cannondale

[MVDan]

Roadwarrior,
Thank you SO much for your insight. No, I haven't actually seen one. Dealers local to me never stock them. Not unusual, I suppose. Not a high-volume sale.
Your info about component strength and reliability is very key.
I won't initally load it up. Starting with 100-200K charity rides to get up to speed.
I think I've made up my mind. Going with a Cannondale!

Thanks so much. Appreciate your time and thoughts.
Happy Holidays!
Dan

[Sailariel]

Dan, I think you made an excellent choice. Congratulations. Have a Happy New Year, Alex

[tofubicycle]

I work for a shop that deals, among other things, Cannondales. Personally, I prefer steel, but my own preferences aside, my opinion is you've made a great choice. The feedback you've seen in this thread echoes the positive feedback I've heard from customers over time. Cannondale is also the only major bicycle manufacturer which still produces of its bicycle frames (with the exception of the carbon fiber models) in the United States.

As for the concerns of finding a shop that will service Cannondales, I can only echo what has been said: you shouldn't have any trouble. The only instance where this issue should present itself is with regard to certain Cannondale models which use proprietary components, which are few, like the HeadShock for example. Some shops may have difficulty obtaining these parts but you won't find anything proprietary on your model.

Enjoy and happy New Year!

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i'd rather be biking.