# Is this Cannondale a good deal?



## sedanblue33 (Aug 28, 2012)

I have been looking at Cannondale for a bike, but I am new to the sport and I am not sure what is exactly a good deal or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

Cannondale Optimo Cyclocross 56 cm | eBay


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## UpHillCrawler (Jul 14, 2004)

I had a Canny CX bike just like this for several years. I used it as my bad weather / night riding / mess around bike. Not the fastest / lightest bike but it laughs at abuse and is extremely tough.
If you're looking for a fun, durable bike and it fits you, buy it! If you're expecting it to ride like an brand new EVO you might be disappointed.
FWIW, I ended up selling the bike to a friend of mine that needed something for a charity ride but I always wish I would have kept it.


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## Emman8 (Aug 12, 2012)

First post but long time lurker.

In the market for a new CAAD 10, and would like to find a good deal on a 2012. I stopped by Freshbikes in the Northern VA area and they have a custom "3" available in my size for $1900 on sale. 

The components are a cross between a 5 and a 3. Shifters are Ultegra, brakes are the Tektro found on the 5, Crank is the Gossamer also found on the 5, seat as Prologo scratch (3), Mavic Aksium wheelset (3), couldn't tell what kind of cassette was on there. 

The one thing that is unique is that they offer the dark grey on black frame colors with a lime green stripe. Not sure if this is the high end frames they select for the "1," but the frame itself does bear the '3.' 

Would anyone argue that $1900 sale price is a bit much for the bike equipped the way it is? I would think that it would be priced at $1900 from the start. 

I love the paint job (who doesn't), but that's the only thing that holds my interest over just getting 2013 5 for $1600 or less. I'm going to mostly train on it and don't really have a need for anything more than 105's, so any additional upgrades is just a "like to have." 

The lower end crank and brakes bother me on the 3. The crank just because the Gossamer is so much less than the SL-K, but I can live with the Gossamer just not at the price they want it for. The brakes I would upgrade to 105's, which they quoted me an additional $80. I just don't like the stopping power of the tektros as they wear and again its a much cheaper component than what's factory equipped on a 3.

Am I being too persnickity? I wasn't that into the 2013 paint jobs but the blk and white 3 and 4 is growing on me. Should I just bite the bullet and pay to get the frame color I really like, or just go with a 2013 and apply the money elsewhere?


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## off (Sep 13, 2008)

I had my LBS order a 2012 10-3 for me, which I was charged $1900. I've weighed the Gossamer BB30 vs. the SL-K BB30, and the difference was nearly 200 grams. If you live in a hilly/mountainous area, you will feel the flex of the Tektro brakes vs. Ultegra.

If you like the bike, I'd ask them for a lower price. If not, just have them check in inventory level with Cannondale and order what you want.


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## Emman8 (Aug 12, 2012)

off said:


> I had my LBS order a 2012 10-3 for me, which I was charged $1900. I've weighed the Gossamer BB30 vs. the SL-K BB30, and the difference was nearly 200 grams. If you live in a hilly/mountainous area, you will feel the flex of the Tektro brakes vs. Ultegra.
> 
> If you like the bike, I'd ask them for a lower price. If not, just have them check in inventory level with Cannondale and order what you want.


Thanks for the feedback off.

I did ask for a lower price and he said $1900 was the absolute lowest they'd go for the bike. Then I asked about the crank and brake upgrades and it was actually going to shoot over the $2100 sticker price. The only upgrade I'd actually pay at $1900 would be for the 105 brakes which is the additional $80 as stated, putting me at $1980. You see where I'm kinda scratching my head?

When I visited the bike shop the first time a few weeks ago, we had a great conversation for at least 15-20 minutes and he was bending over backwards to help me out even pointed out a Supersix in my size (I believe it was a 2011) they had on sale just priced a little more than the CAAD. He mentioned being able to call Cannondale for there inventory level if they didn't have my size when I was ready to purchase and also said they would swap the components on the gray on black frame to sell it to me as a 5 (no chance I misheard him). 

When I walked in this visit he did remember me from my initial visit, I asked about it this time and he just said they sold out of the '5' weeks ago and this was what they were selling, never mentioned calling Cannondale and pretty much take it or leave it. This latest visit was the complete opposite as the first. Felt very cold. I even asked if they still had the 2011 Supersix still he just looked up at the bikes hanging above us did a few head turns and said no. 

There's a dealer an hour away that has a 3 in the Magnesium white he'd give me factory equipped for $1670. If they still have it at the end of the week I'll go with that deal even though I really wanted to purchase the bike locally and with the black paint. If it's not there I will just wait till Xmas and get the 2013.


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## UpHillCrawler (Jul 14, 2004)

It sounds to me like your closest Cannondale dealer used this CAAD 3 for parts when he upgraded a CAAD 5 for a sale. From what I've seen a lot of CAAD 5's have their crank / brakes / wheelsets upgraded as part of the sale (I certainly did!) but usually the LBS will just sell the replaced parts on eBay or something (which my LBS does) and not replace the CAAD 3 components with lesser options. It also seems that this dealer is using the popularity of the CAAD to get away with this and maximize his profits and reduce the hassle of selling the swapped out components.
If it were me I would take the white CAAD 3 from the dealer farther away from you. If the local dealer is this much of a pain in the sales process what is he going to be like of you have a problem after the sale? Although the black / grey frame looks nice the white / red frame looks great as well...


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## Emman8 (Aug 12, 2012)

UpHillCrawler said:


> It sounds to me like your closest Cannondale dealer used this CAAD 3 for parts when he upgraded a CAAD 5 for a sale. From what I've seen a lot of CAAD 5's have their crank / brakes / wheelsets upgraded as part of the sale (I certainly did!) but usually the LBS will just sell the replaced parts on eBay or something (which my LBS does) and not replace the CAAD 3 components with lesser options. It also seems that this dealer is using the popularity of the CAAD to get away with this and maximize his profits and reduce the hassle of selling the swapped out components.
> If it were me I would take the white CAAD 3 from the dealer farther away from you. If the local dealer is this much of a pain in the sales process what is he going to be like of you have a problem after the sale? Although the black / grey frame looks nice the white / red frame looks great as well...


Thanks UHC. I don't feel totally crazy now. 

Interesting how some LBSs operate, definitely glad I was familiar with the components. 

I researched the LBS and they have a really strong reputation overall, and one of the best reputations in bike fittings. I haven't completely ruled out purchasing a bike from them if things don't work out on a 2012, but like you pointed out there's a concern with the consistency in their service.

I'm pretty much sold on the white frame at this point, and possibly having the other bike shop do the fitting since the other shop only does basic fits. Just hope its still there when I fly back into town this weekend. I just want the bike!


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## heybrady (Jul 3, 2011)

Man that thread got jacked. Glad Emman got It all figured out here. Right. 

Back on topic, I have that bike in the road version (2007 CAAD8 optimo tiagra) and would recommend it. I paid $600 a year ago from a guy who rode it twice. So I would say that price is ok, maybe a hair high. Other than that you would enjoy the bike. 

Saw the auction ended. Did you get it?


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## Emman8 (Aug 12, 2012)

heybrady said:


> Man that thread got jacked. Glad Emman got It all figured out here. Right.
> 
> Back on topic, I have that bike in the road version (2007 CAAD8 optimo tiagra) and would recommend it. I paid $600 a year ago from a guy who rode it twice. So I would say that price is ok, maybe a hair high. Other than that you would enjoy the bike.
> 
> Saw the auction ended. Did you get it?


How did I hijack a thread titled 'is this cannondale a good deal?' My inquiry falls under the thread title as far as I can tell. Enlighten me.


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## heybrady (Jul 3, 2011)

Jacking a thread is when you I put your question into a thread started by someone else. You should have started a new thread. The OP was asking a question and had five responses to yours in the middle of it. 

Not a huge deal I guess, just better ettiquette.


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## Emman8 (Aug 12, 2012)

heybrady said:


> Jacking a thread is when you I put your question into a thread started by someone else. You should have started a new thread. The OP was asking a question and had five responses to yours in the middle of it.
> 
> Not a huge deal I guess, just better ettiquette.


I've been posting on message boards for years, I don't believe I've ever been called out (snidely) for hijacking a thread, nor have I seen "hijacking" applied when a post stays on thread topic. Some boards encourage posting in threads that already exist rather than starting an entirely new thread. Again I believe my post qualifies under a thread titled "Is this Cannondale a Good Deal."

If a moderator feels the board would be better served by starting new threads then I'd be happy to start new threads in these instances, but I disagree my posts, until my last 2 addressing you, have been poor etiquette.


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