Conference noted::bicycle

    	This is your WIFE!  You don't need a new bicycle!  Your old
    one is fine.
    
    Maggie
    

	I was wondering the same thing about 2 months ago. I too need a 60cm
frame. I like the aluminum because it seemed to me I could get a bike which
would be better for me for less money.  I rode the Vitus and found it "mushy",
comfortable in a way but too flexible.  I rode a Trek 1500 (I think it is the
same frame as the 2000 but comes as a whole bike instead of just a frame) and
thought it was much stiffer. Anyway I liked the way it felt much better than
the Vitus. So I bought the Trek 1500 and love it. 

	It has been said before but the best test is to go to a bike store and
test ride different bikes. 

Good luck
Ed

PS - hi Maggie

	I am agree with the previous reply (not with the .1)
	Aluminium is more flexible.
	Aluminium frame elements are pasted,and sometimes it 
	unsticks.It happens to me.
	Of course the big interest is that it's very light.
	                        

	
		Christian

    Hi,
    
    I don't think all aluminium frames are more flexible.  I've got
    a Cannondale and that bike is the stiffest bike I own.  It is also
    the ugliest.  I bought the Cannondale because it was such a good
    buy.  I don't think that steel or aluminuim frames are automatically
    superior by material choice.
    
    
    Joe

I like my Cannondale SR-500 a lot.  The frame is well made, and for $500, 
came with a good set of components.  Of course buying a 1985 bike in 1987 
helped drop the price.

Here is my one complaint - the frame is somewhat fragile and impossible to 
repair.  A nylon strap dropped into my freewheel which jammed the chain and 
caused the derailleur to rip out of the frame, bending the hanger.  I now
have to wait 4 to 8 weeks for a new frame from Cannondale.  Their $150 
replacement price has risen to $175.  Luckily I have my old Univega, which is 
in terrible shape.

A friend (ROCK::JOHNK) was in a accident where his paceline buddies decided to 
run him over (bad breath?  loud shirt?) and ripped out his derailleur.  Any 
other Cannondale war stories?

cbs

    I bought my Cannondale because it was so stiff, and the best feeling
    bike I rode.  I've never had any problems with the frame.  My only
    (small) objection is that the paint seems to chip easily.
    
    My Cannondale records show that they will replace or repair FREE
    the frame if you are ever dissatisfied.  Sounds to me like .5 was
    dissatisfied.  Did you try to get a new frame for nothing?
    
    Bob
    

    This months issue of Bicycling does a review on about 4 or 5 aluminum
    frame bikes, including Cannondale, Trek, Nishiki.  They mentioned
    that the Cannondale handling is SUPER!  But the ride is brutal!
    
    Has anyone tried out the Trek aluminum frame bike?  Sounds like
    a good bike.  Too bad it isn't using Shimano 600 components....
    
    RE .0   Have you picked out a bike yet?
    
    Regards,
    Denis
            

    
    What??? No KLEIN????
    
    They started it all....
    
    CdH_ex_owner_Team_Super
    

    re .7
    
    I recently bought a 1986 Trek 1500 all-aluminum (well, not the
    tires) bicycle - it does has Shimano 600 components. (It was
    a tad cheaper than the 1987s at a different store - at least
    until a week after I bought it and the 1987s went on sale.)
    
    I like it a lot, although I can't claim to have ridden enough
    different bicycles to say any more than that. Comparing it to
    my 1980-ish Austro-Daimler (Puch) steel frame is a bit like apples
    and oranges, since the AD was a 25" frame compared to the 58cm
    on the Trek. I definitely like the Trek better, although for
    being originally only $250 and being 8 years old, the AD compares
    quite favorably. (It's for sale, by the way; I haven't figured
    out how much yet.)

    One tricky thing about aluminum frames - just TRY and find
    "standard" accessories that fit. I find it hard to get along
    without a Flik-Stand to keep the front wheel straight when I
    park the bike - even with their "fat tube" adapter the Trek's
    tubes are too fat. (And you could fit the entire Trek bicycle
    inside the tubes on a Cannondale.)

	I bought a Trek 1500 in may this year. I test rode a Cannondale first. I
forget the model. It was all black and had racing geometry (I think there is
only one that meets those criteria.) Anyway I liked the ride. It was very stiff
and responsive. I could not tell if the ride would be brutal in the short time
I rode it. The thing I did not like was the components. That is purely my
judgement (poor as it is), I have no idea how they compare "objectively". 

from .7

>    Has anyone tried out the Trek aluminum frame bike?  Sounds like
>    a good bike.  Too bad it isn't using Shimano 600 components....

My Trek 1500 came with Shimano 600 except the rear changer/freewheel/shifters
are Sante.  I think there were 2 or 3 Trek models with the same frame and
different component packages and paint jobs. 

from .9
    
>    I like it a lot, although I can't claim to have ridden enough
>    different bicycles to say any more than that. Comparing it to
	...my old bike...
>   is a bit like apples and oranges, 

Ed (who loves his new bike)

Before I bought my Specialized Sequoia, I tried a number of bikes 
including the Cannondale.  To me it felt good, but not really 
special.  On the other hand, many of my CRW friends have bought 
Cannondales and like them very much.  The general comment I hear is 
that it is both comfortable and efficient.

If the Cannondale is your choice and you want to save some money, 
L.L. Bean has a great sale on their own brand (read Cannondale) 
which might be worth checking out.

	~Mike

re:.6
>    My Cannondale records show that they will replace or repair FREE
>    the frame if you are ever dissatisfied.  Sounds to me like .5 was
>    dissatisfied.  Did you try to get a new frame for nothing?

I have always heard that Cannondale charged $150 for a new frame, until I 
brought mine in.  $175, 4 to 8 weeks, and either blueberry or white.  Thank 
goodness I still have my old Univega.  I miss my Cannondale - smaller frame, 
SIS components, and great handling.  Of course now I am lusting after the 
newest Cannondales with the racing geometery.  It's only money....

chris

    From the 1985 Cannondale Catalog
    
    "100% GUARANTEED
    
    We are sure that Cannondale bicycles are the finest bicycles in
    the world.  That is why we confidently off the best guarantee in
    the industry.  Cannondale bicycles, like all Cannondale products,
    are covered with our 100% guarantee of satisfaction.  If you are
    ever dissatisfied, we will repair or replace your Cannondale Bicycle."

    You ought to quote this to them and see what they say.
    
    Bob
    

>    From the 1985 Cannondale Catalog
>    
>    "100% GUARANTEED
>    
>    We are sure that Cannondale bicycles are the finest bicycles in
>    the world.  That is why we confidently off the best guarantee in
>    the industry.  Cannondale bicycles, like all Cannondale products,
>    are covered with our 100% guarantee of satisfaction.  If you are
>    ever dissatisfied, we will repair or replace your Cannondale Bicycle."
>
>    You ought to quote this to them and see what they say.
>    

Wait a minute!  Quote this to them and they can quote you the price of 
their choice!  As I read the above, the word "free" is mentioned *nowhere*!

Talk about reading between the lines!

.jim    

    You're right they don't explictly say free,  but before I bought
    my bike I called and asked them and they said FREE.
    
    I also think that if I told you I would replace something if you
    didn't like it, a reasonable person would interpret that as meaning
    free.
    
    Just trying to help.
    
    bob
    

    
    It doesn't imply *anything* except that you won't be stuck with
    a broken frame that only the aluminum scrap dealers will take off
    your hands.
    
    When I talked to the Cannondale rep at the NY bike show the year
    they were introduced, he said it was $150 to replace the frame,
    I'm not sure what it costs now.
    
    I had one of the finest aluminum bikes, a Klein Team Super, the
    one with the boron reinforcements. They were the first to mass market
    the oversize tube aluminum frame. He started at MIT with several
    iterations of prototypes, one of my racing friends rode one. I had
    one of the first production models, it had better finish and attention
    to detail, otherwise it was identical. The most amazing thing about
    that bike was it was incredibly stiff, especially in the bottom
    bracket and stays, but was the most comfortable bike I owned. He
    used some weird geometry to make it all work. I raced it for a year
    until I dropped it in a rainy criterium, bending the derailleur
    side dropout beyond normal straightening. The local dealer wouldn't
    touch it, so off it went to Gary. Well, it took 6 months and $300
    to get the thing fixed, even though I was in touch with him every
    other week. Gary Klein was more interested in building new bikes
    for sale than fixing his older ones which were *winning* races.
    I got pretty fed up with him, put an ad in the Velo-News and sold
    it for $400 more than what I paid for it.
    
    The situation with Cannondale is remarkably similar. Therefore,
    I feel that if one is to race this type of frame, they should be
    prepared to race without it for a long time if a mishap occurs.
    
    CdH
    

    I was working out at the Parcourse along the Charles in Boston last
    week, and there was this guy with an unmarked, navy blue aluminum bike.
    I said "Hey, is that a Klein?" and he said "Yeah, it's the third one
    made.  I bought it ten years ago.  The first one sold in Cambridge."
    Anyway, this guy said his frame BROKE at the headtube because Klein's
    "assistant" had filed down the joints too far.  Gary apparently
    repaired the frame for free, and the guy still swears by it.
    
    MATT 

The continuing saga of the mangled Cannondale.  I called Lincoln Guide to see
how the frame order was going.  I brought it in about 4 weeks ago and was told
"4-8 weeks".  I ended up speaking to the Cannondale rep who was in the store.
He seemed very apologetic about the frame failure, and asked me several times
if Cannondale was at fault.  If the frame failed during normal use, they would
replace it for free, including labor to reassemble the components.  I was
honest and admitted that I dropped the strap in the freewheel and ripped the
derailleur out of the hanger.  $175 out of my pocket. 

In the past Cannondale made batches of replacement frames, but now have one
person making them continously to provide better service.  I was given a 
choice of colors (please, no "graphics", yuck!) and am getting a white 58cm 
SR-500.  I am not 100% certain about this, but apparently my old bike had 
"road" geometry and all replacement frames are being made with "criterium"
angles.  These are the new frames that BICYCLING and other rags have been 
raving about - all right!  

I told the above to a fellow Cannondale owner, and he now wants to "put a 
contract out" on his bike.  

cbs

    The contract is out on mine too!! :-) I love my Cannondale but I wish
    I could get one of the newer frames.  
    
    
    Joe, Hmm, how can you damage AL, without Cannondale knowing you
    did it :-)

>        The contract is out on mine too!! :-) I love my Cannondale but I wish
>    I could get one of the newer frames.  
>    
>    
>    Joe, Hmm, how can you damage AL, without Cannondale knowing you
>    did it :-)

    
    From my new Cannondale owner's manual.
    
    			$175 FRAME REPLACEMENT POLICY
              
              Just $175 gets you a new Cannondale frame
              of your choice.  If you crash your bike,
              run it over with a car, outgrow it, or
              simply want a new color, you can get a
              new frame and fork for $175 and the exchange
              of your current Cannondale frame.  For
              more information, call our Toll-Free Hotline:
              1 800 BIKE USA
              
              

RE: .9
    
>    One tricky thing about aluminum frames - just TRY and find
>    "standard" accessories that fit. I find it hard to get along
>    without a Flik-Stand to keep the front wheel straight when I
>    park the bike - even with their "fat tube" adapter the Trek's
>    tubes are too fat. (And you could fit the entire Trek bicycle
>    inside the tubes on a Cannondale.)

    I just installed a Flick-Stand on my Cannondale.  Rhode Gear
    makes three models of these now; two of them are for fat tubes.
    The one I used is for 1 3/8 to 1 3/4 inch tubes.
    
    
    Now my Cateye micro was a different story.  The pickup mounting
    straps only fit half way around my chainstays.  I ended up
    attaching them with plastic wire ties.  The cadence pickup ended
    up on the seat tube.  It's all together and working now but for a
    while I was sure that I needed to get a front wheel only computer.
    I really didn't want to give up the cadence feature.
    

    I am not too sure but I think that Cannondale will be offering
    only the rew geometry next year.  For 87, the top four racing
    series bikes had the new geometry and the bottom two, had the
    softer angles.  They have come out with an 1987 1/2 model in
    which the SR500 (originally with old geometry) has the new
    frame.  This price for this model is unchanged ($595).

This is hopefully the end of the saga of the mangled Cannondale.  When we last
tuned in, Chris had told his tale of woe to the sales rep, who promised him a
new 58cm frame in a week or two.  After a week the new framed arrived, but the
fork was too small.  Lincoln Guide called the factory and asked for a 58cm 
fork.  It took a week, but they finally sent one which was still too small.
Surprise, surprise, the fork was correct, but frame was a 60cm!  To end the 
confusion, Lincoln Guide took an 1987 SR-500 out of stock, stripped off the 
components, and installed mine.  They only charged me for labor for the 
headset and bottom bracket, even though they had built up the 60cm, tore it 
down, tore down the 1987 bike, and built up mine.

So I ended up with an aquamarine colored frame with the same geometry as my 
old bike.  The replacement had criterium angles, but was the wrong size.
I sent a letter to the president of Cannondale saying that his company made 
nice stuff, but that the service was terrible.  (I also griped about the 
paint, and lousy wheels).  Lincoln Guide provided wonderful service and will 
get more business from me in the future.

chris

    	Chris,
    
    	Are you still color coordinated, or will you have to buy
    	all new riding clothes?
    
    	Scott :-)>

    re .23 - I can't wait for his response.

re: 402.24 by AMUN::CRITZ "Ya know what I mean, Vern" >
>    	Are you still color coordinated, or will you have to buy
>    	all new riding clothes?

How did you know?  Did Laura tell you what a spiffy dresser I am?  It's true!

This is a major bummer for a fasionable guy like me.  First I started with a 
grey Univega so I added red handle bar tape, red Cateye toe clips & straps, 
and bought a couple of red jerseys, and matching shorts.  I looked pretty 
snappy, let me tell you!  

Then I bought the green Cannondale.  My wardrobe just clashed horribly.  We
are talking Christmas wreath.  But I had just dropped big bucks on the
bikeroo, so no new duds for me.  When I rode with the guys, they left me in
the dust!  I knew they didn't want to be see with something so Kris Kringle,
so I had to do something.  Maybe a beard, as a disguise when riding?  Naw,
looks to counter culture, which is not in these days.  Then I hit on the
perfect plan - trash the bike.  So I dropped a nylon strap (red, of couse)
into the old gear cluster (SIS, the latest and greatest), and voila - dead
bike.  Of course I had to carry it a mile home, but this was a small price to 
pay.

I had visions of a Ferrari red frame, in the latest Italian geometry, waiting 
for me, for long rides around my condo complex, and frequent wax jobs.  But 
Cannondale said, "White or Blueberry".  I should have realized a company from 
Conn. would have such boring color schemes.  Even though Blueberry would match 
my eyes, I wear Oakleys, just like Andy Hampster, so I went for white, which 
goes with everything.

The high tech manufacturer had it in for me, I knew it.  After 8 weeks, no
frame, so the store put together an SR-500 in Aquamarine.  More like aquarium.
Blue and red jerseys?  8 panel red & black shorts?  Grey and black shells?
Throw them all out.  So tonight I, slave to fashion, am going to trudge down
to Nashbar (why pay retail?) and get a wild pink lycra outfit that will make
me look faster than that French badger guy.  Pink and aqua, just call me Miami
Bike!  

Anyone want to buy last years looks?  Most are freshly washed and I try not to 
sweat to much anyway.

Totally awesum!
cbs

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

    It has been a long time since I originated this note and I would
    like to add the final chapter. When I entered this note last July
    I expected to get a few responses, like those after .1, but my
    wife, who responded so promptly, created quite a stir by verbally
    beating up her husband in front of the readers of this notes file.
    My wife has quite a sense of humor. Unfortunately not everyone
    reading this firsthand (or hearing about it secondhand, as many did)
    realized this. I got mail and phone calls from many people who were
    deeply concerned over such a callous response. I found myself at times
    talking with people I had just met who, at some point in our
    conversation, would say "hey, aren't you the guy from the Bicycle notes
    file who's wife...". Oh yes, she can be very funny. The cry from all
    of those I communicated with was the same. My wife, the crusher of
    hope, the dasher of dreams. All her husband wanted was a new 
    (preferably Italian) bicycle. 
    
    Well, let me say that my lovely (and funny) wife (Maggie) and I are
    still together. Not only that, but for our last anniversary she
    really surprised me. After discussing some things we wanted to do
    to our house and yard we had decided that a bike was low on our
    priority list (after all I did have a bike) and we had decided
    to wait. But just when my practical side had convinced me that
    it was better this way and that my eight year old Motobecane
    Grand Jubilee with hardly an original component left on it that
    was sized for me by me straddling the top tube would do just fine,
    she got me. On our anniversary day she sent me on a treasure hunt
    around our house with one clue leading to the next until I got to
    the 18th(?) and final clue. That led me to an anniversary card. When
    I sat down and opened it I almost lost my breath. Inside was a 
    picture cut from Bicycling magazine that depicted a bicycle, a
    Trek 2000. She told me that she didn't have the bike (she really
    wasn't sure exactly what I wanted, the Trek was symbolic) but that
    once I decided she would get it for me as a gift (within reason,
    whatever that was). I was shocked. I had wanted a road bike that
    really fit me, was light and responsive for a long time but could
    never justify it. All of a sudden my practical side went back into
    hibernation. Now I really could get the bike I've wanted. After
    always believing that "it's not the sword, it's the swordsman", I
    was going to get a new sword! I even put forth a mediocre attempt
    to dissuade her from such an impractical purchase. It was a miserable/
    triumphant failure. She insisted on getting it, period. (I gave her
    some jewelry, not a couch.)
    
    I decided that I wanted a frame of Columbus tubing as opposed to
    some of the new materials in use. I rode a Basso "Gap" at The Bicycle
    Exchange and knew immediatley that that was what (tubing material)
    I wanted. I also decided I would build this bike myself. I knew
    I would enjoy every greasy, tedious minute of it. I chose to
    go with a Dura Ace group after much thought and also trying to stay
    within a certain price range. I got a very good deal at the Colorado
    Cyclist just before the prices went up on the 7 speed group ($545.00).
    I also built my first set of wheels on GP4 rims. That was well worth
    the time and I think that everyone should give it a try. It's not
    that hard and I used my old bike frame as a truing stand. I finally
    decided on getting a stock Marinoni frame from the Laughing Alley 
    Bicycle Shop in Allston. Jim Dafilva (sp) is the person I dealt with
    and he was one of the more honest and knowledgeable people I talked
    to during my search. I highly recommend that shop and Jim in
    particular (783-5832). 
    
    The bike came in about 2 weeks ago and I put it together that night.
    I was up until 1:00 a.m. with the last half hour spent staring at
    this ferrari red beauty. It's an incredible bike and, like a child
    at Christmas, I still look at it before I go to bed at night. It is
    an absolute joy to ride. I can't thank my wife enough.
    
    So if you see someone riding around Wachussett reservoir on a red
    Marinoni with curb feelers sticking out from the hubs, say hi. But
    forgive me if I don't turn my head when I reply, I'll be too busy
    concentrating on the road.
    
    
    (Thanks to all those people who responded. I got a lot of good input.)

    Re .27 - If you call Laughing Alley, its Jim DeSilva, not 
             Defilva.  And he is a really good guy, I've had 
             a lot of dealings with him.