OK, you're right, its actually vanilla bean with chocolate swirl given its 7000 series aluminum and triple butted. So not a plain AL frame. But as I said its subjective. I've owned Cannondales longer than some forum members are old, but I'm a hater now that they are foreign made so I'm not pushing them by any means. If he likes the Ridley better I don't think he'd be unhappy either way.

I made the statement based on the CAAD9 being the culmination of ~27 years of aluminum development with a pedigree of race win after race win, a huge fan base, and great review after great review. So I take that in comparison to an unknown Ridley that he can't test ride first which is also their very bottom road model. (bottom model of a higher end brand, which also knows its stuff too).