Am I weird.

[Shortandcrisp]

As some of you may know, I suffered a spinal cord injury last year. Recovery and rehab is going well so I decided to buy an 'endurance' type road bike to get cycling again. Opted for a secondhand Cannondale carbon Synapse. Tallest head tube in its class, lowest stand over height, relaxed geometry etc, etc. Built for comfort and long miles so they said.

After riding it a few times (very nice by the way), decided to set up my Cannondale CAAD10 in a similar way and give it a spin. Both very similar sizes - 51cms and 52cms respectively, 25mm Continental tyres. Took it out on the road expecting to notice a huge difference in ride comfort and that my injured body would take a bit of a battering.

Thing is, didn't really notice any difference! If anything, the CAAD gave a smoother ride chiefly, I think, because the handlebars are thicker and covered with gel bar tape.

So, the question: is all this stuff about the difference between various types of road bike just over hyped marketing bollox, or is it me being more than a little weird.

 

[S-Express]

So, the question: is all this stuff about the difference between various types of road bike just over hyped marketing bollox,

Yes.

 

[Drago]

I would say so.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

There's a wide range of geometry and setup in road bikes, it's not quite as simple and binary as saying on the one hand that they're all brutally stretched out, or conversely that it's all marketing bollox. You do get more race focussed bikes, certainly.

 

[DCLane]

So, the question: is all this stuff about the difference between various types of road bike just over hyped marketing bollox, or is it me being more than a little weird.

It depends - having broken 6 ribs last year (and my pelvis as it turned out ) I set my Spesh Secteur up in the same way. It was comfortable enough for a coast-to-coast 5 weeks after the injuries.

I'm now riding a Wilier Montegrappa and it's as harsh as anything.

My observations: the Secteur had some nice little zertz insets in the front and rear which took out the road vibrations. The Wilier doesn't.

 

[Lee_M]

you never know what you're going to find till you try it.

Ive got a trek domane, supposed to be super comfortable, and always seemed so, but just bought a Giant Propel which is 'racier' and more aero.

It actually more comfortable though, yes the front is lower but the stretch is actually less than the Trek, no way would I have guessed a lower front would have been better

 

[Crackle]

Yes!

Now to read the OP.