itzwill

Hey guy's, I'm not to sure to post this, but I might as well post it in Road Cycling option. First of all I started biking since I was a kid and a teenager but stopped for 8 years, due to owning a brick house mountain bike. During around November of 2014 I decided to get on the bike for the first time in 8 years and decided to purchase a Giant AnyRoad CoMax. I have done approximately 1000km on it and loving it a lot. During these few month's I'm thinking of getting a second bike this time a "Road Bike" over a Cyclocross.

I have been looking around and I have heard a lot of really good thing's about the "Cannondale CAAD 10" series. I went to my local super bike shop and test rode the bike and it put a huge smile on my face. The CAAD 10 vs my AnyRoad was like night and day. I was really thinking about purchasing but decided to lay it off for a bit. I'm thinking of purchasing the CAAD 10 2015 model with 105 group set for $2000.

I have looked into Specialised, Merida and Giant bikes "entry" carbon base models but I feel that the CAAD10 alloy is lighter than most of the entry level Carbon bikes from those brands I had mentioned.

I'm just after some other suggestions from you guys and any other recommendations to purchase a road bike and which ones I should look into. $2000 is my budget limit.

cale

Unless you're looking for a bike to take with you for all eternity, a Ti would be recommended, I suggest you base your criteria on something other than frame material. $2000 is a lot of dough to plop down for a rider that just rejoined the fold after a 8-year hiatus. How enthusiastic about cycling were you before you took time off?

My point is to take is slow. Discount half of what you've read here. The poignant praise of the new 105 group almost makes me think that I would be miserable with any other components yet there's scant difference between bikes equipped with 105 and those equipped with Tiagra (or Ultegra for that matter). Component groups mostly just get carried around. You'll win more smiles and winks from "experienced" (read well-healed) riders that approve of your choice. But is that what cycling is really all about?

Take time to think about your priorities. I think there are bikes out there that will offer you the headroom to really grow as a cyclist. BTW, I think the CAAD8 is a better choice for most recreational road cyclist because it includes a slightly taller head tube and more relaxed angles to make the bike more comfortable to ride long distances. I know there's an endurance category, but you needn't search there for a solid road bike. CAAD8 Tiagra, that's my recommendation.

itzwill

I will defiantly take a look into the CAAD 8 series. The CAAD 8 retails around $1449 in my country, "Australia". Is there much difference between the two ?
My first purchase of the AnyRoad cost me around $1850. It was a bit of a impulse buy but I really enjoy riding it. I want to make sure this time my purchase would be a solid choice.

cale

Well Mate, instead of talking about differences, which I think is the bike company's way of suggesting what you're "giving up", let's talk about what the CAAD8 brings to cycling. 10-speed vs 11-speed group is the most noticeable difference from the spec sheet. The idea of the 11th gear is that it contains a bailout gear (large 30T or more) in the back. In marketing speak, they've included the close ratio grouping that has the most commonly used gears plus they've added a serious climbing gear. It's a sound concept but nothing really new. In fact, the 11th gear is more about extending the range of a compact chainring (34/50T) group to be more climbing friendly. And you really just end up with a extra cog somewhere in the range. I say this because the largest cog on the new 105 11-speed cassette is typically the same size as that found on the Tiagra 10-speed range. That sounds like a modest addition to me.

Weight. If you're going to pour over weight comparisons you know where that will lead, don't you? You'll quickly find yourself looking at increasingly expensive gear. If you're going to measure the bike's weight by what you can do on it, you'll find that you aren't limited by the addition of some weight where the difference is between 105 and Tiagra. It just isn't sufficiently significant to the overall riding experience.

Fit and finish of the Tiagra group is very nice. Check it out in person because catalog shopping doesn't really convey the quality of Tiagra. (As alluded to in my previous post, you'll get more "acceptance" with a 105 group. Only you know if that is worth something.)

An impulse buy suggests that your previous bike purchase didn't entail a great deal of consideration. If you're game to see if lightning will strike twice in the same spot, I won't try to talk you out of it. The fact that you're active on bikeforums suggests that you aren't impulsive on this purchase and it makes sense that you want to give this purchase your full consideration.

Frame choice. The CAAD10 and CAAD8 are very similar. The CAAD8 doesn't have as many race-specific features on the CAAD10. The CAAD8 frame is,however, a better choice for non-racers from the standpoint of comfort. The taller head tube on the CAAD8 provides a slightly more upright position which will relieve some pressure on the arms, back and hands. Racers don't typically take in the scenery while doing their racing but recreational riders will. It is important to keep in mind that a racing bike doesn't equate to a better bike for most riders.

Wheels. They're expensive, they are a important factor in ride comfort and performance, and they are typically under-valued by consumers. I'll put it this way, if there is one place to splurge on your bike it is on the wheels. You'll gain more noticeable benefit from wheels that are strong because they require less maintenance. You'll sense a faster bike (acceleration) when the wheels offer a lower resistance to inertia and low weight is the primary source of this benefit. The fact that they are under-valued (misunderstood?) by consumers isn't surprising but what exactly do you gain when comparing CAAD10 105 with CAAD8 Tiagra? The CAAD10 features lightweight wheels with low spoke-count rims/hubs for light weight and fast response. They are racing wheels and will be more prone to failure in part because of their low spoke count. (Take this in context with my 200+ weight.) If you're a racer, you'll like the wheels but the Tiagra 32-spoke wheels are likely to remain true longer and support a wider variety of weights. If you want a pair of "event" wheels, they are available to purchase as a wheelset. If you want fast wheels, don't want to think about buying wheels in the future, and can live with the likelihood that you'll be visiting the bike shop in the near future for a tuning, try to get the wheels upgraded on the CAAD8 as part of your purchase decision, failing that, give the nod to the CAAD10.

A last thought concerns giving consideration to other bikes. Cannondale makes good bikes but they aren't alone in this respect. You mentioned the other bikes you'd looked at mainly as a function of their relative weights. While there is no sense in buying a heavier bike unless it brings something additional to value, I think it is easy to settle on weight as a deciding factor. Now that I've discussed components and wheels, will you be able to make a more complete comparison of those other models?

Good luck.

milkbaby

I would caution against ruling out carbon, steel, titanium, wood, or whatever type frame material bike in the name of bike weight. For a 180 pound rider, the difference between 20 pound and 18 pound bike is only 1% of the total system weight (rider plus bike), and you will be hard pressed to notice a substantial difference in bicycle performance unless all you do is extended hill climbs.

You should test ride a few different bikes to see which ones float your boat the most, you may be surprised by the results. Remember there are also confounding factors such as a good frame with bad wheels and/or bad tires, test riding a frame which isn't adjusted to fit you well, etcetera, but it is still worthwhile test riding. Good luck and enjoy it.

rms13

CAAD10 is a great bike! $2000 AUD = aprrox $1500 US which is what I would expect to pay for a new CAAD10 105 so I'm sure it's a fair price. You can look at CAAD8 but it's a different bike with more relaxed geometry. Considering you say you tested other road bikes and the CAAD10 is the one that spoke to you the most I am assuming you like the aggressive geometry of the CAAD10. Listen to your heart!

Most people consider a CAAD10 to be an entry level bike so it's not crazy for your first road bike and you know what you can afford, nobody else here does. I have friends that bought much more expensive bikes for their first bikes and it's not a big deal because they didn't go bankrupt by their purchases. But do consider that you will want and need other things that you may not have:

Helmet
Pump
Shoes and pedals
bike shorts/bibs and jersey
seat bag with spare tubes, tire levers, co2 inflator or portable pump
water bottles and cages

If you don't have that stuff it does add up (usually about $500 USD) so account for that in your budget

Frank72

I would look for possibly a close out on a 2014 model or even an online purchase.

itzwill

Thank's for the awesome reply Cale. I will definitely look into the CAAD 8, since the Tiagra 2014 model is only $1099 which seems a solid deal. I will test ride them out over the easter holidays and will make a decision. Thank's for all the replies guys.