As there is no spot for this in the product review section, I decided to post an ongoing review of the 2005 Cannondale R700 here, in hopes that it will be of some help to those looking into a new bike for the new season. This is going to be a bit lengthy (my rationale being that more information is better than less), so please either humor me or just skip over anything that bores you.
First, a little bio so that you know who is yapping at you about the bike. I'm a late 20's recreational rider who spends most of his time on the dirt. I've never done a road race (some duathalons that involved road sections, but that's it), but I've done a few mountain bike races and finished quite respectively. This is simply to say that I'm a bit more than a weekend duffer, but not exactly a shaven-legged Cat 3 lightning bolt. My previous road bike was an high end but old Trek steel bike from the 80s (hence my handle) wearing Suntour Superbe Pro. A nice ride, no doubt -- smooth and snappy -- but not one that could really stand the road racing I'd like to get into later this season. [I'll be putting this bike up for sale at a very reasonable price, by the way -- heads up collectors.] More info: I'm roughly 6 ft tall and right at 190 pounds, so I'm no lightweight. Also, as primarily a SSer on the trail and more of a power rider, I tend to be a standing climber and a bit of a pedal masher in a sprint. Long climbs aren't really my strength (notice above weight), but shorter sprint climbs that I can charge are a specialty.
Also relevant is that while I'm primarily a student, I do work part-time at a bike shop, meaning not only did I employee purchase this bike, but that it does come with some inside knowledge and a great deal of comparison testing. While I'm primarily in sales I do a little wrenching as well, so at least I'm not a complete nimrod about how the thing is put together. Also, I'm in central NC, where the roads are mostly rolling hills, with no climbs very long, but nothing very flat either.
First off, I bought this bike over the Specialized Allez Elite and the Allez Elite Cromo, the Trek 1500, and the Cannondale R500 and R900 (all 2005 models). As this will be a review of only the R700 I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time on these bikes (unless you want -- feel free to ask for more); suffice it to say that they're all good bikes, but that my particular riding style coupled with financial concerns eventually (and after much deliberation) drew me to the R700.
Enough drivel, to the review:
At this point I've only put the bike together and taken a quick spin around the parking lot (the weather isn't great here), but I do have a few observations. Regarding the finish (I know you roadies care about aesthetics
), I got this bike in the Patriot Blue flavor, and I must say that I'm impressed. While I tend toward things that are a bit more subdued, out of the box this bike does look good, with the blue-to-blue fade looking much better in person than in the catalogue. If you're thinking about the bike and think the grey is too bland and the orange to, well, orange, then the blue isn't a bad idea. Also, the wheels (Shimano 550s) came out of the box true as could be, which always makes me feel good (surprisingly, this isn't always the case with all companies). While the build did take longer than other similar bikes by other brands (this is typical for Cannondales -- they come with less assembled, presumably to save on their American labor costs), everything was in good order and that which was assembled was solid.
I do have a couple of less-than-glowing observations. First, the Cannondale carbon seatpost is less than stellar. While the inclusion of a carbon post on this bike is great, this particular model is a bit heavy and doesn't have the feel of some snazzier carbon, or even Specialized in-house Pave post. Also, the tires (Hutchinsons) aren't all that great, as they feel like they are low-TPI with weak sidewalls. This isn't really a surprise at this price point or in comparison for other similar bikes, but it you think that you're getting Hutchison's top of the line (in comparison to some other brands in-house rubber), you should know that you're not so lucky. Further, the bars do come with Fiz'ik bar gel, but I don't really know what to think about that. The gel pads are a mess to put on, add weight, and make for a big, round grip. I decided not to put them on for now but to save them in case I want them later; ask your shop to put them on/leave them off as is your personal preference. Oh, and the seat isn't anything to write home about: it might not make it past the inaugural ride.
Those things noted, this bike does look good (both aesthetically and mechanically) when built up. While my brief rides certainly don't do it justice, it does roll right up hills, which makes me happy.
I'm going to fight the weather for a good long maiden voyage over the next few days and I'll post my impressions. Feel free to post questions, or general harassing comments for the length of the review. In any event, I hope someone finds this useful.
Out.
First, a little bio so that you know who is yapping at you about the bike. I'm a late 20's recreational rider who spends most of his time on the dirt. I've never done a road race (some duathalons that involved road sections, but that's it), but I've done a few mountain bike races and finished quite respectively. This is simply to say that I'm a bit more than a weekend duffer, but not exactly a shaven-legged Cat 3 lightning bolt. My previous road bike was an high end but old Trek steel bike from the 80s (hence my handle) wearing Suntour Superbe Pro. A nice ride, no doubt -- smooth and snappy -- but not one that could really stand the road racing I'd like to get into later this season. [I'll be putting this bike up for sale at a very reasonable price, by the way -- heads up collectors.] More info: I'm roughly 6 ft tall and right at 190 pounds, so I'm no lightweight. Also, as primarily a SSer on the trail and more of a power rider, I tend to be a standing climber and a bit of a pedal masher in a sprint. Long climbs aren't really my strength (notice above weight), but shorter sprint climbs that I can charge are a specialty.
Also relevant is that while I'm primarily a student, I do work part-time at a bike shop, meaning not only did I employee purchase this bike, but that it does come with some inside knowledge and a great deal of comparison testing. While I'm primarily in sales I do a little wrenching as well, so at least I'm not a complete nimrod about how the thing is put together. Also, I'm in central NC, where the roads are mostly rolling hills, with no climbs very long, but nothing very flat either.
First off, I bought this bike over the Specialized Allez Elite and the Allez Elite Cromo, the Trek 1500, and the Cannondale R500 and R900 (all 2005 models). As this will be a review of only the R700 I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time on these bikes (unless you want -- feel free to ask for more); suffice it to say that they're all good bikes, but that my particular riding style coupled with financial concerns eventually (and after much deliberation) drew me to the R700.
Enough drivel, to the review:
At this point I've only put the bike together and taken a quick spin around the parking lot (the weather isn't great here), but I do have a few observations. Regarding the finish (I know you roadies care about aesthetics
), I got this bike in the Patriot Blue flavor, and I must say that I'm impressed. While I tend toward things that are a bit more subdued, out of the box this bike does look good, with the blue-to-blue fade looking much better in person than in the catalogue. If you're thinking about the bike and think the grey is too bland and the orange to, well, orange, then the blue isn't a bad idea. Also, the wheels (Shimano 550s) came out of the box true as could be, which always makes me feel good (surprisingly, this isn't always the case with all companies). While the build did take longer than other similar bikes by other brands (this is typical for Cannondales -- they come with less assembled, presumably to save on their American labor costs), everything was in good order and that which was assembled was solid.I do have a couple of less-than-glowing observations. First, the Cannondale carbon seatpost is less than stellar. While the inclusion of a carbon post on this bike is great, this particular model is a bit heavy and doesn't have the feel of some snazzier carbon, or even Specialized in-house Pave post. Also, the tires (Hutchinsons) aren't all that great, as they feel like they are low-TPI with weak sidewalls. This isn't really a surprise at this price point or in comparison for other similar bikes, but it you think that you're getting Hutchison's top of the line (in comparison to some other brands in-house rubber), you should know that you're not so lucky. Further, the bars do come with Fiz'ik bar gel, but I don't really know what to think about that. The gel pads are a mess to put on, add weight, and make for a big, round grip. I decided not to put them on for now but to save them in case I want them later; ask your shop to put them on/leave them off as is your personal preference. Oh, and the seat isn't anything to write home about: it might not make it past the inaugural ride.
Those things noted, this bike does look good (both aesthetically and mechanically) when built up. While my brief rides certainly don't do it justice, it does roll right up hills, which makes me happy.
I'm going to fight the weather for a good long maiden voyage over the next few days and I'll post my impressions. Feel free to post questions, or general harassing comments for the length of the review. In any event, I hope someone finds this useful.
Out.
