sayn3ver

Just got the bike last week. The CAAD dealer couldn't find a CAAD9 in my size in the 5 version (105 group + ultegra trim) .

I have the tiagra components and a triple crank. I've been trying to tweak the front derailer and such for 3 days now and I am getting sorta fed up.

I want something that will shift smooth and be race worthy. Looking to go down to a double and probably up to a 10spd so I will have some options in the future.

I am 6'2 and am riding a 58mm frame, so what is consider a normal crank arm size for me?

mr handy

probably 175 for cranks, and Rival.

sayn3ver

could you be more specific on the group set recommendations? I figure i could probably get away with a used 105 set, but i don't know anything else about my non shimano options.

AEO

the only thing that makes a 10sp is the cassette and shifter.
10sp 105 cassette with 105 shifters and a tiagra or 105 crank should do you good.

bryceepoo

I'm with the 1st reply. Check out the Sram Rival components. Great bargain that would be totally race worthy.

sayn3ver

who is a reputable dealer for sram online? I've never seen any of their products before in person.

johnnyedge

if theres a local performance shop nearby I would see if they have them in stock. My performance does. Just google it. There are plenty of places online you could by. Try ebay as well.

bryceepoo

There are better deals out there... but this will get you started. Competitive Cyclist

Beaker

above advice seems reasonable, but this seems kinda hasty to me. Have you been back to the LBS to get them to tune up your FD? If it's your first road bike, you might still want to get used to what you have, trash it a bit, before dropping cash on a shiny, more expensive group that you might not appreciate yet.

Just my $0.02.

sayn3ver

hasty..maybe.

I haven't been back to the LBS where i bought it but i spent the last 3 days adjusting my FD and RD and test riding and I am unhappy with the performance. I am just trying to get some info or atleast a direction. I will take it back and have them adjust it but i don't see what they can do that i haven't done on the FD adjustment side. I adjusted it down as close to the teeth as possible without rubbing like other triple posts have stated, i spent much time on the angle of the FD (clamp on FD).

Basically i followed these steps:

-made sure cable adjuster by the shifter was roughly in the middle.
-I shifted the front to the smallest gear.
-loosened and adjusted position
-tightened FD clamp
-tightend cable
-rear shifted on to largest cog
-set low ADJ setting on FD
-shifted up to largest front gear
-shifted to smalllest rear cog
-adjusted HI ADJ setting on FD
-shifted to middle front gear and tested all rear gears then shifted to largest front gear and tried the same (i realize it is close to impossible to get all gear combinations not to rub on FD with a triple).

I've had numerous issues with the tiagra rear derailer as well. I adjust the tension for either the large or middle front gear and then will proceed to have jumping and mis shifting with the 2 other front gears i didn't use to set the adjustment (this makes no sense to me but i swear, if i use the big front gear and get then adjust the RD so it shifts and stays in all gears smoothly and then shift into another front gear i have all sorts of issues). Additionally throughout my last ride, even when starting with a tuned RD, the 2-3 gears in the middle of the cassette tend to jump around and act funny compared to the the gears lying on the extreme ends of the cassette.

I live in southern NJ, so the triple is somewhat useless to me and my relatively flat and non mountainess as well if i can gain smoother and crisper shifting from a double or compact double.

Beaker

Your logic seems fair, but do you have any recourse with the LBS? I'd be kinda torqued thinking about changing a groupset after a week. Can you cut a deal with them, to upgrade you to the CAAD9 spec they couldn't supply you with? If they were able to tune in your drivetrain could you live with the triple?

Zauber

Why did you buy this bike? you wanted a 10 speed double and bought a 9 speed triple ...

logdrum

There is a guy on ebay. - ibikenaked -- no kidding. He is the most flexible guy out there and can get you nice combo of crank length, cassette gearing. 600 for a Rival gruppo -- all of it

14max

Check here: https://www.gvhbikes.com/

ravenmore

+1 on the Rival. The 09 Rival looks awesome btw. Probikekit.com is another place worthy of checking out.

waterrockets 

Your Tiagra can be tuned to shift perfectly.

hammond9705

It's a 1 week old bike. Take it back to the lbs and make them fix it. Ride it for a while (>1000m) before you shell out a lot of money for a new drivetrain. This will give you a chance to make sure you know what you want.

sayn3ver

i settled for this bike because of the info i was supplied with:

-the 09 CAAD's would be 20-30% more expensive
-the CAAD series would have even worse components
-the dealer had their rep search the area for 2 days to locate a CAAD9 5 and came up empty handed.

I wanted a CAAD frame and figured i'd live with the tiagra until i could upgrade since the test ride went smooth. At this point i realize there was some error in my logic but you live and learn.

If the triple worked fine i'd have no issue with keeping it. I guess i'll be visiting my LBS tomorrow or monday and see what they can do.

tommyrod74

If this is your first bike, then there is likely a lot that an experienced mechanic can do to tune derailleurs that you can't. Sorry, but reading "how-to" instructions online just isn't the same thing.

Give them a chance to improve the performance of your current stuff first. No reason why even entry-level Shimano stuff can't work very well.

Enjoy the CAAD9- that's a great bike, and certainly worthy of any upgrades you decide on later. There's no error in your logic, lots of my customers buy a CAAD9 and upgrade as they get the funds. The stock components, properly tuned, won't hold you back at all from a training standpoint.

I"d echo the Rival recommendation for when you do upgrade.

waterrockets 

I have a friend racing quite well on 4-year-old Tiagra. It's not entry-level by any stretch.

kergin

CAAD9? Ultegra, Veloce, or Rival. Anything better belongs on CF. This is a cold fact, written in stone, left on the top of Mt. Everest.

H2Row

I have a Sora equipped bike and don't have any issues with shifting... And I'll ride it until the components wear out until I start buying new stuff... I just had to dial the FD in and now it all shifts perfectly well - no problems.

kergin

Heresy! You have to feed the desire, feed the machine ... with schwag.

erliuic

This and what WR said. Besides, you'll actually be able to appreciate the better stuff if you use the Tiagra first.

H2Row

Guess I should go post in that cycling sins thread I feel guilty already...