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Missing something about Cannondale?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Missing something about Cannondale?

Old 06-14-08, 08:41 AM
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Missing something about Cannondale?

In my ongoing search for my first roadbike, I've come across a particular sentiment many times: "Cannondales are overpriced compared to others."

At first, when my budget was hanging just below $1000, I found this to be true--other manufacturers offered lower prices for (at least marginally) better components in some cases.

But now that I've allowed for a bit larger budget ($1500 for the bike, extra for accessories), I've stumbled across the Cannondale CAAD9 5, and am having a hard time finding a competitor for it. With it's 105/Ultegra mix, a $1300-1400 price tag looks pretty tempting.

Am I missing something? Does Fuji, Trek/Gary Fisher/Lemond, Felt, or Giant offer anything to beat or meet this setup for the price? Keep in mind that I'm buying new (firm on that, finally).
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Old 06-14-08, 08:53 AM
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New fuji team at performance. 105/ultegra mix. full carbon frame. 1300 at performance before any discounts
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Old 06-14-08, 08:56 AM
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For the price of a Cannondale, you get a good frame. You can always change componentry but a frame is generally more difficult to upgrade. IMHO, the frame is also the most important part of the bike so if you have to choose between a better frame with lesser components and a lesser frame with better components, you should choose the frame.

Cheers.
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Old 06-14-08, 09:08 AM
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in my experience c'dales are the best value in biking when you get to the high end spectrum. caad9, six13, system six, super six offer the best technology for he bucks! imho.
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Old 06-14-08, 09:15 AM
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If you ride that CAAD9, you'll see owners LOVE them, it's an awesome bike at that price. Take a long test ride, and climb some hills, it's a fast and fun bike!

Last edited by Shifty; 06-14-08 at 08:57 PM.
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Old 06-14-08, 09:19 AM
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felt F75 is 1400 retail should be cheaper at a shop, for very similar components.
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Old 06-14-08, 10:06 AM
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This year, I bought a Cannondale and we got a Trek for my wife. She liked it the best of the bikes she rode. For a while, I thought we got a better deal on the Trek, for level of components and all, then I realized why the Trek was cheaper. Good frame, good Shimano components, but all the Bontrager stuff on the bike is really sub-par. This is a problem for me because I am her bike mechanic. The saddle was useless. The tires are horrible, and the rims don't stay true. Also, the brakes are not Shimano.

As for my Cannondale, the tires were decent, the saddle was rideable, but I put on my Terry Fly anyway, and the wheels have been bullet proof (Mavic Askium Race). The only stock component on the Cannondale that I was not happy with was the seatpost, which wouldn't level the saddle. Other than that, I would say that we got more for our money with the Cannondale.

It is a sample of two, but that is my observation. The Trek will be a fine bike, but I will probably spend more on it in maintenance and upgrades.
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Old 06-14-08, 10:08 AM
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Cannondale also has the upgrade program and lifetime warranty if I remember correctly.
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Old 06-14-08, 11:37 AM
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Most would agree Cannondale wrote the book on Aluminum frames. No one else comes close in research & development & racing on that frame material. It is a super high quality product made by people who care & take pride. I assume most if not all of their Al frames remain made in the USA. The price reflects all this.

k
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Old 06-14-08, 11:44 AM
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I bought a C'dale R6 (CAAD 9 frame, with full tiagra).
my rides have been fantastic. My previous road bike wasn't a compact, so the hills are a big challenge, but this bike just flies. It is unbelievable. I don't even have a computer on my bike yet, so I can't gauge the speeds, but on good flats I'm going at least 40km-50km/hr.
fantastic bike.

and as written above, you can change componentry after a couple thousand km and keep the excellent frame.
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Old 06-14-08, 02:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Aikidoka
Most would agree Cannondale wrote the book on Aluminum frames. No one else comes close in research & development & racing on that frame material.
Don't write Gary Klein out of that book.
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Old 06-14-08, 03:10 PM
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get the CAAD9. 3 years ago I bought a CAAD7 and I'm still riding and loving it. In the future I plan to upgrade the components but still keep the frame. CAAD frames are race worthy as well. Especially if you wreck it, you won't be crying cuz it won't cost that much to replace. It's great value plus cdale has a trade in/crash replacement program.
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Old 06-14-08, 03:22 PM
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Originally Posted by halfspeed
Don't write Gary Klein out of that book.
My bad!! you are correct amigo. Klein was pure unobtanium and yes I would agree he deserves credit as the Father of the modern Aluminum (welded) frame. Vitus for the glued/screwed version I suppose.

cheers

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Old 06-14-08, 03:30 PM
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Thanks a ton for confirming my experience.

On a very positive (and somewhat coincidental) note, I went to the LBS today and found an '07 CAAD9 Optimo 3 for $1299. 105/Ultegra mix. The fit is perfect (it's a 56cm thank god) and my test ride went great. So smooth and very responsive.

I put it on hold, and I'm going up on Tuesday of next week for one more test ride before I write the check.

Loved it. Absolutely loved it.

Thanks again for the help!
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Old 06-14-08, 03:53 PM
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Cannondale frames are made by magic elves.

Beyond that, my Six13 was more amazing than every other bike I test rode at that price point. If more smiles for the money isn't pure value, I don't know what is.
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Old 06-14-08, 03:59 PM
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Originally Posted by shundaroni
Thanks a ton for confirming my experience.

On a very positive (and somewhat coincidental) note, I went to the LBS today and found an '07 CAAD9 Optimo 3 for $1299. 105/Ultegra mix. The fit is perfect (it's a 56cm thank god) and my test ride went great. So smooth and very responsive.

I put it on hold, and I'm going up on Tuesday of next week for one more test ride before I write the check.

Loved it. Absolutely loved it.

Thanks again for the help!
I have this bike in the brush metal. Got mine for $1200 at a close out sale last year. Buy that bike. It's great and you can save a couple extra bucks on top of it.
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