Strengths: Fast, Light, Climbs really well. Keeps up really well with modern bikes. Reliable and sturdy running gear. Looks really good in white.
Weaknesses: Seat is hard as, other than that it's a champion.
Bottom Line:
Got this baby of a mate for free to get into riding and have loved it from the start. Solid group set and rolls really well, gets lots of comments that it's a great older bike. Light, climbs really well and easy to get power out of it.
Strengths: light, stiff, good transfer of power, great components, rolls super fast. love it.
Weaknesses: probably some, haven't found em yet.
Bottom Line:
never ridden a road bike before this one, but i had a cannondale mountain bike and fell in love with the stiff, light cannondale frame. decided to try a road bike and wanted to stick with a cannondale, and i was not disappointed. this bike is very light, very stiff, rolls like a dream. what i love about cannondales is you can really feel the transfer of power from your pedal to the bike's roll forward, there's no flex or wasted motion. even after 9 years, the components are strong, it shifts quickly, brakes well. i am a cannondale fan.
THIS IS A BIKE FOR THE HEAVIER RIDER,THE FRAME IS VERY STIFF BUT THE FORKS SMOOTH THE EDGES OFF THE BUMPS.THE STANDARD WHEELS WERE OKAY(MAVIC CXP23)BUT I HAVE RECENTLY PUT ON SHIMANO WH-535 WHEELS AND THESE HAVE MADE A GREAT IMPROVEMENT TO THE RIDE WHITH OUT DETRACTING FROM STIFFNESS.MY RIDING IS JUST RECREATIONAL AND THIS BIKE IS PERFECT
Bike Setup: 105 with TA chainrings, Mavic Classic Pro.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jorin
a Road Racer
from Rosetown, Sk, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 7, 2000
Strengths: Stiff, nice finish, excellent handling. Loves to go fast. Carbon fork.
Weaknesses: Can be harsh on rough roads. I am heavy enough that it is not a big problem, but light riders may find the ride too harsh.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike to try racing... I had previously been riding a steel frame Kona mountain bike. What a difference! The CAAD3 frame is light, responsive, and does not flex under hard pedaling. I have a lower back injury, and was worried about the ride being too harsh, but it has not been a problem for me. I am going to a more expensive set of wheels, which I think will be a big improvement over the cheap ones I have on it now (the current ones I have are not what comes stock...)
This bike screams to be sprinted hard, loves to climb, and is more than capable of handling a 100miler.
