike). They've worked great so far, and I've had no problems whatsoever with shifting aside from the aforementioned deraileur adjustment.

Overall, I've been quite pleased with the bike. After every ride, I tell my wife how much I love the bike. So, I suppose it was a good purchase. ;)

" I have nothing but good things to say. I've always been a trial rider and just became interested in road biking this last Summer. As I started doing longer rides and encountering more varied terrain it became apparent I had to retire my Hibrid to the trails and needed a road bike for the longe rides. Since I was just getting into road... biking I was looking for a quality bike at a reasonable cost and Giantnerd provided the answer. The shipping was very fast and I was out riding within 30 minutes of the bike's arrival with the pro-build option. It was late in the season when I ordered the bike, but I have put a little over 200 miles on my new Carbon Imola and have been quite happy with it. Once I had the derailers adjusted locally. Overall a very positive experience.

This weekend marked my first long ride with my Imola (I am a college commuter). Sadly, I popped at tube at 30 miles (not the bike's fault) so it was stopped short. :(

Still in love with this bike, as I happily disassemble the back tire for tube replacement.

Moreover on sizing, I sized my frame based on inseam, not height. At 6', I still ordered a 56cm. I guess I have a long torso. Just words for the wise.

More for your heartstrings: I am a disabled veteran (wounded in action in Iraq) and sadly couldn't take up my hobby of running when I came back home due to the impact. One day, the obvious solution of cycling came to mind and here I am.

I plan on participating in the soldier ride (Wounded Warrior Project: http://sr.woundedwarriorproject.org/) next summer and this will be the bike to train me. I'd take my Imola with me if they didn't provide sponsor bikes (boo).

Short and sweet review for the Tommaso Imola: Bought it. Got in 5 days after shipping!!! (Shipping-win!!). Chose the pro-build option (greatest move ever. I'm a total bike noob and not good at putting bikes together). Rides like a dream while training or cruising. Turns non-experts heads and makes experts look-twice. The Imola gives you the best bang for your buck! That's it short and sweet. Gotta go! Need to ride! Bye!

The Best part about a Tommaso is the value. After asking around I knew the basic features I needed to have a great bike. The clincher was a road trip to visit my sister. I got to ride her bike. It was fast. the shifting was butter smooth I knew the bike I wanted. A couple months later I had one on my doorstep. Very fast delivery. My wife and I now bike whenever we can. The only downside to this bike is that it is pretty heavy and the saddle ripped somehow.

For a bike with such high quality construction and components, one would expect to pay well over the $450 for this bike. The closest comparable bike I've found was a Specialize Allez, which goes for over 800.

My girlfriend makes fun of me now because every time I look at my Imola, I say "Man, I love that bike."

I am definitely a fan of Shimano levers. I like the simplicity of all the controls in one place!

I replaced the handlebar tape, since it got dirty real quick. I also put on some blue/black tires for some extra color.

Just an all around amazing bike. I am now a lifer of the Tommaso nation!

FYI: I am 6' but ordered a 56cm frame. I think it fits me nicer than a 58cm, but is definitely not too small.

The value is hard to beat. The downside would be the Sora drivetrain which may the best you can hope for in this price range -- however, if you put a lot of miles on the bike you should not expect it to last. I think the frame and fork are worthy of an upgrade, if the fit and ride suit you (as they suit me) you'll be faced with the dilemma of either spending more than you paid for the bike to get a to upgrade the group, or replacing the entire bike. I've already replaced the chain and front derailleur, but the chainrings are getting a bit worn.
One other Sora negative, the thumb shifters are not reachable when you're in the drops, only when you're on top of the hoods, this makes upshifting on a fast descent more challenging. It's also why I want to upgrade the group.

I received this bike Labor Day weeked and have put about 175 miles on it. The bike does a very nice job climbing hills but I am still having problems with downshifting, I had the gears adjusted after 30 miles, but I think I need another adjustment. Overall the bike rides very smooth and no real problems experienced. Delivery was very fast and since I had ordered pro-build the assembly was very easy.

This frame fits me so well I never realized I'd been riding the wrong size frame for years! The geometry allows a long body, short leg guy like me get maximum comfort and a good power stroke. It shipped quickly and well prepped by the Pro Build guys. The Fedex driver even called my cell phone on delivery day to make arrangements for a safe delivery even though I wasn't home. Finally, with the Imola you get a well built frame (check the welds), components you'd find on much more expensive bikes, and the road softening of a carbon fiber fork. It feels more like an intermediate/advanced bike than a beginner...

This bike is amazing! Great price for such a quality bike! The bike is super fast and smooth. Climbs very well and I'm looking forward to many more great rides! Giantnerd has been great and has excellent customer service! Thank you so much!

For the price, this is quite possibly the best bike one can get. The carbon fork really helps give the bike a smooth ride, and is an upgrade usually found on more expensive bikes. The bike is fast enough and relatively light. I've put around 400 miles on it in the past few months and I've had no unexpected problems. All of the components seem to be in good working order. I'd absolutely recommend the Tommaso Imola with Carbon Fork to anyone who wants to try out cycling or as a commuter bike.

I just received my Tommaso Imola w/ Carbon Fork! It is rad and it rides like a charm! It was such a great value, I didn't even think twice about getting all the accessories I needed from Giantnerd.

I have had my Imola for about 6 months now. I have put over 1000 miles on it and raced in 6 Triathlons so far. It is an awesome bike, climbs like a rocket and is solid in everything else. I get a lot of compliments on my bike when setting up in transition areas (and post race too!). I have recommended Tommaso, and the Imola specifically to several folks who are looking for a bike that is easy to get started with, but will be a solid performer for years to come.

I am a first time rider, and I have been riding my Tommaso Imola for 3 weeks. I started with a 8 mile ride, then a 10 mile, 20 mile, and now I am doing 40 mile rides on my Imola. Thanks to the experience of owning the Tommaso Imola and riding it for the last 3 weeks, I can honestly say I love riding and will continue with the sport for a long time to come.

Sorry All! Didn't realize that my review was cut short... must hit Enter too soon.

"Well after touring around the local bike shops and everyone telling me that I will need to be spending around $1000 I said no..." but one day my boss at work who is an avid cyclist said to take a look at Tommaso. I saw the prices on the bike, looked at reviews, etc and realized that this would probably be the best bang for the buck choice to start on. And to get a nice bike that has a carbon fork for UNDER $1000?! Anyways. After receiving my bike went for my first ride. Felt great! I had the typical sores of the first time rider, shoulders, upper back, arms, etc. but all in all GREAT fun. Fell a few times from getting used to the clipless pedals.

It was a great feeling to get down onto the drops going downhill. Can't wait to get my base miles in and start upgrading parts!

So are you considering buying this bike? DO IT!

So after looking high and low for a great priced bike with a decent setup, I was recommended by a friend to check out a Tommaso bike because of the price. Well after doing research and being on a budget and not knowing if I'm even going to like this cycling thing, I decided to make the investment and purchase the bike.
Now I'm not the kind of person that buys the cheapest item on the market. I prefer to buy the best quality product for the price I can afford. I knew for starters that I should get at least a carbon fiber front fork. And at least some better shifter setup. Well after touring around the local bike shops and everyone telling me that I will need to be spending around $1000 I said no

I received this bike from Giantnerd about a week ago. The packaging and handling of the bike was excellent. As such, all of the parts were in tact and nothing was damaged upon arrival. Assembly was simple, as only the wheels and handlebars needed to be attached to the frame. The drive-train, however, needed to be tuned to reach all of the gears. This took some time, but was not an entirely painful experience.

First Reactions: The bike is fairly light (25 pounds w/o pedals) and most of the weight is concentrated on the rear end, as would be expected. The front end is amazingly light, but surprisingly rigid. The fit and finish of the cycle is amazing. The paint and graphics are classy and smooth. The one main downfall is the handlebars. They are painted in a matte black powder paint that does not suit the bike at all. They are also a fairly weak set of handlebars as they flex slightly during powerful accelerations. Also, the grip tape on my particular cycle was not applied properly so it began unraveling off of the bike as soon as i got it out of the box. These are easily (and cheaply) fixable problems.

Ride Experience/Impressions: I have ridden many more expensive cycles; most recent of which was the Specialized Allez sport. In comparison , both bikes perform fairly similar. Granted the allez was finer tuned and slightly lighter, but overall the ride experience was almost the same. The Imola rides very well for a bike of this price point. It offers a smooth ride and a fast drive-train. One of the main issues I found with this cycle were with the shifters. They are indecisive at times and a bit of a hit or miss when shifting. Some extra tuning might resolve this issue but it is one of the low points to an otherwise brilliant machine. upshifting on the rear cogs is brilliant. Smooth transitions are met with amazing power to the wheels. The gear ratios on the bike are also very well calculated. They allow for speedy in the saddle climbs, as well as powerful sprints on a high grade.

In the past 100 miles with this bike I have ridden across many types of pavement. Living in New York City requires that you deal with countless potholes, serpentine bike lanes and ridiculous amounts of traffic. In all of these conditions the bike shines. I have hit several potholes in my initial rides and have no flats, bent rims or even the slightest damage to the fork. The Bike seems to be rock solid.

Overall, I give this bike my unequivocal stamp of approval. It is a great machine with a few noticeable flaws, but with a ride that will entertain even an enthusiast.

This is probably Tommaso's best selling bike of all time, and with good reason. It is at an amazing price and is quite the package. You get WAY more than you pay for with the Imola with Carbon fork. The carbon fork is definitely worth the extra coin. It smooths out the ride, cuts some weight and just looks RAD! This is a great bike to start out your road riding on. The Shimano drivetrain is tough to beat and works extremely well. Just like the original Ford Model T, its available in any color you want so long as its BLACK!