Hey friends, damn this thread is still going strong haha.
Alright, so I got to try the Synapse, its a way better bike than the Optimo, faster, lighter, looks cooler etc.
The switch to Shimano 105 is the play, Tiagra “works” but it’s not great. On the road after stopping, I would be stuck trying to start my bike since the shifting sucks. On Shimano 105, I can slip on my shoe and quickly switch gears which is nice.
the Disc brakes compared to rim breakers was another huge difference. I felt safer and just more comfortable knowing that I can brake any time I wanted.
The 30mm wheels were nice to have, sure I lost speed and areo, but I feel like I’m driving a tank since I can go off road a bit without worrying about losing traction.
the Synapse is reliable, safe and does it’s job as a all round bine quite well, definitely a jack of all trades. I was a disappointed how it wasn’t as light or areo like how I initially wanted. But seeing all the perks above, I can live with it. It’s given me all the functions I ever wanted from a bike, while still looking very sporty and it goes fast if I need it to. Definitely it won’t be the bike holding me back.