Talk me out of buying a Cannonade Slate

daniel_b

Graeme_S wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

Graeme_S wrote:

Thanks for further comments (including entertaining attempts to dissuade me).

Looks like the frame has a lifetime warranty for the original owner. All other parts, including the lefty fork are a 1 year warranty.

Hmm, that's a bit sh1tty isn't it, that would put me off a fair bit, unless there are aftermarket, or fixed options you could replace it with, or will they be horrifically expensive?

if it were me, and it genuinely WAS a regular issue, I would want a 3-5 year warranty to let me feel like I could get something like my moneys worth out of it if the worst was to happen.

It looks like I got this wrong. The structural components of the lefty fork are covered by the frame's lifetime warranty. The smaller servicable components are covered by the 1 year parts warranty (although I read something else that said that was 2 years).

That's excellent news

arlowood

This might tempt the OP. Half price offer from Wheelbase if he fits a Medium or Large size

http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/cannondale-s ... 620a2026fe

graeme_s-2

arlowood wrote:

This might tempt the OP. Half price offer from Wheelbase if he fits a Medium or Large size

http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/cannondale-s ... 620a2026fe

Thanks Arlo. That was the offer that piqued my interest in the first place. Daniel B spotted another website with the same offer, but an additional 10% off offer code. I got Evans to price match it, and I'm having it delivered to my local store (the downside of this seems to be a 10-14 day wait).

daniel_b

It was Dr Lex actually, I merely spotted that he had spotted it......

trevorh

I have also just ordered the 105 and am awaiting the collection date as we speak!! I have also ignored the bad reviews that are out their and am just concentrating on the fact that they seem to be a really fun bike that will liven up my road rides. I will also use it to commute part on road and part off road. By using this route it will save me 7 minutes each way which is a bonus.

trivial_poursuivant

You want talking out of it? OK

It's a Cannondale with a BB30 bottom bracket

It will creak like a motherf*cker and it will drive you insane.

That is all

graeme_s-2

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

You want talking out of it? OK

It's a Cannondale with a BB30 bottom bracket

It will creak like a motherf*cker and it will drive you insane.

That is all

I did consider that as one of the downsides. I guess I'm just hoping for the best, alternatively I might be able to convert it at some future point.

Ultimately it turns out a bike forum full of bike enthusiasts who love shiny things was a terrible place to ask to be dissuaded from buying a shiny new bike! If only I'd known!

daniel_b

Graeme_S wrote:

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

You want talking out of it? OK

It's a Cannondale with a BB30 bottom bracket

It will creak like a motherf*cker and it will drive you insane.

That is all

I did consider that as one of the downsides. I guess I'm just hoping for the best, alternatively I might be able to convert it at some future point.

Ultimately it turns out a bike forum full of bike enthusiasts who love shiny things was a terrible place to ask to be dissuaded from buying a shiny new bike! If only I'd known!

Mine creaks a bit on my Scott, but it doesn't really bother me, I still enjoy the ride, a good bike is a good bike, a creak doesn't change that - well for me anyway, appreciate we are all different.
I used to own a modern Lotus, and they were full of creaks, and this that and the other - all part of the character and the charm, but it was the thrill of the drive that you bought it for, not the cold clinical efficiency you might get with other brands.

I even have a new ceramic BB, but can't be @rsed to fit it.

And yes to the bit on bold, I think that is called a strategy non

robbo2011

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

You want talking out of it? OK

It's a Cannondale with a BB30 bottom bracket

It will creak like a motherf*cker and it will drive you insane.

That is all

I was overtaken by one at the weekend on the cobbles of the Gotthard pass. Looked quite funky and with those wide tyres must have made the cobbles far easier than I was finding it on my 23mm tyres.

But yes, it was creaking like a motherf*cker. I could hear it coming up behind me from a long way away

graeme_s-2

Maybe I'll invest in some earplugs?

graeme_s-2

I finally collected this on Saturday. Was a bit of a protracted process with it taking Evans a fortnight to ship it to the store and the best part of a week to build it.

It's a beautiful looking bike (imo), but it is a weird beast. Have both tyres up tubeless now and have bedded the brakes in. Interesting to compare and contrast the 105 to the Rival 22 on my commuting bike. Much lighter action, feels more precise, but I do like the yaw front derailleur on the SRAM side that doesn't require trim positions. I prefer the action and feel of the shifts on the 105, but I quite like the brake leaver not moving side to side on SRAM. All swings and roundabouts I guess.

The quoted weight seemed about the same as the weight I remembered for my Planet X London Road, but it feels noticeably lighter to heft in your hands. Which I suspect means my London Road is heavier than I thought .

It accelerates better than I expected and generally feels very nimble. The high volume tyres and the front shock make it a very plush ride. It's kind of hilarious the stuff you can roll over without it being a jarring hit.

There's something weird going on with the steering that I haven't got used to yet (I've done less than 10 miles on it so far). Whenever I turn into a corner it feels like the bike wants to go straight on, but once it does turn in it has ridiculous amounts of grip due to having so much rubber on the ground. Definitely going to take a bit of getting used to!

daniel_b

Glad to hear it is in the main a big hit with you :-)

Hope the steering thing proves to be a non issue for you.

graeme_s-2

Daniel B wrote:

Glad to hear it is in the main a big hit with you :-)

Hope the steering thing proves to be a non issue for you.

I've seen it mentioned in passing in a couple of reviews. Feels like something I'll probably get used to rather than something that's going to spoil the bike. It's a fairly subtle sensation on corner entry rather than me careening into every corner unable to get the bike to turn.

graeme_s-2

On the bright side I did discover this morning it's the easiest bike to ride no handed I've ever ridden!

ugo.santalucia

Is it not just a feel out of having a one armed fork? I think you'll get used to it and the steering will feel more normal (or not)

veronese68

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Is it not just a feel out of having a one armed fork? I think you'll get used to it and the steering will feel more normal (or not)

I think the fork is meant to be very stiff in that respect, I'd have thought more likely a bit of suspension compression as it settles making it feel like it's ploughing on.
Try stiffening the compression adjuster (if it has one) and see if that makes a difference. It won't be as plush though.

graeme_s-2

When I picked it up from Evans they didn't set the shock up for me (I'd never owned a bike with suspension before and didn't appreciate what needed doing), so my first couple of rides were with the lockout engaged as there was only 40psi in the shock. Then I got hold of a shock pump and put it up to the recommended PSI for my weight. The suspension is pretty stiff and doesn't (noticeably) move under braking or while cornering.

I suspect it might be partly down to having a single strut rather than a fork. It feels like something I'll get used to and then never think about again rather than something that's compromising the steering on the bike.

I had a similarish feeling on my London Road when I first put 38C Hyper Voyagers on it and ran them at too high a pressure, so I might try letting a bit of air out of the tyres as well. I think it's to do with the feeling when the tyre rolls from the centre of the tread to the shoulder as you corner and the confidence I have in it.

At the moment as I turn into a corner I generally start to understeer and run a bit wider than I'd expected, but if I push the bike harder into the corner it grips like it's on rails. It's just like it requires a bit more steering input than I'm used to.

daniel_b

Pleased to hear all is going well - hands free is something I have dabbled in a bit, not the most confident though.

Good to hear that Evans took the time to set the fork up for you........... :roll:

Any chance of some pics at some point?

graeme_s-2

Still mucking about with the saddle height. I think I need to raise the height slightly and tilt it forwards slightly. Might be that I just don't get on with the saddle (it's a Fabric Scoop). One issue with it is the fabric it's made from has a slightly tackiness to it, and I've stuck to it when I've not expected to a couple of times now which has caught me out!

daniel_b

Ta - NICE! 8)

That is one handsome, no nonsense, distinctive set of wheels - wish I could find a reason for one!

graeme_s-2

Took it out at lunch and did 45 minutes on some grass, gravel, tarmac, a tarmac/flint/muddy cycle path, more mud and then back on tarmac.

It's a ridiculous bike that doesn't really have a sensible purpose, but I came back mud splattered and grinning ear to ear. I also hit just shy of 35 miles an hour on tarmac down a hill.

Just wish I'd remembered to put an ass saver on it before I went out. Have mud up the bike of my cycling gear now.