Thinking of buying one of these cannondales

Neilw

Hi all,

I was a keen cyclist until a few years ago but I want to get back on the bike, I've just sold an mtb that I never used for 1500 so I'm thinking of buying one of these to ease back into cycling.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/g-star-raw-2008-hybrid-bike-ec000215

I'm going to use it to cycle to work, 1 mile each way and also just for getting some miles done in the evenings and weekends.

What are your opinions on the cannondale?

Thanks,
Neil.

Morgan

Incredibly bad value for money, overpriced co-branding horror.

digitalage

It looks crap imo

Neilw

Morgan wrote: »

Incredibly bad value for money, overpriced co-branding horror.

Any reason why you think that?

It has a bad boy alu frame, oil/air headshock with lockout, hydraulic discs, integrated 3watt rechargeable led light. I think it has a lot going for it.

studiorat

There's one in Cycleways. It looks like a tank, horrible thing.
Pop down there had have a look at the Cannondale Bad Boy single speed. (sexy)
Giant make a nice city bike too, with hub gears and discs etc.

Neilw

studiorat wrote: »

There's one in Cycleways. It looks like a tank, horrible thing.
Pop down there had have a look at the Cannondale Bad Boy single speed. (sexy)
Giant make a nice city bike too, with hub gears and discs etc.

Thanks for that, I'll go in cycleways today

I don't like giants, never liked the look of them. I know they make good bikes, I used to sell them but I just don't like the styling.

penexpers

Neilw wrote: »

Any reason why you think that?

It has a bad boy alu frame, oil/air headshock with lockout, hydraulic discs, integrated 3watt rechargeable led light. I think it has a lot going for it.

It's a nice bike but it's shockingly overpriced for the components that come with it.

Neilw

penexpers wrote: »

It's a nice bike but it's shockingly overpriced for the components that come with it.

Even with 200sterling off the price, free delivery to Ireland with evans cycles too?

kenmc

eugh.
//looks for vomiticon

Neilw

OK, so what would you recommend? I have up to 1600euro's to spend.

Morgan

Neilw wrote: »

Any reason why you think that?

It has a bad boy alu frame, oil/air headshock with lockout, hydraulic discs, integrated 3watt rechargeable led light. I think it has a lot going for it.

The front suspension is completely superflous on a bike intended for road use. It adds weight, complexity and cost.

It comes with mudguards, but they're too short and will result in your legs and back being covered in road-spray.

I wouldn't be too influenced by the light - lights are cheap.

By comparision, here's a mtb with Alfine hub, discs and suspension for £250 less (£450 less than RRP)
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ridgeback/genesis-io-id-2009-mountain-bike-ec017147
(I wouldn't recommend this one either - just to show the price)

On the positive side - the chain guard is handy.

penexpers

Neilw wrote: »

Even with 200sterling off the price, free delivery to Ireland with evans cycles too?

It's 200 sterling off because it's last years model.

The components on it are mostly mid-to-lower range. If I was spending that much on a bike, I would expect slightly higher end components.

niceonetom

tbh i'd rather do the one mile on my hands and knees, but...

underneath all that branding there is the semblance of a good(ish) commuter. you do not need suspension on the road (heavy and pointless), i have similar view about disc brakes. but if you really want a bad boy why not just get one and stick mudguards on it. it's still hugely overpriced though.

how secure is the area this bike would be parked at work? that's a very pricey commuter that anto would be very interested in. and all that branding screams "resale value" to me.

have you considered a road orientated hybrid?

Raam

I like the look of this
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/charge/plug-racer-2008-road-bike-ec000243

Although Anto might like that one too.

Neilw

niceonetom wrote: »

tbh i'd rather do the one mile on my hands and knees, but...

underneath all that branding there is the semblance of a good(ish) commuter. you do not need suspension on the road (heavy and pointless), i have similar view about disc brakes. but if you really want a bad boy why not just get one and stick mudguards on it. it's still hugely overpriced though.

how secure is the area this bike would be parked at work? that's a very pricey commuter that anto would be very interested in. and all that branding screams "resale value" to me.

have you considered a road orientated hybrid?

Area I will leave the bike is secure, there a plenty of good bikes parked each day.

The cannondale fitted the bill as I could fit some semi knobby tyres and use it along the canal, suspension would help for that too.

Road based hybrid is not what I'm looking for, I would like the option of being able to use it on some light off road tracks.

Raam

Neilw wrote: »

Area I will leave the bike is secure, there a plenty of good bikes parked each day.

The cannondale fitted the bill as I could fit some semi knobby tyres and use it along the canal, suspension would help for that too.

Road based hybrid is not what I'm looking for, I would like the option of being able to use it on some light off road tracks.

I dunno about you, but I'd get two bikes
One for the road, one for not on the road.

Morgan

Yeah, your €1600 budget would get you a cheap commuter and something nicer for longer spins.

Vélo

Neilw, I bet you wish you didn't come one here!

Lumen

How about either of these?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Felt_F1X_2008/5360032885/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus_Mares_Expert_2009/5360037600/

Well within budget and would do "light off road tracks" no problem.

eta: the Felt is almost out of stock - only big ones left.

Diarmuid

Neilw wrote: »

Hi all,

I was a keen cyclist until a few years ago but I want to get back on the bike, I've just sold an mtb that I never used for 1500 so I'm thinking of buying one of these to ease back into cycling.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/g-star-raw-2008-hybrid-bike-ec000215

I'd say BikeSnob would go to town on that one ! (not literally)

Raam

He really wants a road bike. He just doesn't know it yet.

Lumen

Raam wrote: »

He really wants a road bike. He just doesn't know it yet.

FWIW, my last bike (hybrid with drops) had 32 mm tyres and a suspension seatpost, and the comfort was great. It worked well enough on road to do 50+ mile weekend spins at a reasonable clip, too. Not very fashionable in this age of plastic race bikes though.

I'm still getting used to riding a proper road bike, i.e. having to dodge potholes rather than glide over them.

Those cyclocross bikes look a right laugh.

Neilw

Lumen wrote: »

How about either of these?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Felt_F1X_2008/5360032885/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus_Mares_Expert_2009/5360037600/

Well within budget and would do "light off road tracks" no problem.

eta: the Felt is almost out of stock - only big ones left.

I looked at a couple of cyclocross bikes in cycleways today, a specialized for 999 and a cannondale for 1250 I think, they appealed to me more then the g-star cannondale did. Didn't look great in the metal although I was looking at in in the window of debenhams :rolleyes:

Raam wrote: »

He really wants a road bike. He just doesn't know it yet.

Not a chance, not into road bikes at all.

So the g-star is out, a cyclocross with full mudguards may fit the bill, but the drop bars are putting me off.

Time to look at hybrids I think

Neilw

Aquinas73 wrote: »

Neilw, I bet you wish you didn't come one here!

Not really, would I redeem myself if I posted what my other two bike are I wonder

Raam

Neilw wrote: »

but the drop bars are putting me off.

What's wrong with 'em?

niceonetom

or...

Lumen

niceonetom wrote: »

or...

A few nice Kinesis cross bikes on there.

This one hits the budget.

easy guv'nor

Got one last xmas and never looked back. No suspension, decent disc brakes and frame strong enough to take the potholes and single tracks if you want.

Main reason I changed to it from a road bike (apart from the urban good looks :pac: ) was that it meant I could watch the traffic around me instead of trying to spot and avoid every pothole on the commute and particularly in town.

The 2009 model is here for €575.

copacetic

lovely planet x cyclocross build with flat bars that I have been considering for a while. Might fit the bill? £599GBP only large left though.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24233

studiorat

Focus Cross Disc...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus_Cross_Disc_2008/5360031290/

scottreynolds

How about you get areal mountain bike then... and just ride it. That cannondale is like marrying your cousin -- its something you'll find okay but no one will every understand.

For the money, 1600 ish, I would buy a decent mountain bike and slip a pir of good slicks on it for your commute. Scott scale and that way you could do some real mountin biking if you so desire.

However, if yu have no desire to do ful on mountain biking, nor road racing, I suggest getting an ANNUAL BUS PASS...... failing that a cheap as chips (799) commuter after....... you wil use it for is getting to work and nothing else. It also sounds like ou should buy locally so you can take i in for servicng

Neilw

scottreynolds wrote: »

How about you get areal mountain bike then... and just ride it. That cannondale is like marrying your cousin -- its something you'll find okay but no one will every understand.

For the money, 1600 ish, I would buy a decent mountain bike and slip a pir of good slicks on it for your commute. Scott scale and that way you could do some real mountin biking if you so desire.

However, if yu have no desire to do ful on mountain biking, nor road racing, I suggest getting an ANNUAL BUS PASS...... failing that a cheap as chips (799) commuter after....... you wil use it for is getting to work and nothing else. It also sounds like ou should buy locally so you can take i in for servicng

I already have two "real" mountain bikes, a rocky mountain switch sl and a rocky mountain vertex built up with xtr, sram and dt swiss parts.

I have no intentions of buying a road bike, I don't like drop bars

No need to buy locally, I can service bikes, I built the rocky vertex myself and I have most of the specialized tools needed.

Kinetic^

Seriously, don't buy that "thing". It looks like a cross between the hulk and patches O'hoolihan!

blorg

scottreynolds wrote: »

How about you get areal mountain bike then... and just ride it. That cannondale is like marrying your cousin -- its something you'll find okay but no one will every understand.

I don't normally do this but I genuinely LOLed

Riding a MTB on the road is going to be generally pretty frustrating and pointless IMHO.

If you want something that will do light track but don't plan crazy stuff a cyclocross bike is a very good option- get one with brakes on the flats if you are afraid of the drops (you will probably come around to them in time when the wind starts up.) Or get a flat bar cross bike if you really want.

blorg

Neilw wrote: »

I have no intentions of buying a road bike, I don't like drop bars

What is it about the road bike and drop bars, you seem to have something really visceral going on with them.

studiorat

Buy the Cannondale!

It's a good safe bike for riding around the streets. In fact get a big luminous jersey and wear your helmet backwards while you're at it.


:D:D

hic! I'd better go to bed...

Morgan

Neilw wrote: »

Road based hybrid is not what I'm looking for, I would like the option of being able to use it on some light off road tracks.

Not sure why you'd want to ride your commuter off-road since you already have two good mtbs. However, if that's what you want then a cyclocross bike is the way to go. With flat bars if you're so inclined. Drop bars are great though (IMO).

Either that or stick some 1" slicks on the Switch and put a rear carrier on it .

Neilw

Right, the g-star is out, don't like the look of it having seen it in the metal.
Was in cycleways and cyclogical yesterday, looked at specialized sirrus and kona hybrids which I didn't like the look of.
I did like the all black cannondale bad boys, so I've narrowed it down to either of these two.
They are 08 bikes which does not bother me at all.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/bad-boy-8-2008-hybrid-bike-ec000110

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/bad-boy-700-2007-hybrid-bike-ec014831

Fitted with full mudguards.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25793

And semi-knobby tyres like these.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=20457

I know people are going to say cannondales are overpriced but I like the look of them compared to any of the other hybrid/city bikes I've seen.

Neil.

Lumen

Are you sure proper mudguards will fit a bad boy?

FWIW, you can get full chromoplastic mudguards in black (I have them), and they look much better than silver on a dark bike IMO.

Neilw

Lumen wrote: »

Are you sure proper mudguards will fit a bad boy?

FWIW, you can get full chromoplastic mudguards in black (I have them), and they look much better than silver on a dark bike IMO.

Not 100% sure they will fit, only going on what a guy in cycleways said.
The mudguards are available in black, I wouldn't put silver on it

Morgan

Squinting at the picture - it doesn't look like there are mudguard eyelets on the disc fork (they're on the non-disc model). The disc caliper could also interfere with fitting.

copacetic

Morgan wrote: »

Squinting at the picture - it doesn't look like there are mudguard eyelets on the disc fork (they're on the non-disc model). The disc caliper could also interfere with fitting.

they do support the guards like these though: