Originally Posted by
chipndale9
I was also disappointed with the top tube length. I thought maybe Cannondale customized the frame for this bike but it has the exact same geometry as the original CAAD8. This would mean you have to get a ridiculously long stem or get a larger size, which then you may have a standover clearance issue.
What I'm really curious though, is how it stacks up against other performance hybrids. CAAD frames are highly rated, even the entry level CAAD8. Assuming the rider is properly fit and same tires are used, is this supposed to make the bike lighter and stiffer than those bikes? I'm still not sure where this bike fits in, especially because a lot these so called "hybrids" are strictly for road/pavement use, and are what I thought as close as you can get to a "flat bar road bike". But if that's the case, why even have Quick? Just for the slightly more upright position?
It's not just slightly more upright, depending on how you've set up your stem angle. If you have drop bars, your back is parallel to the ground, and to look forward you really have to be able to bend your head back. IMO this is fine when there's no one in front of you. In the city, there is ALWAYS someone in front of you, or walking in the path next to yours, or .... You have to have your head on a swivel, and it's easier with a flat bar, which makes it easier to keep your head up.
Plus, I have calcified ligaments in my neck, which means I really can't bend my head back as far as I could as a young man.