Fifty Plus (50+) - I know I'll be sorry for this.....

More bike advice time. I'll preface this with I'm over 50 and a Clyde as well (210#). And apologize for the length of the post.....

I have a Cannondale Synapse with Sora components. It is the entry level Synapse. I was starting out and didn't want to bust the budget. But now I thought I wanted carbon and an upgrade. So....

I bought a Trek Madone 4.5. I know, totally different bike.

I talked to the place where I got the Synapse and described why i wanted something new. I talked to one of the techs for a while. He mentioned bringing it in and checking the fit and maybe trying new wheels, saddle, etc.

The Synapse is 21.8# and the Madone is 17 something. 4 pounds!

Anyway, to upgrade the Synapse will probably cost more than the $900 difference between it and the Madone. I could probably sell the Synapse and get an upgraded model if I wanted for less money.

Or I could keep the Madone and sell the Synapse.

I'm worried about moving to the Madone and its more race-oriented geometry. The Synapse is more relaxed. I'm not looking to race just get in miles and try to get fitter and lose some weight.

Hopefully, I won't get flamed too badly but wanted to get you guys' perspective. Am I overthinking it?

You are worried about the Madone race-oriented geometry - has it given you problems when you ride?

The Madone is know for a very forgiving ride. Get a longer test ride before pulling the trigger.

Already pulled the trigger. Its been sitting in the garage. I'm afraid to ride it in case I decide to return it.
I rode it several times before buying so I was pretty sure but now I'm second guessing.

You bought the bike?

Ride the bike!

:wtf:

It all depends.

If you feel guilty for spending the money, don't. The Madone should be a blast to ride, and you are worth every penny of it. Die broke. Spend your children's inheritance. A large asteroid is heading our way and the Feds don't want us to know about it. Life is short. Etc.

If you are worried about the geometry, you just have to be brutally honest with yourself. If the bike feels like a good fit, all is well. If the geometry is too aggressive, there is no shame in admitting it. We're not teenagers anymore, and except for the racer types most of us don't really need aggressive geometry.

You might consider posting a photo and let everyone drool over it. That will ease the pain.

Started off with a basic Giant OCR and within a year I had outgrown it's capabilities. So went to the LBS and got a Custom build on a Boreas Ignis Frame and forks.Top rate Race frame in aluminium and good spec to go with it. Weight of just over 15lbs in bare trim and bars 4" below the saddle. Decided to keep the OCR as a foul weather bike but first time I used it in windy- rainy cold weather was down to the LBS. Came away ordering a build on a Giant TCR-C frame and the OCR was relegated to a Loan bike.

So don't feel worried about upgrading to a pretty good bike. I did it twice in 6 months and have two bikes that are a dream to ride. Just leave the wallet at home when you ride the Synapse down to the LBS on a foul winters day--It can get expensive.

The difference in ride between the synapse and the Madone may not seem to be great at first and in fact you might have second thought. Believe me when i say that once you have the Madone sorted- You will not be riding the synapse very often.

Good choice on bike so why are you sitting reading this. You should be out getting a few miles on the N+1.

I had the same worries. Clyde here also. My brother assembled a Trek 5500 for me from E-bay and left over parts. It is definitely race geometry. I rode it and decided a Clyde had no business on a race machine. A few days later I tried it again. Then again and again. It became clear I was faster on the aggressive frame and set up. Also, after a few rides I was no longer getting sore due to the different position on the bike.

After a while I gave the more relaxed bike to my son. The Trek was destroyed in a crash. I did not hesitate to purchase another bike just as aggressive as the Trek.

I'm worried about moving to the Madone and its more race-oriented geometry. The Synapse is more relaxed. I'm not looking to race just get in miles and try to get fitter and lose some weight.

Hopefully, I won't get flamed too badly but wanted to get you guys' perspective. Am I overthinking it?



Yeah, you're overthinking it. I'm 55 and weigh about 230 and have no problem riding my Tommasini. That Trek is no more race oriented than my tommy, its just newer. You bought that bike because you wanted it. Sure its racy, and when you ride it you will feel racy, which will make you want to ride it even more, which means you will be getting more miles. Personally I think its the solution to your problem.

Dont look back. Ride that Trek like you stole it. :thumb:

You are the expert. Just ask yourself the right questions.

How did your first hundred miles on the new bike go? Were you and the bike both happy? Did you finish rides already looking forward to the next?

Check out what I am ridding. Its got race geometry too. Who cares. Ride the bike and see what happens. I have thousands of miles on mine and hope to put a lot more on it and I am just a few years ahead of you. On the 23 of Feb I will be 72. Ride it like you stole it.

No brainer, ride it like you stole it.

OP, you have great inner discipline to have a Madone 4.5 sitting in the garage and your not rideing it?

OP, you have great inner discipline to have a Madone 4.5 sitting in the garage and your not rideing it?

Or I've lost my mind.

Thanks everyone for the comments. I AM overthinking it and just need to get on the Madone and 'ride it like I stole it' (love that phrase!!!).

Or I've lost my mind.

Thanks everyone for the comments. I AM overthinking it and just need to get on the Madone and 'ride it like I stole it' (love that phrase!!!).

Yeah, just don't taco the wheels and throw it in a ditch when you get home. :)

I have never owned a Madone but have ridden a friends a few times and I found it wasn't an overly aggressive frame.

You will be fine on it so enjoy.

jdon has bought a point up and that is if you are a Clyde-then the wheels will take a beating. Don't know what the stock wheels are but think about a set of hand-built wheels in the near future. 36 spokes on a 105 or Ultegra hub and Mavic Open Pro rims.

I say if you are a Clyde as ride the bike enough and diet well and you won't be for long.

I'm in the mini Clyde territory, I think -- 210 lbs.

Its has a 105 hub with Bontrager SSRs now.

stapfam, is the weather getting any better over there? Hope all is well.

OP, a couple of observations.

First, the Trek 4.5 (which year?) doesn't appear to have full-on race geometry?? Is it what Trek calls 'H2' fit? If so, pretty similar really to e.g. a Giant Defy or Spec. Roubaix SL2 (as opposed to a TCR or Tarmac) ... not all that much different from your Synapse ... nothing a bit of fiddling with stem rise/bar shape couldn't compensate for.

Second, I'll relate a very recent experience. I've been riding 'road' for some time now, thinking always that I couldn't ride a full-on road bike (i.e. with drops etc). Currently riding a Sirrus Comp (flat-bar road) w/upgrades. I'm 60, lots of physical issues (back, arthritis, etc.).

Anyway, over the past two weekends I've had the chance to extensively test first a new Giant Defy Composite 1, and then a Specialized Roubaix SL2 -- both Ultegra. I'd say the Defy isn't at all far removed from your 4.5 in intention; the Roubaix SL2 is certainly designed specifically for the "plush" market. Did about a three-hour loop on each.

Shopguys thought I'd go for the more relaxed, slightly less 'aggressive' Roubaix, no question ... "everybody like you does." Not at all an insult ... just an educated prediction on their part. I was prepared to say "I just can't do this" to both, but to prefer the Roubaix. We were both wrong!

I loved the Defy. Riding position felt perfect/balanced out of the box (as did the Roubaix), but (can't believe I'm saying this) I much preferred the slightly more 'planted' feel of the Defy, greater 'road feel', stiffness, etc, all without being harsh. The Roubaix was great, no question, and certainly more 'plush' (can't avoid using that term, I guess) ... but I just 'liked' the slightly 'racier' feel of the Defy a little more (BTW, we were very careful to equalize for tire pressure etc. as much as possible), so much so that I am seriously considering getting one for next season.

So ya never know; as others have said, you own the 4.5 anyway so the only way to know is to ride it.

If it is a 56 you should just send it to me...jk, get out on that thing ;]

Am building a Kestler Talon SL full carbon with Record gear in my apartment. Am coming off of a Sears Schwinn hybrid. How's that for a switch? Am 65 and can't wait to get on it.

I'm in the mini Clyde territory, I think -- 210 lbs.

Its has a 105 hub with Bontrager SSRs now.

stapfam, is the weather getting any better over there? Hope all is well.

Definitely the lower grade of Clyde and ride enough and you will just be on the heavy side. My hand-built wheels are 105 hubs and they have done about 6,000 miles now without any retrueing or loose spokes. Did put them into the LBS and he swore at me for getting his hands dirty. Wheels were perfectly true so for the Charge- He re greased the bearings.

And weather over here--^$£"*&>. Looks like winter has arrived. Only had one Frost in the south east so far this year and not too much wind or rain. Rest of England hasn't been too bad either except the North has been getting our rain. The SE is now in official drought conditions but from this week you would not believe it. High winds- Plenty of rain and tonight the temp is going to give us our 2nd. frost of the year. Tomorrow will not get much above 40F with a 20mph wind. Just the day for getting on a shed roof for a few hours.

And badger1 has it about right. After my first road bike and I went to the LBS to sort no 2-- The LBS knew me better than I did. I had test ridden the shop owners bike before ordering but they set it up. Other than fine tuning the saddle- They had set it up perfectly for me. But I had tried Various bikes in test rides and many of them were good. Some of the big names I did not like but when you find the bike- It just screams at you "Buy Me"

I had the same worries. Clyde here also. My brother assembled a Trek 5500 for me from E-bay and left over parts. It is definitely race geometry. I rode it and decided a Clyde had no business on a race machine. A few days later I tried it again. Then again and again. It became clear I was faster on the aggressive frame and set up. Also, after a few rides I was no longer getting sore due to the different position on the bike.

After a while I gave the more relaxed bike to my son. The Trek was destroyed in a crash. I did not hesitate to purchase another bike just as aggressive as the Trek.My '85 Trek 460 has an aggressive race geometry and I love it. At first it was a bit twitchy but the more you ride it the more it just sails down the road. When I hop on a more relaxed frame it seems like I'm riding something half-dead. Seriously.