Road Cycling - just brought home new R600

Just got my 2004 Cannondale R600 last night, and of course it's 21deg F outside. Definitely going to need some bke shorts, my rear was hurting before I got off the trainer during the fitting.

I did manage to pick up some Sidi Genius 4's for $109, they were marked $190 but the LBS guy said he wasn't going to carry them anymore and he wanted to get rid of them!

It's supposed to get into the 40's today, so I'll post a ride report later.

Woo-Hoo!

Neat!!

The start of years of fun!

I got my '03 last june, I love it. Congrats.

Just got my 2004 Cannondale R600 last night, and of course it's 21deg F outside. Definitely going to need some bke shorts, my rear was hurting before I got off the trainer during the fitting.

I did manage to pick up some Sidi Genius 4's for $109, they were marked $190 but the LBS guy said he wasn't going to carry them anymore and he wanted to get rid of them!

It's supposed to get into the 40's today, so I'll post a ride report later.

Woo-Hoo!

That's a fast bike, and a great deal on super shoes as well. Enjoy...and remember to be patient breaking in that new saddle!

That's a fast bike, and a great deal on super shoes as well. Enjoy...and remember to be patient breaking in that new saddle!

I'm going to get some bike shorts first and see how the factory saddle feels before replacing it. I need other gear first before the saddle.

I just took it around the block! Whoa!! :) Fast bike! This thing is so much faster than my Trek 4500. It was very smooth, the triple chainring seems kinda clunky, but the LBS said the cables will stretch and the bike will settle in the first few rides and to bring it in for a tune up in a week or two.

The LBS guy recommended a triple chainring since this is my first road bike, but he'll let me exchange it for a double if want. I'm going to test it out on some hills around here to see if I need the triple or not. If not, I'm definitely trading it in on the double.

Congrats on the purchase - you'll really enjoy the road bike!

The whole double/triple thing is very much an ongoing debate. The R600 seems to already have a 12-26 cassette (nice for a double, very low for a triple!), so given that the double inner ring is 39 teeth instead of the 42 teeth on the middle ring of the triple, you'll end up with a pretty good low gear with the double. You'll find the shifting of the double with the 105 shifter/Tiagra derailleur to be significantly smoother than with the triple.

Your call, though, and awesome that your LBS guy was happy to let you try it for a while and still come back and change it!

Post some pictures!

Sweet, I love my 03

I'm going to get some bike shorts first and see how the factory saddle feels before replacing it. I need other gear first before the saddle.

I just took it around the block! Whoa!! :) Fast bike! This thing is so much faster than my Trek 4500. It was very smooth, the triple chainring seems kinda clunky, but the LBS said the cables will stretch and the bike will settle in the first few rides and to bring it in for a tune up in a week or two.

The LBS guy recommended a triple chainring since this is my first road bike, but he'll let me exchange it for a double if want. I'm going to test it out on some hills around here to see if I need the triple or not. If not, I'm definitely trading it in on the double.

There was a review in Bicycling a month or so ago of a Cannondale, but I think it was an R800, but they said with the triple, pedal mashers had problems with shifting the front derailleur, but those who were high cadence types had no problems.

Its cold in KC, but I went for a ride on my 01, R600 today. It's like flying like a bird. Mine is a double, and that is all the gears this 64 year old guy needs. It is hilly here too. I did put open pro wheels on it this year. It is even faster and shifts better.

Wes

Nice ride. I just want to know how your were able to select the R600?

Welcome to the c-dale family! Picked my c-dale up last year aswell. I love it. You'll have fun.

Nice ride. I just want to know how your were able to select the R600?

I can give you my account. The R600 was the most bang for the buck at the time I got it, not necessarily reguarding components but the frame was faster and more agile than any other I rode, and I rode a lot. I also love how stiff it feels when I am really hammering, yet it absorbs enough of the bumps in the road so that my posterior is not black and blue at the end of a long ride. Basically it fits my body and riding style, I'm sure it does not work for everyone so ride them all and I would say pay the most attention to the frame, components can be upgraded.

That is one nice bike! My club started their 3 month annual session of training ladies to ride. The ladies teach the ladies, which many of them find more comfortable. The guys help on the first day. We inspect the bikes first, and I did the station where we check the cranks and drivetrain, making sure everything shifts right. One lady had a new C-Dale, R600, a yellow shade. That baby was so sweet!! The darn thing looked like it was moving while it was sitting still.
Have fun riding it.
It won't hurt to have the triple on the bike, it's for really steep hills. While checking shifting of front derailleurs, I did notice that the few doubles were very crisp shifting in the front.

The 2003 R600 stock cannondale cranks with the shimano shifting is crappy, once i upgraded the cranks to ultegra it shifted perfectly. I believe the 2004 has different cranks, still not shimano but maybe better shifting. Mine is triple.

I have triple ultegra cranks on my r1000, and am moving to double, the shifting was always a real pain on the front, I had to constantly readjust everything on it, but then I am more of a masher.

Nice ride. I just want to know how your were able to select the R600?

I chose the R600 because my price range was around $1000-$1100. The LBS carries Giant and Specialized also but I wasn't keen on the compact frames. Personally I think the ammount the seat post needs to be extended from the top tube is unsightly. I test rode the Specialized Allez Elite just in case it was more comfortable and I really couldn't tell a difference between the Allez Elite and the Cannondale's I tested. So it pretty much came down to looks and the fact that I felt I was getting a better frame on the R600 over the Allez. True, the R600 is lacking in components compared the the Allez Elite, but I would rather have a better frame and upgrade the components as I need to.

I'll post pics ASAP.

Ahh oversized down tube, slim sightly hourglass seat stays, its the J-Lo of road bikes

Nice bike and good deal on shoes,go ride.

Amen temp1, amen

Post some pictures!

Here's a pic

Here's a pic

Beautiful! Are those Truvativ cranks?

Did your LBS fit you to that stem or is that how it ships? Reason being, I would think that the rise on the stem would keep you too upright.

-mark

You can flip the stem over and it gives you a better angle, for me anyway.

Actually, if you look at the height of the handlebars relative to the saddle it looks about right. If the stem was flipped it would probably put the bars at an uncomfortably low position from the looks of it.

Nice bike, BTW! :beer:

Beautiful! Are those Truvativ cranks?

Did your LBS fit you to that stem or is that how it ships? Reason being, I would think that the rise on the stem would keep you too upright.

-mark

It is a Truvativ Elite LR, is that very good? That is the stem that came with the bike and it can be flipped over for a more aggresive position. The R600 Double ships with it flipped the other way. It is mostly 105 components except for an Ultegra rear derailluer.

The Elite is lighter than Ultegra and I hear stiffer

well indecisive has spacer rings under his stem right now. Just like mine did. As he/she(sorry don't know) get more comfortable.....start removing the spacers

I have the truvativ triple. Its main merit, I think, was the ease of installation. I think it took me like 10 minutes to do. the crank is definily stiffer then my frame...and it shifts good, considering that I am using a FD set up for a double and friction shifters.

Don't forget to add this to the, "What Road Bike do you have" thread.

Beautiful bike!! :beer:

what brakes come on the '04

Actually, if you look at the height of the handlebars relative to the saddle it looks about right. If the stem was flipped it would probably put the bars at an uncomfortably low position from the looks of it.

Nice bike, BTW! :beer:
Thats right.Leave the stem alone.Just ride the thing.

what brakes come on the '04

It has Cannondale Thaeta brakes. And they don't stop very well either.

i just ridded myself of all the cannondale branded stuff like the cranks and brakes. i swapped them out for Ultegra brakes and cranks.

That will work.

You can flip the stem over and it gives you a better angle, for me anyway.

So I flipped the stem over tonight, and the handlebars are like 4" lower than the saddle. That seem like a lot of space. Shouldn't it be closer to 1" or 2" below the saddle?

So I flipped the stem over tonight, and the handlebars are like 4" lower than the saddle. That seem like a lot of space. Shouldn't it be closer to 1" or 2" below the saddle?

Is the stem parallel to the ground after flipping it? It looks like it would be.

There's no hard and fast rule concerning height differential between seat and bars. It's simply a matter of comfort and/or performance. If, after you ride it like that, you're uncomfortable, then switch it back.

Some important notes;

- Increasing the height differential between seat and bars will likely change weight distribution by moving weight forward. This can have some unintended consequences. I'm a firm believer that you have to have the vast majority of you weight centered over your seat. If your weight it too far forward, you may end up using valuable leg muscle just to keep yourself on the seat. Alternatively, you may put undo strain on your hands and upper body. A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to, with only a bit of effort, lift your hands from the bars and keep youself in the same position with just your stomach and back muscles. If you find that impossible, you may want to consider moving the seat back.

Better yet, go back to your LBS and consult with them.

-mark

Is the stem parallel to the ground after flipping it? It looks like it would be.

There's no hard and fast rule concerning height differential between seat and bars. It's simply a matter of comfort and/or performance. If, after you ride it like that, you're uncomfortable, then switch it back.

Some important notes;

- Increasing the height differential between seat and bars will likely change weight distribution by moving weight forward. This can have some unintended consequences. I'm a firm believer that you have to have the vast majority of you weight centered over your seat. If your weight it too far forward, you may end up using valuable leg muscle just to keep yourself on the seat. Alternatively, you may put undo strain on your hands and upper body. A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to, with only a bit of effort, lift your hands from the bars and keep youself in the same position with just your stomach and back muscles. If you find that impossible, you may want to consider moving the seat back.

Better yet, go back to your LBS and consult with them.

-mark

The stem is not quite parallel to the ground, but close. When the stem was the other way (as in the pic I posted) it was obviously at a steeper angle and closer to the seat height, but it looked kinda odd at such a steep angle. Shouldn't I be able to have a flat stem and it be closer to the saddle height?

The stem is not quite parallel to the ground, but close. When the stem was the other way (as in the pic I posted) it was obviously at a steeper angle and closer to the seat height, but it looked kinda odd at such a steep angle. Shouldn't I be able to have a flat stem and it be closer to the saddle height?

Saddle height is invariant. Once fixed, the rest of the adjustment revolve around comfort. The two biggest adjustments after setting the seat heights are to alter the seat position fore and aft, and then to change the bar height and often the stem length. Some people find that after they put the seat back in order to be more centered on the seat that they have to reduce stem length. Finally, beside for flipping the stem to either increase or decrease stem height, you can have spacers inserted or removed from the head tube.

-mark

Saddle height is invariant. Once fixed, the rest of the adjustment revolve around comfort. The two biggest adjustments after setting the seat heights are to alter the seat position fore and aft, and then to change the bar height and often the stem length. Some people find that after they put the seat back in order to be more centered on the seat that they have to reduce stem length. Finally, beside for flipping the stem to either increase or decrease stem height, you can have spacers inserted or removed from the head tube.

-mark

Well, the seat is at the correct height, and is set fore/aft to give me a neutral knee position. The stem lenght feels correct whichever way it is flipped, so I guess it all comes down to comfort then.

Well, the seat is at the correct height, and is set fore/aft to give me a neutral knee position. The stem lenght feels correct whichever way it is flipped, so I guess it all comes down to comfort then.

I'm not saying your setup is wrong, but some people don't subscribe to "neutral knee position," including myself.

link here (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm)

Again, you're probably 99% of the way there and should just enjoy your beautiful machine.

-mark

here's a pic

Here's a better one of the seat and stem

looks real sweet

Thank you very much, it needs a cleaning, but it is a rocket

Ok, so here's how my seat height looks compared to my stem height.

You'll have to ride it yourself to know for sure, but I don't think you'll be very comfortable with the bars that much lower than the saddle. It looked about right with the stem the way it was -- flipping the stem is not always the right thing to do. Try it and see; it's easy enough to put back the way it was.

You'll have to ride it yourself to know for sure, but I don't think you'll be very comfortable with the bars that much lower than the saddle. It looked about right with the stem the way it was -- flipping the stem is not always the right thing to do. Try it and see; it's easy enough to put back the way it was.

I know, it will most likely be more comfortable. I just didn't think the bike looked as good with the stem sticking up at a steep angle. What else can I do to keep my stem more horizontal?

Congrats from someone who has been riding Cannondale since 1983. There weren't many of us back then and we didn't get to ride a lot because of all the questions we would get about our big tubed bikes. I currently ride an '02 R700, but what it really is is a CAAD5 Frame with a full Campy Chorus Group and Campagnolo Wheels. Its not really fair to refer to it as an R700 any more. It is that USA paint scheme and doesn't even reflect a model number on it.

I know lots of people who ride triples and love them. One of the things you may face is changing the dreailleurs as part of the conversion from a triple. You LBS should be able to tell you if you will need to do that.

Best of luck.

I know, it will most likely be more comfortable. I just didn't think the bike looked as good with the stem sticking up at a steep angle. What else can I do to keep my stem more horizontal?
Comfort is more important than looks, my friend. Who knows, you may be comfortable with it the way it is -- only miles will tell. The only way to get the bars up while keeping the stem level is with a longer steerer tube, which means a new fork.

Man,thats a lot of seatpost sticking out.You sure thats the right size bike.I just replaced my stem with one with more rise.Seat is for sure to high as it should be closer to your bars.How tall r u and what size is that nice looking CD?