Cannondale Road Bikes: What Kind of Rider Are You?

It is important to know what type of rider you are if you are looking to purchase a new bike. To be able to find the bike and accessories that really fit you, you have to know what type of rider you are. Road riders usually fall into these four groups: cyclocross rider, elite road rider, performance road rider, and the multisport rider. I'll introduce you to each group, and which bikes are best for each style.

Cyclocross Road Rider: If you enjoy a mud covered bike and chilly air, you may be a cyclocross road rider. The cyclocross rider usually prefers the Cannondale Cyclocross series. The frame is all aluminum and light weight, which helps make it a true all purpose bike. The three 2009 models are: Cyclocross 2, Cyclocross 5, and Cyclocross 6.

Elite Road Rider: You are an elite road rider if you daydream of riding the best climbing bike all the way to the top of the Tourmalet or racing ahead on a super efficient bike. There are more bikes to choose from in this category, which are the SuperSix, Six, and Caad9.

The SuperSix is constructed entirely of HI-MODulus, unidirectional carbon fiber that delivers a precise and efficient ride when it really counts. There are four 2009 models: SuperSix HI-MOD Team, SuperSix HI-MOD Red, SuperSix HI-MOD 1, SuperSix HI-MOD 3.

The Six line is the bike of choice for racers around the world. They are full carbon and have pro-Tour features just like the other Elite bikes. The tubes on the front triangle are oversized to deliver an awesome performance. You can get the competitive edge with the hourglass shaped seatstays as they give a vibration damping comfort. The six 2009 models are: Six Carbon 1, Six Carbon 3, Six Carbon 5, Six Carbon 6, Six 5, and Six 6.

The last line for the elite rider is the CAAD9 line. It is an aluminum bike that mixes comfort with race winning characteristics. The three 2009 models are the CAAD9 5, CAAD9 6, and CAAD9 7.

Performance Road Rider: The performance rider expects high performance with high comfort as well. The recommended bike for this group is the Cannondale Synapse, which is ultra comfortable and has a variety of frame materials and paint jobs to choose from. The eight 2009 models are: Synapse HI-MOD Red, Synapse HI-MOD 1, Synapse Carbon 3, Synapse Carbon 4, Synapse Carbon 5, Synapse Carbon 6, Synapse 5, and Synapse 7.

Multisport Road Rider: Last but not least, the multisport road rider has Kona to think of. For this group, the Cannondale Slice is the way to go. Its race proven design puts the rider in a lower position allowing minutes to fall off of their best times. The four 2009 models are: Slice HI-MOD Ultimate, Slice HI-MOD 1, Slice HI-MOD 3, and the Slice HI-MOD 5.