New bike adventure: my first (real) ride on my new Synapse!

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I tested both the unisex supersix and the women's supersix in the same size, 51. They felt the same to me in that I didn't feel too comfortable putting so much weight on my arms especially if I was getting a bike to ride longer distances. I'm sure that getting a better fit before the test ride or going down to 48 for the supersix would have made my decision much tougher.

I am not a big fan of the swirly designs and pastel colors of many WSD styles and started out not even wanting to consider WSD if I could swing a unisex bike. I was very surprised to learn that the unisex and WSD Synapses have the exact same frame geometries - at least for 2012. The main differences that I could tell were the color, swirly features on some models, seat and narrower handle bars.

While the unisex synapses looked really sharp in the predominantly black/white designs, I was drawn to the striking colors of the WSD carbon 5 (black with lime green accents), carbon 6 and supersix 3 (both have teal, carbon black and white). Because it seemed like I could fit on a unisex bike just as well as a WSD synapse, it really just came down to the looks and price in the end: looks cool, not super swirly and a nice deal. It's pretty cool because on the synapse 6, I can see the carbon pattern on the black parts. Oh look, I'm gushing again. I can't help it! I feel like I'm going to be taking pictures of my bike whenever I go out riding.

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It's pretty cool because on the synapse 6, I can see the graphite pattern on the black parts. Oh look, I'm gushing again. I can't help it! I feel like I'm going to be taking pictures of my bike whenever I go out riding.

You know, I miss the days when carbon was left mostly bare. There are some really beautiful carbon bikes with matte or glossy or even sort of glittery finishes over the carbon. DH's first Roubaix was a matte finish on carbon. Very sharp and understated. That frame developed a crack, so Specialized replaced it with the current model for that year, which was entirely painted over with white and blue...boring and kinda garish.

My bike is carbon, but painted white and orange and gray. I LOVE the white and orange, but wish instead of gray areas that they had left that clearcoat over carbon. I think that would be cool and add some unique pattern. I blame the backlash a few years back against carbon. When it started trickling down to mid-grade bikes it no longer had the same cache, so elitist types got their knickers in a twist that us plebeians were riding "their" material...and started badmouthing it. Not long after that it was no longer "cool." to have visible carbon on bikes. Shame, since it's such an attractive material to look at. I love the iridescence and it can come in different colors, too, or have tinted clearcoats applied over it.

So I'm jealous that your bike has those carbon patterns on display. I need to see one of those up-close! I'll bet it's really beautiful.

[gocard]

You know, I miss the days when carbon was left mostly bare. There are some really beautiful carbon bikes with matte or glossy or even sort of glittery finishes over the carbon. DH's first Roubaix was a matte finish on carbon. Very sharp and understated. That frame developed a crack, so Specialized replaced it with the current model for that year, which was entirely painted over with white and blue...boring and kinda garish.

My bike is carbon, but painted white and orange and gray. I LOVE the white and orange, but wish instead of gray areas that they had left that clearcoat over carbon. I think that would be cool and add some unique pattern. I blame the backlash a few years back against carbon. When it started trickling down to mid-grade bikes it no longer had the same cache, so elitist types got their knickers in a twist that us plebeians were riding "their" material...and started badmouthing it. Not long after that it was no longer "cool." to have visible carbon on bikes. Shame, since it's such an attractive material to look at. I love the iridescence and it can come in different colors, too, or have tinted clearcoats applied over it.

So I'm jealous that your bike has those carbon patterns on display. I need to see one of those up-close! I'll bet it's really beautiful.

Interesting background! I have seen the orange and white SuperSix and I think it looks really nice. I have seen several unisex bikes with more of the exposed carbon but I think some of the Ruby's (at least 2012) had some pretty sleek looking exposed carbon bikes as well. I didn't know the Synapse color scheme included that...I just assumed "exposed carbon" was another fancy way to market black paint on a bike. :P In my defense, I am a complete newbie here!

I'll have to look at it under sunlight again when I go for a ride this weekend. I definitely see it in the fork but not so much on the other black parts of the bike.

Are there general threads where people post pictures of their bikes? I would love to see what everyone in TE is riding, any kind of bike!