seely

The build is done for now...

Specs are:
2006 Cannondale Synapse AL frame
2005 Cannondale SLICE Premium+ full carbon fork
Bontrager Racelite 175 53/39 cranks
Ultegra f. brifter
Tiagra r. brifter (just WILL NOT DIE!)
Ultegra 9spd r. derailleur
Ultegra 9spd f. derailleur
Ultegra 9spd 12-25 cassette
RX100 brakes f&r
3ttt 4GX seatpost
Cannondale 31.8 stem
FSA Energy(?) 42cm (c-c) ergo bar
Velocity Spartacus wheelset
Conti 2000's
Velocity anodized grey cages
*saddle is currently a Fizik Arione but its sawing me in half, so I think I'm going to try my Serfas Ti saddle or my Orbea Mg saddle and sell the Arione.
Crank Bros. Eggbeater SL's

Well, as it sits the bike is right around 18lbs w/ pedals. Very light, considering the somewhat mediocre cockpit and the brakes, and the 520g rims. Should easily be a 17lbs bike with some upgrades to Ritchey WCS stuff, and Velocity Aeroheats on Ultegra hubs. Frame weight is about 2.8lbs for a 56cm.

That aside, I'd like the review the Synapse AL as no one really has that I have seen.

The good:
Its *extremely* responsive. You hammer down, and it goes. The BB area is truly "Cannondale stiff". The bike also handles very predictably and is stable without being sluggish as you would think a more relaxed geometry might be. The handling is definately race-worthy. The higher head tube is great for me since I have very long legs, longer arms and a shorter torso. First road bike I have actually owned that I am comfortable on... I also left more steerer on the fork so I am running a little higher stack height than average. Its light, its fast, its stable, its completely race-worthy.

The bad:
Its STIFF, and I mean STIFF. They can call it "more compliant" all they want, but the reality is that I stand up and dodge potholes and rough road that never slowed me down on my old steel bike. My lower back is fatigued from the jarring by the time I'm about 20-30mi into a ride on bad roads (like there's any good ones around here?). Part of that undoubtedly is the saddle, which is going away quickly, and the seatpost, which is stiff in and of itself. However, point remains, its a stiff bike. Its not noticiably more compliant to me than say a CAAD7/8 frame. Not bad, but its not quite as advertised in my opinion.

Overall:
I'm young and resilient so I can deal with stiff. Also, if I was really out for comfort, I would have gotten a 58cm frame instead. However, I'm young and racey so I gotta have my size-too-small frame. Overall a fast solid good all arounder with race-ready written all over it. Note that this is obviously not a stock build so a off the shelf Synapse will probably behave a little differently.

dekalbSTEEL

Nice Cannondale. How did you decide on this frame? Did you order it directly from C'dale?

blandin

Nice clean lines. Looks great!

seely

Actually, I can't entirely say how I got it but it was through the shop I work at, and a nice deal from Cannondale basically.

However, I was pretty set on a Synapse for my next road bike due to the relaxed geometry, since I'm 6' with a 34.85" inseam, which puts me in the category of the average 6'2-6'3 male. The tall head tube and semi-compact geometry really works well for me. It just so happened they offered me a 56cm frame, which worked out perfectly. I believe that this is available as a frameset too.

ViperZ

Nice Job, there is something to be said about a machine thats is so stiff that it carves corners like it's on rails. It's a blast to ride!

I remember My Klein Quantum Pro (All Big tube Aluminum) could be layed hard and low into pretty much any corner at really scary fast speed. I miss doing that

rpc180

I gotta agree with you on a lot of the review points ... stiff, transmits road feel, but fast. Your build looks great! My R700 is on order - can't wait to ride it!

seely

You're going to love it... CAAD8 for that price is a steal, plus a great components package to top it off.

Lecterman

Nice build, I (personally) would kill the white bar tape though.

krazyderek

agreed on the bar tape, either add some other white components to the bike, or switch to white/black camo tape. just IMHO

I was eye'ing one of these myself, but i ended up pulling the trigger on a reduced price r1000 with powertap bonty x-lite wheels I shall have to try and see if i can test ride the Al synapse on a dry day, so as to compare it to the CAAD8 and synapse carbon.

Interesting to see your choice or 9spd. Was this simply parts yoru already had? Bargain priced stuff u snagged? Or just not a fan of 10spd?(i'm not looking forward to the replacement cost of my chain every couple of months this summer

seely

Not a huge fan of 10spd, plus my drivetrain was entirely new (except the r. brifter) in the past two years or so, so I really didn't feel a big urge to upgrade. The white tape looks awesome in person, btw Brings out the white in the Cannondale decals, stem, bars and seatpost nicely.

lawhon96

I've been looking at the Synapse as well and am getting close to making my decision. I love the Synapse carbon...my wallet and my wife love the Synapse AL. I am a lanky 6'3" and am concerned about the physical effects of a century ride on an AL frame (I've never owned one before). Did you test ride the carbon version and if so can you give a quick A-B ride comparison/review? Thanks for this thread--it already has given me loads of information I haven't been able to find.

seely

The carbon Synapse has a slightly different feel in my opinion. It feels more "dead" on the road whereas the aluminum feels more lively. The BB still feels stiff though, and the bike does accelerate quickly, however road chatter is smoothed out a bit over the AL model. I just did a 50mi ride today on the Synapse and found that it does absorb road chatter somewhat more than most AL bikes I've been on, but you still feel the "edge" on the bigger stuff. That being said, I am also running a stiffer more aggressive fork than the stock Synapse, so take that into consideration. This bike most likely would not be my first choice for a century ride, however, like I said, I could have gone to a 58cm, and I bet that would be more comfortable for my lower back over longer distances and probably made it more century-worthy.

roadwarrior

56cm?? Nearly a 35 inch inseam??

The reason your back hurts is the frame is two sizes too small, with all due respect. It's not due to the road bumps. With your size, a 60 would have been much better. Maybe a 58 depending on body proportions. I recognize you got a deal...but the review of the bike is not totally fair in that you may have a different opinion if you were on a correctly sized frame.

I've ridden both the al and carbon versions...outstanding ride but not nearly as responsive as my Six/13, either the current or the one I rode last year, or my CAAD 7 or 4 frames. But you've tightened up the front of the bike some with the Premium + fork. I found it very comfortable, but not the ride I enjoy having spent most of my riding life on racing bikes.

BTW...I sell them too. A lot of them. And do fittings, too.

lawhon96

After a couple more hours of reading through this board last night, I am now leaning towards the Six13 myself. Every post comparing the Synapse and Six13 says the exact same thing: Rode both, both are nice, bought the Six13. For the money, I can get a Dura-Ace rocket Six13 Pro 1 for $200 less than the Synapse Carbon 2 (which has much less bling). I can't wait to try one at the LBS. Thanks for weighing in.

bluecd

i have a synapse carbon 2 and after 2059 miles i find the ride quite lively. it handles great, rides smooth, carves corners, leaps forward with pedal force, and climbs with the best of them. i can find no numbers on the current six/13 but it's lighter and stiffer (head/BB/fork) than a caad7 six/13. so how it can be described as "dead", i don't know.

rpc180

Cannondale sizing is questionable I think. I've been comfortable Lemond's and Trek's at 52cm ... on a Cannondale I'm a 48cm.

seely

Trust me, it fits. I sell them, and I have a few years fitting experience. Seeing as I don't trust my judgement on my own bike (since I can't see myself on the bike or take measurements of myself very well) I had two other people run the fit on me, and on the bike because I'm anal like that. I'm not proportioned well and as a result my bikes aren't either. I'm riding with a higher-than-stock stack height on the bike to help compensate. A 60 is far, far too big... my track bike is a 59cm with traditional geometry and fits me quite well, a 60 with the semi-compact geometry would be out of the question.

seely

Dead as in it doesn't transmit much road feel--for me it lacked the immediate *snap* I get when I stand on a Six13/CAAD8 frame. Probably what you call smooth, I call dead, mere semantics.