Top Line Carbon Bike vs. Aluminum Bike
#76
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If you can afford a GOOD carbon frame get carbon if not get a CAAD10 if you like the aggresive geo.
Carbon feels better, but you aren't going any faster on it.
Carbon feels better, but you aren't going any faster on it.
#77
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Claimed frame weights are sub-700g, 750g and 1,110g respectively.
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Last edited by bigfred; 08-29-13 at 03:46 PM.
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carbon breaks really easily. the pros use it because they get new bikes every week. steel or titanium if you value your life.
also, you have to make sure the carbon doesnt have a lot of sunlight, or the uv will damage the frame.
ask BDOP, he knows. he will confirm this.
also, you have to make sure the carbon doesnt have a lot of sunlight, or the uv will damage the frame.
ask BDOP, he knows. he will confirm this.
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Base Supersix is still an 1,100g frame. You have to opt for Supersix Hi-Mod to get down to the 750g. At 1,100 grams you really have to ask if the ride quality is sufficient to warrant the price difference between the base Supersix and a Caad-10, which basically weighs the same.
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was at the LBS 2 days ago, they have the book for 2014, its in there, 2014 EVO 105. fact.
edit - UK sites are already showing it 'for sale' https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cannondale-S...Bike_66104.htm
edit - UK sites are already showing it 'for sale' https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cannondale-S...Bike_66104.htm
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TLDR other posts....my 2 cents:
Wait for a seasonal sale like the ones this weekend and buy a great carbon bike from a discount retailer like Performance/Nashbar for the same price as an ALU bike from Spec etc. Personally I ride Bianchi....with that said grab a cheap Fuji/Scattante with good wheels and groupset and enjoy the hell out of it. If you trust buying used or know the seller looking for a used major brand carbon bike can be a great value and provide an equally positive experience.
Wait for a seasonal sale like the ones this weekend and buy a great carbon bike from a discount retailer like Performance/Nashbar for the same price as an ALU bike from Spec etc. Personally I ride Bianchi....with that said grab a cheap Fuji/Scattante with good wheels and groupset and enjoy the hell out of it. If you trust buying used or know the seller looking for a used major brand carbon bike can be a great value and provide an equally positive experience.
#82
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TLDR other posts....my 2 cents:
Wait for a seasonal sale like the ones this weekend and buy a great carbon bike from a discount retailer like Performance/Nashbar for the same price as an ALU bike from Spec etc. Personally I ride Bianchi....with that said grab a cheap Fuji/Scattante with good wheels and groupset and enjoy the hell out of it. If you trust buying used or know the seller looking for a used major brand carbon bike can be a great value and provide an equally positive experience.
Wait for a seasonal sale like the ones this weekend and buy a great carbon bike from a discount retailer like Performance/Nashbar for the same price as an ALU bike from Spec etc. Personally I ride Bianchi....with that said grab a cheap Fuji/Scattante with good wheels and groupset and enjoy the hell out of it. If you trust buying used or know the seller looking for a used major brand carbon bike can be a great value and provide an equally positive experience.
#83
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OP, I have quite a bit of experience with steel, aluminum and carbon frames. My take? Steel is out of the picture for me because the steel frames I'll consider are just not practical for the type of rides I like to do, which are fast 65-70 milers. Aluminum was great, in that the fastest bike I've ever owned was a Cannondale CAAD 9, but it rattled the heck out of my bones during and after my typical ride. I sometimes still felt my bones/body buzzing two three hours after rides. Just strange.
Now I ride carbon frames. The vibrations/bone rattling are very manageable, and I don't get very fatigued as I used to with aluminum frames. I would think though that a good quality aluminum frame could be quite manageable if your rides are thirty miles or less.
I do sometimes miss my CAAD 9, but the fit was a bit off, but more importantly was the constant beat-down the ride gave me. Carbon frames are stiff enough, but without the bone rattling stiffness.
Just my two cents.
Now I ride carbon frames. The vibrations/bone rattling are very manageable, and I don't get very fatigued as I used to with aluminum frames. I would think though that a good quality aluminum frame could be quite manageable if your rides are thirty miles or less.
I do sometimes miss my CAAD 9, but the fit was a bit off, but more importantly was the constant beat-down the ride gave me. Carbon frames are stiff enough, but without the bone rattling stiffness.
Just my two cents.
Now, I have a Specialized Langster, a SS with Carbon fork, that is sweet. AL isn't necessarily harsh or buzzy.
I do get sick of attention seekers...
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Now, if we are talking "top of the line" aluminum bikes I think CAAD10 fits the bill but what about Spooky? Those are ultra-sexy bikes:
I have no idea how they ride but they are absolutely gorgeous.
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certainly true, however, I saw the 2014 dealer book at my LBS here in IL, the 105 EVO is fact in the US market. i only cited the UK site as it was the only place I could find it online.
#86
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this is true, the 105 EVO will be sold in the US. I stopped by my C'dale dealer and they are expecting 2014 stock in about two weeks. The EVO 105 MSRP was around $2100 if I'm not mistaken.
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I didn't talk pricing with my dealer, but that seems to jive. next time I'm in pricing will be discussed as will test rides, also considering a 105 synapse for a test ride.
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Thank You - not realy in the market for a new ride but at these prices I may have to rethink my options. I now have a CAAD 9-5 with 105's. I would have thought the frame set would be in this price range
#89
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I just double checked, the MSRP for the 2014 EVO 105 is $2250, I got this info from a C'dale dealer. He usually always sells for under MSRP, so I'm thinking once they are in the shop he will list them for $2,000.
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Given the new low prices for the Evo and how they state that the carbon material is exactly the same as the rest of the Evo line, it seems that the cable routing was responsible for most of the cost. It's really attractive at ~2200 price point, but I hope they come up with a SRAM line as well. A Rival Evo could be a great upgrade. After getting that bike, it will be very hard to justify any further upgrades since Evo as at the pro level already.
Incidentally, apparently even Cannondale did not value much the SuperSix carbon line over the aluminum CAAD10. I doubt they'd drop it if the sales were strong for it, further illustrating the importance of quality carbon construction to gain an advantage over good aluminum bikes.
Incidentally, apparently even Cannondale did not value much the SuperSix carbon line over the aluminum CAAD10. I doubt they'd drop it if the sales were strong for it, further illustrating the importance of quality carbon construction to gain an advantage over good aluminum bikes.
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They both ride and handle COMPLETELY differently, with the same wheel set.
One is "unforgivingly stiff", as you describe it.
The other is the smoothest and most comfortable bike I have ever had.
So please ... don't generalize when it comes to carbon.
There are so many different weaving sizes, patterns, etc ...
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Given the new low prices for the Evo and how they state that the carbon material is exactly the same as the rest of the Evo line, it seems that the cable routing was responsible for most of the cost. It's really attractive at ~2200 price point, but I hope they come up with a SRAM line as well. A Rival Evo could be a great upgrade. After getting that bike, it will be very hard to justify any further upgrades since Evo as at the pro level already.
#94
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Given the new low prices for the Evo and how they state that the carbon material is exactly the same as the rest of the Evo line, it seems that the cable routing was responsible for most of the cost. It's really attractive at ~2200 price point, but I hope they come up with a SRAM line as well. A Rival Evo could be a great upgrade. After getting that bike, it will be very hard to justify any further upgrades since Evo as at the pro level already.
Incidentally, apparently even Cannondale did not value much the SuperSix carbon line over the aluminum CAAD10. I doubt they'd drop it if the sales were strong for it, further illustrating the importance of quality carbon construction to gain an advantage over good aluminum bikes.
Incidentally, apparently even Cannondale did not value much the SuperSix carbon line over the aluminum CAAD10. I doubt they'd drop it if the sales were strong for it, further illustrating the importance of quality carbon construction to gain an advantage over good aluminum bikes.
According to the C'dale dealer I spoke with, the CAAD10-5 MSRP $1950 UP $200 from last year.
CAAD8-5 $1455 Caad8-6 $1200 Caad8-7 $992
Last edited by seymour1910; 08-30-13 at 09:36 AM.
#97
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Had this Evo been available when I first got my bike, I'm pretty sure I would have gotten it over the CAAD10. But now that I have the CAAD10, I'm not sure that I want to go through the hassle of selling it, especially since there is nothing wrong with it. Maybe the Evo will remain as my reward upgrade once my performance is upgraded too. The choice becomes more difficult considering that without the frame upgrade, I could just add $1000 aero wheelset to the CAAD10 to noticeably boost the performance.
The OP now has some good options for a nice carbon bike without the exorbitant price. I wonder if any other bike manufacturer has its top level carbon frame at sub $2500. This seems to be a unique move on Cannondale's part, but maybe other companies have something similar that I don't know about. There are a lot of brands out there and it's hard to keep track. I'm referring to aggressive geometries only, so bikes like the Synapse would be excluded.
The OP now has some good options for a nice carbon bike without the exorbitant price. I wonder if any other bike manufacturer has its top level carbon frame at sub $2500. This seems to be a unique move on Cannondale's part, but maybe other companies have something similar that I don't know about. There are a lot of brands out there and it's hard to keep track. I'm referring to aggressive geometries only, so bikes like the Synapse would be excluded.
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I saw that gray/white Evo in the wild on Tuesday. Not as pretty as the 2013 black/gray/red but a close 2nd. Looked great.
#99
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How much do the non-HiMod evo framesets weigh? 950? 1000?
Last edited by Elduderino2412; 08-30-13 at 04:01 PM.
#100
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Okay, to the OP: 98 responses later, no, there is not a consensus as to which material produces in a better bike.