Cannondale: General opinion? (trade or upgrade?)

IsaacJohnson

I can't seem to find much mentioned in the mags or on here about how Cannondales are generally regarded.

I bought mine (CAAD3 aluminium hard tail) second hand a few years ago. It's solid but now it's time to upgrade. Is it worth a total component upgrade or should I just start a fresh?

If I upgrade it's probably going to be XT groupset and REBA's. If fresh start, I fancy the likes of COVE, Cotic, Charge or On-One.

I am 6ft and weigh 110kg and it will be for XC only.

Any clues or opinion would be gratefully recieved. Cheers.

Prowlus

Well Cannondales right now have one of the best frames of their price range (no weld joints at all and very light ) although for the high quality in the frame, the trade off is lower end components for their mid price range . The best tactic is to buy the bike for the cool frame and then swap out all the cheap parts for high end stuff over the course of 7 months like what i'm doing to my Prophet 4 now
It had X-7/X-5 groupset which I upgraded to X-9 . Juicy 3s which I changed to Juicy 7s . Isoflows that I ditched in favour of Xt's plus next week, its toras are going to be replaced by pikes . After all is done Its manipoo shock is replaced by a Fox RP3 or Marz Roco come January
Once all of that is finished , My cannondale will probably become the ultimate XC machine for both style and componentry 8)

dirtbiker100

gosh thats a choice and a half. Those bikes you mention are pretty delicious (would be my choices in a new bike for sure) but then the quality of cannondale frames is pretty darn high. I'd probably upgrade the cannondale if i was in a sensible frame of mind, but the temptation of a new bike is always high...
I was gonna say upgrade to better lighter parts but at 110kg lighter parts might not make much of a difference so yeah drivetrain and forks are a good upgrade i reckon.

easyg

What budget do you have?

IsaacJohnson

Budget loosely a grand, but am easily tempted.

Steve_F

On-one and the cotic (I think) are reviewed in this month's MBUK. On-one seems a bit of a left-field choice, I liked the different looks of the thing.

Prowlus

IsaacJohnson wrote:

Budget loosely a grand, but am easily tempted.

You can get the P-4 or its 2008 equivilent for that price . What your gonna get is a beautiful light frame looking almost as if its been poured into a mould rather than welded together . In fact buying a cannondale at that price range is almost like buying a bare frame only it has its bits tacked on giving you the oppitunity to slowly update it like a good computer with loads of "expansion slots" . Imagination and money is the only thing thats in he way

dirtbiker100

Prowlus wrote:

In fact buying a cannondale at that price range is almost like buying a bare frame only it has its bits tacked on giving you the oppitunity to slowly update it like a good computer with loads of "expansion slots".

is this saying he's got a great frame and should just upgrade it or buy a new bike?

Prowlus

i'm saying hes paying for a frame and not the components if he wants to go cannondale . He can upgrade the parts around it in due time like what i'm doing to mine now

dirtbiker100

are people missing the point he's already got a cannondale?
Doesn't he want to know whether to upgrade that or get a new bike? If he's already got a cannondale frame stay with that and just upgrade.

Prowlus

Sorry . Just like my current cdale, I'd say upgrade and refurbish it . Cannondales are the frames that can easily be upgraded. What is the name of the hardtail model btw?

IsaacJohnson

It just says CAAD 3 on the frame. It's about 6 years old and the frame is as good as new. It's a great bike and I always thought it was very light, but my flash housemate has a Mount Vision with full XTR that weighs frig all and it got me thinking (and a bit jealous). I think I will take the upgrade path especially after seeing some of the deals on Merlin Cycles website. Still stuck on that headset dilemma though.