TheKnack

I've ridden both. Liked them both. The Cannondale is $1500 from the LBS, the Cross Check Complete is about $1000 online. I can get the Cross Check for about $1200 from the LBS. Is the Cannondale that much better? Is it better at all?

M_S

1) The cannondale is a better race bike, the surly is a better al-rounder transportational rig
2) Your LBS is charging too much for the Crosscheck. Find another shop and have them orde rone through QBP and charge you closer to MSRP, if you decide against the Cannondale.

paulwwalters

maybe the Surly has brifters, that would explain the price hike...

urban_assault

Shall we assume, since you posted this in the commuting forum, that you will be using it for commuting rather than racing?

I think you would be better off with the Cross Check for commuting. It's very versatile and has rack bosses if you decide to use panniers. Use the money you'd save on the Cross Check for other stuff you need.

You really cannot go wrong either way, both are good bikes. Your intended usage is the deciding factor in my opinion.

TheKnack

No, the cross check was stock complete. My LBS says the Cannondale has better wheels, shifters, frame, and such. I'll be using it for commuting and long rides on the road and rail to trail, and they thought the cannondale would be a little nicer on road than the surly.

CliftonGK1

Component............Cannondale............Surly

Wheels.............CXP22 on C'dale hub.....Alex DA-16 on Deore hubs (tie)
Shifters...............Tiagra STI..............Dura-Ace bar-end (Surly wins)
Derailleurs...............Sora..................Tiagra (Surly wins)
Frame................Al w/ Carbon fork........4130 frame and fork (rider's choice)

Same brakes and cranks. Equivalent headset, stem, post, etc. For $500 more you're actually getting lower end components on a lighter frame and fork. You're better off with the Surly (IMO), and buying it from a shop which sells it closer to the $1050 msrp.

El Pelon

Good reply! I would vote for the Surly just on comfort and durability alone. But, as a LHT owner, I guess I'm biased.

12bar

I would go with the Surly also but I just took delivery of a green LHT and am still in the honeymoon phase .

AEO

nothing wrong with tiagra STI. the best part is you can use 9sp MTB cassettes with it as long as you swap out the RD for a SGS long cage.

CliftonGK1

Nothing wrong with it, if you're a fan of STI levers. There's so much less to go wrong with bar-end shifters, plus the option for friction mode if your alignment gets out of whack. (I actually run mine in friction mode all the time.) Plus, with the Tiagra mid-cage rd which comes stock on the Cross-Check, you can run a MTN 9-spd cassette by adjusting the B-screw. I slapped an 11-32 PG-970 cassette on mine with barely any adjustments to be made.

I like the Cannondale Cross-6, but I think too much of the cost is being front loaded into the price of the frame/fork and wheels (Mavic vs. Alex rims) and they're skimping on the drivetrain components. Sora is really cutting it at the bottom of the Shimano line, and for a commuter which will see recreational distance rides as well, I wouldn't go lower than Tiagra.

If you're going to spend $1500 and you really want STI levers, buy the Surly and have your LBS strip the D-A barcons off it and replace 'em with Ultegra STI levers. You'll still have a few bucks left over to upgrade to an Ultegra fd, too.

AEO

for $1500, I'd rather get an opus sentiero disc, trek portland or some other disc equipped, rack and fender mountable bike

I prefer STI over bar cons or DT shifters in winter, but only because I can keep my hands on the bars all the time.
CAAD frames are "expensive", that's why every other part on the CAAD is cheap, but still more expensive than the cross check.

zephyr

I have a crosscheck which I paid around $430 for a frame (home built not factory spec components). I also own a Riv Atlantis, a frame I bought for $950 in 2002 (now costs around $1400). I like the crosscheck as much as the Riv Atlantis, it has really surpassed my expectations. My crosscheck is equipped with albatross upright bars and Nexus internal 8 rear hub, so it is a far cry from the factory spec bike. For my nearly 30 mile roundtrip commute on rolling hills terrain, the crosscheck is equally comfortable as the Atlantis and is almost identical in speed. I owned a Cannondale ST600 touring bike and rode it many thousands of miles during the 90s, but prefer the Surly to the Cannondale.

Rejuvenator

$1200 isn't far off on the Cross-Check, if you factor in tax and pedals + $1050. I just bought a new LHT off the interweb for $890. The LHT has an awesome build--better deal than the CC. The CC build is kind of weak--people end up spending money for real tires, etc...

TheKnack

I'd consider the LHT.

UtahWasatch

Where did you order from?

Thx!

Rejuvenator

I ordered from Speedgoat. They were having a sale; the current price is $985, which is the old retail price. They still haven't posted the new retail ($1095), but I'm sure they will soon. They have the CC at $1050. Free shipping and they actually are a good shop. Alta is for skiers!

nopinkbikes

Wow, serious? That is the main reason I like a shifter such as a bar-end for the winter. My thick gloves or mittens have a real hard time operating STI levers independently, with a bar-end or DT or even trigger shifter, I can differentiate an individual lever easily instead of messing with the brake or something. My main reason for going bar-end in the winter. With thick gloves i was always hitting the brake and not getting good shifts with the STI.

TheKnack

I called up my two favorite LBS this morning to see how much I could get a LHT ordered in for. Surprisingly, the nearest LBS had a LHT in my size in stock. They said they had been getting enough orders for them, especially the LHT and CC, that they've recently started carrying them on the floor. I got right over for a test ride (I've never found one in my size)

Short story. LOVED IT.

It's about $180 cheaper to order online, mainly due to taxes. I may see if I can get half off a pair of fenders or something to sweeten the deal, but I'm likely to go through the LBS just because I like supporting them. Especially since they had the bike I was looking for in stock and let me take a nice test ride.

CliftonGK1

Find out what the LBS offers their customers as far as tune ups and replacements. Where I bought mine, I get free adjustments and a tune up per year as long as I own the bike. Unless I want something better than Shimano, I also don't pay for cable replacements. You're not going to find that in an online shop.

Rejuvenator

I was shopping for a cross-bike (the Cross-Check) to use as a commuter also. Several shops steered me towards the LHT, but I was silly and figured I needed a cross bike... Finally, I compared the specs and rode them both. The LHT is a great bike for people who can be completely honest with themselves. And it is pretty similar to the CC...