Cannondale 6/13

[saab2000]

There a six/13 on my favorite retailer (ebay) :D and it has a hollowtech crank.

I am assuming the frame is good. Is this crank/BB any good? Can it be changed out?

Thoughts?

[Fixed]

bro yes light and strong and yes there is a kit to change it out .cheers

[dbrk]

Saab2000pal,
I had a Six/13 last year for a few months and truly loved the ride. It was responsive, comfortable, and very nicely made. Mine did not have the Hollowtech crank but my true pal and master mech (and Cdale lover for their mtn bikes particularly) Craig Smith says that they work great, no problems, and that Cdale supports it through and through. There may be an option to change them out but be careful because of diameters and proprietary this and that. These are race bikes, of course, in the American crit style of design, and so long as you know what you are getting into then they suit their use. Of course, people like what they are used to (or love what is new, so go figure). I rode this bike hard then sold it because I'm not interested any longer in but a few miles on race bikes like this.

dbrk

[chrisroph]

Last time I looked at cannonball geo, our size frame had a steep st angle and a wierd high bb, two features that don't work for me or I gather for you either given what I've seen re your position.

[saab2000]

I know it has a high BB. I probably won't be buying a Cannondale, but they do intrigue me and almost everyone who has a modern (last 3 years or so) Cannondale Six/13 or higher end Caad frame likes them.

[Fixed]

bro they droped their b.b. some when the cadd 7 came out not a lot but some. cheers the one i'm on now is as good as anything i've ever had even the legend ti i had as a loaner for a season i.m.h.o.
saab bro I'd check that size do you want a 56 ?

[Grant McLean]

geo chart:

[MarinRider]

I have a fleet of Serottas (Legend, Ottrott, Hors) and races a 6/13 since they sponsor our race team. 6/13 is a wonderful race frame, I have the SRM Hollowcrank version. Frame is light and stiff and much smoother compared to the CAAD 8 frame.

I don't find their frame overly aggressive. Both HTA and STA are 73 on mine and the BB drop is a 7. This is very similar to the standard Serotta geometry prior to 2002 when they went to an 8 BB drop.

I would not hesitate if you can get a good deal on one.

[1centaur]

I have a year one Six13 and enjoy it a lot, regardless of the 6.9 drop vs. my preferred 7.5. It has nice handling balance - not nervous at all. Only negative is that the alu can flex/wind-up when climbing out of the saddle and then annoy me by unflexing gradually over the next 30 seconds with a ticking sound. Note that I have the one with three carbon tubes and at this point there are several varieties of CF or not CF out there in the Six13 line - my creaking may reflect the CF/alu interface more than thin alu in Dales generically - I would not know.

[Ken Robb]

I'll believe that it ticks but I doubt that it takes 30 seconds for your aluminum to unwind. That would require a very strong and turbine-like pedal stroke wouldn't it?

[1centaur]

30 seconds is a generalized statement, since I have rolling hills that may intervene in under 30 seconds and some wind-ups are less than others. If I'm going from bump to bump it may seem like the ticking lasts forever. It's also temperature dependent to some extent. But I'm certainly not putting major watts into the frame - it's clearly a frame construction issue and is the ONLY thing that keeps the Six13 out of my top echelon (Crumpton, Parlee, Calfee).

[Grant McLean]

I have a year one Six13 and enjoy it a lot, ... Note that I have the one with three carbon tubes and at this point there are several varieties of CF or not CF out there in the Six13 line - my creaking may reflect the CF/alu interface more than thin alu in Dales generically - I would not know.

Re: ticking

It could be the front derailleur/frame interface. I have the same 3 tube carbon
six/13, and had the same thing out of the box, but I checked the torque
with a wrench, and when it was a little tighter, bingo, noise has been
gone for 8 months, never to return. You do however need to be very
careful not to overtighten the derailleur clamp, and I advise against using
an aftermarket clamp or spacers or shims. I've seen deformed seat tubes
under a clamp that was over-tightened. Best thing to use is a the 32mm
front derailleur. There appears to be an aluminum tube covering the carbon
and the alu deforms if it's clamped too hard.

Love the ride, it's my favorite performance/sport road bike. Both smooth
and yet stiff enough for having some fun.

YMMV

-g

[Grant McLean]

30 seconds is a generalized statement, since I have rolling hills that may intervene in under 30 seconds and some wind-ups are less than others. If I'm going from bump to bump it may seem like the ticking lasts forever. It's also temperature dependent to some extent. But I'm certainly not putting major watts into the frame - it's clearly a frame construction issue and is the ONLY thing that keeps the Six13 out of my top echelon (Crumpton, Parlee, Calfee).

If it really is the frame making the noise, I would think Cannondale
would replace it without question.

-g

[MarinRider]

I have the 2005 version which has the carbon on TT and DT only. No ticking on the frame. Cannondale also has a good reputation for replacment and warranty repairs.

[chrisroph]

Thanks Grant for posting the geo. In my size, 58, the st angle is 73 (this works with the seat back), the tt is 57.5 cm (this works with the st angle), but its only got 5.3 cm trail and the bb drop is 6.7 cm. I like more trail and way more drop. It would work ok for crits with the high bb but the trai; figure is too low and I don't think I'd like it on the road. I'll build up my merckx leader if I want to ride a beer can. :beer:

[Fixed]

bro i didn't think I would like my cadd 7 i couldn't afford the leader which i test rode and really didn't want to take back . but the dale ain't bad and I feel fine after long rides. I like it better than the orbea I tried i.m.h.o.

[chrisroph]

Bottom line fixed you like it. That's what counts. Ride it in health and with success. My point is just that looking at the geo chart it doesn't spec out like the bikes I seem to favor. If I actually rode one, I might love it.

[Fixed]

bro I know you have the best ..so you might not love it but you might not hate it either i.m.h.o.