dealcatcher
new member
Reged: 12/30/04
Posts: 7
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This year I built up a Calfee Luna Pro with all Campy record and a nice set of DT Swiss hand-built wheels. I've been riding the Luna all season and love the ride. However, yesterday I took my old Cannondale CAAD5 bike out for a spin and it felt a lot faster, especially when sprinting and climbing. Today I conducted some tests on a flat quarter mile stretch of road. After 6 rides I concluded that I move about 1.4mph faster on the Cannondale. I'm going to do some longer rides with both bikes and see if this holds true. What could cause this, frame stiffness? or geometry and design? Now I'm upset because my much cheaper aluminum bike seems faster, it almost makes me want to try and Six13. Has anyone else noticed there Calfee's to be slower then a stiff aluminum bike?
- Dan
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Umlungu
contributor
Reged: 03/04/05
Posts: 187
Loc: Plano, TX
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Fun Answer:
It's not your imagination, its a fact, the Luna Pro is waaaaaaay slow. Probably slower than most bikes out there. You should definitely sell it real cheap and get out from under that albatross. I'd be happy to take it off your hands for a couple hundred bucks  .
Serious Answer:
As I'm sure you know, lots of things can affect your speed on a bike. Sure geometry and stiffness play their part and could be the differentiator, but it might also be something else.
For instance, if your riding position exactly the same on both bikes? What about gearing? Did you keep the same cadence for both bikes? Also, if you did the test because you felt like one was faster than the other then perhaps unknowingly you favored the bike you thought was faster during the trials.
Even if you accounted for all these variables, sometimes a change of pace (or bike in this instance) can be very refreshing. Try riding only the Cannon for a while and then retest.
Just my 2 cents. 
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dealcatcher
new member
Reged: 12/30/04
Posts: 7
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Thanks for the reply, my position is similar however the Cannondale has a slightly longer top tube by 1cm, but both are 56cm frames. The bars and stem are the same and the wheels are very similar. During the ride I covered my bike computer so I was not influenced by looking at my speed. If anything I would say I actually tried a bit harder on the Calfee to go faster. Gearing was very similar. I did the ride 6 times in a row and every time I was faster on the Cannondale. Overall, I still love my Calfee however an extra 1.5mph would be nice especially when trying to hit speeds of 25mph+ on flats. I need to do some more testing.
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superunleaded
captain
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 223
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Can you try switching the stem and wheels?
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***Regular Unleaded - 4.99
***Special Unleaded - 7.99
***Superunleaded - Arm & a Leg
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skuke
captain
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 323
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As you're probably aware, over sized Aluminum tube frames are significantly stiffer than other materials. That would account for some better efficiency. However, your numbers infer that the C'dale is >6% faster in speed!! I think that's a bit much to ask of a frame alone. I can believe the Aluminum is faster, but there is definitely something else going on. Perhaps there is a cyclometer error (different tire circumference, settings incorrect...)? You are waaaay more aerodynamic on the C'dale?
Anyhow, bikes are more than pure speed. Which would you rather ride on a century or road race? You may want the C'dale for a shorter crit or time trial, but I think the comfort of the carbon on long rides would outweigh the speed/efficiency issue. Which bike handles better and instills more confidence in fast corners and downhills?
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Skuke
95 Carbonframes Tetra Pro
92 Bridgestone MB-1
90 Moser 51.151
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Insightdriver
captain
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 472
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Consider this: When I ride my Calfee, slight position changes on long rides affect my speed about as much as you are experiencing. It's not a difference in bike, it's a difference in the strength and efficiency and training of all the different muscles that come into play while I cycle. There are just some more efficient positions. I suggest you have slightly different positions on each bike. Especially if you are riding a flat course for the primary drag on a bike is tires and body shape. Weight, flexibility and other aerodynamic factors of a bike make almost no difference among those who are not elite riders such as though who ride the Tour De France. There are articles on Bicycle Forums that talk about physiology and such concerning riding.
The only way you could determine accurately that one bike is faster than the other would be to use a power tap on both and ride with equal power on both bikes.
IMOHO
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vaxn8r
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 222
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That's very curious as I have a CAAD7 and found exactly the opposite. Not willing to believe it I have spent more than a year trying to dial in my exact position from the Calfee to the CAAD7.
Other factors could come into play as well. Same speedometer? Same tires and size?
I feel stronger and faster on the Calfee every time. Having said that the 'Dale feels so solid climbing and sprinting. So it isn't just the bike stiffness.
Here's a thought: Want to trade a low mileage CAAD7 for the Luna? Might work out for both of us. BTW, my bikes are both 56cm stock as well.
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vaxn8r
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 222
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BTW, I like the CAAD7 but I am serious if you want to make some sort of trade.
FWIW, I have a friend who loves Cannondales and he "upgraded" his CAAD5 to a Six13. He didn't feel it was as solid as his CAAD5 and subsequently "downgraded" to a CAAD8.
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flythebike
captain
Reged: 08/26/04
Posts: 272
Loc: N. Virginia, USA
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don't use the computer. Just time yourself. To check the differnece, try it on the hills, where aerodynamics don't play into, and see what you find.
I have a dragonfly and a luna and the parts on the bikes are rather different. I'm much higher, but more stretched out on the Luna, and no surprise they feel different and the luna is slower. But I find it is equally stiff, although it feels different.
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dealcatcher
new member
Reged: 12/30/04
Posts: 7
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i found this post over at bicycling.com this guy compared 3 of his high end hand-built carbon bikes; calfee, crumptopn and parlee. it seems from his test he experienced the same thing i did when i switched to the cannondale.
http://forums.bicycling.com/thread.jspa?forumID=6&threadID=138313
Taken from the forum post at bicycling.com:
The Calfee was my first CF bike and for a long time my favorite bike - it was exciting to ride yet damped vibration so much more than metal bikes, and every time I came back to it I was impressed by its quality construction (as I still am). But in this test, the Calfee felt sluggish compared to the other two on both climbs and flats - it did not reward each stroke enough to encourage the body to do more.
average speeds were 18.3 on the Calfee, 18.7 on the Parlee and 19.1 on the Crumpton.
Feeling of efficient power transmission: Parlee 10, Crumpton 8.5, Calfee 7.5.
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