Cannondale Six13

Price Paid:  $4000.00

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
The Mitre to The Bridgehouse

Bike Setup:
FSA K-force bars/stem, ram seat post, Force groupo, SI chainset, dodgy deep section carbon wheels (with Bora Ultra stickers).

Summary:
What happens to professionals' bikes when their teams disband? I don't know the answer to that, but I did manage to find Sabauliaskas' Team Saeco Cannondale at an obscure bike dealer in Switzerland. Now I know that shop bought Six13s probably bare no resemblence to this particular steed, but built up with SRAM Force and hookey immitation Bora Ultras, this bike turned out to be the quickest thing I've ever sat astride (although, I've never been carnally acquainted with Flo Jo). I never knew that bikes could corned so sharply at speed. I never knew that so much power could be tranferred to the wheels. And to top it all off, other cyclists would fall off their bikes, gawping at this beautiful charriot.

Strengths:
Weight (illegal)
Looks (should be illegal)
Rigidity

Weaknesses:
Too flash to chain up outside a pub.

Similar Products Used:
Specialized Tarmac COMP, Trek 5.9 Madone.

Price Paid:  $1350.00 at Alpine Bikes

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Dry, hilly with downhills

Bike Setup:
Full Ultegra sl, Maviv Elites, Ultremo tyres, Easton EA90 finishing kit

Summary:
Test rode several carbon bikes from £2k - £4k and preffered this one. SUper smooth, fast, lite and looks great. Built up with full Ultegra SLm Mavic Kysrium Elites and Easton EA90 finishing kit with Ultremo tyres.

Strengths:
Lite, smooth and fast

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Orbea Orca, Scott Addict, Cannondale system Six

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I've had this bike, a Cannondale Six13 5 Compact Crank, for five months now. I've put 1200 happy and fast miles on it through hills, mountain roads, and coastal highways. The bike won me over because it is comfortable to ride, stable at speed, (can do a wheelie) and climbs hills really well. I've found the bike balanced and reassuring, with good brakes thrown in too. Riding down a curvy mountain road downhill after a climb up the other side is so rewarding with this bike since it's so easy to get it up to speed, jam the brakes hard, then turn, lean and pedal out. That's the best way I can describe this bike. It lets you throw it around, yet is a precise instrument that lets you go really fast, fast.

Strengths:
Weight, acceleration, climbing ability, turning stability

Weaknesses:
low top end with compact cranks

Price Paid:  $1600.00 at Evans Cycles

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
BR116 group rides

Summary:
Mine is a 2008 Six13 105 model (full 105 groupset, Mavic wheels). The bike is incredible smooth. I felt like I was floating when first rode it. The rode feeling is also amazing. The bike is light and very responsive. It is really a dream bike (specially if compared with my old full alum bike). I can cruise at 40 km/h almost easily on this bike, while I usually struggled to keep this speed up with my old bike. Riding this bike is just fun, so much fun!

Strengths:
Light, responsive, extremely smooth, beatiful (mine is a black/white one)

Weaknesses:
None for far

Price Paid:  $1350.00 at Paceline bikes

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
The rural roads in Yadkin County

Bike Setup:
Ultegra Dura Ace mix and Mavic wheels. Six13 3

Summary:
2008 but not listed. I test rode this bike and loved it. My wife and I bought matching models and we are riding about 70 miles every weekend on them. They are smooth and responsive and have a very comfortable geometry. Love the way they climb hills, I was worried about the hills for my wife since the only other bikes we have ridden are our Specialized Crosstrails and it has a triple with a 34 tooth rear and she had trouble on hills with it. But on our Six13's she climbs with out any trouble and they have 53/39 on front and 11/25 on rear.

Strengths:
Componants and handling

Weaknesses:
none found as of yet.

Similar Products Used:
Test rides on Specialized Roubaix and Allez