| The Cannondale bicycle line is very well known among | | | | Cannondale addressed both nicely. |
| the cycling community. As a company they offer elite | | | | 7. A look at the seat tube shows improvements in |
| road bikes down to very cost effective entry-level | | | | weight with an aluminum seat tube lighter than the |
| road bikes. A new or used road bike can be found for | | | | Six13 while using a stiffer carbon seatpost. |
| a great price and many bikes are featured over at | | | | Taking all of this into account we get a frame weight |
| Road Bike USA. In this article, we will look at the | | | | of about 2.45 pounds, using a standard mid-size model |
| Cannondale SystemSix... A very popular choice among | | | | with paint. |
| the Cannondale model line due to the lightweight but | | | | Nice additional features |
| extremely efficient ride. The SystemSix is a great | | | | Wheels are lighter than those of many competitors |
| choice for riders of any ability and is sure to satisfy | | | | and those used in the Cannondale road bike are the |
| your fit. Let's dissect the bicycle a little further... | | | | Mavic Ksyrium ES weighing in at just over 3.2 pounds |
| Key features of the bike: | | | | a set. Titanium skewers and axles accompany this |
| | | | and add additional flash to the ride. |
| 1. For loyal cyclists who want to get the highest quality | | | | Our takeaways from riding the SystemSix... |
| road bike it is good to know where your bike was | | | | Stability and responsiveness is seen when riding, |
| made. Were 15 parts mixed together from God | | | | especially during descents or sharp turns when |
| knows where? Not with this road bike... Handmade in | | | | compared to Felt and Trek bikes. I seemed to be |
| Bedford Pennsylvania, you know where your bike was | | | | going much faster and felt safer than a comparable |
| built. | | | | Trek. The wheels are excellent and a definite upgrade, |
| 2. 8 different frame sizes - 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 | | | | a nice touch for an out of box wheelset. |
| & 63cm | | | | Aesthetics are personal preference but my view is |
| 3. Many brands over much less while some may offer | | | | that the larger tubes not only perform well but also |
| a 5th or 6th size, but Cannondale goes further to give | | | | look unique and different. I like to get looks and |
| riders a road bicycle with 8 different size choices, | | | | performance in the same package. What I read going |
| ensuring greater comfort for any person's height. | | | | into the ride was to monitor the saddle during the ride |
| 4. 6 stem sizes - 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 & 130mm | | | | as this is sometimes an issue. The Fizik saddle works |
| 5. SystemSix carbon stem gives a great amount of | | | | for some but is uncomfortable for others. I personally |
| stiffness, a desired quality among experienced riders, | | | | ride a different saddle and found the provided one |
| complementing the front end of the bike. As stated | | | | uncomfortable after hours in the saddle. However, |
| above, stiffness has been studied and optimized on | | | | some people love them so this is something to try |
| the SystemSix with the front end, top tube and down | | | | yourself if wanting to switch the Fizik. |
| tube all optimized for lateral and torsional stiffness. | | | | For the price of $3500 for the SystemSix 3 it |
| 6. A lightweight bicycle is also popular among roadies | | | | compares to bikes much more expensive and at its |
| and triathletes and Cannondale addresses this in many | | | | weight of 16.5 pounds for the 56cm (cannondale.com) |
| ways. For example, the larger carbon head tube | | | | it is a great choice. Buying a used road bike can shave |
| eliminates unnecessary welding further reducing | | | | off a $1,000 or more off the retail price while giving |
| additional material for bicycle construction. In addition to | | | | you a like new bicycle. Check out online superstores, |
| this, an oversized down tube gives a thinner wall | | | | such as Road Bike USA (roadbikeusa.com) and see if |
| reducing weight. Sometimes with reduced weight, | | | | your ride is there. |
| companies fail in the stiffness category, but | | | | |