# Cannondale or Trek????



## Mhoyle329 (Apr 25, 2006)

I need some help... I hope some of you guys out there can really help me. I have been riding a Cannondale R1000 for about 4 years. I love it and have been thinking about upgrading to a six 13. I have a buddy who I ride with a lot. He was riding a specialized and he could not keep up with me. I was always slowing down and waiting for him. He bought a trek madone 5.5 and when I rode with him, I cannot keep up with him now!!!! This really has made me wonder if i should get a madone 5.5 over a six 13 now. I need some help on opinions of others who may have spent time riding both the six 13 and the madone 5.5
Thanks


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

i hardly beleive that the bike can make that big of a difference! i rode the Trek madone 5.5, Specialized tarmac pro, Cannondale six 13 team 1, Look 565 as well as the Caad 8 R5000 and i didn't see any HUGE difference that would make me faster on one than on the others! I don't really think its fair to compare Cannondale and Trek, I beleive that Cannondale is a supperior bike in every aspect and they actually still make the mass majority of their frames in the states. The Trek to me felt a lilttle more upright like it had a shorter top tube and therefore it made me feel a tad more comfortable which would be nice on long rides, but the Cannondale and Specialized felt more compact and aggressive as if they were strictly race bikes. I beleive their geometry allowed me to be quicker out of the saddle and trasnfer every pedal stroke to the rear wheel. Either way they are both american companys and are battled tested and there is only a few hundred dollars difference, go with what feels right for you and your style of riding not because your buddy rides one now or because Lance Armstrong rode one. In the long run i think you would be happier with the Cannondale! Good luck with your decision! 

Lee


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## bikerbrian (Oct 20, 2004)

Mhoyle329 said:


> This really has made me wonder if i should get a madone 5.5 over a six 13 now.


Well, I think you should get the six13 but you asked this question in a cannondale forum so what answer did you think you'd get. Both are nice bikes and I doubt you could go wrong with either assuming they both fit you. I think you should get the one with the color that you like better, that's what I'd do.


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## jhenry4 (Feb 4, 2006)

the frames are so similar, they are within half a cm or half a degree in every dimension that it truely does come down to personal feel and color choice. i recently upgraded myself from an older 2.8 frame to a CAAD 7 Hollowgram. i tried the trek's, they felt very dead and wooden. i tried the specialized, quick and lively but i couldn't get the fit right. the biggest draw of the cannondale over trying to make a specialized work was the great value of the cannondales and the integrated crankset. 

but like they said it's a cannondale forum, and you can't go wrong with cannondale


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## DieselDan (Sep 14, 2002)

A particular bike does not make that much of a difference. If it is, then I'll go get a 5.5 Madone and whomp the whole ProTour feild! I ride a 2.8 frame and ride alongside, at speed, with 5.5 Madones, S-Works, and Griffins all the time.


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## Marinoni Bob (Apr 19, 2006)

*Go with the Cannondale Six 13*

Your friend is going to be really scared when you pull up for a ride on your new Cannondale (assuming you take my advice). Everything I have read points in the direction of the Six 13. I ordered one a couple of days ago. I checked out the equivalent Trek and found the finish and overall quality was not up to par with Cannondale. I am upgrading from a 21 year old custom built Marinoni.


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

Stick with Cannondale Six13.


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## Burbonmonk (May 6, 2006)

No question: go with the C'dale.


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## beergood (Feb 16, 2005)

I think you should test your friend for performance enhancers/doping.

Although if you went for the Trek you'd be in good company, along with the 6 year old kid next door and the lady that rides by with her cat in a basket. You might even be able to race the guy that collects bottles in the park.

I know that Cannondales aren't exactly rare-earth jewels, but Trek has so many different models for every imaginable price range/configuration/rider that I am getting sick of seeing them everywhere under everyone. It kind of gives me the same feeling you get from a Viper or Corvette. They're great cars and perform as well as almost any supercar in the world, but the same companies make the Ria and PT Cruiser (no offense intended to American car companies, or my family will be the first ones here burning this house down). They just don't carry the same sence of panache as a Mazurati.

And while I'm ranting, can Trek just finally admit they bought out Bontrager completely and rename it Trek already? Seriously, I think 'Bontrager' even makes the boxes that Treks are shipped in.

Wow, that felt good.

In the interest of full disclosure, I bought a Trek Mountain Bike a few years ago off ebay. I have since replaced everything but the frame (it was meant to be a beater, and that's exactly what it is). And I can appreciate the company's storied history and attention to higher-end detail.


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## BooneDog (May 20, 2006)

I just replaced a Trek 5200 with a Six13. I LOVE the Six13, it feels much better to me. But the Trek is nice, and they treated me SUPER with warranty work on it when I needed that. I'd say ride both and get what you like. Assuming same fit, I don't think one or the other is going to make much difference speed wise.


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

Boonedog,

Just wait until you take it to some hills and do some clibm,you will appreciated how fast the Six13 will carry you up the hill.


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## merckxman (Jan 23, 2002)

*A Mazurati ?!*

What's that?



beergood said:


> I think you should test your friend for performance enhancers/doping.
> 
> Although if you went for the Trek you'd be in good company, along with the 6 year old kid next door and the lady that rides by with her cat in a basket. You might even be able to race the guy that collects bottles in the park.
> 
> ...


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## beergood (Feb 16, 2005)

Kind of like a Maserati, only even more rare. Thus proving my point.


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## BooneDog (May 20, 2006)

Yes, I know, it DOES feel much faster. Hard for me to believe the bike is really that much faster, but it does indeed feel like it. That being said, the Six13 has new components, wheels, etc. vs the Trek, AND the Trek really was too small for me, so I now have a better fit, so I'm just trying to be fair with the comparison. Seems like if Lance can win on the Trek, I'd feel a little foolish talking about how slow it is. I think they are both good bikes, but I would not trade my Six13 for ANY brand new Trek right now.



zamboni said:


> Boonedog,
> 
> Just wait until you take it to some hills and do some clibm,you will appreciated how fast the Six13 will carry you up the hill.


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## BooneDog (May 20, 2006)

Yes, I know, it DOES feel much faster. Hard for me to believe the bike is really that much faster, but it does indeed feel like it. That being said, the Six13 has new components, wheels, etc. vs the Trek, AND the Trek really was too small for me, so I now have a better fit, so I'm just trying to be fair with the comparison. Seems like if Lance can win on the Trek, I'd feel a little foolish talking about how slow it is. I think they are both good bikes, but I would not trade my Six13 for ANY brand new Trek right now.



zamboni said:


> Boonedog,
> 
> Just wait until you take it to some hills and do some clibm,you will appreciated how fast the Six13 will carry you up the hill.


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