Contents
Introduction
In this article, we’re checking out one of the top hybrid commuter bikes on the market – the Cannondale Quick! This bike touts itself as the ultimate in commuter bike. We’re going to see whether the Quick stands up to these claims. We’re taking a comprehensive look at Cannondale’s commuter bike of choice, and letting you know whether it’s worth your money.
We’ll start with a full product overview, detailing the features of this bike as well as its construction and components. Then, we’ll outline the various pros and cons, so that you can evaluate whether this bike is for you. We’ll finish it all off with a buyer’s guide, so that you can pick the perfect bike for your needs.
Let’s get started: Product Overview and Review – Cannondale Quick
The Cannondale Quick is a bike that was designed for fast transportation and city riding. In this comprehensive outline and review, we’re evaluating whether it stands up to these claims. We’ll start by outlining this bike from a construction standpoint, and seeing which features are on offer.
Product Overview – Features
Cannondale advertises this bike as “a swift, sporty bike that’s perfect for getting a workout, city cruising, or just getting out and feeling good.” It is evident that they have constructed this bike with this in mind. There are various features of this bike’s construction that help to achieve this:
Bike Construction
First, let’s take a look at the elements of this bike’s design. As mentioned, this bike is built to be light, durable, and manoeuvrable. It’s built for speed without sacrificing manoeuverability and control, and it does so with various aspects of the bike’s construction:
Frame – The Cannondale Quick bike frame is made of Smartform C3 Alloy. It also has a full-carbon fiber fork. Overall, the frame is built to be light and durable. It is made of high-quality material, and is relatively lightweight for a hybrid bike compared to some aluminum frame models.
Tires and Wheels – The Quick has a 700c wheel size and a tire size of 32. It is fitted with Schwalbe Lugano tires, which are larger volume tires that have ample grip. Basically, this bike is fitted with road-bike style wheels and larger volume tires to absorb the bumps and jolts of a typical ride. The wide wheels are built for speed, while the larger tires help to offer traction and control for uneven surfaces. Although it’s not meant for off-road, it can serve well as a gravel bike on trails when needed.
Brakes – This bike is fitted with Shimano MT201-UR300 hydro disc brakes. These are very capable brakes that allow for the constant starting and stopping of city riding.
Other Specs – Overall, we were impressed by the Quick’s construction. It’s definitely a strong, capable bike, that is built to go fast, and with superior manoeuverability. It’s construction was clearly built for the demands of city riding and commuting. You can check out the full specs here.
Additional Features
Aside from the technical details of this bike, there are a few features that are worth noting about its overall design. Let’s check them out here:
Ride Position – The frame position of the Quick was designed for comfort and rideability above all else. The frame is positioned so that the rider is mostly upright, with a little bit of forward-facing momentum. The upright position is intended to maximize comfort, while the forward-facing nature of the ride allows for more speed. Combined with the wide wheel diameter, this bike is built for speed and comfort.
OutFront Steering – Building off the ride position, the Quick also increases rideability with Cannondale’s OutFront Steering. OutFront design places the wheel a bit further forward in front of the bike. This allows for more stability and control by widening the wheelbase. However, the OutFront positioning also makes the bike easier to steer, which increases agility as well. Basically, OutFront steering is meant to maximize control and maneuverability for commuting.
Connectivity – Like most things these days, this bike has options to stay connected and monitor your performance. The built-in wheel sensor will track your activity levels, including speed, distance, and estimated calories burned. You can then mount your smartphone on the stem of the bike to stay connected with Cannondale’s free app. The app tracks and measures you progress, and allows you to compare your performance with other app users.
Reflectivity – The Quick was also designed with various reflective surfaces built into the bike frame. These surfaces reflect any shining lights, and make the bike easily visible during night-riding (especially to cars). This is an important safety features that is designed for any night-commuting.
Overall Construction – As you can see, the Quick was designed, as Cannondale puts it, to be “fast and easy”. The various elements of its design allow for fast, agile riding, while minimally sacrificing comfort. We have outlined the various ways in which this bike allows the rider to comfortably and efficiently get around town. It is lightweight, nimble, and has enough gearing to adapt to most circumstances that a commuter would face.
Now that we’ve sufficiently outlined this bike, let’s check out the pros and cons:
Pros & Cons
As you can see from our comprehensive product outline, there’s a lot to like about the Cannondale Quick. It’s a well-constructed commuter hybrid, with various features meant to optimize its performance during city riding or fitness biking. But making an informed buying decision is all about evaluating the good with the bad. In this section, we’re going to outline our favourite parts of the Cannondale Quick, and balance it out with some of the drawbacks.
Compare the pros & cons to your individual preferences, and you’ll have a good idea whether or not this bike is for you.
Pros
Affordable
First up, this bike is highly affordable. Although there are various options available, it remains one of the most economical choices for commuter hybrids. Depending on the model you pick, the price ranges from around $500-$1000. This is a solid price range for a bike of this quality, and from such a reputable manufacturer.
If you are in the market for a new bike, you know how expensive they can get. Finding a quality bike for an affordable price-tag is quite a rarity, so there’s a lot to appreciate about the Cannondale Quick.
Superior Construction
As we outlined above, this is a well-made bike with quality components. All elements of the bike’s construction come from well-known manufacturers. The result is a bike which is strong and durable, and can stand up to the demands of regular commuting and city riding. We were impressed with this bike’s performance overall, and it basically performs exactly as you’d expect from a quality Cannondale bike.
Fast and Easy
When evaluating commuter hybrids, it’s most important that they offer a style of riding which is most suited to a commute. The Quick touts itself as a commuter bike which is also ideal for fitness riding. Its construction definitely achieves that goal. As Cannondale puts it, this bike is “fast and easy”.
The upright riding position, combined with the fast wheels and ample traction make this a bike which is excellent for getting around. Additionally, the OutFront steering gives you good control and agility.
Basically, this bike definitely meets its goal of being a fast, easy way to get around. So if all you’re looking for is a great commuter bike, then this one fits the bill.
Cons
Only for Specific Purposes
The first thing that might turn many people off from this bike is that it is very much a bike designed for specific purposes. It is a bike that is meant for city riding and commuting, and for fitness rides around town.
Therefore, if you have more extensive needs, or are looking for a bike for another purpose than this, then you will probably be disappointed. The same features that make this bike ideal for many types of riding will make it less than ideal for many other purposes.
While it does have agile handling, don’t expect this bike to be able to take on any extensive off-road riding, and don’t expect it to have the speed to keep up with a road bike. This is very much a bike for commuting purposes, so you may come away disappointed if you are looking for anything beyond that.
No Suspension
Building on our last point, it is worth noting that this bike has no suspension system. While this is largely expected of a commuter bike, there are many hybrid bikes that do offer suspension. This may turn some people off the Cannondale Quick, as it doesn’t offer the absorption and smoothness of a suspension system.
However, it is also worth noting that the lack of suspension allows this bike to pick up more speed over flat, smooth surfaces. It is up to you whether this is a trade-off that you enjoy.
Limited Gearing
This is an 11-speed bike, which may be a bit limited compared to what some commuters are used to. It really depends on your preferences and expectations. Be sure to thoroughly evaluate the features of this bike to decide whether it meets your expectations.
Overall Impression
Overall, we really like the Cannondale Quick. This is a solid commuter hybrid that achieves the purposes it was designed for.
As we’ve examined throughout our review, this bike was built for rideability and ease-of-use above all else. It’s designed to be a fast, comfortable, maneuverable ride, and we think it meets that goal admirably. At the end of the day, a commuter just wants a bike that comfortably and efficiently gets them where they want to go, and we think the Cannondale Quick is a very affordable option to get the job done!
But just be sure that a commuter bike is actually what you are looking for! This is a capable bike for that getting around, but is not ideal for off-roading or road biking.
Buyer’s Guide
Before we wrap up our comprehensive look at the Cannondale Quick, we’re going to give you a buyer’s guide for choosing the perfect bike for you. We’re going to outline the top criteria to consider in knowing whether a bike is right for you. By evaluating these categories, you’ll be able to match your personal preferences to an ideal choice of bike. We think these are some of the most important factors to consider in knowing whether a bike properly meets your needs:
Your Riding Preferences
There are a lot of options out there when you start considering purchasing a new bike. The best way to decide which bike properly meets your needs is to consider how you will actually use the bike. Your riding style is perhaps the most important consideration, and will determine whether or not you are happy with your purchase.
Think of how you will actually be using your bike on a day to day basis, and how you plan to use your bike in the future. To use this guide as an example, the Cannondale Quick is ideal for those who intend to use their bike for commuting purposes.
Price vs. Quality
Of course, price is probably a top consideration in any buying decision you make. However, we think the better consideration is price vs. quality. After all, price is really only relevant because you expect higher quality by spending more. Therefore, we think the best approach is to settle on a price range that you are comfortable with, and evaluate the different offerings within that range. This way, you’ve effectively narrowed your choices, and will ensure that you get the best “bang for your buck”.
Speed vs. Control
When it comes to buying a commuter bike, one of the main trade-offs you need to consider is speed vs. control. Typically speaking, if a bike is built for more speed, it tends to sacrifice an element of manoeuverability and control. For example, a wider wheelbase allows for more speed over straightaways, but it also makes the bike more difficult to do sharp turns. Additionally, an upright position tends to be more comfortable, but it sacrifices some aerodynamics which are necessary for high speeds.
You need to consider this balance for yourself, and decide what works best for you. Do you just want to get somewhere fast, or do you want to get there comfortably? Your answer to this question will largely determine what type of bike you are looking for.
Last Updated on November 15, 2020 by Matthew Carpenter
