My Cannondale woes..

[geopat]

I purchased a new Cannondale Caad 8 in Feb 2012 but it seems the bike is cursed with ever recurring problems.

Am I unlucky or are the following issues quite common for someone riding a max of 65 miles a week on a bike this old:

1. One of the stem bolts shears in two

2. 3 spokes have gone on the rear wheel

3. On a least 3 occasions the gears have started to crunch and shifting is a problem

4. Left shifter gear cable tangled inside resulting in 2 new shifters

5. Rear brake cable seized in tubing

6. 2 x chain links snapped

7. Rear cassette is not running true

8. Rear wheel not quite true despite LBS best efforts

9. Spokes creaking and lose.

I am no bike mechanic but even when it gets returned from the LBS another issue seems to pop up.

This thing is costing me more than my 325i to keep on the road.

 

[400bhp]

Depends on where, when and how many miles you do, plus how much you look after your bike.

 

[400bhp]

I purchased a new Cannondale Caad 8 in Feb 2012 but it seems the bike is cursed with ever recurring problems.

Am I unlucky or are the following issues quite common for someone riding a max of 65 miles a week on a bike this old:

1. One of the stem bolts shears in two

2. 3 spokes have gone on the rear wheel

3. On a least 3 occasions the gears have started to crunch and shifting is a problem

4. Left shifter gear cable tangled inside resulting in 2 new shifters

5. Rear brake cable seized in tubing

6. 2 x chain links snapped

7. Rear cassette is not running true

8. Rear wheel not quite true despite LBS best efforts

9. Spokes creaking and lose.

I am no bike mechanic but even when it gets returned from the LBS another issue seems to pop up.

This thing is costing me more than my 325i to keep on the road.

There's your problem.

 

[outlash]

There's your problem.

+1. If they can't even get the cassette sitting properly it's time to either get your hands dirty or find another LBS. I have the same bike and whilst the standard wheels aren't great, they're not that bad so you'd have half the problems you've had.


Tony.

 

[Sittingduck]

Just out of interest... where do you keep the bike overnight? Outside or something? Just wondering if it's rusting up...

 

[potsy]

Sounds like a lack of regular maintenance/cleaning to me, plus the stock wheels on most bikes are fairly naff tbh.

Whoever said bikes were a cheap form of transport were lying

 

[gam001]

Depends on where, when and how many miles you do, plus how much you look after your bike.

+1
Sounds like a combo of poor maintenance by you as well as a poor LBS. Need to keep your bike clean / dry / lubed.

Look on youtube for videos on how to regularly maintain your bike - keeps it running smoothly and helps you spot / nip problems in the bud. I clean / maintain my bike around every 2 weeks when it's been dry and every week when it's been wet. I tinker with gears / spokes too every few weeks to make sure everyting is spot on. Got it down to around 20 minutes now - well worth the investment of time to have a smooth-running steed. It's quite satisfying too to learn how to do all of this yourself.

Good luck

 

[geopat]

+1
Sounds like a combo of poor maintenance by you as well as a poor LBS. Need to keep your bike clean / dry / lubed.

Look on youtube for videos on how to regularly maintain your bike - keeps it running smoothly and helps you spot / nip problems in the bud. I clean / maintain my bike around every 2 weeks when it's been dry and every week when it's been wet. I tinker with gears / spokes too every few weeks to make sure everyting is spot on. Got it down to around 20 minutes now - well worth the investment of time to have a smooth-running steed. It's quite satisfying too to learn how to do all of this yourself.

Good luck

The bike kept in a shed and always dried off after use and lubed before use.

 

[smokeysmoo]

So, and the interest of fairness, the fact it is a Cannondale is completely irrelevant to the problems you are having?

Any of these problems could, (and do), occur on all makes of bikes.

I purchased a new Cannondale Caad 8 in Feb 2012 but it seems the bike is cursed with ever recurring problems.

Am I unlucky? (APPARENTLY YES YOU ARE) or are the following issues quite common for someone riding a max of 65 miles a week on a bike this old:

1. One of the stem bolts shears in two Overtightened when bike was built by supplying LBS?

2. 3 spokes have gone on the rear wheel It happens, is your LBS a noted wheelbuilder well regarded locally, or have they just replaced the snapped spoke each time and given you the wheel back?

3. On a least 3 occasions the gears have started to crunch and shifting is a problem As do the Dura-Ace gears on my CAAD10 from time to time, go figure.

4. Left shifter gear cable tangled inside resulting in 2 new shifters Pilot/maintenance error? Never heard of this happening TBH.

5. Rear brake cable seized in tubing Hasn't been dried out properly after getting wet, simple as that.

6. 2 x chain links snapped Very unlucky but not unheard of. I've never had a chain break in 40 years until recently. Stick to KMC chains and links.

7. Rear cassette is not running true LBS error?

8. Rear wheel not quite true despite LBS best efforts Find another LBS

9. Spokes creaking and lose. See answer above.

I am no bike mechanic but even when it gets returned from the LBS another issue seems to pop up.

This thing is costing me more than my 325i to keep on the road.

Don't mean to beat you down with any of the above, but the Cannondale reference in the title wound me up TBH. I am not affiliated to them other than owning one, but none the less the make of bike in this situation is irrelevant IMO.

Hope you get things sorted

 

[MrJamie]

I'd be trying another LBS by now with all that going wrong. My most used bike averages slightly less milage than you, but the drive train is cleaned every couple of months and the frame I think 2 or 3 times in 3 years, it's been left outside pubs very frequently, left outside in snow and never dried off when wet and its been carrying round an 18stone rider and used mountain biking in very sandy woodland tracks regularly with no problems at all. Not that I'm advocating such laziness and poor maintenance, but I don't think the blame is with you.. rather bad luck and perhaps a poor LBS IMHO.

 

[400bhp]

The bike kept in a shed and always dried off after use and lubed before use.

Sheds keep a lot of moisture in.

 

[geopat]

Back from LBS fixed.

Rear brake was a frayed brake cable inside housing which resulted in cable being unable to return to position after being engaged.

Rear cassette small rings had teeth bent towards the wheel which may have resulted in chain links breaking. New cassette and new chain with different links fitted. Can't really fault my LBS as he explained everything and showed me the very slightly bent in cassette.

Here's hoping that is it for another week at least.

 

[400bhp]

Back from LBS fixed.

Rear brake was a frayed brake cable inside housing which resulted in cable being unable to return to position after being engaged.

Rear cassette small rings had teeth bent towards the wheel which may have resulted in chain links breaking. New cassette and new chain with different links fitted. Can't really fault my LBS as he explained everything and showed me the very slightly bent in cassette.

Here's hoping that is it for another week at least.

Huh

The teeth are offset anyway. I do hope that they weren't pulling the wool so to speak.

 

[geopat]

Huh

The teeth are offset anyway. I do hope that they weren't pulling the wool so to speak.

No I don't think so, not been out on it yet but time will tell. In the meantime I'll stick with his over 20 years experience as a bike mechanic, thanks.

 

[400bhp]

Yeah, cos mechanics and experience are closely correlated with honesty aren't they.