Cannondale CAAD10-3 Long Term Review

I own a 2012 CAAD10-3 (Ultegra). Since buying it I have logged over 13,000 miles on the frame (the wheels, front and rear derailleur, and handlebar have been replaced with upgrades). I've ridden in all sorts of terrain (hilly, 13% grades, rollers, flats), conditions (from 95 F to 8 F), and speeds (15 MPH cruises to 25 MPH hammerfests). This bike replaced a much loved, much raced, high mile Campy-equipped 1992 Pinarello.

At first we had a plain business relationship -- there was no love, just functional acceptance. As the miles increased, I started to appreciate what this bike could do. I started pushing, it started responding. Soon, we had a firm foundation. I've come to appreciate the CAAD10s many virtues, while overlooking a few minor flaws.

The flaws include the PFBB30 design -- it cannot handle rain. My Pinarello is my dedicated rain bike now because a ride in the rain with the CAAD10 meant another trip to the dealer for a BB cleanout and lube (I didn't want to spring for a $150 BB30 Park Press Fit tool). I'm not sure why this particular bottom bracket is so easy to foul. Chris King doesn't make a PFBB30 so the replacement options are limited.

The stock wheels, saddle, and cables are throwaways. I replaced them all within weeks, but that's normal -- I'd rather pay less for the built-up bike and have money left to spend on upgrades.
Cannondale hit a home run with this aluminum frame. It's race capable with a few upgrades (wheels, tires, saddle), and solid, true, and lightweight.

My Cannondale CAAD10 after an early morning winter ride

Strava's Lame "Challenges"

So what's up with Strava "Challenges"? Am I missing something? Or are they are basically re-hashed variants of "Ride 5,000 miles in a month!" or "Ride up Mount Everest in a week!" recycles?

Rules for Being Safe

Here are my personal rules for accident avoidance. Road cycling is not "safe," but risks can be mitigated.

• Ride on roads that permit cars and bicycles to travel the same direction without undue burden on either (this excludes narrow roads, roads with broken shoulders, and roads with many intersections)
• Run a rear blinker (I've tried with and without during the day -- something about the blinking light gets people's attention in some way that helps give me more room)
• Ride in a straight line.
• Be predictable. If you are going to turn, let drivers know. If you are going straight through an intersection, go through the intersection large and in charge.
• Use your ears. Headphones while riding are the dumbest evidence of stupid imaginable. You are riding a bicycle in the great outdoors -- enjoy it! If you get bored, you have insufficient imagination to be a cyclist. Dismount, list the bike on ebay, walk home, and immediately join Gold's Gym.
• Dump the mirror (which is a worthless excuse for a safety device). Unless you are wearing a neck brace, turn your head. If you can't ride straight while turning your head, practice until you can.
• Be noticeable. Hugging the right curb is asking for a sideswipe. Instead, ride far enough left that cars MUST drive AROUND you. People are lazy -- if they don't have to move the wheel they won't. If you feel/see someone coming to close you will have room to dive to the right. Of course if you are riding on a rare wide-shouldered secondary road, stay out of the car traffic lane. Most state laws require cyclists to "stay as far right as practicable" or some such language. The problem is: Who decides what's "practicable?" I assume since I am the cyclists I make the determination. If questioned I can answer that I am avoiding debris and maintaining visibility.
• Stop at red lights. Yeah, you might lose your Strava KOM, but, who cares? Let the drivers know cyclists understand the law and abide by it. IF the red doesn't trip because the sensor doesn't recognize your lycra-clad self, wait until it's safe then shove off (some state laws have this provision. Pennsylvania does not but the state-provided "Bicyclists Rules of the Road" suggests safely riding through after a long wait).
• Wear distinctive clothing. It doesn't have to be a bedazzled abomination, but it should at least be visible. Black is the current cool race kit, but it's not so great at dawn and dusk. If you're going to ride when folks are driving to and from work then it really pays to wear high-vis jerseys. It's dark out, so who is gonna see your Team Sky kit anyway?

Oh -- and wear a helmet.

Fall and Early Morning Chills

Why do the long, warm days of summer pass so quickly? Why are there so few days when I can roll out early in the morning without lights, long sleeves, base layers, bulky gloves, and toe covers?

Monday morning brought a rough re-acquaintance with the rigors of cold-weather riding. 40 F will seem balmy in January, but it was a shock to my non-acclimatized system. I was tired from a busy week and weekend, and only rode 16 miles (with one decent effort on a long false flat near home). I skipped the ride today and plan on getting back out there in the wind tomorrow morning.

Charity Ride

So one Saturday in October (Date to be determined), I'll be riding 100 miles around Lancaster County, PA to raise funds to help defer the cost of Lucy's tuition (goal is $500).

It's hard to ride that far in Lancaster and not climb some hills -- lots of hills. I'll be avoiding the long grinds (Chickies Hill, Turkey Hill) but the route looks like just under 5,000 feet of climbing. Add that to 5 hours of saddle time and it will be a long day!

Please consider donating! It's a worthy cause and (unlike most charity rides) there are no expenses to defray -- no rest areas, no t-shirts,  no sag wagon, and no post-ride party.

Boyd Cycling Rouleur Alloy Clincher Review

I've been riding Boyd Cycling Rouleur Alloy clinchers for a over a year now (>3,000 miles). The set replaced Neuvation wheelset which were fine but started to show signs of wear (Neuvation closed but has since re-opened as Neugent Cycling). I shopped around for replacements and eventually settled on the Boyd alloy wheels.

Aside: Why not Carbon Fiber?

I'm still not sold on Carbon Fiber for wheels. First, costs for comparable CF wheelsets are usually double alloy. Second, CF wheelsets often weigh as much (or more) than a comparable alloy wheelset. Third, CF braking is still suspect in the wet. Fourth, CF is for racing and I don't race (except against myself and the occasional Strava segment). Finally, I don't need to impress anyone (I ride a CAAD10, not exactly impressive in a world of $10k wunderbikes).

Back to Boyd Review

So alloy it will be. The reviews of Boyd wheels were nearly all positive. The wheels are built in North Carolina. From the Boyd Cycling FAQ:

"We have all of our wheels handbuilt in our own wheel building facility in Greenville, SC by very experienced wheelbuilders. Our wheel builders only work on our wheels so they know them intimately and can build the highest quality. Many wheels are built in assembly factories where wheel builders are building for dozens of brands and expected to build 40-50 wheels per day. At Boyd Cycling each builder completes the wheel from start to finish which allows much better consistency and quality. The wheels are trued and tensioned to spec utilizing a tension meter that is calibrated every second wheelset. We thoroughly stress relieve 4-6 times in the tensioning process so the wheelset is ready to ride. Every wheelset is checked over by three people before being shipped out. A wheelset is only as good as the build, so we make sure we can monitor every aspect to ensure the highest quality."

I pulled the trigger and in a few days my new wheelset was dropped off my my local UPS delivery guy (who knows I have a thing for bicycles). The wheels were packed one upon the other in a single box but with enough strategic cardboard packing material to prevent scratches.

I immediately checked the wheels for true and they were both perfectly aligned. Spoke tension sounded even (the old fashioned pluck test). The BOYD logos on the side are big -- really big. They are laser etched so don't add any weight and otherwise look fine. You're not going to easily cover these with stickers. If you try, immediately read Rule 57 and then come back.

Tire mounting was the normal hassle with way-too tight Continental GPs, 23mm. Eventually they yielded and the next morning I took the CAAD out for a ride.

My initial impressions were very good. The wheels felt smooth, stiff, and true. The only minor issue is rear hub noise. Instead of the satisfying click-click-click of an old Campy hub the Boyd read issues a rather tinny sound like coins in a can.

But that complaint exposes a lack of commitment to The Ride: Why am I coasting? Ever?

So the Boyd's remind me not to coast. After all, I am on a ride, carved out of precious moments of a busy day -- why coast through any of that? I can coast in my car, sofa, or office desk. There should be no coasting on The Ride and the Boyd rear hub is a finger wagging reminder that coasting is for "bikers," never a cyclist.

Glamour Shot of the CAAD10 Sporting Boyd Rouleur Wheels

So I have over 3000 miles on these and they still roll true, feel stiff, and look good. The weight for the set is an acceptable 1550g.

If I was racing I'd be hoping on the CF bandwagon (and tubular, too). But I'm not, so these wheels will do just fine.

---------------LONG TERM UPDATE------------------

I bought a set of Shimano WH-series wheels for commuting, but put these back on for an event this past weekend in DC (Air Force Cycling Classic). I was rolling down the backside of AF memorial hill in a group when I hit a HUGE pothole at 30 MPH. It was the hardest I've been rocked on a road bike in years. I pedaled gingerly to see what would be loose, cracked, or broken -- nothing. I finished the ride and checked the wheels -- still true.

If you're looking for fairly light, bombproof, and good value, you can't beat these wheels.

Hope Within 50K Route

Here's the route for the Hope Within 50k Bicycle ride on May 17th, 8 AM (departing from Donegal Springs primary School in Mount Joy, PA)

To participate, click here

To donate, click here

April 20th: 24 miles with Sun, Blue Skies, Green Grass!

My how things have changed!

April 5th 27 mile Video

A mostly sunny Saturday ride with a couple of other riders. We faced stiff west winds for half the ride.

Spring!!

Saturday, April 12th: 70 F, light west winds, full sun -- a perfectly gorgeous day in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania!

I've been sick all week, and very busy at work, so my last ride was a slow, labored 22 miles last Sunday. I was almost afraid to go out -- I wondered if I'd be able to make it 20 miles. But about a mile into the ride I realized this would be downright easy. And it was.

I felt as if I should have rolled 50 miles today, but we have family in to visit and there will be more nice days to come, for winter is truly, finally over!

So a quick 25 miles, 1200' uphill, average just under 18 MPH, with no pushing. Some days you just feel strong, and this was one of those days. I'll push hard another day..

Yep -- I like spring!

Video to follow.... 

Road Clincher Tires Comparison Review

Tires are remarkable feats of engineering.

A tire must be perfectly round, or else cause dangerous wobble or shimmy at high speed. A tire needs to be resistant to wear and puncture, grip the road surface, maintain suppleness in a wide range of temperatures, not deform at very high or low speeds, and resist deformation to forces applied from underneath, side, or some combination (as in a turn). Tires must be easily mounted with simple tools. In addition, bicycle tires must be lightweight, look decent, and maintain high pressures  -- all at a reasonable price.

Road racing bicycle tires are particularly critical.

A flat tire in a car or truck is inconvenient. A flat in an airplane can be trouble on landing but doesn't affect flight (if you have a flat on takeoff you should abort the takeoff) but a bicycle's limited amount of tire surface makes a flat -- especially at speed -- a dangerous event.

I've been on a never-ending quest for the perfect tire that is impervious to flats, provides superb road feel, lasts for a full season, weighs less than 200 grams, has at least 250 TPI, rolls well at high pressures (120-130 PSI), and that costs less than $100 a pair.

The quest continues.

In the meantime, I've found a few favorite tires. Below is a small table with my subjective assessment of various road tires.

Brand	Model	My Assessment	Ride quality	Longevity	Durability	Cost
Continental	Grand Prix II	These are fantastic tires, well worth the price and the hype. Like IBM – you can’t get fired buying Continental. Nevertheless, Contis have a firm, even harsh ride. I’m used to it, but often wander over to Vittoria for a supple, smooth-ride.	Firm	Good (1.5-2k miles)	No flats in several years	>$50
Continental	Gatorskin	Decent tires for harsh environments, but too disconnected a ride for my tastes	Harsh	Good (1.5-2k miles)	No flats, but limited miles
Continental	Grand Prix 4-Season with Vectran	We have these mounted on our tandem and they are tough, tough, tough. While I’m not impressed with the ride (nowhere near the namesake GP), they are good tires for those who prefer durability over road feel.	Squishy	Good (1.5-2k miles)	No flats
Vredestein	Fortezza TriComp	Still awesome (despite dated technology). I’m never disappointed with these tires, but usually feel like I’m missing out on something newer. Nevertheless, these tires continue to deliver.	Good	Excellent (2k miles)	No flats
Vredestein	Gran Fondo TriComp	These were a huge surprise – low cost, awesome ride. These are truly the perfect winter training tire – fast, smooth, and tough.	Good	Excellent (2.5k miles)	No flats
Michelin	Pro4 Service Course Tire	Terrible – despite pumping up to 120 PSI, I felt like I was riding on flat tires.	Squishy		No flats, but limited miles
Michelin	Pro4 Endurance Tire	This is a very good training tire, with decent wear. The ride is somewhat firm.	Firm	Excellent (2.5k miles)	No flats
Vittoria	Open Corsa CX III Clincher Tire	The fastest, smoothest riding race clincher currently available. My favorite tire for fast events, but not suitable for everyday riding.	Excellent!	Poor (1k miles for rear tire)	No flats, but limited miles	>$50
Vittoria	Rubino Pro III Road Tire	Amazing price for near Pro quality ride. I’m not a fan of tread patterns on road tires, but these have a slick centerline that helps. Highly recommended commuter or training tire.	Very Good	Excellent (2k miles +)	No flats	<$50
Panaracer		I have not mounted a Panaracer since the late 90s, when I was less than impressed with the somewhat squishy, disconnected ride
Schwalbe	Marathon	I tried a set and was very disappointed. Squishy, disconnected ride that felt like I was riding on balloons.
Clement		Have not tried
Kenda		Have not tried
Maxxis		Have not tried

I've been happy with the selection and service from www.biketiresdirect.com, and they should have all in stock.