Looking for Criterium frames...

[Bronezmt]

I'm searching for Cannondale Criterium frames or anything with similar compact geometry, any recommendations for other manufacturers I could look at?

[saab2000]

There is really no such thing as a criterium frame. There are racing bikes and they will do just fine.

My best racing bike is a Look. Excellent handling at all speeds.

[legacysti888]

I think if you went old school steel, Ciocc, Gios, Tesch are known for their super tight geo and flickability (?). Cannondales are super stiff!

Not too sure about cf frames though.. My tesch was used primarily for Crits.

[jbl]

I think the OP was talking a specific Cannondale model called "Criterium", not the mythical "crit frame."

[flydhest]

I raced on a C'dale Criterium Series bike back in grad school. I thought they were very good bikes.

[Fixed]

davis p. use to work with cdale and and had a crit geo bike
cheers piece of crap imho
cheers the new cdales are way better
i raced on one when i was in gutter school

[giordana93]

I'm searching for Cannondale Criterium frames or anything with similar compact geometry, any recommendations for other manufacturers I could look at?
the criterium frame by 'dale was not what we call a "compact" frame today (=sloping top tube), and like so many things, it was more a hype thing than anything. I had one and it was not a crit frame by any means. was even a bit slow-steering, but stiff as a board (and not in a good way). moral to the story: don't be swayed by what the guys in the marketing office decide to call a model, and don't assume that a given geometry yields the same results in different brands; heck even the same model will have different angles based on frame size. find a frame that fits your riding goals and especially, your body. and do some test rides. figure out what you don't like about your current ride too.

[regularguy412]

I've had 2 Cannondale Criterium series frames and one 2.8 Series (the next generation). Still have one of the Criteriums which is my trainer bike. It's a really stiff frame (read: overbuilt), but that's how things were in the late 80s. This frame really beat me up. I also found out later that the geometry on those bikes was kinda screwy. The seat tube comes in right in FRONT OF the bottom bracket shell. So, yes, the seat tube angle is x-degrees, but the effective set-back results in a bit more forward position. Additionally, the top tube seems to be designed more for riders with torsos toward the long-end, compared to their height. I ended up using a 90 mm stem on a 56 top tube (c-to-c) X 56 seat tube (c-to-top). I use a 120 mm stem on my CSI that is 56 square. The C'dale just really doesn't fit that great and I can't really say why. All the numbers are reasonably close. I think it's because I have a comparably short torso.

I can say that the bike did do well in crits and road races that I entered with it. The few centuries I rode on it were, in the end, painful. (pun intended :D) The frame just beat me up.

You might ask how I ended up with 2. I bought the second one for my gf/wife/ now ex. My first one died in an auto accident. And she left 'her' C'dale when she moved out. Both of the C'dales are same size.

I think it can be a good bike, but not so much for the long haul.

Mike in AR:beer:

[texbike]

Most of the scars on my body are from time spent on a couple of Cannondale Criteriums in college.

I loved those bikes at the time. :)

Texbike

[bigbill]

I have a 2.8 that has been primered gray clamped in my Computrainer. It was a good crit bike even with it's wimpy carbon fork. I liked it a lot better than the Caad 3 that replaced it. The Caad 3 is gone, the 2.8 remains. It has the same bar and stem as it did in the mid 90's (Cinelli Eubios 26.0 and 130mm Profile chromoly stem) and I can't believe I dove corners with this flexy setup. Those Profile stems were so flexy compared to something like an Cinelli XA.