RonH

My 2011 Felt Z4 has been a comfortable bike for 2 years and I've really liked it, but in the last few months I haven't been as comfortable on it as on my Litespeed. I swapped this, measured and adjusted that, etc. but to no avail.
So tomorrow I'm test riding a few Cannondales - CAAD 10 and Synapse -- to see if we'll be happy.
Wish me luck.

qcpmsame 

Well, these partings can be such painful experiences, try and use the N+1 factor to help you get past the rough patches. I think you'll like the Synapse or CAAD10, my 10 is perfect for my riding needs and the Synapse CF 105 is the BOTY for Cycling Plus. Best wishes on the search for the next Mrs. RonH's bicycle. Pics of the new ride will of course be mandatory.

Bill

bikemig 

As long as you're not paying alimony, you're good to go . . . .

Biker395 

^ lol

I say you keep her as a mistress. I mean ... variety being the spice of life and all.

h2oxtc

I regret having sold or disposed of just about every bike that I "used to have". Not withstanding that, I don't have room in the garage for any more bikes than I currently have, but I do miss them all the same.

Carbonfiberboy 

I haven't ridden a CAAD10 but my CAAD9 is the most uncomfortable bike I've ever ridden. I suppose I've been coddled. This bike looks interesting, at a similar price point:
https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...400315__400315

Wanderer

Divorces are fleeting. Bikes are forever!

longbeachgary

Why would you ride a bike that you hate to ride?

Carbonfiberboy 

Because it's the only dry weather single I have running right now. I got it real cheap. I'd buy something else but I almost never ride a single outdoors anymore. I'm in the process of repainting my Trek 5200. Maybe I'll get it done this summer. Now that's a sweet bike.

RonH

Got the new bike today. Well, actually it will be tomorrow. Keep reading

I've been wanting a Cannondale bike for several years. It just never worked out, until today.
I test rode the following and picked my bike. My test rides were ~5 miles each.
First I rode a 56cm 2014 Synapse aluminum Ultegra with disc brakes. It was nice but I wasn't impressed with the brakes and the ride was only ok.
Next I rode a 54cm 2013 CAAD 10 SRAM. The ride was awesome but the SRAM was the deal breaker. I've had SRAM before and didn't like it. I'm a Shimano person.
Then I rode a 56cm 2013 CAAD 10 Ultegra w/Di2. The electric shifting was nice but I'm not ready for it yet. The ride was ok but I felt stretched out.
Got back to the shop and talked to the owner about the bikes and about ordering a 2014 54cm CAAD 10 3 or 5.
The mechanic asked if I wanted to test ride his bike. I looked at it and asked what the price would be for an EVO whatever it was. The owner said it would be somewhere around $7000. I said that was way out of my budget. No surprise there. I'm a senior citizen living on a fixed income.
We looked at the available bikes online and then the owner asked if I'd be interested in the 54cm CAAD 10 SRAM if the SRAM was swapped for 105 from a Synapse demo bike. The SRAM is a 10 speed and the 105 is a 10 speed. Couldn't do Ultegra because its an 11 speed. I asked the final price and waited for 2 heartbeats before I said YES!!!!
The mechanic started swapping the components and said I could pick up the bike tomorrow.
No pics yet. Just the picture from cannondale.com.



So I have a "mixed-breed" (for lack of a better description) 2013 CAAD 10 4 Racing Edition that's been converted to a CAAD 10 5 "Racing Edition". Of course there's no such stock bike.

I'm post the real thing tomorrow.


I'll start cleaning up the Felt next week to get it ready for sale. So right now we're "separated" but living in the same house.
Once the bike is sold the divorce will be final.

RonH

I only have room for two bikes in the garage.
Some days I regret selling my 1999 Raleigh R600. I really liked that bike.

I thought the new owner would give it a good home. I found out a week after selling it he bought it for the components.

And there are times when I regret selling my 2009 Kona Jake. I really enjoyed riding it off road.

h2oxtc

That new bike will be way cool! I'll admit I'm biased to Cannondale and have both Shimano and Campagnolo components on two identical bikes, except for color. I love both. You won't be disappointed.

qcpmsame 

Welcome to the Cult, Ron, CAAD 10 are fantastic bicycles. Only changes I made were to switch the stock Schwalbe Lugano, 700X23 for Gatorskins, 700X25, and installed Kool Stop combination brake pads in the cartridge holders, I have recently swapped the C3, 44cm bars for some C1, 42cm bars for better width fit. Hope your miles are as happy as mine are, I have a Rival edition in the Gulf Oil Racing colourway, not being produced right now in the CAAD 10 line. As the frames are the same across the various build levels you have a nice model with that solid 105 component set, win-win. I'd do a Ultegra group build if I had the coins.

Be sure that the BB is very well greased and that you have the bearings Loctited, as Cannondale recommends, to avoid the BB30 creaking. I took mine down, cleaned everything completely then reassembled per the Cannondale tech notice, using BelRay blue waterproof racing grease.

Bill

RonH

Thanks Bill.
I think I made a mistake. The bike is a leftover 2013 CAAD 10 2 Racing Edition. The CAAD 10 4 is just SRAM. I'll have to ask what "Racing Edition" means when I pick up the bike this morning.

qcpmsame 

The Racing Edition have some up-level components and usually a matte black colourway, not always, though, and their wheelsets/tires are upgraded. I caught your "error", doesn't matter, you had said you didn't care for SRAM, that the 4 level has, I like mine, very well, different strokes, etc. The '14 have the hidden cable routing and are Di capable for the electronic shifting, I think you said you saw or rode one, the price keeps me away from that level. I am saving some pennies for an Ultegra group and a BB adapter to make the Shimano change, however. I like Shimano Ultegra more than SRAM's Force for an upgrade in the near future.

Bill

bbbean 

I'd never want to discourage someone in teh grips of N+1 fever, but have you considered a fitting?

RonH

^^ I did the fitting recently on both bikes. No help.

Got the bike home and took a picture in front of my white garage door.
They left the SRAM cranks and chainrings on the bike. It's 53/39 like my Litespeed. The 105 chainrings were 50/34.
The handlebars look like they're up a bit but it's the camera angle.

dannwilliams

Congrats! Enjoy the new bike.

qcpmsame 

You got a good crankset, wheel and tire upgrade on that ride, nice score, Ron. Maybe I'll finally make it down your way so we can ride soon.

Bill

h2oxtc

Bill, if you're thinking about an Ultegra component group upgrade (assuming 11spd) why not consider Campagnolo Athena 11spd ? I have two Caad 8 Optimo's one with DuraAce and the other Athena 11spd. I love them both, although my fingers are beginning to default to the Campy shifting. Takes a few minutes riding with the Shimano to remember how to shift.

Congrats on the bike!

mapeiboy

My wife called my 2 carbon bikes my mistresses . She mentioned I spend more time with them in the summer months than with her .

RonH

The handlebars in the previous picture looked odd so here's a better picture I took this afternoon after my first ride, 38.8 miles.

qcpmsame 

Thanks for that reminder about looking at Campag, I'll keep them in mind as I get closer in the money area. I looked at both Ultegra and the Campag groups this morning at Ribble, nice prices for both, I want a silver group this time, though, that is getting harder to find. The silver groups for Shimano and Campag are sold out in doubles for several levels, save the triples. I haven't ruled going back to a triple either. My R500T is sweet, our daughter has it now, with a road double set.

Sorry for the hijack, Ron, back to your new ride.

Bill