Cannondale CADD 3 frame

Quoted message said:

I bought a starter bike, Cannondale R400 with Sora components. I find that I am riding all the time
and am considering upgrading. My question is it worth it? I am wanting a carbon fork to help smooth
the ride.

The most effective way to smooth the ride is to buy some larger tires and run them at somewhat
less pressure.

Jon Isaacs

Quoted message said:

The most effective way to smooth the ride is to buy some larger tires and run them at somewhat less
pressure.

Or buy a steel frame. Aluminum bikes are punishing. Steel will glide down the road but be stiff
enough for crisp cornering and sprinting.

Fit matters more, especially for comfort. If you fit better then you can better absorb the road
conditions. After you adjust your fit, then consider tires suitable for your riding style. I'd
suggest 700x25 or wider.

Ignore the comment about steel versus aluminum. The large Cannondales are great for big guys, better
than almost any steel frame except custom ones made with oversize tubes.

Carbon fork? Carbon will dampen some of the very fine vibration, and it sounds different. Tires
matter more. Fit matters the most. If you put less weight on the handlebars then you feel the bumps
less. That said, after you look into those get the carbon forks, but make sure it's a stiff one.
Note that most forks are designed for an average size, and are only made in one version with only
different length steerer tubes. So you need one on the stiff end of the market. For exampe, the
Kestrel with steel steerer tube fits that and can be found for $140.

-Bruce

"Valerie/Hal Hudson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I bought a starter bike, Cannondale R400 with Sora components. I find

that

Quoted message said:

I am riding all the time and am considering upgrading. My question is it worth it? I am wanting a
carbon fork to help smooth the ride. I am 6'7", 215 lbs so an aluminum frame is not bad but I have
nothing to compare it

to.

Quoted message said:

Appreciate any thoughts...H

(Jkpoulos7) said:

Quoted message said:

The most effective way to smooth the ride is to buy some larger tires and run them at somewhat
less pressure.

Or buy a steel frame. Aluminum bikes are punishing. Steel will glide down the road but be stiff
enough for crisp cornering and sprinting.

Warning to neophytes here:

Do NOT listen to anything jkpoulos7 has to say.

I'll be happy to demonstrate why this advice is wrong if necessary, but only a basic understanding
of materials science will do it as well.

--
Ted Bennett Portland OR

Look at Fit first. And like others have said, bigger tires, different pressures, etc. I just went
from an R600 Cadd3 to a "Steel is Real" restored 1990 Schwinn Paramount. Did my first ride today (30
miles) on the Paramount, and I like the ride alot better. (used the wheels off the R600). I think
frame material is more a preference, having both to compare, I think I'm going to like the
Paramount, it feels smoother. But I think it's a frame material thing, and a component thing. DA vs
105 groupo thing too. Haven't weighed it yet, but side by side the R600 and the Paramount feel about
the same weight wise.

Here's the steel is real bike, complete with steel fork:

wolfenet.orgIMG 0757Open ↗

For some interesting reading on fit and what works and why, the Rivendell site has some good stuff.

rivendellbicycles.comrivendellbicycles.comOpen ↗

Valerie/Hal Hudson said:

I bought a starter bike, Cannondale R400 with Sora components. I find that I am riding all the
time and am considering upgrading. My question is it worth it? I am wanting a carbon fork to help
smooth the ride. I am 6'7", 215 lbs so an aluminum frame is not bad but I have nothing to compare
it to. Appreciate any thoughts...H

[email hidden] (Jon Isaacs) wrote:

(Hal):

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I bought a starter bike, Cannondale R400 with Sora components. I find that I am riding all the
time and am considering upgrading. My question is it worth it? I am wanting a carbon fork to help
smooth the ride.

The most effective way to smooth the ride is to buy some larger tires and run them at somewhat
less pressure.

Amen, Hal. Use the fattest tires that don't give you frame or brake clearance problems.

Steel forks are more reliable than carbon forks; both can be made plenty strong, but only one of
these types has the potential to snap clean off without previous symptoms of distress.

Other measures that will give much more noticeable results than a carbon fork are a suspension
seatpost, a suspension stem, or even cushier/double-layer handlebar tape.

Consider that discomfort of the hands suggests a fit problem that might best be remedied with a
different handlebar stem.

Entry-level Cannondale bikes still use top-quality frames. Replacing parts as you wear them out is a
worthwhile approach, because a pricier C'dale will not necessarily have a nicer frame. Upgrade with
component longevity in mind (and only as necessary) for best cost-effectiveness.

Chalo Colina

"Valerie/Hal Hudson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I bought a starter bike, Cannondale R400 with Sora components. I find that I am riding all the
time and am considering upgrading. My question is it worth it?

Upgrading bikes usually isn't worth it, you're generally better off getting a new bike if you do
substantial upgrades since buying components piecemeal is more expensive (higher markups).

Quoted message said:

I am wanting a carbon fork to help smooth the ride. I am 6'7", 215 lbs so an aluminum frame is
not bad but I have nothing to compare it to.

A fat tubed aluminum frame, like a Cannondale or a Klein is usually the best bet for big riders,
since the large frame sizes have less side-to-side flex. It's not a big deal, but noticeable (I'm
6'10", 230 and ride a Cannondale mostly, but have steel frames also). I don't think the frame
material has anything to do with comfort, I do a lot of long distance riding (like double centuries)
and wouldn't be riding what I am otherwise.

I'm not sure what your upgrade goals are. If it's a comfort thing, the cheap experiment is different
tires. I've ridden 23 mm, but find 25 or 28 to be just as fast and less punishing and offer more rim
protection. It's always nice to have a second set of wheels, so if money is burning a hole in your
pocket you could go for that, they'd always be useful even if you got a new bike down the road, but
don't expect a transformation in comfort or speed. At your size (and mine), I'd be a little leery of
trick components like h-bars and forks that might not have the extra safety margin. Sora isn't bad
group, but it certainly isn't the ultimate, and by the time you've popped for a whole group, you're
halfway to a new bike. If what you've got works OK, then newer stuff will only be marginally
lighter, not a remarkable difference.

Bottom line is you've got a pretty nice bike for a guy your size already, you're more or less at the
point of diminishing returns. You'd notice the differences switching to a better bike, but they'd
come from a whole lot of small changes, difficult, and not very cost effective, to upgrade to.

(Jkpoulos7) said:

Quoted message said:

The most effective way to smooth the ride is to buy some larger tires and run them at somewhat
less pressure.

Or buy a steel frame. Aluminum bikes are punishing. Steel will glide down the road but be stiff
enough for crisp cornering and sprinting.

From the Bebop web site (Drønon Andon is a noted metallurgist and consultant to Bebop):

"Dr. Andon has recently announced that he will donate $10.87 to the Sierra Club's "Ban bikes from
singletrack and non-interstate roads" fund every time some knucklehead claims that aluminum is a
"stiff" frame material. Help keep the roads and trails safe for bicycles -- smack the next guy
who says it."

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net home.earthlink.net~jeverett3Open ↗