an old friend feels odd.
I'll try to be as brief as possible, but here is my situation:
- Got my first true road bike a couple of years ago. Cannondale CAAD3 in a size 54cm. All I knew at that point about sizing was that I could stand over it, so it was the right size. Got it used at a great price. Rode the heck out of it for a few years, going from novice to riding daily for a couple of hours. This past summer I began to ride further and harder, in groups, etc. My neck was increasingly sore after long rides and potholes felt very unkind at the end of rides. The TT is 54.5 and just plain too long.
- Picked up a LOOK 566 in size 51cm, with a 52.6TT. I've been riding this daily since July and love it. I don't love the look of compact geometry, but the ride and ride quality are excellent. It also fits really well and haven't had any neck pain or soreness.
- My Cannondale is now set up as my winter/rain/bad weather bicycle. Fenders, etc. Already have a very short stem on it, just got some short reach/shallow handlebars. However, when I go out on it now it feels terrible. I feel really awkward stretching to reach the hoods or drops. I keep on thinking I'll just deal with it because how could I have ridden it daily until a few months ago and now feel so oddly on it.
**So my dilemma is to just put up with it since I'll only be riding it a couple days a week, at most or swap out the frame. I will be moving south of the Mason-Dixon line permanently come late December, so I'll more or less miss winter. However, there is still precipitation in the south and the LOOK only sees dry roads.
-It is Shimano 105 throughout with Mavic CXP33s. I could probably pick up a used frame at a decent price. But then I wonder...can I put up with Al anymore? Is steel okay for a bad weather bike? (sure, with framesaver). Or, should I just say screw it and spend the money on a Ti frame, which is my last frame material desire.
Suggestions appreciated.