Hi,

I ride a CAADX 54cm. It's an okay ride, but I've never really loved it since I got it. This past week, I had a chance to ride several miles on a Salsa Vaya 54cm, and it rode like an absolute dream. I don't know how much of the difference I felt is due to geometry and how much is due to the steel vs aluminum.

The CAADX geometry has:
Effective top tube of 53.7cm
Standover 79.1cm
Stack 55.5cm
Reach 37.8cm


The Salsa has:
Effective top tube of 54.0cm
Standover 74.2cm
Stack 59.0cm
Reach 36.5cm

Head tube and seat tube angles aren't shown on the Cannondale site. I also don't know the stem length (or saddle position) for the Salsa that I rode. I will find out though.

It seems strange that the CAADX has a 5cm higher standover but a 4cm lower stack. If that's the case, this seems like it could have a pronounced effect on how a bike would feel. Appreciate any insights.