Gear Review: Cannondale Quick

The Cannondale Quick series isn’t anything new.  It has been around for several years now.  However, it is certainly a bike that everyone in the market for a “hybrid” bike should consider.  Call it a flat bar road bike, call it a touring bike or call it a recreational bike.  It doesn’t matter.  What the Cannondale Quick brings to the table is the perfect blend of sport, road, recreation and comfort.  The Quick truly is a “hybrid” bike.    Cannondale took the technology and features of a high end road bike and combined it with components from their mountain bike line and the comfort of their recreational bike line.  There are several models within the Quick series and they range from the high end Quick Carbon 1 ($2,600) for the serious road/recreation rider to the entry level Quick 6 ($480) for the recreational rider.  Looking for a bike that lets you be even more adventurous? Check out the Quick CX line.  The Quick CX features a front suspension that lets you take the Quick from the road to the bike path to the forest road with ease.  The CX is a little road and a little cyclo-cross bike all wrapped up into one awesome bike package (price range on the CX is $1,500 to $540).   The Quick series features an upright riding position and 700c tires, which make the bike both sporty and comfortable.

We’re not just trying to sell you a bike (yes, Country Squirrel Outfitters does sell the Cannondale Quick series and we typically have a few in stock), we speak from experience.  CSO owners, Steve and Miranda, both have Cannondale Quick models and have collectively put over 3,000 miles on them.  Miranda has a 2011 Quick Carbon 2 and Steve has a 2013 Quick 5.  In fact, if you read our previous blog post about the Sea Gull Century ride, Steve and Miranda completed this ride on their Cannondale Quick bikes.  Their Quicks also traveled with them in July when they visited Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Maine.  The Quick was the perfect travel companion as it allowed them to bike on a number of different types of terrain.  You’re probably not going to win the Tour de France riding a Quick, but if you are looking for an all-around bike that is a good blend of road, trail and comfort, then you should definitely check out the Cannondale Quick series.   

Summary:

I’ll give the Cannondale Quick series 4.5 out of 5 stars for hybrid bikes. Overall, this is an awesome bike.  It's also a way for someone to get into the sport of road cycling without buying a high priced road bike.  You are never going to find a bike that can go from the Tour de France to the Leadville 100, but as far as "all purpose" bikes go, the Cannondale Quick is pretty darn good.

Pros: Comfort, light weight, versatility (can be used for your daily commute, around town, on the bike path, on the Rails-to-Trails, or on your next century ride) and price (many models are under $1,000).

Cons: Not the fastest bike on the market, but what do you expect from a hybrid.