Pinarello heaven but what to do?

[smokeysmoo]

CAAD 8 105 should be about the £1k mark. The CAAD10 like Smokeysmoo's but with lesser groupset was about £1300 last I looked.

Rob's spot on, the CAAD10 105 list price is £1300, but Wheelbase are currently offering it at £999, which is £1 less than the CAAD8 105


The 2012 CAAD10 will be coming through shortly, (which has probably spurred the price cut), but I've not heard any specs for 2012 bikes other than the 2012 Dura-Ace model. I've heard that gets DA front mech, black Ultegra calipers, and Schwalbe Ultremo R1 rubber, but the price will probably still be £2500, (if not more!).

The CAAD10 105 at £999 must be the best value bike, (from a major manufacturer) you can currently buy, IMO anyway

 

[Rob3rt]

CAAD10 105 at £999, its a no brainder IMO. Seriously, the lightest most advanced aluminium production frame to date, with a race ready groupset, probly comes in at less than 8kg with the stock wheels, forget that boardman dross, this thing will probly exceed most manufacturers £2k carbon machines, assuming it fits you right (however not sure if the CAAD10 is as harsh as the CAAD9, but you might want to save an extra £100 for a carbon seatpost to save your arse ).

I'm well on my way to becoming Cannondale loyal though, so bare that in mind when considering my opinion i.e. treat it with some healthy skepticism

 

[smokeysmoo]

CAAD10 105 at £999, its a no brainer IMO. Seriously, the lightest most advanced aluminium production frame to date, with a race ready groupset, probably comes in at less than 8kg with the stock wheels, this thing will probably exceed most manufacturers £2k carbon machines, assuming it fits you right (however not sure if the CAAD10 is as harsh as the CAAD9, but you might want to save an extra £100 for a carbon seatpost to save your arse ).

I'm well on my way to becoming Cannondale loyal though, so bare that in mind when considering my opinion i.e. treat it with some healthy skepticism

Rob speaks very wisely indeed Some doom mongers criticise the thin tubing of the CAAD10 saying it dents too easily, however when some knob knocked mine over into a railing on the Manchester to Blackpool this year the top tube merely got scuffed, despite hitting the rail square on it hasn't dented in the slightest, so that rumour is well and truly squashed.

My bike weighs in at 16.5 lbs, (7.5 kg). Granted it's now full DA, (changed the front mech and calipers), the wheels are Mavic Ksyrium SL's, and the finishing kit is full Ritchey WCS alu, but even the stock 105 won't be much more I wouldn't have thought.

As far as harsh goes I don't think it is. The longest single ride to date has been the Manchester to Blackpool where I clocked 62 miles, and I was actually fresher off the bike than I was 12 months earlier on the Focus Cayo Pro I used to own.

The 105 comes with a carbon wrapped seat post, so perhaps that would be ok. My CAAD DA came with a full carbon seat post, (Cannondale C2), that was the first thing I changed. Replaced it with a Ritchey WCS alu post, (my preference as I'm anti-carbon, chainset will be changed to DA when funds allow).

I always wanted a Cannondale even when I used to ride MTB's, and now I have one I'm very, very happy with it. Supply can be a bit hit and miss, so I'd strongly urge that if you like the CAAD10, and you can source one in your size don't think about it too long, grab it while you can. My CAAD in a 60 frame was the last one in the country at the time, I dread to think how long I might have had to wait if I'd had to order it.

I appreciate Wheelbase in Kendal would be a bit of a trek from Birmingham, but it was the best bike buying experience I've ever had, (and only an hour away for me). The staff are knowledgeable, enthused and friendly. They are all bikers themselves and can give advice sourced from both their own experiences and that of the Wheelbase racing team. So if you fancy a day out in the Lake District I would recommend Wheelbase to you without any reservations.

 

[alci4]

i am liking the look of it

i am 5,11" but have quite a few pounds need shedding at the moment

love getting out on my g.t xcr with semi slicks on and my voodoo bokor mtb's but the most i have done is 50 miles so i am looking for a bike thats faster and gonna go the distance on road

i am planning my first century brum to liverpool and would like a fairly nippy but smooth ride

looking around net only place i found with size chart says 56 or 58 frame would suit but that seems a bit vague any opinions guys?

cheers for all your help so far

 

[Rob3rt]

My bike weighs in at 16.5 lbs, (7.5 kg). Granted it's now full DA, (changed the front mech and calipers), the wheels are Mavic Ksyrium SL's, and the finishing kit is full Ritchey WCS alu, but even the stock 105 won't be much more I wouldn't have thought.

My CAAD9 is full tiagra with all stock own brand finishing kit and still comes under 8kg I think, based on some crude measurement techniques I admit. When I weighed it, this included Look Keo Classic pedals, and a saddlepack containing, 2 spare tubes, tyre levers, repair kit and a couple of quid in change. Plus 1 plastic bottle cage.

alci4 - I'm 6' 2.5" tall with approx 88-89cm inside leg and ride both a 58cm CAAD9 and soon to be a 58cm Slice. You will probly find the reach on the 58cm a bit long I recon. It fits me pretty good reach wise, but I needed a longer seatpost to get the height right (the cannondale one supplied wasnt very long).

Im a Cannondale fanboy a bit, everytime I look at bikes and take test rides, as soon as I ride a Cannondale, it just rides "right" for me and anything after that feels like a toy, even the lower equiped models (like my CAAD9 - Tiagra). But being totally objective, a low end Pinarello vs a bike that probly rivals £2k carbon bikes is a no brainer imo, assuming you can get one that fits right.

 

[smokeysmoo]

looking around net only place i found with size chart says 56 or 58 frame would suit but that seems a bit vague any opinions guys?

If you've got a Cannondale dealer near you, EVANS or On Your Bike maybe?, see what they've got in. Cannondale's tend to be a touch longer on the top tube than other manufacturers, but this shouldn't pose any problems, and can be dialled in by a shorter/longer stem if required, but any good LBS will advise you on this.
Evans do test rides, (£50 refundable deposit usually), so that's worth considering. They will also order a bike in for you for the same refundable deposit, and if you don't like it get you money back and walk away, but I'd bet you a quid you end up buying one if you do that

I couldn't actually find a CAAD10 in my size anywhere, so I had to base my decision on past experience, other bikes I own and I had a look at the Synapse in my size as the top tube length is pretty much identical.

Good luck, there's something quite unmatched about buying a new bike, I'm jealous

 

[alci4]

had a look at evans but they dont have the caad 10 105 (buggar)

 

[alci4]

emailed "on your bike" and they have the caad 10 56 frame in so gonna go and check it out

still wondering if i aint better paying bit more for a carbon (not really sure of the advantages but reading seems to be a smother ride over long distances) what do you guys think will the caad 10 be ok for me over longer distances?

thanks for your ongoing help lads but it's a lot of cash for poor little me to part with

 

[Rob3rt]

emailed "on your bike" and they have the caad 10 56 frame in so gonna go and check it out

still wondering if i aint better paying bit more for a carbon (not really sure of the advantages but reading seems to be a smother ride over long distances) what do you guys think will the caad 10 be ok for me over longer distances?

thanks for your ongoing help lads but it's a lot of cash for poor little me to part with

The CAAD10 will be fine for long rides, its only been about 4-5 years since Cannondale saw fit to drop the alu frames on their pro line. They were still suppplying alu frames to pro's long after other brands jumped on the carbon bandwagon.

You are probly looking at 500-600 more an equivalent bike made from carbon IMO.


But if you do fancy carbon at around £1k then this might be a good choice http://www.wiggle.co.uk/focus-cayo-105-ltd-2011/

 

[smokeysmoo]

still wondering if i aint better paying bit more for a carbon (not really sure of the advantages but reading seems to be a smother ride over long distances) what do you guys think will the caad 10 be ok for me over longer distances?

My CAAD is perfectly fine on my average rides of upto 40 miles. The longest ride I've done was just over 60 miles and again it was perfect. I would have no hesitation in riding further, but I'm simply not fit enough!. I was actually fresher off the CAAD after 60 miles than I was off the Focus Cayo Pro I used to own, so go figure? I'm also riding the Cat & Fiddle ride in October, 55 mile loop from Brian Rourke Cycles in Stoke, and I'll be doing that on the CAAD, no question

I would, (bias aside), honestly go for the CAAD. I had a Cayo and while it was a very good bike, it's definitely not a Cannondale. I've had 3 Focus bikes, (1 carbon road, 1 alu CX, 1 carbon MTB), and I had issues with two of them, (the carbon MTB and the carbon road bike!). While both were resolved under warranty, (the Cayo ended up with a new frame, the MTB with new forks), it was obviously a right hassle having to package them up and send them back and wait for it getting sorted.

Also, don't forget the CAAD will be lighter than virtually all carbon frames as well, (at least until you get into pro team spec frames anyway). Like Rob said, Cannondale were still prevalent in the TDF long after all the others jumped to carbon, and in fact they were the last team to win the TDF on an alu frame

I REALLY hope you like the CAAD when you try it Buddy, it must be just about the best value road money can buy at £999 IMHO.

Let us know how you get on

 

[alci4]

just got back from leisurelakes bikes bikes in wolverhampton

guy said the 56 is the right frame on paper, let me stand over it but with the saddle to high and no pedals still hard to tell?

but advised me against getting it for my first road bike as it is very race specific

gotta say it looked the nuts and was really light but he was trying to push the synapse

do like the caad 10 though

any thoughts guys???

 

[smokeysmoo]

The CAAD is more aggressive than the Synapse, but not to the extent that it would cause you any problems. Plus the fact you can adjust the stem to give a more upright position if you wanted to.

I am certainly not the athletic type, (I'd post a picture but don't want to break the Wife's camera?), yet I find the CAAD to be a perfectly comfortable and compliant machine.

The Synapse is not a bad bike at all, but just wonder if the LBS has a glut of them he wants to shift, or perhaps he's been offered an incentive for selling Synapse's. Can't really see any other reason for trying to push you into one.

Leisure Lakes should do test rides? After all it's the only way you can be sure in your own mind

PS: I don't actually like Leisure Lakes, but that's due to the fact they never have what I want, the staff are generally pretty surly, (at Bury anyway), and they always seem more interested in MTB's than 'proper' bikes

 

[alci4]

i said more or less the same thing to the wife about pushing the synapse

i mailed them to see if they had one in store before i went and they said they had 1 in store and one elsewhere bt one of them was already sold and they wouldnt be getting any more till november

i did wonder if that one in store was the one sold and they were just trying to push me in a different direction to ensure i walked away with a bike they had in stock

 

[alci4]

just found a caad10 105 compact for £950 online


what is the difference between this and the 105


cheers once again for your help but i dont wanna make any expensive mistakes

 

[Ajax_Gaz]

I'm pretty sure the bike in the link above is a Compact as well. It refers to the front chain rings - Compact means two, Triple - three.

If you lived in a very hilly area, triple every time, but otherwise a compact will suit you better. I'm not 100% but it does seem that it's only some bikes that you can get the option to have a triple or compact.


Really interested in this thread as i'm looking at a Cannondale as well. Can you guys explain the differences between the Synapse Tiagra and then the two CAAD bikes - the 8 and 10 in a bit more detail please? What makes the synapse a better bike for a first road bike? I guess a lot of it is personal so it's probably a case of getting out and trying them as much as possible.

I was all set to go for the synapse tiagra until reading this thread - Is the synapse 105 worth a look? or at around 1k, is the CAAD10 105 a no brainer? (Sorry to hijack)