And, of course, no one buys Philippe Patek mechanical watches, because they're a step backwards in accuracy from a Casio quartz watch.

Cannondale's management is perfectly aware that people who want the lightest bike for the money will look elsewhere.

In short: they don't care that you're not their market.

But the CAAD14, it's abundantly clear to me at least, will be seen as a reasonably light and speedy traditional-looking bike by some and as a collectible objet d'art by others.

Especially in Europe.

Our own Georges1 is likely far from alone among European racing bike enthusiasts in rating Cannondale's '90's-era bikes extremely highly, with their round frame tubes, level top tubes, and polished welds.

If I were in the market for the brand new version of a bike I lusted after in the '80's or '90's, it would be tough to choose between a Ciocc Mockba 80 and the comparably priced CAAD14.

I might go for the Ciocc, I suppose, but only because I already have a bunch of great aluminum bikes and neither of my remaining steel bikes ('90's 853 Schwinn Peloton and '60's 531 Peugeot track bike) scratches the itch.