Road Cycling - Looked at the new Connondale CAAD 7 R3000 Today

Now that is a sweet bike. I was looking at the Colagno Master X, but I think I am going to go with the CAAD 7 with full 10 spd Durace. All I need to do now is sell my wifes old car. For those of you who own a CAAD 7 how do you like it?

I test rode a caad 7...Loved it. So I bought a 3 year old caad 4 frame ( for $275.) and put record 10 on it and an all carbon fork . I didn't have the bucks for the caad 7..I love mine I'm sure you will like your bbike even more.

Now that is a sweet bike. I was looking at the Colagno Master X, but I think I am going to go with the CAAD 7 with full 10 spd Durace. All I need to do now is sell my wifes old car. For those of you who own a CAAD 7 how do you like it?

Great bike....ride the same frame as the world champion. The 3000 is basically the pro bike Saeco and 7UP ride.

15% stiffer and lighter than Ti bikes. A lot more comfortable than carbon.

Now that is a sweet bike. I was looking at the Colagno Master X, but I think I am going to go with the CAAD 7 with full 10 spd Durace. All I need to do now is sell my wifes old car. For those of you who own a CAAD 7 how do you like it?

I was seriously looking at first the R1000 and then the R2000, both with CAAD7, now Optimo SI, frames. There are wonderful bikes;however, having heard quite a bit recently on their lack of customer support, I am no longer interested.

The "lifetime" warranty on the CAAD7 is only good for maximum two years if the company decides you are an "aggressive" rider. If I am going to lay out in excess of $2000, and especially in excess of $3000, it won't be with company with such disregard for its customers.

The number 1 problem with the bike industry.....Why should any frame be warrantied for life....that was a stupid marketing ploy by Schwinn that forever messed up the bicycle industry......


The "lifetime" warranty on the CAAD7 is only good for maximum two years if the company decides you are an "aggressive" rider. If I am going to lay out in excess of $2000, and especially in excess of $3000, it won't be with company with such disregard for its customers.

I used to work in bike shops and back in the early 90's one was a Schwinn shop. I think that the lifetime warrenty should be ok for people doing normal day to day riding. I don't expect them to cover the CAAD 7 if I crash it. I plan to race this bike and they should no be expected to cover it if it breaks due to what I am using it for. Now a crack at a weld or at a badly machined area they should cover. The most shop owners and certainly the bike engineers can tell if a frame has failed due to abuse or a manufacturing problem. I've mainly ridden steel in the past, but I think that this is going to be a sweet ride. All I have to do is sell that darn car. Anyone looking for a 96 Civic. LOL :D

I'm new to road bikes and am considering a 10-speed Cannondale, probably an R3000. I've been advised by "experts" that said bike is so harsh riding it will vibrate the fillings out of my teeth. All I've ever ridden is my 20-year-old Bianchi, with chrome-moly frame. Is there a noticable difference in ride quality? Does carbon really damp out small amplitude vibrations?

The carbon forks really make a big difference. The old frames that were all AL were pretty rough. I don't know that it will rattle the fillings out, but it will be much stiffer than your old bike.

I bought the r2000 that has the same Caad7 optimo frame as the r3000 (i think that's true) but with Ultegra gear instead of Durace, and I love it.

I am a clydesdale at 210lbs and find the ride to be good, not at all as harsh as people like to claim. I got the bike over a trek 5200 as it just seemed to fit/suit me better and I've never looked back. It's amazing how responsive the frame is!

I can't recommend it high enough!

Peter

I've got a r1000 with the caad7 frame and like it. There is road vibration but nothing noticeably bad. The wishbone stays were supposed to take a lot of the bad AL vibes out of it. I certainly wouldn't think it would shake your fillings out. If you're relaly bothered about the vibrations consider carbon bars and seatpost, that will filter out the high frequency roadbuzz better. It's a nice and stiff frame, I just wish I could have afforded the r3000. Generally I'd go try a few other bikes too and see how they feel, maybe a ti frame or something carbon too.

I got the R2000SI CAAD7 frame about 6 weeks ago. This bike rocks. The LBS that I deal with let me try the Trek 5200 the 5500 and also a Serotta Fiertie ti. as well. Rode them all and they all rode great, but the CAAD7 wow the lights went on. This bike feels -fits-rides great. I've put a little over 700 miles on the bike so far. I just can't wait to ride it and thats what counts for me. There all exellent bikes, ride them and get the one that feels-fits you best.

Good luck choosing.
One happy CAAD7SI rider

I was seriously looking at first the R1000 and then the R2000, both with CAAD7, now Optimo SI, frames. There are wonderful bikes;however, having heard quite a bit recently on their lack of customer support, I am no longer interested.

The "lifetime" warranty on the CAAD7 is only good for maximum two years if the company decides you are an "aggressive" rider. If I am going to lay out in excess of $2000, and especially in excess of $3000, it won't be with company with such disregard for its customers.

"Having heard"...."it won't be with a company with such disregard"...

I sell Cannondale among other brands. I have had no such experience.

Here is Cannondale's warranty (www.cannondale.com/policies/bike_warr_policy.html)

Trek's for comparison on page 92 of the manual (www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/pdf/04_bike_owners_manual_en.pdf)

I also sell Trek.

"Having heard"...."it won't be with a company with such disregard"...

I sell Cannondale among other brands. I have had no such experience.

Here is Cannondale's warranty (www.cannondale.com/policies/bike_warr_policy.html)

Trek's for comparison on page 92 of the manual (www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/pdf/04_bike_owners_manual_en.pdf)

I also sell Trek.


Here is a "Supplement" to the warranty from Cannondale's website. May be the cause of some of the concern...

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/tech/pdfs/115622.pdf

Good feedback. I'm not too worried about the warrenty. The LBS seemed very fair and knowledgeable. Besides I could always swap the components to another frame if I were strong enough to destroy the frame :D .

I received my 3000 the first of July. I've since accumulated just under 1700 miles and I'm in love. Being a campy fan I just had to go with Record 10 speed.

Shameless plug to show off my sting painted R3000:

http://www.sunflower.com/~rorwig/images/cannondalesm.jpg

Here is a "Supplement" to the warranty from Cannondale's website. May be the cause of some of the concern...

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/tech/pdfs/115622.pdf

Yes...it's where they spell out that this is a racing frame. And this is the case, but I suspect few here would stress a frame (with huge miles) like, say a rider from 7up or Saeco would, riding 100 miles a day for example.

Any frame in a wreck is going to be suspect. Ask Lance.

The key is the last line...."As we are confident in our quality and testing, we back up our materials and workmanship with a lifetime warranty to the original owner."

We've had no problems. It looks like others have not as well. But I will not suggest the CAAD7 to a heavy rider, nor will I suggest an OCLV 120 to the same rider. These are racing frames. One, they don't need it (but can certainly buy it if they choose) and, two, a "bigger" or "thicker" frame (like a CAAD5 or ZR9000), while a bit heavier is going to be more comfortable. And the feedback I get on test rides confirms this.

BTW, the new Trek 2200 and 2300 have carbon chain stays, very nice bike for the distance or heavier use rider...ZR9000 which is an upgrade from the SLV aluminum on the 2200 from last year. Diff on the two is the groupset...same frame so a total upgrade on the 2200 and the addition of carbon on the 2300.

We've had no problems. It looks like others have not as well. But I will not suggest the CAAD7 to a heavy rider, nor will I suggest an OCLV 120 to the same rider. These are racing frames. One, they don't need it (but can certainly buy it if they choose) and, two, a "bigger" or "thicker" frame (like a CAAD5 or ZR9000), while a bit heavier is going to be more comfortable. And the feedback I get on test rides confirms this.


Don't get me wrong, I love Cannondale's and current own two (CAAD3 Road;CAAD4 Mtn) and was looking to replace my CAAD3 with a CAAD7, but I am worried about durability. I am a heavier rider and am not sure how it will hold up under my weight and this supplement didn't do anything to push me towards a CAAD7.

Also, considering C'dale is carrying the CAAD7 frame all the way down to the R800 level (basically, leaving only 1 or 2 choices for frames with a baseline components--i.e. at least some Shimano 105) make me wonder if C'dale will ever be a choice for recreational cyclists again (the R800 is very reasonably priced--even though the owners may not "need" the racing frame). If their frames are only for racing, yet their beginning model has a racing frame, what kind of life span will it get?

I probably still buy one though and see how it goes. Hopefully it won't fold under my weight. :D

How much is the complete bike and the frameset for that R3000?

About $3,500 in my neck of the woods.