Cannondale R600

"Daremo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

First is still the best .......... Steel rules the world!

Nothing can beat the ride quality and feel of a really nice Italian
steel frame.

With a nice well built carbon or ti frame not far behind .......... :-P

I've ridden steel for almost 30 years and do enjoy the ride. I currently
have operational a 531 Austro-Daimler and a Marin Treviso made in Italy by
Billato with Columbus Nemo. I love the ride of the Marin and it is almost
as stiff as the CAAD5 but not as good, especially when climbing. I rode a
CAAD3 years ago and it was awful. The CAAD5 with the hourglass stays and
Slice fork make for a surprisingly smooth ride. If I could only have one,
I'd have a tough decision. BTW, the CAAD5 bike is 3 lbs lighter than the
Marin and it's built with mostly Ultegra compared to the Treviso that is 8sp
Record throughout.

Daremo said:

ruing

Make that "ruined."

--

I've ridden steel since I got into cycling in '91 with my first few
bikes being off the shelf [censored], but effective nonetheless.

My first nice steel frame was a custom built GT Edge made out of Excell
tubing and fillet brazed in '94, the first year they made them. Light,
stiff, but still compliant and smooth. It had very aggressive geometry,
so I used it primarily as my race bike. Fully built up with 8 spd Dura
Ace sti, and any light part that reps brought in to demo at the shop, I
had it down to 19.5 lbs. They may not sound light, but for a 60 cm steel
frame back in '95, it was lighter than most of the high end aluminum and
ti bikes at the time. And a hell of a lot better ride!

I absolutely loved Colnagos from the first time I laid my eyes on
them. So I convinced the owner of the first shop I worked at to become
a dealer, exclusively so I could buy one. I ordered a Master Chrono TT
frame (700C rear, 26" front, sloping top tube, curved seat stay) in
the Mapei-Clas team colors. They had to custom order it from Italy as
there were none in the states at the time for sale. After four months,
I got it, built it up with Dura Ace and Spynergy's, and rode it
........ it was the most beautiful bike I have ever seen. After
testing it out in the parking lot, I came right back in and ordered a
Technos road frame ............. it struck me that much how perfect
the ride was in one ride.

The next year I got GT to sponsor my team, and they gave us an aluminum
Edge frame. Built it up, raced it for the season, sold it the first
chance I got. After riding and racing aluminum, Ti, and whippy Trek
carbon, I knew that nothing could replace a perfect steel frame. They
may not be light, but weight isn't everything for a casual rider.

I currently own a Torrelli (by Mondonico) Countach built with Brain OS
tubing. Far from light, but very nice.

I've sold everything from Cannondale, Klein, and Quintana Roo to
Litespeed, Merlin and Giants ............ none of them can last compared
to the Steel frames I've owned.

Sorry, <end waxing philosophic> .......... not really relevant to the
post other than saying that getting a light/super stiff bike isn't
everything. Why punish yourself on crappy roads with such a stiff frame
that is ruing if some schmo at your LBS accidently clamps it in the
stand. I've seen and ridden everything short of a Berylium frame, there
is no substitute ..........

--

"Daremo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've ridden steel since I got into cycling in '91 with my first few
bikes being off the shelf [censored], but effective nonetheless.

My first nice steel frame was a custom built GT Edge made out of Excell
tubing and fillet brazed in '94, the first year they made them. Light,
stiff, but still compliant and smooth. It had very aggressive geometry,
so I used it primarily as my race bike. Fully built up with 8 spd Dura
Ace sti, and any light part that reps brought in to demo at the shop, I
had it down to 19.5 lbs. They may not sound light, but for a 60 cm steel
frame back in '95, it was lighter than most of the high end aluminum and
ti bikes at the time. And a hell of a lot better ride!

I absolutely loved Colnagos from the first time I laid my eyes on
them. So I convinced the owner of the first shop I worked at to become
a dealer, exclusively so I could buy one. I ordered a Master Chrono TT
frame (700C rear, 26" front, sloping top tube, curved seat stay) in
the Mapei-Clas team colors. They had to custom order it from Italy as
there were none in the states at the time for sale. After four months,
I got it, built it up with Dura Ace and Spynergy's, and rode it
....... it was the most beautiful bike I have ever seen. After
testing it out in the parking lot, I came right back in and ordered a
Technos road frame ............. it struck me that much how perfect
the ride was in one ride.

The next year I got GT to sponsor my team, and they gave us an aluminum
Edge frame. Built it up, raced it for the season, sold it the first
chance I got. After riding and racing aluminum, Ti, and whippy Trek
carbon, I knew that nothing could replace a perfect steel frame. They
may not be light, but weight isn't everything for a casual rider.

I currently own a Torrelli (by Mondonico) Countach built with Brain OS
tubing. Far from light, but very nice.

I've sold everything from Cannondale, Klein, and Quintana Roo to
Litespeed, Merlin and Giants ............ none of them can last compared
to the Steel frames I've owned.

Sorry, <end waxing philosophic> .......... not really relevant to the
post other than saying that getting a light/super stiff bike isn't
everything. Why punish yourself on crappy roads with such a stiff frame
that is ruing if some schmo at your LBS accidently clamps it in the
stand. I've seen and ridden everything short of a Berylium frame, there
is no substitute ..........

My Treviso weighs 20.5 lbs and the CAAD5 about 17.5 or so. The ride on the
CAAD5 is really quite comfortable but without the spring of steel. As I
said, it would be a tough call if I could only have one of them.

Daremo said:

First is still the best .......... Steel rules the world!

Nothing can beat the ride quality and feel of a really nice Italian
steel frame.

With a nice well built carbon or ti frame not far behind .......... :-P

Have you seen that new steel they're working with? A friend got a frame
(custom painted and all) killer fine craftsmanship (welds? It looks like
it grew like that) and light, about 17.5 lbs with Performance wheels.
He says it rides just like a steel bike with the weight of Ti.

Usually I ride a Colnago Dream+ (alu) light, stiff, responsive. When it
came to riding in the rain I picked up a 'winter bike' off eBay. Turns
out it's a GT Edge, Excell tubing 9 spd Campy Record w/carbon shifters.
Rides over rotten roads like a Lincoln Continental, but weights in the
20 lb vicinity. Was a tough decision to park it when the sun came back
out and get back on the stiff Colnago. I love em both.

Daremo said:

I've ridden steel since I got into cycling in '91 with my first few
bikes being off the shelf [censored], but effective nonetheless.

My first nice steel frame was a custom built GT Edge made out of Excell
tubing and fillet brazed in '94, the first year they made them. Light,
stiff, but still compliant and smooth. It had very aggressive geometry,
so I used it primarily as my race bike. Fully built up with 8 spd Dura
Ace sti, and any light part that reps brought in to demo at the shop, I
had it down to 19.5 lbs. They may not sound light, but for a 60 cm steel
frame back in '95, it was lighter than most of the high end aluminum and
ti bikes at the time. And a hell of a lot better ride!

I absolutely loved Colnagos from the first time I laid my eyes on
them. So I convinced the owner of the first shop I worked at to become
a dealer, exclusively so I could buy one. I ordered a Master Chrono TT
frame (700C rear, 26" front, sloping top tube, curved seat stay) in
the Mapei-Clas team colors. They had to custom order it from Italy as
there were none in the states at the time for sale. After four months,
I got it, built it up with Dura Ace and Spynergy's, and rode it
........ it was the most beautiful bike I have ever seen. After
testing it out in the parking lot, I came right back in and ordered a
Technos road frame ............. it struck me that much how perfect
the ride was in one ride.

The next year I got GT to sponsor my team, and they gave us an aluminum
Edge frame. Built it up, raced it for the season, sold it the first
chance I got. After riding and racing aluminum, Ti, and whippy Trek
carbon, I knew that nothing could replace a perfect steel frame. They
may not be light, but weight isn't everything for a casual rider.

I currently own a Torrelli (by Mondonico) Countach built with Brain OS
tubing. Far from light, but very nice.

I've sold everything from Cannondale, Klein, and Quintana Roo to
Litespeed, Merlin and Giants ............ none of them can last compared
to the Steel frames I've owned.

Sorry, <end waxing philosophic> .......... not really relevant to the
post other than saying that getting a light/super stiff bike isn't
everything. Why punish yourself on crappy roads with such a stiff frame
that is ruing if some schmo at your LBS accidently clamps it in the
stand. I've seen and ridden everything short of a Berylium frame, there
is no substitute ..........

--

Daremo said:

First is still the best .......... Steel rules the world!
Nothing can beat the ride quality and feel of a really nice Italian
steel frame.

Perhaps... I went from R531 Pro to Alu two years ago and I must say I
love the Alu just as much as I loved the R531. But it's a matter of
taste, that's for sure. There is definitely nothing wrong (and much to
say for it!) for a finely chiseled Italian frame... WITH NON-ITALIAN
PAINT (laughs). Italian paint can be rather "chippy"

That said; a good steel frame starts at 1k$ at least. I doubt that steel
can compete in the bang for the buck "sub 2k for a bike" sector. I think
the C'dale is a good bike with unmatched upgrade options... that frame
won't be out of place with Dura-Ace/Record slapped on it. What other
1.5k production bike has that option? None afaik.

-> Yeah I would pick a handmade, custom frame with custom kit any day
over a C'dale. But I am an experienced rider, who knows what to look
for. For a starter the R600 is a good pick.

--

"Daremo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

First is still the best .......... Steel rules the world!

Nothing can beat the ride quality and feel of a really nice Italian
steel frame.

I had a really nice Italian steel frame once, and it was a nice ride. After
a dozen years I finally banged it up, but it was starting to reach the end
of its usefulness anyway. Next I bought a aluminum/carbon fibre chimera
(Fondriest) and it's a far better ride than the steel frame ever was. I was
surprised, as I thought 'Steel is Real' was dogma. It's not.