i have a cannondale caad8 which i love. wanted to add a new bike to the stable. both are 08 modles full ultegra. the madone comes with the new ultegra sl. love cannondale but wouldnt mind trying a full carbon bike and the new madone is supposed to be great. has anyone tried both?

I would vote the Madone. Your Caad8 is already a very good bike with the best attributes of aluminum. It is arguably one of the the best aluminum frames probably ever made. The System6 might be a tad stiffer in the front end but, other than this I suspect the bikes will be very similar in performance, ride, handling and feel. The Madone should make a nice complementary bike that strives to add more comfort to a performance oriented frame (probably similar to the Super6). In the end I don't think you will find one bike "better" than the other - just a bit different in feel. Also consider the Specialized Tarmac SL. This frame should also offer a different feel and comfort level - yet still offering leading edge performance.

havne't tried caad8, but rode cervelo soloist for 1 week - should have very similar feel to caad 8 aluminum. Liked the ride quite a bit, but in terms of comfort, it's difficult to compare with 5.2. rnhood is right - can't say which is better, but 5.2 will be more comfortable for long ride.

I went from a CAAD8 to a SIX and I would highly recommend it. I still like the CAAD8 and agree it is probably the pinnacle of aluminum technology, but the SIX is so much nicer. It only took one ride for me to know it was exactly what I wanted. I've spent some time on a Madone and I wasn't impressed.

I took delivery of an 08 Madone 5.2 in December. My previous bike was a Trek 2300 - aluminum. The Madone is unreal - stiff, responsive, light. The carbon does an amazing job of soaking up the road. I did 45 the other day in 30 degree weather and was bummed when the ride ended. I live on the north shore of Long Island which is very hilly. On the new Madone, the toughest climbs literally feel 25% easier, the bike is that responsive to your input. You owe it to yourself to ride it before you purchase something else. Hope this helps.

I took delivery of an 08 Madone 5.2 in December. My previous bike was a Trek 2300 - aluminum. The Madone is unreal - stiff, responsive, light. The carbon does an amazing job of soaking up the road. I did 45 the other day in 30 degree weather and was bummed when the ride ended. I live on the north shore of Long Island which is very hilly. On the new Madone, the toughest climbs literally feel 25% easier, the bike is that responsive to your input. You owe it to yourself to ride it before you purchase something else. Hope this helps.

08Madone5.2, where do you live? im in e.northport. where did you get you bike from?

Laurel Hollow - Bought it from Bob at Bike Works on Northern Blvd in Greenvale. If you know Moores Hill, then you will understand what 25% easier means!!! The bike is tremendous. The Ultegra SL snaps off shifts. When your out of the saddle and climbing, this bike literally leaps forward. Its just incredible.

mind me asking what you got $$$ it for? moores a killer.

Ride both , go with what is more comfortable based on what type of riding you wil do.. Both are quality frames.
FWIW, I have a Six and LOVE it.

i have a cannondale caad8 which i love. wanted to add a new bike to the stable. both are 08 modles full ultegra. the madone comes with the new ultegra sl. love cannondale but wouldnt mind trying a full carbon bike and the new madone is supposed to be great. has anyone tried both?
Considering this would be your first full CF bike and your price point is around $3,500, unless you've already narrowed it down, why pick between only these two? The Madone in particular isn't a bad choice, but there are many other equally good ones.

Get something a little more unique....a Scott or Cervelo or perhaps something Italian....

I considered both a Scott CR1 and a Cervelo Soloist Carbon - both really beautiful bikes. Looked at the Pinarello too. Went with the Trek because I was coming out of a Trek that was very good to me for years. I think they make a great bike, love that its made in the US, and it certainly doesn't hurt that Trek together with Shimano won 7 TDFs. The other bikes are all great, but I just felt how can I go wrong with a Trek.

The Madones are quite nice....If it fits you well and you like it, then that is the one!

looks like im staying in the family. seems that cannondale is running a special on the 2008 team liquigas system six si 3. retails for $3400, my local dealer will sell it for $2300. the bike has a cannon si carbon crank, full ultegra except rear der is dura ace. they are willing to upgrade the front dr and shifters to dura ace for another $100. i figure i can upgrade the brakes later. the only downside are the wheels, ultegra 6600 which are good but not great. i have a set of mavic es's that i will put on the bike. always loved the team paint scheme, probably wouldnt buy it at full retail and would go with a factory color but things happen. would love to get the trek 5.2 but cant turn down the bike i have always wanted with a ton of dura ace for about $1000 less then the trek. 08madone5.2, i would love to still meet up and ride if you dont mind being seen with a cannon. thanks for the thoughts guys.

here are the full specs.

Fork Cannondale SystemSix+ Full Carbon
Rear Shock N/A
Rims Shimano WH-R6600
Hubs Shimano WH-R6600
Spokes Shimano WH-R6600
Tires Maxxis Columbiere foldable, 700 x 23c
Pedals N/A
Crank Cannondale Carbon Si, 39/53
Chain Shimano Ultegra
Rear Cogs Shimano Ultegra, 12-25
Bottom Bracket Cannondale Hollowgram Si
Front Derailleur Shimano Ultegra
Rear Derailleur Shimano Dura-Ace
Shifters Shimano Ultegra
Handlebars Easton EC-70 Carbon
Stem FSA OS-115C w/Carbon faceplate
Headset SystemSix Pro C1 Carbon
Brakeset Shimano Ultegra
Brakelevers Shimano Ultegra
Saddle Fi`zi:k Arione Mg Team Liquigas Edition
Seat Post FSA SL-K Carbon

Sticky -
Congrats! Its all good! The fact that we are fortunate enough to be able to "have" to decide between 2 $3500 bikes is good enough. Buying a bike today is like buying a new HDTV. When you look at all of them together you can lose your mind - this one has that, that one has this etc... bottom line is whichever one you choose, when you get it home and thats the one you are watching, it amazing! Porsche, Ferrari, Vette? Its all good, how fast can a guy drive to the bagel store anyway??? All the bikes we are discussing are good in their own right. Important thing is actually getting out there and riding, meeting new people, doing new things, going to new places. Thats what its all about. I cant wait to ride with you all over the north shore! Send me a private with your contact info, lets talk. Have a great day!

looks like im staying in the family. seems that cannondale is running a special on the 2008 team liquigas system six si 3. retails for $3400, my local dealer will sell it for $2300. the bike has a cannon si carbon crank, full ultegra except rear der is dura ace. they are willing to upgrade the front dr and shifters to dura ace for another $100. i figure i can upgrade the brakes later. the only downside are the wheels, ultegra 6600 which are good but not great. i have a set of mavic es's that i will put on the bike. always loved the team paint scheme, probably wouldnt buy it at full retail and would go with a factory color but things happen. would love to get the trek 5.2 but cant turn down the bike i have always wanted with a ton of dura ace for about $1000 less then the trek. 08madone5.2, i would love to still meet up and ride if you dont mind being seen with a cannon. thanks for the thoughts guys.

here are the full specs.

Fork Cannondale SystemSix+ Full Carbon
Rear Shock N/A
Rims Shimano WH-R6600
Hubs Shimano WH-R6600
Spokes Shimano WH-R6600
Tires Maxxis Columbiere foldable, 700 x 23c
Pedals N/A
Crank Cannondale Carbon Si, 39/53
Chain Shimano Ultegra
Rear Cogs Shimano Ultegra, 12-25
Bottom Bracket Cannondale Hollowgram Si
Front Derailleur Shimano Ultegra
Rear Derailleur Shimano Dura-Ace
Shifters Shimano Ultegra
Handlebars Easton EC-70 Carbon
Stem FSA OS-115C w/Carbon faceplate
Headset SystemSix Pro C1 Carbon
Brakeset Shimano Ultegra
Brakelevers Shimano Ultegra
Saddle Fi`zi:k Arione Mg Team Liquigas Edition
Seat Post FSA SL-K Carbon

Sticky - that sounds fantastic! I myself had my mind set on 08 Madone 5.2, until had vacation in San Diego and tested a whole bunch of different bikes. Ended up with a Look 555 (Ultegra) and upgraded Mavic Equipes to Easton Orion II's, all for $2.3k.

Enjoy the bike. For $100, I would definitely upgrade the shifters and FD. In fact, I would also consider upgrading or getting a 2nd set of wheels :) Yes, it's a sickness, but hey, it's better than gambling or drugs!

Is it an '08 555? I've been trying to decide between the LOOK and a few others in this price range. If it's an '08, what made you go with it. Price? Ride/ handling??

$2400 for that bike is an awesome deal, and you probably got really lucky that the had DA shifters and FD laying around 'cause I have never heard of shop upgrading that cheap.

Is it an '08 555? I've been trying to decide between the LOOK and a few others in this price range. If it's an '08, what made you go with it. Price? Ride/ handling??

It's an 07. I went with it primarily for handling, and the "spirited" ride vs. rather uninspiring (but comfortable) rides from the 08 Madone 5.2 and a 07 Felt Z25. I'm coming from an entry level aluminum (Giant OCR2), so the Madone & Felt, to me, felt very much like a "lack of road feel." The Look felt more fun.

But if you're looking for comfort, purely from a cushiness perspective...out of the bikes I test rode (all carbon), I would rank them as follows:

07 Bianchi C2C (cushiest ride of the bunch)
07 Felt Z25 (geometry fit me well)
07 Roubaix (geometry driven)
08 Madone 5.2 (good geometry, and forgiving vertical compliance, although not as cushy as Bianchi or Felt)

Interesting, thanks for the input.

No, I'm not looking for cushy nor am I looking to get beat up. Roubaix's handling is too boring to me (and too upright) and Cervelo R3 too stiff. At 138 lbs I don't need super stiff. The best way I can describe my ideal ride would be balanced with predictable handling, but with some life. I've ridden steel and know I like the way it rides, but want to try CF.

I'd say the Look 555 is a good choice. Still available for $2249 at Jensonusa.com

Congrats on your Team Liquigas System six! That'sa great deal on a great bike with great specs! But you know, ...they say it doesn't exist without pics!

once i pick it up i will post pics asap. will be about a week or so.

good luck with it, looking forward to seeing it posted and to some good North Shore spring rides as well as some centuries. Keep in touch.

Can't wait for the pics!

went by the lbs today to drop off my mavic es's. going to have them tune the bike with them mounted. im also going to have them swap out the brake calipers to da's for another $100. why not!

she's home!!!

she came out weighing 16.61lbs. i upgraded the brakes also to da. left the chain and cassette ultegra, and put on a set of ultegra pedals. also changed up the tires for some matching mich pro 2's. ive got these tires on my other bike and like them.

hmm, what water bottle cage to get?

That is AWESOME!!!!!!!!

OMG! Your Liquigas is the stuff dreams are made of! Sweeeeeet! :D

I'm currently also in a fortunate dilemma of which $2-3K bike, and would love to come home with such a winner! Congrats!

Sticky -
The pics are slamming! What a great looking bike! You got a great deal and I look forward to a lot of good North Shore riding with you this spring and summer. I've scoped out a few centuries that I'm going to put some friends together to ride and will include you in anything we look to do. Use it well, you're gonna love it.

I hope you're got the team legs to go along with that team bike, lol

Nice though, looks like it means business

That $100 upgrade from Ultegra to Dura-Ace is a killer. I'm jealous... I do hope you pedal fast, as that bike screams "I'm the best and you suck!" But fantastic bike, and congrats on the great deal.

I hope you're got the team legs to go along with that team bike, lol

Nice though, looks like it means business

they are on back order.

I love C'dale and the Liquigas paint job is not bad, but....

Team bikes change by the minute. I'd go with a "standard" paint job. Would you fancy a 7-11 team bike today? Or a ONCE? or a US Post?

Team bikes are a snapshot in time. Make sure you can live with that particular moment for a looooong time before you buy.

cheers

I love C'dale and the Liquigas paint job is not bad, but....

Team bikes change by the minute. I'd go with a "standard" paint job. Would you fancy a 7-11 team bike today? Or a ONCE? or a US Post?

Team bikes are a snapshot in time. Make sure you can live with that particular moment for a looooong time before you buy.

cheers

i wouldnt mind a 7-11 bike in my stable. the bike will either be retro, sell it or set it on fire. i still liked my 67 camaro ss that i sold a few years back.

Which color of the pro 2 race are those... the mid blue or the dark blue?

Thanks,

es

dark blue

sticky -
I just noticed the training wheels (must be you kids bike) in one of your pics. What's Jr. ride?

my little guy is 5. his grandparents bought him a trek jet last spring.