Cannondale 2000 R3000

Price Paid:  $1700.00 at eBay

Favorite Ride:
Haytors Gap

Bike Setup:
Full Dura Ace (except for cranks), FSA SLK compact cranks, Selle Italia SLR, Syntace F99stem, custom built wheels w/ Alex Costini rims, DT Swiss Revolution spokes, Formula front hub, and tune rear hub.

Summary:
Great bike. Purchased off of eBay over 4 years ago and have never looked for a new road bike. I have upgraded and replaced a few parts, but none have really changed the way the bike ride (except for the seat).

Strengths:
Crisp handling, comfort over longer rides yet stiff in a good sprint, light weight (feels lighter than it actually is), great base component spec

Weaknesses:
BB cable bracket lets cables slap frame on rough roads, original BB, crankset, and stem have all had to be replaced due to wearing out, fizik saddle sucks

Similar Products Used:
GT Z4.0
Specialized Tarmac
Vintage Merlin Ti
Vintage Fuji Team

Price Paid:  $3000.00 at Ray's in Vacaville,

Bike Setup:
CAAD 5, full Dura Ace, Mavic Ksyrium.

Summary:
I was fortunate enough to buy this bike when I was rich and single, and have never regretted it. Cannondale does an excellent job designing and manufacturing their bikes. This bike is all speed and comfort. It is tight in the corners and on down hills, fast in flats, and the carbon fork absorbs a lot of the road vibrations. My friends and I purchased two R3000 and one R4000 with in a month of each other. Last year the three of us racked up more than 10,000 miles with out any problems. All of us are extremely impressed with our bikes. If you are able to spend the money you cannot go wrong with this bike.

Strengths:
See above

Weaknesses:
You don't have any more excuses.

Price Paid:  $11.00 at eBay rocks!

Favorite Ride:
just point

Bike Setup:
Campy 10 speed Carbon Record all the way, Reynolds carbon fork w/carbon
steerer, 3T bars and stem,

Summary:
Viner TeamPro...Columbus Nemo tubing...steel is real, and lightweight steel rules!

I can ride this all day long and still be fresh. The Columbus frame is super sweet...matched with the Reynolds fork,
it's supple on rough roads yet stiff enough to power me up those long steep Colorado
hills and solid as a rock on the downhills. Hasn't felt sketchy at all, even on
early Spring sand and gravel covered roads. I can't wait to put this through its
paces on hot summer roads.

Strengths:
That go-fast Italian geometry. Killer paint. Slicker-than-snot shifts.
Your riding buddies going "daaaaaamn" Very light bike...people pick
it up and say "That's steel?"

Weaknesses:
Haven't found one yet...will let you know
if I do. But, uh...don't hold your breath.

Similar Products Used:
My last horse was (still is) a `94
Paramount...last of the Waterford frames.
Classic ride, but very different...now
just beautiful to look at.

Price Paid:  $2600.00 at Frame from Durst in Champaign, Ill.

Favorite Ride:
POW WOW (Peadle Over Wisc, Week On Wheels)

Bike Setup:
I had a 2001 model CAAD4 frame built up by a dealer with 100% Dura-Ace, including pedals and the WH-7700 Dura-Ace 16 spoke wheels. It has ITM Millennium Over (31.8 mm) bars, a Zepp stem, Selle Flite Trans-Am seat, a Chris King NoThreadSet and 700x23 Axial Pro tires. This CAAD4 road frame was ordered from a dealer on the Cannondale frame replace program for $599. It's painted SAECO red with yellow Cannondale and SAECO decals. It's the hottest lookin' bike I've seen in the 5 months I've been shopping / riding, (1,000 miles my first 3 months).

Summary:
If this bike was stolen or run over in the driveway tomorrow, I WOULD get another one just like it in a minute. I saw a cut-a-way of the frame at the Chicago CABDA consumer bike show and fell in love with the tubes. The exceptional look, shaping and feel of the tubes has resulted in a fantastically compliant ride, yet solid and precise steering. After considering Ti, carbon and high end steel, I'm so happy with this machine, no one believes me when I tell them my performance is the bike and not me.
I'm 5' 10' 175 lbs. and almost 50 yrs old. 20 years ago I averaged 14 ~ 15 mph on 60 to 100 mile rides on a Campy equipped Galmozzi (Colnago copy / wannabe). 20 years later and after not being on a bike for 15 years, I'm averaging over 17 mph on 70 milers.
As I said before, If it was gone tomorrow, I'd get a CAAD 4/5 frame set with Dura-Ace or Record and hot wheels without even a second thought to any of the other prestige brands. This bike is it! Climbs, sprints, tours, workouts, weekend events, you name it and this bike will make you better than you really are.

Strengths:
After 1000 miles, the strongest sensations are acceleration, ride, responsiviveness, steering, stability, speed, ride, speed, ride, speed ... did I mention this bike is gorgeous in SAECO red?

Weaknesses:
Only 1 very monor gripe ... The cable guide on the BB allows the cables to touch the paint. The rest of the bike is a dream.

Similar Products Used:
15 years on a 1974 Galmozzi Italian race frame with full Campy Record, (in storage for over 10 years).

Bike Setup:
Factory DA.

Summary:
Fast, fast, efficient, MAJOR HARSH ride.

Strengths:
Fast and efficient, absolutely.

Weaknesses:
Harsh, killer ride, really beats you up, Wisconsin roads are bad and this makes this bike too harsh to ride.
I love the efficiency but way too harsh. Anyone who says this rides ok must be on glass roads or never tried steel or others.

Similar Products Used:
Pinarello steel, Bianchi steel, numerous, Tange Prestige steel, Bridgestone RB-1, Paramount steel, Bianchi Reporto Corse aluminium, more.