Van Dessel: Gin & Trombones

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Permalink Reply by Eric Morgan on November 14, 2013 at 11:22am

Get another Cannondale.  If you have 2 different bikes one will always be your favorite and thus less useful as a pit bike.  Pit bikes are only good if you can switch from one to another without any notice.

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Permalink Reply by Erik_A on November 14, 2013 at 12:06pm

Thanks Eric

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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Grosenbach on November 15, 2013 at 7:51am

I disagree. Life is too short to ride all the bikes I want to, why make it worse by buying the same bike twice? Try something new!

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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Grosenbach on November 15, 2013 at 7:59am

My first bike was a G&T and now I have a custom frame from a local builder.

My limited experience is that the G&T is a fast dry conditions bike. The steep seat tube angle puts your weight over the front wheel and is hard to handle in the deep mud found in most Seattle-area courses. The shift cable routing under the downtube is awkward (and unnecessary if you use a top pull Shimano derailleur).

Positives: the Van Dessel owner is a great guy and very responsive. A year after purchase I needed some canti studs and he shippped them out right away (I think at no charge). It's nice to support a US-based company.

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Permalink Reply by Erik_A on November 15, 2013 at 9:18am

Thanks Geoffrey!

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Permalink Reply by Erik_A on November 18, 2013 at 1:11pm

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the G&T as a frame/ fork only (canti brake option for the fork). I will work on building it up for next season.  Maybe the C'dale will go to pit duty.

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