mickey85

This afternoon, I went to the store and bought a pair of chamois-fitted undies and took the Cannondale Black Lightning out for it's first ride...

Holy crap.

The chamois is going to have to carry me farther than the 15 miles I did to completely sell me, but it was AMAZING. The bike was quick and intuitive, I shaved 5 minutes off of my typical route time and raised my average speed by 2 mph. I could fly around corners without even thinking about it, and was completely comfortable doing things that would have unnerved me on my all-steel Fuji Palisade.

Granted, it has a Cro Moly fork, but I now understand the infatuation that people have with Aluminum and CF bikes. Granted, it's still a C&V bike (decoding it dated it to 1988, I think) with C&V parts (and shifters that I converted to friction), but at 19.5lbs, this thing is lighter than my lightest true C&V by 4 lbs. A HUGE difference, IMO.

I'm not replacing the classic bikes just yet though

bigbossman 

Another one turns toward the Dark Side.

Chombi

1988?, I think that Cannondale definitely qualifies as a classic! You jumped into a different technology, but some might consider it more of a lateral jump, as the latest and greatest steel frame technology back then was I think, still keeping up with the new aluminum bikes that were appearing, with weights similar to the 19.5 pounds you have achieved, plus the bonus of traditional steel riding quality and plushness.
JMOs

Chombi

Ex Pres 

And chamois undies don't compare to the full-out bibs. Come on over a little further.

mickey85

Nah, I think I'll stay where I am...after all, I don't want to get TOO comfy!

And BBM - toward, not to...

bigbossman 

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We're saving a place for you. We are very patient. This week we snagged Chombi and Zaphod Beeblebrox - they don't think so yet, but they are one of us now. You will be, too.

khatfull

Bibs are where it's at. Period.

mazdaspeed

Yep

bigbossman 

^^This man is wise beyond words.

stien

Call me crazy but I prefer my shorts to my bibs.

No reason you can't have both new and old bikes. I'm the man with a new cervelo and an olld bianchi. I love both but guess which gets ridden near daily?

I'm actually guilty of wanting to trade all my vintage rides for a new TT bike.

pastorbobnlnh 

Do they make bibs for a big dude like me (I'm on the left, and twice the size of Neal Lerner)?

mickey85

Bibs might be where it's at, but with bibs (or regular shorts) and jerseys, nobody wants to see my gut, and my cottage-cheese thighs. Besides, at $23, these are a heck of a lot cheaper way to be introduced to diapers than $50+ for shorts or $100+ for bibs...

4Rings6Stars

It was an 80's Cannondale that steered me modern as well. Since then I've gotten an aluminum frame with CF stays & fork (9s 105 STI), a Ti frame with carbon fork (10s Carbon Record Ergos), and am currently building up a 1x9 all black bomber from a 2008 aluminum cyclocross frame (will be 9s STI).

HOWEVER, as stien mentioned....you can still love both modern and classic. My Super Course and Sports will never be replaced or modernized in any way.

top506

I think you just had an epiphany, like the one I had on the 531 Gitane. Everything came together just right.
It isn't light or dark, right or wrong. The shorts might have had as much to do as the bike.
I keep telling my customers that the $30-60 spent on good shorts will be the best dough they spend on their bike.

Top

nlerner

Bob, you should tell them that I'm only 5'4".

Nela

fender1

Does a modern (2008) steel frame/fork w/discs, brifters, compact double & 10 speed drive train count (No CF or Aluminum) or am I just a hopeless FRED?

beech333

Could the change just be the geometry? I always struggled with hills and thought that I needed triple chainrings. Then I got my Design Series with a regular old double and a smaller freewheel. Hills seem sooooo much easier on that bike.

mickey85

Well, the Cannondale is a smaller bike than I typically ride (I'm 6.0 feet tall, the CD is 56cm C-C, most everything else is 58/59cm). The geometry is a bit tighter than my Nishiki Modulus, and is about on a par with the Raleigh Professional. I love the Raleigh, but even that is different. It's like the difference between driving a 1968 MGB and a 1980's Ferrari. Both are sports cars, but one is quaint, and fun to drive because it's archaic and, although fast and light, a bit clunky, and the other is a precision instrument of "speed and aeromatics"

Though the geometry is similar, it is a HELL of a lot tighter. The 531 is rather willowy and loose, allowing you to toss it into corners, hope it sticks, then ride it like gangbusters back out the other side. It's a comfy, sweet ride, but again, I wouldn't put it in a race for money. The Cannondale's aluminum is just like it's on rails. There's no tossing, you turn the bars, lean, and bam, you're on the other side. I like tossing stuff (which is why the dragstrip/road race car is an 80's B body), but this is fantastic. And it's even set up similarly (52X13 top gear for the Pro, 52X12 for the CD/700X22 tubulars for the Pro, 700X23 clinchers for the CD/similar handlebars and brake ergonomics/similar riding position/etc.). Meh, it's hard to explain...

4Rings6Stars

I say ride it for a few hours and come back to us.

That handling and acceleration you're feeling is beautiful...but all that stiffness translates to a pretty harsh ride on longer distances. The steel fork will help with that though (my C'dale had an alum. fork) and also wider tires will compensate for it a bit.

I loved my Cannondale but the bike I've got set up for distance now has CF stays and fork and on x32 Paselas it's a magical ride....

John E

The frame geometry will affect handling and your speed and confidence around turns. Setting the pedal and handlebar reach to exactly the right point for you will make a huge difference, as well. I am not convinced that a couple of pounds of frame weight really matters.

stien

I'll borrow one from the 41 and say htfu!

I know I know, wrong section. After a century on anything I'm feeling a bit "raw".

mickey85

I'm not either, and I agree about the harshness of aluminum - I was given the chance to ride a BD Windsor aluminum bike with a CF fork (and brifters...ew). After 10 miles, my hands and butt were numb, and I wanted off. For some reason though, this thing isn't doing that to me. Taking on the Chicago C&V ride tomorrow - we'll see what I have to say after 65 miles in the (Brooks) saddle.

Further, I'll be interested to know if the nimbleness of the geometry is going to translate to twitchiness after 40 miles or so in the saddle.

cudak888 

Chamois-padding is a revelation in uber-hip cycling technology?

-Kurt

mickey85

Well, I was more meaning the aluminum bike, but this being the first chamois I've ever used, it certainly seems nice on the bike. Off? Kinda obnoxious...

stien

Good thing it's for riding, not day hikes!