A person in my neighborhood is selling this 2011 Cannondale ZR One Twenty 3, it appears to be all original stock except the tires. They are asking $450. Low baller BikeBlueBook says $250
So back in 2011/2012 the reviews were quite positive but with lower opinions of the rear air shock and front fork.
Owner claims all the service was done at REI, the first picture seems to show it at the REI shop. It was sold by REI back in the day.
I already have two much more modern hard tails in 29 and 27.5. I was looking for an inexpensive intro to a full suspension bike. This is the best I’ve seen in my uninformed opinion for the last 3-4 months.
It has the massive 1.5” Cannondale headtube with an early RockShox Recon.
Used 26” Lefty forks are around $300.
Or I could ride til the fork gives out and install a $38 adapter headset and run a tapered 26” fork, they actually exist.
Does anyone here still ride the ZR One Twenty 3?
Have you upgraded it over the years?
I think $450 is too much, what do you think is a reasonable price?
Thanks in advance.
by Returning2Riding
3 Comments
I guess it depends on why you want it.
If you’re hoping that it will be faster or handle rough terrain better than your newer hardtails, it almost certainly won’t. I don’t have experience with this bike but I’ve ridden a stumpjumper from the same era. The modern entry-level 27.5 hardtail I had at the time felt much more capable in every way. You would be much better off saving your money up to buy a newer (2019 or later) full suspension bike. Even $1000 would get you something decent.
If you are just interested in experiencing a different stye of bike and aren’t fussed about performance, I could see this being a fun project bike to have around. Maybe just talk them down on price a bit, $200 over market value seems steep to me when you’re already planning to upgrade it.
Hard pass. Outdated geo. Old parts that will be a pain to find for maintenance. Would not be a fun intro IMO.
This thing sounds like a money pit.
Everything on it is antiquated and likely needs maintenance, and it just won’t ride that well compared to a modern geometry hardtail. That’s also a pretty heavy fork (the silver stanchions give that away — they are chromed steel).