spinnaker

I have been away from cycling for a very long time. The last bicycle I purchased was a Schwin LeTour many years ago. After crossing the 200lb mark (up from 175 most of my adult life), I decided to get back into the sport that I had always enjoyed. Wow have things changed.

I have pretty much decided on Cannondale. It's a high quality bicycle, hand made and being from Western PA, I like the fact that they are made here in Pennsylvania.

Now I need to decide on the model. I doubt I will be doing anything off road. About as off road as it might get is riding on our crushed limestone trail (Montour Trail if any one is familiar). I doubt I will be doing any extended touring but weekend trips are not out of the question So I think I have pretty much settled on a road bike.

I have looked at the R700, I can get las years model for $1020 plus the cost of pedals.

But what about the Sport Road 800? the Road Warrior 800?

Might these models be a better fit for me? How do they compare in price to the R700 that I looked at?

alanbikehouston

As I got older (and older, and older) comfort on a bike became more important than a mythical search for "speed". A bike that lets you get your hands as high as the saddle adds to comfort, as does a bike that allows using "fatter" tires if you wish.

The Cannondale Sport Road 500 and 800 models are designed to be comfortable bikes. Longer headtubes places the bars up as high as the saddle, to reduce stress on your neck, back, hands and wrists.

They can be set up for "fast" rides by putting on ultra-light 23mm slicks and lowering the bars a bit. Ride just as fast as your legs and lungs allow. The geometry of these bikes is similar to that of the bikes that won the Tour de France from the 1950's to the 1980's...then the "mini-bike" fashion spread from younger Pro riders to "Joe Average" riders, with painful results for "Joe".

Or, these bikes can be set up for riding on dirt roads and smoother dirt trails by raising the bars and using a beefy tire designed for those kinds of rides. These are "do it all" bikes, just as the best road bikes of the past were designed to be. Not a "one trick pony".

Get a list of three or four dealers in your area. Look at the bikes. Ride the bikes. Get a "feel" for which dealer is going to give you the personal service you deserve, before and after the sale. Don't assume the lowest price is the "best" price. In the long run, having a dealer who will take good care of you and your bike is more important than saving an extra fifty bucks or so.

spinnaker

Thanks alanbikehouston,

Service is impotant. The store that I had just visited seems to fit this bill. They seem very knowledgeable and offer free service twice a year.

I am only 45 and would like to think I am not getting older but I am. The Sport Road sounds like a good canidate for a long term investment into a near $1K bicycle.


My only concern is that I might like to participate in group rides and would not want to be leaft in the dust because of my equipment.

I would appreciate and other input too.

JR_Sith

Whatever you do you, make sure you get a cannondale with an "optimo" frameset. I believe the r800 is the lowest bike they make that has one. You find this frame infinitly softer than those below it, due to the flexing seatstays.

Ranzak

At age 45 I had this decision to make myself. I was decided on Cannondale and thus I had to decide between Sport Road or Road. Wanting to compete in my local club's Time trials, and finally (20 years later) finish the Assault on Mt. Mitchell, and just generally be as competitive as I can still be, I decided on the Road models. Then I had to decide between the R700, R900 and I even peeked at the R1000. I was pretty much decided on the R700 (thinking that it would be hard enough to explain to my wife, it's price tag) when she sat down and looked at the Cannondale catalogue and said she didnt like the colors of the R700. "Bikes should be bright like this red one" she says pointing at the R900. So Boom the decision was made LOL.

spinhappy

Alan always gives good advice. Spinnaker, I'm pushing 50 and just started riding a few months ago for fun and fitness. I bought the SR800 for the reasons above. I found it comfortable, and plenty fast when set up as Alan describes. Ditto on finding a shop where you get good service. Get them to help fit you. Then take your new bike out for several longish rides and you'll probably want them to tweak something/s. After doing this 2 or 3 times your new bike should be just right for you. I think I paid around $1100 on a new '05 in January, plus I bought a female-friendly seat. The bike came with toe clips which I replaced with platform pedals until I got a feel for things. I plan to put clipless on this week. Let us know what you decide on!

spinnaker

How do you know if the bike has the optiomo frameset? The SR bicycles are listed with the CAAD5 Sport Road frame.


Thanks for the help everyone.

Ouch $1100+ for a SR800? Hopefully I can still find a 04 model.

alanbikehouston

I use platform pedals on most of my road bikes...big, wide BMX pedals that are wider than even my rainy day boots. They work well with any kind of shoe or sandal and eliminate the quarter-size "hot spots" on the bottom of my foot that itty-bitty road pedals were causing.

I also like being able to move my feet forward a quarter inch, or back a quarter inch on longer rides...a slightly different position from time to time seems has eliminated the knee pain I used to have when "locked in" to a precise position for hours at a time.

The "comfort" of a bike can be increased with longer chainstays, a longer wheelbase, and by shifting weight off the hands, onto the feet and rear. The Cannondale CAAD 5 Sport Road frames do that. Combined with a cushy pair of fat tires, these bikes are likely to be one of the better blends of lighter weight, speed and comfort among high quality 2005 road bike models.

spinnaker

"are likely to be one of the better blends of lighter weight and comfort that are currently being made"

I assume your opinion means all bikes on the market?

capsicum

platform clipless... crankbrothers mallet-c they also make smaller platforms called Candy and Quattro and of course the famous 'no platform of any kind' Eggbeaters.

ultra-g

At 200+ lbs. I would avoid their Optimo frames... the tubes are so thin that the bike will have a shorter lifespan if you're heavy and putting alot of pressure on the frame when you ride.

The R500 might be a better option... or the Bad Boy or Touring models.

capsicum

I'd go for the T-800 touring for the riding you described. No need to put all of the racks and fat tires on it for everyday riding but if you want to you can. very versitile and tough too.

spinhappy

Not to highjack this thread, but...Alan, I've thought about leaving he platforms on but I like being able to "pull" as well as push on the pedal stroke. Capsicum, showing off my ignorance, but it looks like you can get into and out of those pedals from just about anywhere (both sides), yes?

capsicum

Yes both sides, and their no-platform eggbeaters have four sided entery.(but no platform) I have not had the opportunity to try any clipless pedals myself, but Crank brothers seem to get top reveiws and appear to have a solid design.

scarpi41

be careful. I have a 1999 cdale r800. Solid bike that rides very nice. Gonna take it on some long bike tours in the upcoming years. But, cdale has switch it major operation to japan, china somethin like that. Dissapointing, but bianchi has done the same. So, if and when you buy the a cdale, try to buy one with a made in the usa sticker on it. Obviously made better and less likely to break. There also starting to make there bikes really light. They even had to weigh down the six13 for the tdf. Not always, but the lighter the bike the more fraile its gonna be. especially if its a cdale made in Japan.(not like i have nothing against Japan)

spinhappy

My new '04 SR800 has Made in USA sticker, just fyi.

spinnaker

So how can they place the Hnad Made in USA at the bottom of their web page?

Cannondale


As far as the 200+ lbs thing, the whole object of buying the bike is to get under 200 lbs. I wouldn't mind getting down to 185 by the end of the optimal riding season.

spinnaker

How do you like the SR800? I test rode the SR500 and liked it well enough. I think I am going to go for one. Probably will be buying next week. My LBS has a sale and I hope they get one in by then. They only place on sale what is in stock.

JBar

My 04 R1000 is made in USA. I'm 50 , started cycling last August, got this bike Labor Day and have put 2700 miles on it. Ultegra gear, lifetime warranty on the Optimo CAAD 7 frame (new ones are CAAD 8- different seat stays). It was the best value I found and I like "Made in USA".

spinhappy

See post #6 above. The more I ride it, the better I like it. We're bonding, I guess (me and the bike.) I have several hundred miles on, and I can't find anything to gripe about. Remember, tho, I'm a newbie so have no basis for comparison, just very happy (and comfy) with this choice. Only thing I changed out was to get a lady-friendly saddle. No way I'd even try the one that came with it, after a quick spin around town. Maybe your LBS has an '04 they'll give you a good deal on? That would be great. My shop is marking down 04's pretty deep next week, just got the email. Happy hunting!

Guess I should add...my goals are fitness, fun and to not get dropped too badly in group rides of 25-50 miles. No interest in racing. Would like to work up to a century. That's why, seemed to me, the SR was a good choice. I'm 49, mom of 2 teenaged girls, fulltime stressful job, and I have to do something legal to work off stress.

spinnaker

No 04s left (I think will check again tomrrow) at my #1 LBS choice, there is 1 at LBS choice 2 but it is an ugly silver, has a scratch and they only want to knock off $75. Not worth in IMHO.

Ranzak

"be careful. I have a 1999 cdale r800. Solid bike that rides very nice. Gonna take it on some long bike tours in the upcoming years. But, cdale has switch it major operation to japan, china somethin like that. Dissapointing, but bianchi has done the same. So, if and when you buy the a cdale, try to buy one with a made in the usa sticker on it."


Where do you get this info? Which Cannondale models aren't made in USA ?

wannaride

I was faced with a similiar decision not too many months ago. I made a mistake and bought a Specialized Sirrus Pro thinking that I would not be happy scrunched over on a hard core road bike. I like the Sirrus and I'm glad I got it but I had to get a hard core bike ('Dale CAAD7 Saeco Replica). The bike performs great and rides well.

I'm not too far south of 200 lbs and my LBS tells me there is no issue with the CAAD frames and 200 lbs. I have about 400 miles on the bike. It rocks! I've had zero problems with it. One good reason to get a 'Dale is that they are known to be the best in backing up their bikes.

The nonsense about mis-stickering where the bikes are made is exactly that.

Off to the ride.

scarpi41

they still make bikes here. As does Bianchi in Italy. Its just that they dont make everybike here in the usa.

Ranzak

Again I ask which ones aren't made in the US?