Originally Posted by Doughboy6

My Christmas Miracle

(I apologize for the length but needless to say I was excited)


I have been riding on the same steel steed for the past 13 years, a super reliable wonderful '00 LeMond Buenos Aires. A truly gorgeous all black with yellow highlights beast, aptly named The Black Widow. This past April my friend decided to go and get himself a new CAAD8. Immediately, new bike envy set in, especially as he raved about his new bike. I still loved The Widow, but I was beginning to realize it may be time to start the process of upgrading her as he stomped on me up and down the mountain side. First was to be the wheels and then perhaps a new group set. The dollars started building and it occurred to me it may be best to buy a new bike instead. I started with my LBS, but they are a small shop and carry mostly mountain bikes and very little to test ride. Next were the bike demos, well apparently demo trucks don't carry aluminum just carbon. So I tested the new defy, the evo, TCR Advanced SL Red, Madone, Domane...etc etc etc. I loved the TCR, so I figured I'd be buying the TCR SLR (thought it was best to get the aluminum with the better group set then the carbon). Well I could never find a shop that actually had one to ride so I figured I'd have to wait till the end of the summer to get my new bike.

The holidays came around and I went home to visit my parents. While there my mother put me on a quest to get old bike chains to make into Christmas ornaments for my cycling friends. She had me in and out of every shop within a 20 mile radius (which there are plenty of in the Tri-State area). Eventually I ended up at the same shop I had bought The Widow in almost 14 years earlier. Needless to say they didn't have any chains, but they were having a 20% off sale. I had to poke around some when I heard that. As it was the day after Christmas the shop was pretty empty and one of the wrenches came out to ask me if I had any questions. I told him about my quest to replace my beloved bike and he asked me if I had ridden the CAAD10 yet. I said I hadn't and vowed to come in the next day with my winter gear to try it out. When I got home I found another shop that actually had the TCR SLR I was looking for and in my size no less! I thought my quest would be over!

The next morning I took my father with me to escape the holiday madness (and the one shop was close to a favorite brewery of ours). The same wrench was there Friday morning and he put me on a CAAD10-5. I took it down some roads that I knew well from when I was younger. The bike was simply a dream, it cut and carved and leapt along the road and actually reminded me of my LeMond. 15 miles and 50 mins later I rolled back into the shop, simply amazed by the ride. I asked him if this was a '13 and he said it was the '14 model. "Oh, I guess it isn't a part of the sale". "Actually, yes they are. It's the entire inventory." In my head I started to do the calculations, ready to buy it on the spot. But I had vowed to test ride the SLR. I said I had another test ride to do and I'd make a decision by Monday. Off to the next shop we went. I got on the TCR and I really, really liked it. The bike was equipped with the Ultegra 6800, which I hadn't ridden yet and absolutely loved. After the ride my father and I grabbed lunch at the brewery and discussed my options. He listened to me yammer on for 15-20 mins about the two bikes and their rides. My father looked at me and said, "Get the CAAD10." Why, I asked, questioning his resolve. "Because you were smiling from ear to ear after you rode it." We paid the bill and went back to the first shop, the home of the first real road bike I had ever bought. The same full bearded mechanic was there smirking at me. "So how was it?" I told him I really liked the bike and absolutely loved the Ultegra. "Ya know, if we just get the order in the sale will apply to any bike if you really want the Ultegra." Seriously?!? Thats only $1800?? "Yup, so which do you want?" I'll get the black on black CAAD10. "It'll be here January 20th." I think, rather hope, I can wait that long.


So there ya have it folks, my Christmas miracle and how I became a member of the cult with my new snake eyes CAAD10.