To the Cannondale fan boys..

[potsy]

..quick question for you..

I know the Caad frames are well regarded as the 'best' aluminium frame out there, does this also apply to the Synapse?

I am building up a very short list for my next purchase, very nearly bought a second hand Caad9 a few weeks back but decided it wasn't quite right for me due to a few reasons including the racier position (I'm used to my more upright Secteur) and the 'old' Tiagra groupset.

My short list is -

Synapse Tiagra - Preferred colour (black) and £900
Synapse 105 - Preferred groupset but white bike which in my experience is not the best for staying clean
Triban 7 - Black, same Tiagra 10 speed as the Synapse and £600

Plan would be to swap existing wheels (Shimano RS20) and 105 brake calipers from the Secteur over to the new bike as an initial upgrade.
Any thoughts?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products...agra-compact-2013-road-bike-ec042920#features
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/synapse-5-105-compact-2013-road-bike-ec042921
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-7-road-bike-black-id_8239802.html

 

[Rob3rt]

..quick question for you..

I know the Caad frames are well regarded as the 'best' aluminium frame out there, does this also apply to the Synapse?

I am building up a very short list for my next purchase, very nearly bought a second hand Caad9 a few weeks back but decided it wasn't quite right for me due to a few reasons including the racier position (I'm used to my more upright Secteur) and the 'old' Tiagra groupset.

My short list is -

Synapse Tiagra - Preferred colour (black) and £900
Synapse 105 - Preferred groupset but white bike which in my experience is not the best for staying clean
Triban 7 - Black, same Tiagra 10 speed as the Synapse and £600

Plan would be to swap existing wheels (Shimano RS20) and 105 brake calipers from the Secteur over to the new bike as an initial upgrade.
Any thoughts?

If it is alu and made by Cannondale, it is going to be good (I have reservations about Sportive geometry bikes, but this is more to do with the way they marketed than the bikes themselves). I wouldn't be considering a Triban if I could afford a Cannnondale tbh.

 

[potsy]

If it is alu and made by Cannondale, it is going to be good (I have reservations about Sportive geometry bikes, but this is more to do with the way they marketed than the bikes themselves). I wouldn't be considering a Triban if I could afford a Cannnondale tbh.

Cheers Rob, I know not everybody likes the more upright position of the sportive bikes, but for an old bugger like me they are probably better than an out and out roadie like the Caad 8/10.

The Triban is a late entry onto my short-list as it seems pretty good spec for the money, not sure I like it enough though, would have to see one in the flesh

 

[smokeysmoo]

Wot Rob3rt said TBH

I love my CAAD10, but I do appreciate some won't enjoy/want/need the 'racier position', and for these people the Synapse is a very well received bike. I looked at them myself before I bought my CAAD, but I went for the CAAD as I was coming from a more race oriented carbon bike anyway, so the position suited me just fine.

As you know Cannondale frames are always very well regarded, so as Rob says, if you can afford a C'dale then forget about the Triban. Stick to the mantra of buying the very best frame you can afford, it will have to outlast all the components that are attached to it many times over.

 

[Steve H]

I do like Cannondale bikes, but at this kind of price point I'd also take a look at the new entry level Trek Domane.

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-trek-domane-20-13-46914

 

[potsy]

Cheers Smokey, as this will be my Sunday best and occasional sunny weather commuter bike I think your advice makes a lot of sense

Steve, that does look good, never really thought about a Trek road bike despite my first bike being a Trek (hybrid) will have to look into that one a bit more

 

[outlash]

FWIW, the CAAD8 is seen as a halfway-house between the 10 and the synapse in terms of position. Try one before you discount it totally.


tony.

 

[potsy]

FWIW, the CAAD8 is seen as a halfway-house between the 10 and the synapse in terms of position. Try one before you discount it totally.
tony.

That's interesting, cheers.
Had assumed the Caad8 was as sporty as the 10, was my original choice a few weeks back

Mmm, looking at it again the 105 version comes in black

 

[outlash]

http://road.cc/content/review/50515-cannondale-caad8-tiagra

 

[dan_bo]

For the love of all that is right and good sont get the triban pottsy! Please!

 

[accountantpete]

Basically an upright bike is a racer but with a longer headtube. That presents the bars at a higher level.

I would have thought that a pair of carbon forks with a tad longer steerer and a few more spacers would more or less replicate what you get with the more relaxed geometry.

 

[400bhp]

Right.

Bollox to all this namby pamby crap, just buy a CAAD8, 9 or 10. There I said it.

 

[400bhp]

Basically an upright bike is a racer but with a longer headtube. That presents the bars at a higher level.

I would have thought that a pair of carbon forks with a tad longer steerer and a few more spacers would more or less replicate what you get with the more relaxed geometry.

^^this^^^

I actually started by typing an explanation to my post above but this is so true.

You're reading the bikes as black and white set up wise.

You know the 2 bikes I have. One is a more relaxed audax type bike and the other the CAAD. They are now virtually set up the same, thanks to a professional bike fit.

One allows me to stick proper mudguards on. One allows me to drop a couple of spacers and stick TT bars on.

One is better through corners and down twisty decents. One is better at slow speeds.

One is overall slightly faster than the other.

Now the important point. BOTH are comfortable.

 

[400bhp]

The secteur is a double?

If you're buying a CAAD 8,9 0r 10 (I have purposely not mentioned the other bikes as you aint buying one of those) then, so long as the front chainring has the same number of rings, then swap the levers over. The 105's are cleaner because the cables go under the bar tape.

 

[400bhp]

And another thing - borrow my CAAD if you want. Though I appreciate you're a bit shorter than me.