Caad 10 105 vs Specialized Dolce Elite 105

[hjakeway]

I took your advice and looked at the Caad 10 and it looks really nice. I may have changed my search lol

Also I need to correct the Specialized... it is the Dolce Comp Compact with 105's. I rode an '11 I can get a deal on so it would be about the same price as a '12 Caad 10. so the REAL question for me is ... whcih is the better bike. I think I want a "less agressive" bike but I know some of that can be changed by changing the stem (to a certain extent).

Getting so confused now!

[zoom-zoom]

I took your advice and looked at the Caad 10 and it looks really nice. I may have changed my search lol

Also I need to correct the Specialized... it is the Dolce Comp Compact with 105's. I rode an '11 I can get a deal on so it would be about the same price as a '12 Caad 10. so the REAL question for me is ... whcih is the better bike. I think I want a "less agressive" bike but I know some of that can be changed by changing the stem (to a certain extent).

Getting so confused now!

If you want a less aggressive bike, then the CAAD is probably not the bike you want. Yeah, you can put a shorter, more angled stem on it, but you'd be better off having a bike with less aggressive geometry in the first place (like the Synapse). The CAAD is not going to be as comfortable for longer rides as it would be for more performance-oriented riding.

[zoom-zoom]

BTW, I have never ridden ANY of my bikes before purchasing, because shops don't frequently have smaller frames in-stock. If you liked the carbon Synapse, then I see no reason why you wouldn't also like the same bike in aluminum. The geometry and components are the same.

Yes, it's ideal to test-ride a bike before buying, but it's not always practical. I trust my LBS friend to know what's going to work for me based upon my measurements, flexibility, and riding style. So far, so good!

[kmhurchla]

This is my first post. I just rode my first 150+ mile ride in 2 days and felt my trusty used Caad 3 is ready to become my commuter bike. I'm looking forward to getting something that fits my body and my riding just right. I came today looking for some honest female input on just these bikes, and this post has confirmed what I suspected that I think I'm a candidate for a Synapse. I generally ride 40-65 miles once or twice a week with shorter rides and commutes in between. The longer rides are a mix of road and paved trail but mostly trail (Schuykill Trail in Philly to be precise). I do like to pass the boys and hope to do more of that, but by no means am I going semi-pro, so the idea of a constantly more aggressive stance might not suit (yet)?. Kirsten, I gather you'd agree from your feedback here, but if you have any more input I'd much appreciate it. How were you riding when you first felt you were into the more aggressive position?

My husband is pushing the carbon, but I hear you and others say the new Cannondale aluminum frames are as good, so what's the real determining factor, other than the sticker shock on carbon? Is it handling, or shock absorption differences?

[zoom-zoom]

I knew I wanted a more aggressive frame when we kept swapping out spacers and flipping my stem to get me lower...and I still felt cramped and too upright. We had considered trying a longer stem, at that point, but I already felt like the steering on my Synapse was sorta numb, so I was afraid that a longer stem would only increase the lack of responsiveness.

Plus I found the aluminum on the Synapse to be very buzzy on our rough roads. What is interesting is that I have talked to people who have ridden the alum CAADs and the Synapse and also found the Synapse to be a rougher ride. This kind of surprises me, since I would have thought that more relaxed and flexible geometry would have dampened vibration more, not less.

I must say that I am very fond of my carbon SuperSix, though. It really smoothes out some roads that I had avoided after they were freshly chip-sealed last Summer. For me it's just as comfortable on long rides as it is on shorter, faster ones. I think a lot of this comfort depends upon a person's flexibility and physique, though. I have a long torso relative to my legs, so I like the longer reach. With my Synapse I was on the right size for my leg length, but had a really difficult time in the drops, since the cockpit was shorter than on the SuperSix.

[kmhurchla]

Thanks Kirsten. I think I'll try riding a SuperSix as to not undersell myself. I do love riding in the drops and how much quicker and easier the ride is, and giving my other muscle groups a break that way. On the SuperSix, do you still feel comfortable riding intermittently upright on the bars or hoods? Can you have a bike adjusted so that there's a good balance, at least until you're feeling stronger in the drops in traffic, cars or bike traffic on a ride? On my current Caad 3 ride, I haven't been able to ride in the drops as much on long ride because of discomfort on the seat, and in general feeling like my bike size is a bit of a stretch for me in the length making it feel like I'm holding up too much of my body weight that way with too outstretched arms. Or perhaps that's partly long ride fatigue and definitely needing a different seat. I'm going to check out the seat discussion strings of which I saw a few already, but also hoping even stock seats on the newer bikes and maybe on the women's bike would be an improvement. I think the tilt or lack of on my seat now is part of the issue, it's meant to be riden upright.

My budget doesn't give room for a brand new in the Cannondale line, esp. not one with higher end components, sram red and the like. I'm scoping Craigslist for a model a few years older, hoping I can get a better bike for more around the $2,500 mark or less maybe. I like the idea of trying out and riding a bunch of bikes, and want to be sure what I buy is in good shape and all the components are meant to fit together, not someone who knows just as much as I or less dumping stuff together on a good frame. Though there's no shortage of bike shops in Philly, I can't say I've found any one I trust too much, and don't feel comfortable taking up their energy and time only to go buy cheaper online. But I can't warrant spending more for this year's models now and also don't want to buy out of my class and end up with something flashier than my riding level. My husband and I are DIYers in all other parts of our lives, and both trying to learn more about fixing and building bikes, but I'm not opposed to saving more and waiting until I can afford a better bike than blower a couple thousand and wishing I hadn't. I just plan to take some time doing research and looking, trying and hope to be ready when the right bike comes along. Good used bikes get snapped up quick so I want to know what I'm looking for.

[zoom-zoom]

Thanks Kirsten. I think I'll try riding a SuperSix as to not undersell myself. I do love riding in the drops and how much quicker and easier the ride is, and giving my other muscle groups a break that way. On the SuperSix, do you still feel comfortable riding intermittently upright on the bars or hoods? Can you have a bike adjusted so that there's a good balance, at least until you're feeling stronger in the drops in traffic, cars or bike traffic on a ride? On my current Caad 3 ride, I haven't been able to ride in the drops as much on long ride because of discomfort on the seat, and in general feeling like my bike size is a bit of a stretch for me in the length making it feel like I'm holding up too much of my body weight that way with too outstretched arms. Or perhaps that's partly long ride fatigue and definitely needing a different seat. I'm going to check out the seat discussion strings of which I saw a few already, but also hoping even stock seats on the newer bikes and maybe on the women's bike would be an improvement. I think the tilt or lack of on my seat now is part of the issue, it's meant to be riden upright.

My budget doesn't give room for a brand new in the Cannondale line, esp. not one with higher end components, sram red and the like. I'm scoping Craigslist for a model a few years older, hoping I can get a better bike for more around the $2,500 mark or less maybe. I like the idea of trying out and riding a bunch of bikes, and want to be sure what I buy is in good shape and all the components are meant to fit together, not someone who knows just as much as I or less dumping stuff together on a good frame. Though there's no shortage of bike shops in Philly, I can't say I've found any one I trust too much, and don't feel comfortable taking up their energy and time only to go buy cheaper online. But I can't warrant spending more for this year's models now and also don't want to buy out of my class and end up with something flashier than my riding level. My husband and I are DIYers in all other parts of our lives, and both trying to learn more about fixing and building bikes, but I'm not opposed to saving more and waiting until I can afford a better bike than blower a couple thousand and wishing I hadn't. I just plan to take some time doing research and looking, trying and hope to be ready when the right bike comes along. Good used bikes get snapped up quick so I want to know what I'm looking for.

I spend probably 85-90% of my time on the hoods. I almost never ride on the bars and don't ride in the drops a huge amount of the time, mostly only during hard intervals, races, downhill, or into the wind.

You know, you could get a brand new SuperSix Rival 4 with full warranty for about your budget, then upgrade the components later. Or maybe look for one of last year's models with something like Ultegra or Force.

That saddle thing can be quite a saga. I think I may have FINALLY found one that works great for me (Bontrager Affinity RL) after trying a lot of different saddles. Even though it's marketed as a saddle for those who ride with a relatively upright posture, I find that the divet/dent up front and the softer padding through the nose are working MUCH better for me than a cut-out with softer edges. I wish they were still making the RXL with metal rails, though. I can't justify the extra $$ for oversized carbon rails (which I think would require a different seatpost than what I have...ie even MORE $$$). The RL is a bit softer than I like.

What saddles have you not had luck with?