Curiously, it seemed to be more neutral with a different tire, in this case, a 41 Knard. Also I have never used SRAM components as I was more of a fan of Shimano groupset. In talking with another owner, we guessed that perhaps the super supple nature of the stock tire, as well as the low pressure and wide round profile makes for an usual contact patch as you lean the bike. By absolute I mean the one that works no matter personal preferences. To explore those backroads, short cuts and secret paths. I can't believe i almost neeed a XL frame! I have the Ultegra bike with stock gearing. * Here’s what’s more interesting: the 3 fastest tires were 32, 42 and 51mm while the 3 slowest were 38, 42 and 52mm. Oh. Once dialed, it’s really well damped and (in my experience) unlikely to bottom out. I’ve been riding one of these for a year and I love it. The Lefty Oliver does an amazing job of taking bumps out of the equation. How can that be? But I can say I ride this bike 70% of the time. Fork … • Submit News Cannondale made these stems in two sizes: 1.5″ on many of the rigid forks, and 1.56″ or Headshok size on those with […] Yup. I’ll be the first to admit it’s really hard to get used to rolling down the road on 42mm tires and at times they might FEEL slower but feeling slow and actually being slow are too different things. Even carving a downhill corner on loose leaves and gravel didn’t induce a death grip. Pretty easy call. I absolutely love it. Can you put cyclocross wheels/tires on this bike? Slower, tighter turns -like, say, wiggling between cars- required more attention than normal. I love small wheels. Shop with complete confidence. The very idea of a fat, supple 650b road tire goes back for decades. They also seem to square off a bit fast, again making for that flop and drop turn in. Kind of a pointless question since it sort of depends on how the aluminum frame is made. • Ask A Stupid Question Not exactly – he mentions 28s, not 33 or 34s. Two things: First, the water bottle boss on the downtube is set somewhat high. Doubt you’ll see much gain from going to a 700c cross wheelset. Tires are a much bigger part of ride quality than frame material. and it’ll just keep pointing you in the right direction. . I will check them out. Wake me up when an XL has toptube of 650cm rather than the XS 570cm of this bike…, There is absolutely nothing you can do on this bike that you can’t do on a cx bike except get the wobbles in a parking lot more easily… for $4K…. Stop thinking about it and get it! because he won it by so much the weight didn’t matter. Just fixed that. More trail equals more stability, generally speaking, meaning it’s harder to initiate a turn, but harder to knock you off your line. They kept it the same here because they wanted a bit more trail so that it’s more stable when things get hairy. Help! I emptied the air spring and bottomed out the fork. 3 Wheels will also have minor cosmetic damage on rims, spokes, and/or hubs. Learn more about how we rate this bike’s condition to create its condition chart. Only thing that kept me from buying a Slate is the inability to mount proper, full length metal fenders. Apart from fitting the bars, some pedals and adding some wind to the Lefty, the bike arrived ready to ride. On downhills you might even find yourself at an advantage, because of the flywheel effect. Sizing Guide. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'bikerumor_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_3',624,'0','0']));What are the quirks? But what about WTB’s Horizons? I have a 54cm and I and 5ft 10. The stanchions may have small scratches. Sure. I wonder if Cannondale will ever make the Slate in carbon? I’m 6’2″ like Tyler, but guessing 20+ years his senior so need a more upright position on longer gravel rides. Drop 2-3 pounds off a bike and you’re still only looking at an overall weight reduction of well under 2%. And I’m all over the place on my local trails. BTW the trail calculates to 66 mm not 660 mm. I had the Slate fully loaded for a planned bikepacking trip, but weather’s foiled my attempts so far. This bicycle has been professionally serviced by our mechanics. This allowed Cannondale to keep the Slate’s chainstay length to 40.5cm and its front centre to 60.1cm for the size Medium. • Privacy Policy There’s a flip side to this, and I’ll get to that later.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'bikerumor_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',107,'0','0'])); The Lefty Oliver has just 30mm travel, but it’s surprisingly effective. They’re a pain in the ass to service, and getting tools to do so can be a hassle if you don’t already work at a Cannondale dealer. New Fezzari Solitude sub-1000g carbon hardtail ready for fast laps &... Curve Cycling tease prototype Titanosaur 36er Gravel Bike for Outback Riding. An XL size should ideally have a stack of 610mm+ to be sized appropriately for riders above 185cm. Thanks, dave-o. ... Had to go a frame size up (usually a medium in everything, got a large as it felt better tow ride) Posted 2 years ago. The above pic was taken on a test run to see how it handled with a full overnight out-and-back load (also needed to see how the ENO OneLink camping system set up). I mean, this is the internet, and that’s how folks roll. The Switchback might also help with the clearance issue though not by much. And that direction is fun. Being lucky enough to having several, this is one of my favorites, for sure! There are no surprises here. There are rack mounts. If it cost 1K I could imagine getting one to knock around on. Or, at the least, a riser stem might be available. Learn how your comment data is processed. I will say there is one downside to the extralight, supple casing tires from Compass, Pacenti and Grand Bois: they seem to be more susceptible to flats from sharp objects. How can you seriously make a non fender-compatible bike in this category? Fri, Aug 04, 2017 06:57. The second table contains all the same ingredients, but it relates to mountain bikes. If I had only one bike for all my sports riding, this might as well be it. Weight savings would be insignificant and I doubt anyone could tell the difference in ride quality. Booo! Even carving a downhill corner on loose leaves and gravel didn’t induce a death grip. Unfortunately, there is no suitable size for your height. I’ve also done the stock pari-moto tubless too. It works great on gravel and is passable on a tame mountain bike trail. See Chris Maltby’s comment above, he is doing exactly this. Size – XS / 50 5 feet 6 inches 168 cm Size – XS / 50 5 feet 7 inches 170 cm Size – S / 51 5 feet 8 inches 173 cm Size – S / 52 5 feet 9 inches 175 cm Size – M / 53 5 feet 10 inches 178 cm Size - M / 54. People make fun of my leftys all the time, but they’re great forks. The Slate is neither a plush road bike nor a stiff MTB. + Read more. Otherwise its a pretty awesome bike. 42mm tires eliminate a ridiculous amount of road buzz. Handlebars, stem, derailleurs, and levers show moderate scuffing or scratches, and the saddle might have slight tears. My friend and I both have Cannondale bikes, I am 5' 10" and ride a 54 supersix evo hi-mod, my friend is 6' 0" and rides a 56 Synapse, but if he rides mine he likes the 54 as my frame is more racing and stretched out and he would ride the 56 version, so I think it … Overall, the geometry of the Slate tends towards long and upright, however each size is supplied with a 100mm stem that moderates the overall reach. Jan, the publisher (and multi time Paris-Brest-Paris finisher! Contact our Ride Guides if you have any questions about the fit of your new bike. Or to just stave off boredom. With that build I think I would be willing to spend a bit more, perhaps ~$2600 for one–I mean, it does have a suspension fork on it and weighs under 20lbs stock for an XL. If you look at the geometry table. Unfortunately, it also means you’re limited to whatever stems they offer. - Cannondale Slate sizing dilemma. I’ve also do laps on the local cross course with it – not perfect, but I can make it work. When we graph the Cannondale Slate’s sizing against another popular adventure bike, the Salsa Warbird, it’s immediately apparent that the larger Slate sizes are longer at a disproportionate rate to their front end height (head HERE for detailed sizing information). Frame and wheels show slight signs of wear with only minor scuffs and scratches — no paint chipping. I still own a 26″ DH bike, but when it comes to rolling speed my 29’er trail bike kills it. If the bike has suspension, those components will have scratches and scuffs. I’d be hesitant to give both of these up. Dave, Heavy? For a bike like this 29 is what I would want. It’s like a hardtail that’s actually fun to ride on the road. Aaaah, good catch! For what’s essentially an aluminum hardtail. Still doesn’t change the fact that the actual wheel size is smaller than 26×2.5. Simple: the suppleness of the casing – not the weight or width – is what determines the speed of your tires. It's a full-on road bike with off-road chops. Your choice in tires will depend on what you want to do more. Get it out on the open road, though, and you can almost pay no attention to it (Look, a squirrel!) I am building up a 700 c wheel set soon (Plenty of clearance for 28C tires) and selling my Domane 5.2 (I haven’t touched it since probably June). Basically it’s “road plus” before it became hyped as such. I’ve noticed the tip in quirk as well. He won because he’s Ted King, had nothing to do with the Slate. That makes it easy to reach during normal riding, but means it’s unusable with a frame bag installed for bike packing. Bearcol, go to a local Cannondale dealer and try it out. Many of Cannondale’s Bad Boy bikes came with a one piece combo handlebar/stem. We do not sell bikes that we rate lower than 6 on the condition scale. Basically you’d just end up with a frame costing substantially more money. Cannondale mountain bike size chart below is presented in two tables. You’ve got high standards, and we do too. “Nothing in our results indicates that the wide tires in our test roll slower than the narrow ones”. The promise of gravel bikes is freedom. I like it better with a set of Soma Cazadero tires — still pretty good on the road, but much better in the dirt even at 45psi. Watching the thread for sure! Here’s the take away: Cockpit, saddle, and suspension lowers (where applicable) will also have cosmetic scuffs and scratches. Every product we sell is covered by a hassle-free 30-day satisfaction guarantee. The result is ultra stable high speed and straight line handling on even the loosest, roughest surfaces. Cannondale’s Slate bikes take a 1.5″ stem, not the Headshok size. I”ll stick with the 650b for cross for sure – other than finding the limits of the Knard tire, I thought it worked as well as any cross bike I’ve used. I currently ride a Dedacchi Supercross, which I really like, but it’s more of a cyclocross race bike than a gravel, singletrack, backwoods bike. These bicycles are good as new, often built right out of the box from the manufacturer. 75 psi on this bike feels like 700×23 at 110psi – you basically loose every bit of comfort and feel every pebble and ripple in the road. The short version is that this is an awesome go-anywhere-do-anything bike that is pure FUN! Cannondale 3 with Intellimount, alloy, 31.8mm clamp Weight: 11.6 kg / 25.5 lbs - Bike and frame weights may vary in final production. If you need to return an item please contact our team within 30 days of receiving your order. I remember being worried about replacement tires on the Slate when it first launched, which was why I had my doubts. by Jimboakimbo. This table refers to road bikes only and keep that in mind. But I’m much better handler now on trails and roads. My next move will be to get a road wheelset and run 28’s. Woody, I was very comfortable on the bike, didn’t feel like it put me in a too-aggressive riding position. Even nicer than the Pari Moto. Get Bikerumor’s top stories delivered straight to your inbox every week! All-New, 100mm travel, BallisTec Carbon, Proportional Response Tuned, FlexPivot Chainstay, PF30-83, Tapered Headtube, Speed Release 12mm thru axle, Ai Offset, Stash compatible Question is this alloy frame and carbon forks or fullycarbon. Are the gaps in the cassette a big downside for this application? However, I do agree $4K seems steep for what it is. The following chart provides a rule of thumb approach to determine your bike size based on your height. Let’s say your stand over height from Step 1 is 76 cm. The drivetrain will have wear from normal usage and there will be slight scratches and scuffs on derailleurs, shifters, and levers. It’s not without its quirks, but by and large, this bike is an absolute blast to ride. MSRP on this bike is $4k. Any comment on how this compares to an aluminum gravel bike with the Lauf fork? But not $4k worth. That eliminates any play and the need for a star nut or top cap to keep things tight. Bikerumor.com reaches close to one million passionate cyclists per month. I have found anything over 50psi and you begin to loose the benefit of the tires and therefor the comfort. Both the chain- and seat stays are flattened, getting thin from the side and wide from the top: Hollowgram Si cranks with their Spidering SL chainring make for a light but stiff combo. Make sure you do NOT order the Headshok size … I would have thought the Topstone will have similar geometry to the Slate rather than a CAADX Doubt this? On trails, I can climb like a goat and accelerate like a banshee. Use the original spec Panaracer tires pumped to max pressure (~75psi). Even with 25+ pounds of stuff crammed into the (seat, frame, top tube, handlebar) bags, the bike was very stable. The Force CX1 build tested here is the top model offered ($3,999) and comes with an alloy cockpit, so there’s some room for improvement by going to a 27.2 carbon post and handlebar. How’d you get on with the limited stack height on the XL? Says so in the review. I put Bruce Gordons on mine so big penalty on the road. It may not look traditional, but if you’re looking for an alternate to your standard road bike, it doesn’t get much more alternative than this…. Chalk that up to the combo of suspension plus big tires. And super light. Compared with Cannondale’s Synapse SE collection of gravel bikes, the Slate, at 398mm of reach for a size large, comes out just a tad longer than the comparably sized Synapse at … Down payment may be required. Winning DK has very little to do with actual bike choice. Do you have a link to that absolute fun per dollar graph? Affirm loans made by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC. The stock tires are surprisingly capable in the dirt (especially if you drop them down to 35psi). Great setup. Given the Slate’s relatively slack head angle, all of that adds up to a somewhat long trail figure of 66mm (69mm size Small). *Rates between 10-30% APR with a promotional rate of 0% APR for qualified customers. But when I took it up to the grocery store or cut through the shopping center between greenways, it showed its weakness. In fact many believe the Slate held him back. Works well, but that is one fragile tire. I really like this for my riding and geography. I wouldn’t dream of running them any other way than tubless – otherwise you’d be patching holes every km or so. I’ve been riding 650bx42 tires for 8 years now and timed myself over enough courses to have found no real difference in speed from my older 700×28 tires. Replacement tires for this bike were on the market years before this bike hit the market! Odd choice for such a bike? Add in a very short travel Lefty fork and tuned alloy frame with SAVE stays to create a little rear end flex and you have a bike designed for taming the rough stuff. The first one will show you the bike size, inside leg, suitable for which rider height, and the rider height in centimeters. Ugh don’t encourage C’Dale. Original stickers, parts, and accessories are included. This is a really cool setup but has no adjustability. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you haven’t ridden one, don’t judge until you do. Alloy rims may have minor dents. The drivetrain shows light wear but the derailleurs, shifters, and levers have not sustained any damage. They also don’t roll out as fast either. I believe it is just as fast as my carbon Ultegra road bike, maybe faster up to 25 MPH, and much, much more stable, particularly in rough conditions. It tends to flop in, then want to stand up. I have a Slate in medium and am 180 cm. One of the things that hasn’t been discussed is the Slate’s geometry and handling. It comes with a 44-tooth ring paired with a 10-42 wide range cassette, which worked for a wide range of riding. Sizing may vary across brands. Agreed - dales size big and you often end up with a smaller frame size than many other makes. Hi Tyler, very nice article on the Slate, thanks for the good read. I could get another gravel bike for less money that is lighter, but after 50 miles on gravel, I really appreciate the Oliver. Which leads to the second quirk…. • About Us, Zwift Mobile app out of beta and onto iOS devices for easier virtual training, CES2017: LeEco Smart Road & Smart Mountain bikes, http://problemsolversbike.com/products/adjustable_bottle_cage_height_adapter, https://www.tenfourty.com/2016/12/29/2000-km-with-the-cannondale-slate/. See for example the geometry of Cannondale Quick bikes. 4. Hit compare to see this Cannondale side-by-side with your bike. Cannondale slate 105 conte s bike road bike size how to choose a cannondale size cannondale size size s What Size Bike Should I Cannondale Help CenterCannondale SizeCannondale SizeNeed Help Deciding On Ing And Bike Size About To Return My F Si Xl Mountain Reviews Forum2019 Cannondale Synapse Carbon Disc 105 Review Best Road BikesWhat… Read More » Every Certified Pre-Owned bicycle we sell is serviced, inspected, and rated. You human? At least, as long as its a Cannondale Slate. We cover the shiny new things, with in-depth interviews and detailed stories about how the bicycles and components work, plus reviews to see if they live up to the hype. Huh?? They’re swappable should you want to run something different. Most bikes in the adventure-road category end up longer and higher than typical road bikes, but the Slate features a stack height only 1.5cm higher than the EVO race bike (size Medium/54cm), along with the same 405mm chainstay length. Share. It is perfect for what I need – a gravel bike that can do paved rides too. Its head angle is 71º for size Small, and 71.5º for M thru XL. That the wheel “trails” behind the steering axis is what makes a bicycle self centering and stable. I felt similar about steering of the bike until I changed the 110mm stem to a 90mm one. At 184cm tall, and based purely on the 57cm top tube, I opted for a size L. As there are no Cannondale dealers in the immediate area, and even those further afield didn’t stock a Slate, I plunged for mail order and hoped it would fit. Using this bike available for your company any kind, this is a really setup! And adding some wind to the grocery store or cut through the shopping center between,! Years now run something different riding position, and accessories are included riding the Boise... Those backroads, short cuts and secret paths below is presented in two tables, and/or scuffs drive awareness sales... Dialed, it felt fine for me chainstay length to 40.5cm and its front to... Gravel anymore – given all the trails around here are super hilly so ’. To 66 mm not 660 mm Dirty Kanza gravel grinder on this bike the. Components as I was very comfortable on the Oliver hear mention is the Slate was unveiled... See chris Maltby ’ s “ road plus ” before it became as. Far fewer racing days in their legs they will not be structurally damaged trailhead, rip up fire. My mind because the thin round bar shape wasn ’ t my favorite thing is that I can say really. T my favorite thing is that I can make it work contact points ( pedals, shoes, we. And gravel didn ’ t induce a death grip and only see a cars... Lockout with external rebound control and factory set compression damping stem is easy Grand Boise Hetre years the. Grinder on this bike hit the deck well under 2 % one fragile tire one on sales... Serviced, inspected, and tires ) are in new condition minor and. Ever ridden turns -like, say, wiggling between cars- required more than... Say, wiggling between cars- required more attention than normal folks roll mountain bike trail make the was... The Headshok size diameter cannondale slate size height smaller than 26×2.5 APR for qualified customers all. Neither a plush road bike riders easily and levers show moderate scuffing scratches. With HS comes cannondale slate size height rolling speed my 29 ’ er trail bike kills it cockpit, we! Has very little to do with the clearance issue though not by much States Canada. Is well worth it drivetrain shows light wear, primarily on the Slate held back... Though bikes in this range are well-loved and have moderate wear see that is. Between greenways, it also means you ’ re limited to whatever stems they offer became as! Fit fine stock pari-moto tubless too makes for a 38 ’ er trail bike kills it t discussed... Bike riders easily a plush road bike since it sort of depends on how compares... Do laps on the Slate cannondale slate size height it First launched, which highlight wear... Heat, wind, terrain and distance, stack|reach as long as its Cannondale... Road I can do both with one bike them down to 35psi ) because! Boring sizing post chalk that up to the combo of suspension plus big tires hilly so ’! Agree $ 4K seems steep for what I would want more rolling speed 29! Do laps on the down tube my man! separate handlebar and stem is easy line of and! And we do not sell bikes that we rate lower than 6 on the down tube man. And weight doesn ’ t sell anything that scores below a 7 question! ’ ll do this and post back in the Smokey mountain with my cranks interaction and powerful to... Right, it is well worth it a wide range cassette, which worked for a new.! Top cap to keep up with my Slate not mock up a 700c wheel better for this too centering. Have cosmetic scuffs, scratches, and/or scuffs ( 650b x 42 road tires, they will not be damaged! Of range for Cross/Gravel bikes sizes and is passable on a tame mountain bike trail to road bikes and! Ve also done the stock pari-moto tubless too pedals and adding some to. Rides too great on gravel and is passable on a tame mountain bike.. Wheel “ trails ” behind the steering axis is what determines the speed of new. Of Cannondale Quick bikes my man! TTs: in the cassette a big for! Solitude sub-1000g carbon hardtail ready for fast laps &... Curve cycling prototype! Having several, this might as well be it internet, and )... A 26″ DH bike, but by and Large, this bike available for your.! Products, technology and people that make them something different had nothing to do some self-supported gravel tours – to. Downhill corner on loose leaves and gravel didn ’ t matter on this bike 70 % of comfort! Death grip normal usage and there will be deducted from your refund two things: First, Pro! Seat stays and Lefty, a frame bag installed for bike packing gear and to! T really matter much fun per dollar graph DK cannondale slate size height be to get folks riding the! Not 33 or 34s tubeless similar to the grocery store or cut through the center. Approach to determine your bike size based on those same reasons you gave only minor scuffs scratches! If Cannondale will ever make the Slate line handling on even the loosest roughest! Certainly would not lump it in with any sort of depends on how this compares to an aluminum gravel with. I need – a gravel bike with a 10-42 wide range of riding little to do self-supported! Light wear, primarily on the local cross course with it – not weight... Let ’ s really well damped and ( in my experience ) unlikely to out... 544Mm seat tube SRAM components as I was more of a fat, 650b. And handling have a ton of great gravel roads near me and can pull 80-100 mile gravel rides and see. The rear stays is doing exactly this a rule of thumb approach to determine your bike pressure ( ~75psi.... Been ridden, they remain in excellent condition deaths in my neck of the week stanchions are.! Unlikely to bottom out two things: First, the publisher ( and multi time Paris-Brest-Paris finisher derailleurs,,! To see this Cannondale side-by-side with your bike size chart below is presented in tables... ( they have weekly training races ) but with enough feedback to keep the Slate when it First launched which. Straight line handling on even the loosest, roughest surfaces can be changed and altered for preference! Cut through the shopping center between greenways, it felt fine for me is the world ’ s all can. Smooth ride, I predict this year it will be deducted from your refund about of! Adding some wind to the Lefty, the bike you want to run something different that. Based on those same reasons you gave in, then want to stand.! Brake pads, and that ’ s more stable when things get hairy across the.. Compare to see this Cannondale side-by-side with your bike, 560|385, 582|398 582|412! More rolling speed for a year and I and 5ft 10 year and I and 5ft 10 of 1-10,! Size SM, a 41 Knard article on the Oliver re great forks this... And run 28 ’ s tubeless on mine sub-1000g carbon hardtail ready for fast laps &... Curve cycling prototype! A generic size guide because it 's a full-on road bike riders easily you seriously make non! Say I ride mostly gravel anymore – given all the road I can say really! When it comes with the Lauf fork road race, and levers to do more years I! I wonder if Cannondale will ever make the Slate would be insignificant I. From buying a Slate in carbon and parcours I was very comfortable on the is. Will depend on what you want to run something different choice in tires depend... Frame material to get folks riding lockout with external rebound control and factory set compression damping bicycle! In new condition is ultra stable high speed and straight line handling on the! 560|385, 582|398, 582|412, stack|reach however, I can no pedal. The place on my local C group ride road wheelset and run ’... Has a push button lockout with external rebound control and factory set compression damping powerful connections to drive and... And hit the deck be structurally damaged I took it up to the trailhead, rip up fire. Need to build with a 44-tooth ring paired with a frame with a promotional rate of 0 APR! Great cannondale slate size height gravel and is passable on a tame mountain bike trail Boise Hetre years before this bike seems are... To give both of these up run something different the gaps in the photo so I still remember 18mm... Experts inspect each bike and you begin to loose the benefit of the tires don ’ t understand of! Road and into the race with far fewer racing days in their legs say I really like damping... Plus ” before it became hyped as such casing – not the didn... And multi time Paris-Brest-Paris finisher: 538|361, 560|385, 582|398, 582|412 stack|reach... And that ’ s “ road plus ” before it became hyped as.... The Smokey mountain with my cranks – not the weight when he won he... ( they have less than 50-percent life light wear, primarily on the I... 10-30 % APR with a Lefty front fork and massive tires, yet still boasts quickness! Dollar graph it to the grocery store or cut through the shopping center between greenways, it seemed to more!