Hi all, newbie here posting for the first time. I'm 27 & looking to get into riding primarily for fitness, although I like going fast too

A colleague of mine has a Felt and talks about riding a lot, so last weekend I rented a CAAD10-5 and we went out. Aside from a sore rump, I really enjoyed riding, and have basically spent the last week reading forums & researching a purchase. I visited another LBS yesterday to learn about the differences between the CAAD8-5 and Synapse and see which was best for me. The pricing on the CAAD8-5 seemed decent at $1k and that's what I was thinking of doing.

Out of curiosity I called the place I rented from last weekend and checked to see what their stock was. Turns out they have a 2010 CAAD9-5 (in blue) that they would mark down to $1100. I hadn't really considered the CAAD9-5 since availability seemed scarce, but I did often see it mentioned with high regard.

I plan to go test ride tomorrow (although honestly, I am not sure how much different each bike will feel to my newb senses), but I do want to get the most bike for the money and something that I can grow into as I progress. Seems like the CAAD9-5 may fit that bill perfectly.

Will post an update when available