Anika is looking for a new bike and she is stuck between the Trek Madone 5.1 WSD and the Cannondale Six13 Feminine 1. She has found that they both feel the similar, the Trek is full carbon and the Cannondale is part Alloy, part Carbon, the Trek has Shimano Ultegra and the Cannondale is mostly Dura-Ace. So is it frame before equipment or the other way?

Question:
I’m looking for a new bike and am considering the Trek Madone 5.1 WSD or the Cannondale six 13 feminine 1. Both are similar in price, the differences being; the Trek is full carbon with Ultegra group set and the Cannondale is carbon with part alloy and mostly Dura-Ace. They both feel similar to ride. Is it better to buy the full carbon frame or for the group set? The Cannondale looks better too…!

Hi Anika,

It’s a tough choice, but I would say that its better to go for the higher quality frame as you can change the equipment as it wears out, now here is the problem, both frames are very good. If we look at the Cannondale frame it is mostly carbon and as Cannondale say; “the carbon is only where it matters” so there can’t be much difference between them. We all know that the Shimano Dura-Ace group is better than the Ultegra, the wheels on the Cannondale are Mavic Ksyrium Elite, where as the Trek has Bontrager Race, both similar again.

Trek Madone 5.1

You say you like the look of the Cannondale, it has the better equipment and the wheels are good too, so I guess I’m saying you should buy the Cannondale, mind you I like the style of the Trek with the extended seat tube and the different shaped carbon tubes on the rest of the frame. The Cannondale is maybe a little more “old fashioned” in its style, with its more orthodox round tubes. Both frames are well produced and should stand up to a lot of punishment and last you a fair length of time, if you don’t crash it!

Cannondale Bike

So there you have my opinion, if you prefer the Cannondale then it is the one to go for as it probably beats the Trek in many ways, it has the better equipment so on top of the nearly all carbon frame it is the better bike to buy, go for it, Anika!

Cannondale Frame