CAAD10 vs. Specialized Amira Comp

[Owlie]

Oh, I feel you--I'm weighing a CAAD10 (the 105, because Cannondale doesn't have an Ultegra option for the Women's CAAD10) and a Ruby Expert. If you can, go test-ride the CAAD10. How are the roads where you live? Is weight an issue? (Though the CAAD10 is quite light, so it may be a wash.) Are you susceptible to road buzz?

Re the two C'dales: "They" (meaning the Cannondale rep and the bike shop manager) said that if the fit is right, the CAAD10 rides just about as well as the SuperSix for a lot less money.

[zoom-zoom]

Re the two C'dales: "They" (meaning the Cannondale rep and the bike shop manager) said that if the fit is right, the CAAD10 rides just about as well as the SuperSix for a lot less money.

Yup. I went from an aluminum Synapse to a SuperSix. I didn't even look at the CAAD10. Our roads are VERY rough chipseal (when they finally start to get smooth the powers that be have them freshly re-done, so then they absolutely suck for at least another 3 years...bastids!) and I had horrible road buzz issues with my Synapse. If we had mostly smooth asphalt I have a feeling I would have ended up on the CAAD, but men's with Rival. I never got the hang of Shimano's shifting.

Other than frame material, I believe all that sets that CAAD10 and SuperSix apart are material. The geometry is the same.

[Owlie]

Huh, the rep did say he rode on MI's chipseal, though where I don't know. However, it seems like the guys are so much less susceptible to that road buzz.

[tulip]

Easy: whichever one fits you best. If the carbon one doesn't fit, it won't be comfortable to ride no matter what. Personally, I do not like aluminum bikes at all and won't even consider them, so I can't comment on the alu bike (except to say that an alu bike that fits is better than a carbon bike that doesn't).

If they don't fit, can you find some other models to try out? Don't disregard steel, either. There are some really nice steel bikes out there.

[Owlie]

Unless you're planning on racing, see if you can find a Jamis Quest Femme (the other bike on my list). Steel, 105 components, and a pretty reasonable price. I don't know that they have a distributor in Australia, though. Do go with whatever fits you best. Cannondale, at least in my experience, tends to make its bikes with rather long top-tubes. That said, according to the rep, I'm at the high end of the size range (I take 51-54cm WSD bikes--so I do know that it's often hard to find something to test-ride), and differences between the women-specific geometry and the unisex tend to be less as you go up the size range. You may be okay.

[lsc]

Thanks for the advice everybody. I suspected all replies would be go with whatever fits best and to test ride them. I agree... But like I mentioned, it's pretty hard finding shops that have bikes small enough for me to test ride. I will try a bit harder next week and call around.

Unless you're planning on racing, see if you can find a Jamis Quest Femme (the other bike on my list). Steel, 105 components, and a pretty reasonable price. I don't know that they have a distributor in Australia, though.

I checked the Australian distributors site and they don't bring it in which is a shame, the Jamis steel frames look really nice but I don't think there's a market for it here.

I'm not opposed to steel but if I did go that way I think I would fork out the extra money and go custom with 650c wheels (I'm 5'2"). I didn't mention but I have a custom 26 inch Gunnar Crosshairs with Rival which I've mainly only used for CX and riding trails, plus one weekend of credit card touring. It's a nice bike, but it's not a fast bike. Then I have my old steel roadie and two steel track bikes. I feel like I'm leaning towards carbon since it felt so good riding it up hills when I test rode an Amira, but it's my budget that is preventing me from getting something nice.

I guess it's back to dreaming about a new bike for me until I can test-ride some bikes... That or I should just buy the Amira before it's gone

[lsc]

As an aside, I find the changes to the 2012 Specialized bikes interesting. Well the names at least. It seems like there are now three levels of frames, Amira S-WORKS SL4, Amira Pro SL4, and just the Amira. But that's irrelevant to my question because I can't afford any of them on my student budget!

If anything though, it does highlight that the price of the 2011 demo Amira Comp is a good deal (even though the colors are ugly), as I'm pretty sure the frameset (FACT IS 9r carbon) is better than the 2012 Comp (FACT IS 8r carbon). Although the 2012 does come with an Ultegra rear mech, Ultegra shifters and FSA carbon crankset. It's just comparing apples with apples though.

[zoom-zoom]

I have a custom 26 inch Gunnar Crosshairs with Rival which I've mainly only used for CX and riding trails, plus one weekend of credit card touring. It's a nice bike, but it's not a fast bike.

Ha, no one told one of my friends that it's not fast. She rides about half the miles I do and is WAY stronger/faster than I. I actually know 3 people who ride this bike on road with slicks and for CX.