Product Description

Some people want you to believe that it's impossible to find a high quality, name brand road bike that won't require a second mortgage to actually own. The Cadillac CTS Road Bike accepts that challenge. The moment you place your hands on the plush wrapped ergonomic handlebar you'll notice that this bike means business. Shimano STI Shift/Brake Levers provide almost intuitive gear response which means that you'll spend more time enjoying the rush of wind as you sprint instead of having to take your hands off the handlebars to shift. Front and Rear derailleur duties are handled by Shimano as well. A light and stiff 6061 Aluminum Frame ensures that the power you put down goes directly to the rear wheel with almost no flex. Intermediate riders will also appreciate pedals with the option of using clip-less type cycling shoes or non specific cycling shoes. When the road goes up you'll love the light weight aluminum rims, stainless steel spokes and Hutchinson 700x25 tires. The CTS never forgets its legendary Cadillac comfort and attention to detail thanks to an NVO adjustable stem for quick handle bar height adjustments and a set of auxiliary brake levers for panis stops no matter where your hands are located on the handlebars.Lastly, we give you 4 sizes to choose from to fit practically anyone. This stunning bicycle is finished in a gorgeous electric blue paint. Customer Care at 1-866-462-4535.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #131230 in Sports & Outdoors
• Brand: Kent

Features

• Intermediate-level road bike with 700cc aluminum frame and alloy fork
• Fluid-shifting Shimano STI shift/brake levers offer an intuitive gear response
• Front and rear Shimano derailleurs; machine-walled aluminum rims for braking
• Smooth-rolling 700 x 25c Hutchinson tires; adjustable-height NVO stem
• Available in 46, 50, 55, and 59 cm sizes; gorgeous electric blue paint job

Amazon.com Product Description
An affordable, intermediate-level road bike equipped with a number of high-end features, the electric blue Cadillac CTS means business. The bike sports a high-quality aluminum frame matched with a 700cc alloy fork that delivers smooth and responsive riding. The fluid-shifting Shimano STI shift/brake levers, meanwhile, offer an almost intuitive gear response, giving you more time to enjoy the rush of the wind as you sprint. Plus, because the brake levers and shifters are integrated, you can ride more efficiently without changing hand positions while you ride. Most importantly, the CTS never forgets its legendary namesake, offering Cadillac comfort and attention to detail thanks to an adjustable NVO stem for quick handlebar height adjustments and a set of auxiliary brake levers that allow for panis stops no matter where your hands sit.

Other details include lightweight, machine-walled aluminum rims for superior braking; stainless-steel spokes and alloy hubs with quick-release levers in the front and rear; smooth-rolling 700 x 25c Hutchinson tires; versatile pedals that work with both clip-less type cycling shoes and non-specific cycling shoes; schraeder valves for easy inflation; and a gorgeous electric blue paint job.

Note: This bike is outfitted with compact geometry. For example, if you normally fit a 54 cm frame, you'll probably ride a 50 cm on this brake.

Specifications:

• Frame: 700cc alloy road frame
• Fork: 700cc racing, 1-1/8, U6 alloy, forged end and forged crown
• Front derailleur: Shimano FD-AO50BM, 31.8 mm, down pull for double C/W
• Rear derailleur: Shimano RD-AO50 for 7-S, without bracket
• Shifters: Shimano KST33007LDIX/KST33007RIX ST-3300L2/R7 for 14-S, STI shifter
• Crankset: Shimano 170MM alloy silver
• Cassette: Shimano MF-TZ07 14-28T for 7-S
• Wheels: Cadillac 700CX14GX32H, A/V, silver anodized W/CNC side wall
• Handlebar: alloy drop bar, black W: 400/430MM
• Stem: NVO TDS-RA102-5/8V, alloy, -10 degrees without logo, : 100/ 110 mm
• Pedals: WPD-WG5 alloy clip/clipless, with CPSC reflector
• Tires: Hutchinson PV69380 flash 700X25C dark S/W 27 TPI with black tire
• Brakes: Tektro 510A alloy barrel silver caliper brake, OPC shoe
• Front Hub: Formula RB-31FQR 14G/32H/100W, alloy NC silver with alloy QR22
• Rear Hub: Formula RB-31RQR 14GX32H/130MM for 7 speed, alloy NC silver W/QR
• Sizes: 46, 50, 55, and 59 cm

Assembly of the Bike:
This bike comes mostly assembled. Minor assembly is required before the bike can be used.

Amazon.com Bicycle Buying Guide

Finding the Right Bike
To really enjoy cycling, it's important to find a bicycle that works for you. Here are some things to keep in mind when you're in the market for a new bike:

The Right Ride
In general, bikes are broken down into three major categories:

• Road and Racing Bikes--As a general rule, road and racing are built for speed and longer distances on paved surfaces. Thinner tires, lightweight 29-inch (700c) wheels, and drop bars that allow for a more aerodynamic position are the norm. Most road bikes, regardless of price, offer many gears for tackling both hilly and flat terrain.
• Mountain Bikes--With their larger tires, hill-friendly gearing, and upright position, mountain bikes are very popular for all types of riding, both on pavement and off. Mountain bikes that are designed specifically for rugged trail use typically feature a suspension fork. Some may have rear suspension, as well. A quick change of the tires on any mountain bike--even one that you use regularly on trails--adds to its versatility and makes it a worthy street machine.
• Comfort/Cruiser Bikes--For tooling around on bike paths, light trails, or for cruising a quiet beach-side lane, comfort/cruiser bikes are the ticket. With a super-relaxed riding position, padded seats, and limited or no gearing, these bikes are made for enjoying the scenery and having fun with the family.

The Right Price
A bike's price boils down to three essentials: frame materials, bike weight, and component quality and durability.

• Entry-level--You'll find a wide range of comfort and cruiser bikes in this category, as well as some lower-end mountain bikes and road bikes. Most will have steel frames and components that are designed to last for several years with frequent use.
• Mid-range--Bikes in this range may feature a lighter aluminum frame with mid-range components that keep performing after miles of use. If you're looking for a quality bike that is relatively lightweight and will stand up to abuse, this is the "sweet spot." Most serious commuter and touring bikes fall into this category, as do mid-range mountain bikes with a decent front suspension.
• High-end--Racers and serious enthusiasts who expect lightweight, high-performance components will want to stick to this category. For road bikes, exotic frame materials (carbon fiber, titanium) and ultralightweight components can add thousands to the price tag. Mountain bikes in this class often feature advanced front and rear suspension technology, as well as components designed to handle lots of rugged trail action.

The Right Size
Fit is crucial for comfort, control, and proper power and endurance on a bike. Here are some basic bike fit tips:

• Stand-over Height--To find out if a bike's overall height fits your body, measure your inseam. Next, determine how much clearance you'll need between your crotch and the top tube of the bike. For a mountain bike, you'll want three to five inches of clearance. A road bike should offer between one and two inches of clearance, while a commuter bike should have two to four inches. Compare the stand-over height for a given bike to your measurements (inseam + clearance) to determine the right bike height.
• Top Tube Length--You can measure your torso to get a good estimate of proper top tube length. First, make a fist and extend your arm. Measure from the center of your fist to the end of your collarbone (the part that intersects your shoulder). Next, measure your torso by placing a book against your crotch with the spine facing up. Measure from the spine to the bottom of your throat (the spot between your collarbones). Finally, add the two measurements (arm length + torso length), divide the number in half, and subtract six inches. This is your approximate top tube length. Compare this number to a bike's posted top tube length. You can allow for about two inches longer or shorter, as most bikes can be adjusted via stem length/height and saddle fore/aft position to make fine adjustments to the fit.
• Bikes for Women--Proportionally, women tend to have a shorter torso and longer legs than men. Bike makers design women's bikes that offer a shorter top tube and many comfort/cruiser bikes built for women may also provide more stand-over clearance.

The Right Accessories
When you make a bike purchase, don't forget these crucial add-ons:

• Helmet (this is a must!)
• Seat pack
• Lock
• Hydration pack, or water bottle and bottle cage
• Spare tubes
• Portable bike pump
• Gloves

Customer Reviews

Another Keeper
Packing - small mark on bottom of rear derailleur adjacent to one hole in the box (packing protectors had migrated to the bottom of the box). There were no other dings or scratches on the frame.

Assembly - straightforward with some notes: (1) In addition to the N.V.O stem system being different from normal threadless stem setups on other bikes, the CTS system requires two shim plates for the handlebar clamp (large stem clamp size - small handlebar diameter). It is a little awkward to hold & tighten everything. (2) The STI shifters have an intermediate shift (trimmer) on the front derailleur. This feature, normally found on higher end components, allows the front cage to move without shifting, eliminating chain rub (noise). Slightly different tweaking procedures apply (read the Shimano info). (3) When I tightened the attaching bolt on the brake pads, I ended up with toe-out. Unless I missed something, the caliper arms needed to be bent some to achieve the 1/64 in. toe-in on the pads. I've done this a lot on older bikes when they squeal, but I didn't expect a bunch of initial toe-out on the Tektro calipers. There's a tool for that, but I just removed the pads and "carefully" used a big adjustable wrench. (4) The first 3 test rides revealed a slightly noisy freewheel. It only happened in one gear, and I could easily eliminate the "clickity clock" by back pedaling momentarily or shifting, but I had a new duplicate freewheel. Replacement was easy, and the new one was quiet. (5) Finally, the wheels needed truing a couple of times, and I still had trouble eliminating all tire wiggle and blips. I ended up removing the tires & tubes, replacing the rubber rim strips with rim tape, putting tire talc in both tires, swapping tires (front tire on rear rim & vice versa), & lubing the beads with some liquid dish washing detergent /water to seat properly when inflated. On the last test ride I finally got rid of nearly all thumping.

Appearance - This bike is beautiful blue! The welds are typical of a bike in this price range, but the graphics, paint & finish are quite good. The bar tape is "interesting". I'll stick with it for a while, but I have some blue & white marble tape somewhere.

Fit - I'm half an inch shy of 6 ft. and 180 lbs. with a 31 in. stand over height. The 55cm CTS fits me perfectly. I thought it might be too small, but not so.

Ride - smooth for an all aluminum bike with no carbon fiber. As I ride it with seat bag, tool kit, computer, cage/empty bottle and Wellgo double sided pedals (I installed those nice CTS pedals on a Schwinn hybrid), the CTS is not a feather weight at 24.4 lbs., but it's easy to pedal & cruise along at 12 - 14 mph, and all day for that matter. I had thoughts of maybe getting a different seat for it, but the included seat looks and feels just right. The STI group worked surprisingly well, and the only time I thought about having only 14 gears was when I had the CTS at 24 mph on a very slight downhill. I could have used one more higher gear. I can't comment on needing lower gears as there aren't any real hills where I ride (fortunately for this old fart). The brakes were more than adequate.

Conclusion - I'm a happy camper. Slightly better brake pad attaching & wheels/tires with cassette would have eliminated almost all issues, but considering the price, it's still a pretty good deal on a nice looking and functional bicycle.