The Cannondale 500 has a touch of urban and a pinch of tourer
If you have come looking specifically for a Cannondale 500, bike parts or accessories, just follow the links in the Parts, Bikes and Accessories section and that should take care of your needs.
Now, about me: To saddle up my mountain bike and get as muddy as possible on just about any trail is what makes my weekend complete. The more mud the merrier. Despite my fixation for a muddy mountain bike adventure, I am not terribly fond of riding in the rain: only after it. We all have our idiosyncrasies so allow me mine. I am no professional mountain biker (my bruises remind me of this), but I certainly love a good dirt trail that fights back.
I am also particularly fond of using a bike in a way or on a course it was not traditionally designed for. Hardcore mountain bikers think I'm insane on my Cannondale 500, which is classified as a fitness bike. It's all in the name of fun and mud.
Before spending the bucks on a bike you should consider what it is you expect to get from your mountain bike and what are you going to do with it. This helps ensure you end up with the proper ride.
Now, about me: To saddle up my mountain bike and get as muddy as possible on just about any trail is what makes my weekend complete. The more mud the merrier. Despite my fixation for a muddy mountain bike adventure, I am not terribly fond of riding in the rain: only after it. We all have our idiosyncrasies so allow me mine. I am no professional mountain biker (my bruises remind me of this), but I certainly love a good dirt trail that fights back.
I am also particularly fond of using a bike in a way or on a course it was not traditionally designed for. Hardcore mountain bikers think I'm insane on my Cannondale 500, which is classified as a fitness bike. It's all in the name of fun and mud.
Before spending the bucks on a bike you should consider what it is you expect to get from your mountain bike and what are you going to do with it. This helps ensure you end up with the proper ride.
What type of Bicycle should you ride?
It all depends on what you want to do with your bike
Cyclocross rider | Elite road rider | Performance road rider | Multisport rider
What type of Rider are You?
Love the Mud? Cyclocross Rider: If you favor cool winds and flying mud then this is for you. It has a lightweight frame that is all aluminum.
Love Climbing Mountains or Racing to win? Elite Road Rider: if grinding up those big hills and mountains or racing ahead of the pack on an efficient bike are your deal then consider picking a SuperSix, Six, or Caad9 from this series.
Constructed entirely of HI-MODulus, unidirectional carbon fiber that delivers a precise and efficient ride the SuperSix is a great bike to consider.
The most popular bike of choice for racers worldwide is the Six line because they are full carbon and have the pro-Tour features that the other Elite bikes have.
For an aluminum bike that mixes comfort with race winning characteristics you should look at the Caad9.
I want to ride fast, but my butt shouldn't suffer for it. Cannondale Synapse: if you need performance and comforts then consider a Synapse from Cannondale. They are ultra comfortable and have a variety of frame materials and paint jobs to choose from.
I want something that kind of does it all. Multisport Road Rider: It has a race proven design that puts the rider in a lower position allowing them to shave minutes off of their best times. You should consider the Cannondale Slice bike.
I am a beginner to intermediate recreational and fitness biker. The Cannondale 500 offers the best price/performance ratio for a road/fitness bike but is hard to find. It is easy to ride and doesn't require you to lean over the handlebars, so this should save your back. It is a great bike for cruising and can handle light trails with ease. It also makes an excellent commuting bike if you're trying to get away from over using your car.
What type of Rider are You?
Love the Mud? Cyclocross Rider: If you favor cool winds and flying mud then this is for you. It has a lightweight frame that is all aluminum.
Love Climbing Mountains or Racing to win? Elite Road Rider: if grinding up those big hills and mountains or racing ahead of the pack on an efficient bike are your deal then consider picking a SuperSix, Six, or Caad9 from this series.
Constructed entirely of HI-MODulus, unidirectional carbon fiber that delivers a precise and efficient ride the SuperSix is a great bike to consider.
The most popular bike of choice for racers worldwide is the Six line because they are full carbon and have the pro-Tour features that the other Elite bikes have.
For an aluminum bike that mixes comfort with race winning characteristics you should look at the Caad9.
I want to ride fast, but my butt shouldn't suffer for it. Cannondale Synapse: if you need performance and comforts then consider a Synapse from Cannondale. They are ultra comfortable and have a variety of frame materials and paint jobs to choose from.
I want something that kind of does it all. Multisport Road Rider: It has a race proven design that puts the rider in a lower position allowing them to shave minutes off of their best times. You should consider the Cannondale Slice bike.
I am a beginner to intermediate recreational and fitness biker. The Cannondale 500 offers the best price/performance ratio for a road/fitness bike but is hard to find. It is easy to ride and doesn't require you to lean over the handlebars, so this should save your back. It is a great bike for cruising and can handle light trails with ease. It also makes an excellent commuting bike if you're trying to get away from over using your car.
Cannondale 500: Parts, Bikes and Accessories on Amazon
These are the Amazon resources for buying A Cannondale 500 and other Cannondale products. Generally, if you can wait for fall and winter then you will probably get a better bargain because these are the slower times and merchants usually lower their prices to reflect this. Spring and summer on the other hand are usually the most expensive times to buy. These bikes offer the best price to performance ratio. Spending all your money on a mountain bike and having nothing left for relevant toys is no fun either.
A Quick note about Brakes: Disc brakes offer the best all weather performance and require less physical force to operate and are considered the best to have. They do not come cheap though. Consider these if you are doing competitive biking and instant braking is needed. Rim brakes do not perform well in wet or muddy conditions and can eventually damage your rim. They are the least expensive and should be considered for recreational purposes and not competition. The Cannondale 500 is equipped with Shimano BR-420 brakes, which are solid and responsive road brakes (rim).
A Quick note about Suspension: Hard tail vs. full suspension? If you have the money then full suspension is the best as it offers more comfort and in general -- better control. Hard tail without the rear suspension is lighter though, and does tend to pedal more efficiently. Decide based on your budget, your riding style and also the type of terrain you will be shredding.
A Quick note about Components: Yah, you could buy them all, but are you? Probably. My advice is focus on the core components you want or need. It is very easy to get lost in the candy shop.
A Quick note about Brakes: Disc brakes offer the best all weather performance and require less physical force to operate and are considered the best to have. They do not come cheap though. Consider these if you are doing competitive biking and instant braking is needed. Rim brakes do not perform well in wet or muddy conditions and can eventually damage your rim. They are the least expensive and should be considered for recreational purposes and not competition. The Cannondale 500 is equipped with Shimano BR-420 brakes, which are solid and responsive road brakes (rim).
A Quick note about Suspension: Hard tail vs. full suspension? If you have the money then full suspension is the best as it offers more comfort and in general -- better control. Hard tail without the rear suspension is lighter though, and does tend to pedal more efficiently. Decide based on your budget, your riding style and also the type of terrain you will be shredding.
A Quick note about Components: Yah, you could buy them all, but are you? Probably. My advice is focus on the core components you want or need. It is very easy to get lost in the candy shop.
Shimano and Ultegra Brakes
Cannondale 500: BIKE TIPS to Consider
Brakes (Shimano BR-420): These are the standard issue brakes that come with the Cannondale 500. You are probably going to want to upgrade these at some point if you intend to do a little off-road action (look for Shimano 105s or Ultegras eventually). Until then abuse them. They work, they are brakes but they leave room for improvement. If you are going to be weaving in and out of traffic, then upgrade them. It's a fitness bike so you shouldn't need disc brakes unless you ride like me. That means in the dirt and mud with a road bike like a naughty boy. If you do this make sure you are prepared with tools and a tire kit or two.Tires (Continental Top Touring, 700 x 28c): These are weak. If you like your tires then change them when you buy your Cannondale 500. Otherwise just punish them until they expire and have fun doing it. If all you do is cruise then these tires will serve you well.
Weight: 18-20lbs, depending on my pedals and other stuff.
By the way, that's a Cannondale Super V700 in the picture. It's the one I'm saving for.
The eBay Connection for Cannondale 500 related stuff
There is usually very little activity here for the Cannondale 500.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Here are some Road Bikes on Amazon
This will give you an idea about pricing
You can enter whatever kind of bike you are looking for in the little search box.
These are mainly quite low-end bikes. They do not have any Cannondale bikes.
These are mainly quite low-end bikes. They do not have any Cannondale bikes.
Helmets and Pads for your Road or Mountain bike
You know, in case you don't want to get hurt on your Cannondale 500.
Here are some water bottles for the longer treks.
For those of you who prefer to be clothed when riding
Bike Sizing Methods from a Cannondale 500 Junkie
Determine Your Bicycle Size
Now that you know what type of bike you want, find out what size you need. You'll need to know your height and inseam measurement.
Some sellers will list a bike's wheel rim size, which works as a great measurement when you shop for a child-size bike.
Wheel rim size
12-inch: Child 28 to 38 inches tall.
16-inch: Child 38 to 48 inches tall.
20-inch: Child 48 to 60 inches tall.
24-inch: Adult with a 30.5 to 33.5-inch inseam.
26-inch: Adult with a 33.5-inch or greater inseam
Frame size
Different frames fit different people. Different seat tubes work for different inseam measurements. Adult bikes normally come with 12 to 26 inch (31 to 65 centimeter) frames, measured from the top of the seat tube to the middle of the bottom bracket. Mountain bikes and hybrids measure frame size in inches.
Road bike frames are measured in centimeters (divide by 2.54 to convert to inches).
To find your perfect fit, find your inseam measurement in inches and do a little math.
Mountain bikes and hybrids: Multiply your inseam by .59 and round to the nearest whole number.
Comfort bikes: Multiply your inseam by .65 and round to the nearest whole number.
Road bikes: Multiply by 2.54 to convert your inseam measurement to centimeters, multiply by .65, and round to the nearest whole number.
Now that you know what type of bike you want, find out what size you need. You'll need to know your height and inseam measurement.
Some sellers will list a bike's wheel rim size, which works as a great measurement when you shop for a child-size bike.
Wheel rim size
12-inch: Child 28 to 38 inches tall.
16-inch: Child 38 to 48 inches tall.
20-inch: Child 48 to 60 inches tall.
24-inch: Adult with a 30.5 to 33.5-inch inseam.
26-inch: Adult with a 33.5-inch or greater inseam
Frame size
Different frames fit different people. Different seat tubes work for different inseam measurements. Adult bikes normally come with 12 to 26 inch (31 to 65 centimeter) frames, measured from the top of the seat tube to the middle of the bottom bracket. Mountain bikes and hybrids measure frame size in inches.
Road bike frames are measured in centimeters (divide by 2.54 to convert to inches).
To find your perfect fit, find your inseam measurement in inches and do a little math.
Mountain bikes and hybrids: Multiply your inseam by .59 and round to the nearest whole number.
Comfort bikes: Multiply your inseam by .65 and round to the nearest whole number.
Road bikes: Multiply by 2.54 to convert your inseam measurement to centimeters, multiply by .65, and round to the nearest whole number.
Turn to Craigslist for Cannondale 500 Bikes and Parts
Good old Craigslist.
This is for price comparrison, to give you an idea. These listings are in US dollars.
When you can't find what you are looking for try here. The Cannondale 500 can be an elusive road bike.
If you really want it, think globally. Stuff can be shipped all over the world if its worth it.
Sorry, this module only works for the states.
This is for price comparrison, to give you an idea. These listings are in US dollars.
When you can't find what you are looking for try here. The Cannondale 500 can be an elusive road bike.
If you really want it, think globally. Stuff can be shipped all over the world if its worth it.
Sorry, this module only works for the states.
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The 500 forum for Cannondale Bikes and Parts
Post a note, say hi, or ask a specific bike question and I will try to answer.
I would like to collect obscure links and resources here for locating Cannondale stuff. Primarily centered around the 500 road warrior.
If you have anything of interest then please share.
submit
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- California_Dreamin California_Dreamin Jun 6, 2009 @ 7:23 am
- Very nice lens. I'm lensrolling it to my Brooks bicycle saddle lens.
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Reply
- mulberry mulberry May 15, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
- Very nice lens. I will link to it on my Rail Trail lens. Clearly any of my readers would be interested in this topic as well. You inquired about linking to mine and that is fine of course.
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Reply
- MudRider500 MudRider500 May 14, 2009 @ 5:43 am
- I'm trying to track down some reputable dealers that offer good shipping and have the Cannondale 500 in stock. Boy, more of a challenge than I thought. Thanks for your support.
- Reply
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- Snozzle Snozzle May 8, 2009 @ 2:12 pm
- All sounds just great and welcome to Squidoo.
Mike.
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by MudRider500
The Cannondale 500 fitness bike is my little dirt devil. You're supposed to use it on the road, but that's no fun. Great for commuting too. I have no... (more)
