Cannondale Quick Women's 3 review – Fitness bike with road DNA

Does this flat-bar road bike live up to its name?

A metallic green Cannondale Quick 3 bike leaning against a grey brick wall
(Image: © Mildred Locke)

Cyclingnews Verdict

At the risk of sounding like a marketing playbook, the Quick does what it says on the tin, and really puts the ‘fun’ in ‘functional’

Pros

  • +

    Lightweight and stiff for quick acceleration

  • +

    Lots of tyre clearance for a cushioned and comfortable ride

  • +

    Stem is SP-Connect compatible for easy phone mounting

  • +

    Beautiful paintwork with integrated reflective accents

  • +

    Good quality build that offers value for money

Cons

  • -

    Women's specific model doesn't come with women's specific contact points

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It’s no secret that these days there’s an ever-increasing number of categories into which a bicycle can fit, from the obvious monikers of ‘road bike’ and ‘mountain bike’ to the more ambiguous terms like the best commuter bikes and 'fitness bike’. The Cannondale Quick 3 is marketed as the latter, but what exactly is a ‘fitness bike’ and what is it designed for? 

At first glance it looks like it fits nicely into the best hybrid bikes on the market at the moment, with its chunky but slick tyres, flat handlebar and disc brakes. However, just like I’d describe a hybrid bike as a combination of a road bike and mountain bike, I’d describe a fitness bike like the Cannondale Quick 3 as a mash up of a hybrid and a road bike; still designed for upright urban riding, but with more of a focus on speed and efficiency. As a flat bar bike it’s obviously not designed for the roadie, but it definitely borrows more elements of its design from the best road bikes than the traditional hybrid.

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Testing scorecard and notes
AttributesNotesRating
Design and aesthetics Simple, metallic emerald green paint with lots of reflective detailing9/10
Components Mixed drivetrain components including Shimano Altus and Acera, Prowheel and Sunrace. Excellent Tektro hydraulic disc brakes and Schwalbe tyres.7/10
Performance, handling and geometrySuper speedy and efficient, comfortable, precise handling, fun and zippy9/10
WeightWeighing 11.5kg it's pretty on par with bikes in this market8/10
Value for moneyPretty good value for money, high performance and included wheel sensors for easy app compatibility, although the components could be improved8/10
Overall ratingRow 5 - Cell 1 82%
Mildred Locke

Mildred joined as Reviews Writer for Cyclingnews and BikePerfect in December 2020. She loves all forms of cycling from long-distance audax to daily errand-running by bike, and does almost everything on two wheels, including moving house, and started out her cycling career working in a bike shop. For the past five years she's volunteered at The Bristol Bike Project as a mechanic and session coordinator, and now sits on its board of directors.

Since then she's gone on to write for a multitude of cycling publications, including Bikeradar, Cycling Plus, Singletrack, Red Bull, Cycling UK and Total Women's Cycling. She's dedicated to providing more coverage of women's specific cycling tech, elevating under-represented voices in the sport, and making cycling more accessible overall. 

Height: 156cm (5'2")

Weight: 75kg

Rides: Stayer Groadinger UG, Triban RC520 Women's Disc, Genesis Flyer, Marin Larkspur, Cotic BFe 26, Clandestine custom bike