How much does the bike really matter?

[Cataboo]

can you get some sort of geometry table from the fitter that you worked with to decide your bike wouldn't work for you? Some ideal geometry for you that you can use to judge these bikes you're test riding? Or take her the geometry of the bikes you're considering to see what she thinks of them?

It sounds like your bike can be made to fit you if the fork hadn't been cut so short - so the felts might work.

[kermit]

I would spend some time with the Jamis bikes, I have heard great things about their new designs.

[zatar]

can you get some sort of geometry table from the fitter that you worked with to decide your bike wouldn't work for you? Some ideal geometry for you that you can use to judge these bikes you're test riding? Or take her the geometry of the bikes you're considering to see what she thinks of them?

It sounds like your bike can be made to fit you if the fork hadn't been cut so short - so the felts might work.

Yes, I think that's a very good idea. I feel a little guilty at this point to be even looking for a new bike, because the fitter last week spent about 3 hours with me and decided to order new (60 and 70mm) stems that we could try. We've talked a little over email about last weekend's races and she still seems pretty committed to trying to make my current bike work for me. I don't know exactly how to tell her that I'm ready to buy a new bike now. I don't want it to seem like I don't appreciate the efforts she has made in making my current bike fit me, or that her time last week was a complete waste. Most of that time was focused on my biomechanical issues, and I definitely plan on using that knowledge in the future, even with a different bike.

I think I've just realized that I would like a lighter, stiffer bike with higher-level components, and (possibly) a shorter top tube. I've realized that racing is way more fun than I even imagined and I'm willing to invest a significant amount in a bike, if it will make the experience more enjoyable...

Off to test-ride a few more bikes (Jamis, Kona, and possibly Cannondale) now!

[aicabsolut]

Keep us updated.

IMO, a 60 or 70mm stem is really really really short for a race bike. A friend of mine moved from 110 to 80 recently and said he couldn't tell a difference other than he nearly smacks his knees on the bars when he sprints now. To me, though, I notice a big difference in handling with short stems. A 60mm stem would be so twitchy!

I also like being stretched out, so take the above comment for what it's worth. The guys at the LBS tried to get me to move from a 54cm to a 52cm when I got my last bike, but I am considering moving from a 110mm stem to a 120mm stem on the 54! I am just not comfortable out of the saddle with this reach a lot of the time. I am holding off, though, due to a shoulder injury that may not resolve itself anytime soon. I guess it's better to be comfortable 90% of the time and then just try to deal with the awkward reach in the sprint or when climbing out of the saddle. I've got some deeper drop bars to help a little with sprinting.

[Aquila]

I'm sorry to be a bit off topic, but... every time I see the header to this thread, I think:

"The bike matters one hundred percent! Without the bike you're just running!"

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

[zatar]

I'm sorry to be a bit off topic, but... every time I see the header to this thread, I think:

"The bike matters one hundred percent! Without the bike you're just running!

Of course it does

Pretty unsuccessful day of bike browsing today. The first shop (Cannondale, Jamis, Kona) dealer didn't have any road bikes. The other shop (Cervelo, Scott, some others) didn't have any that interested me.

I test road a LaPierre S Lite 100, but at 46cm, it felt extremely small to me. Almost like riding a clown bike. And the weirdest part is it made my upper back hurt the worst. I thought that pain had been from reaching too far on my bike (people have said that I look really stretched out), but I'm confused now. The Felt yesterday didn't cause that upper back pain and the top tube was 5mm longer.

Maybe my current bike is fine? I could get a smaller stem (70mm would be the minimum that I'd be comfortable with, I think), lighter wheels, better components, and compact handlebars?

To be continued...

[dianne_1234]

Maybe my current bike is fine?

You could even buy a different fork (new or used) with a longer steerer tube to "undo" your bike's currently-too-short steerer tube.

[zatar]

Yep, I think I could just buy a new carbon fork, but after checking with my bike fitter, she agreed that it's not really worth it for my current frame. We'll try new stems this weekend as a temporary solution, and hopefully I'll be able to find one, so that I can keep my current bike as a "rain bike."

I also found a CAAD9 frame on Craig's List today and was initially very excited, but have a gut feeling that it may be stolen. I asked the seller about what components it has and she answered, "it has a milano seat cero ifs2 cranks." I asked about pedals and she replied that it has, "it has shimano 105 pedals."

I did ask for the serial number and checked it in the national stolen bike registry. There were no matches, but I am starting to wonder if it was a serial number from the saddle or some other part of the bike because it doesn't match the pattern I've found for other Cannondale serial numbers. It's only 6 digits long and doesn't include the frame size.

So, I'm just not sure. I really want to buy the CAAD9 (it's a good deal!), but I don't want to buy a stolen bike. I am trying very hard to decipher whether it's really stolen, or she just doesn't know much about bikes...

[Cataboo]

You do get a lot of females on craigslist who are selling bikes that their bf's/husbands bought for them in an effort to get them to ride with them - and they never got into it. So they don't necessarily have a clue about any of the componentry on the bike. I think a bike thief with a cannondale hoping to get a good price for it - would know what the components are.

but ask her why she is selling it.

[zatar]

That's true; a good bike thief would probably know about the components. She told me that she is moving and doesn't have room to take it with her.

I've emailed with even more questions (Did she ride it a lot? When and where did she buy it?). I figure if she passes the "test" on those, then I'll definitely go see it in-person. I'm pretty interested in it.

[aicabsolut]

re: upper back pain --

I had a lot of shoulder/upper back discomfort when I first started riding. I thought it was because I wasn't used to the position. After a couple months, i went back to the shop and got re-fitted. They had set me up fairly relaxed to start, but I wasn't comfortable, and I wanted a better position for racing. They flipped my stem down and lowered the bars (increasing my reach by quite a bit). The handling improved a lot, and no more upper back discomfort!

I don't really get any reach problems except in my lower back when my core is out of shape, or sometimes in my neck when my bars are too low such that it's difficult to look where I'm going. Maybe you need a longer reach than you thought! It doesn't really matter what it looks like to others--what matters is that you're comfortable! Your "functional" reach is more involved than your static body measurements. It has a lot to do with how you move on the bike.

[zatar]

That's interesting about your upper back pain, aicabsolut. I think I may be the same way. I've always been way too flexible (hypermobile), and it doesn't seem to bother my lower back at all to be down in the drops. It's more on rides when I do a lot of climbing, or when I'm on a very small frame (like the 46cm bike I tried on Wednesday), that I feel some discomfort.

I think I am getting close to a decision though, which is good. My plan tomorrow is go to the local bike shop early tomorrow and test out 2-3 of their Cannondale bikes (Six, Synapse, and CAAD9). Right now, the Six looks very appealing to me (the carbon seat stays sound interesting), but I won't know how it rides until I try it.

If I like the Six best, I'll probably go with the local bike shop. They have a 2009 for $300 off MSRP. They also offer a stem replacement program, 1 year of maintenance, and a bike fit with purchase of a bike. Also, buying a new bike would allow me to utilize the Cannondale lifetime frame warranty, should I ever need to do so.

If I like the CAAD9 better, my decision will be tough. It's the same price at the lbs as the Six, but the one on Craig's List is about half the price! I could save a lot of money if I get the one on Craig's List, but I could have to pay for a fit, maintenance, and bike fit, if I go that route. Also, the warranty wouldn't apply (since I would not be the original owner).

I feel like I'm making progress, but I'm so nervous about the decision! Part of me really wants to buy one tomorrow, test ride it in the afternoon for an hour or so, and race on it Sunday, but I know that won't be smart. I'll race on my normal bike Sunday, and maybe be adjusted enough to the new one by next week, to race on it then.

Thanks again to everybody who has offered their input in this thread so far. It's been incredibly helpful to discuss my decision with you guys!

[zatar]

I'm finding this whole bike-shopping experience to be incredibly draining.

I woke up early this morning to be at the lbs a little after they opened. I test rode the Synapse (48cm), Six (48cm), and CAAD9 (51cm). The Synapse was definitely the most comfortable of the three, but the CAAD9 was the most fun to ride by far. I loved it.

I checked my email upon returning home from the lbs and saw that the Craig's List seller had replied. She let me know that she already sold the bike. I was pretty bummed at this point, as I had decided the 48cm CAAD9 was exactly what I wanted.

I then searched all of the nearby Cannondale dealers and found one 2009 CAAD9 7 about 4 miles away. I couldn't believe my luck. $775 for a brand new bike! I planned on switching out the Sora components ASAP anyway, but was so excited! I knew exactly what I wanted when I got there, so I asked about it. The salesperson went back to check with a coworker and upon returning, told me that there was somebody putting a deposit on it right then. I spotted her quickly and felt so disappointed. I really, really wanted that bike.

As it happened, we both left the shop at the same time, and we had parked next to each other. I heard her friend talking about the bike and decided to strike up a conversation. She said she really liked it and would be picking it up tonight. I told her that if she changed her mind, I would definitely be interested in buying it. Then, I proceeded to get in my car and fall apart emotionally. All of the sudden I was crying over a bike and I couldn't stop. It was awkward (she was in the car next to me), but I didn't even care at that point. I missed that bike by minutes. I still can't believe it.

My one last idea is to check a few of the REIs around me. They carry Cannondale, but I'm not sure how to check if they have 2009 models in stock. Their website only lists the 2010 models.

I'm really trying to stay positive. My current bike still works. It has been "good enough" for me the past two years, so there's no logical reason that it would suddenly not be "good enough" overnight. It is making me stronger to train and race on it. I know that I'll be racing a familiar bike tomorrow.

Also, by missing out on the two bikes today, I avoided making an impulsive decision. I felt so rushed to get over there this afternoon for the CAAD9 7 and didn't honestly have much time to think about it. I still think it was the right decision, but at least now, I'll have a little more time to think about it.

[Ana]

I'm finding this whole bike-shopping experience to be incredibly draining.

I woke up early this morning to be at the lbs a little after they opened. I test rode the Synapse (48cm), Six (48cm), and CAAD9 (51cm). The Synapse was definitely the most comfortable of the three, but the CAAD9 was the most fun to ride by far. I loved it.

I checked my email upon returning home from the lbs and saw that the Craig's List seller had replied. She let me know that she already sold the bike. I was pretty bummed at this point, as I had decided the 48cm CAAD9 was exactly what I wanted.

I then searched all of the nearby Cannondale dealers and found one 2009 CAAD9 7 about 4 miles away. I couldn't believe my luck. $775 for a brand new bike! I planned on switching out the Sora components ASAP anyway, but was so excited! I knew exactly what I wanted when I got there, so I asked about it. The salesperson went back to check with a coworker and upon returning, told me that there was somebody putting a deposit on it right then. I spotted her quickly and felt so disappointed. I really, really wanted that bike.

As it happened, we both left the shop at the same time, and we had parked next to each other. I heard her friend talking about the bike and decided to strike up a conversation. She said she really liked it and would be picking it up tonight. I told her that if she changed her mind, I would definitely be interested in buying it. Then, I proceeded to get in my car and fall apart emotionally. All of the sudden I was crying over a bike and I couldn't stop. It was awkward (she was in the car next to me), but I didn't even care at that point. I missed that bike by minutes. I still can't believe it.

My one last idea is to check a few of the REIs around me. They carry Cannondale, but I'm not sure how to check if they have 2009 models in stock. Their website only lists the 2010 models.

I'm really trying to stay positive. My current bike still works. It has been "good enough" for me the past two years, so there's no logical reason that it would suddenly not be "good enough" overnight. It is making me stronger to train and race on it. I know that I'll be racing a familiar bike tomorrow.

Also, by missing out on the two bikes today, I avoided making an impulsive decision. I felt so rushed to get over there this afternoon for the CAAD9 7 and didn't honestly have much time to think about it. I still think it was the right decision, but at least now, I'll have a little more time to think about it.

Bike shopping should be fun!!! Don't let these experiences get you down It's just like anything in life: sometimes things don't work out exactly how you planned but if you are determined, you will find what you need (Jager said it best).

Good luck in your search!

[zatar]

Thanks, Ana. I'm a lot less stressed out now that I've made my decision and worrying less about finding the "best deal."

The lbs (where I tested all the Synapse, Six, and CAAD9) is ordering me a 48cm CAAD9 5 Feminine. I'm planing on swapping the components out so that I can have 105 (from the CAAD9) on my current bike (will be rain bike). I'll then buy the ultegra components from my teammate and put them on the CAAD9, so that I have a nice race bike. I'm really excited.

Next week, I might be able to pick up the bike pictured below!