Just curious.....kinda like the CAAD9 but the CAAD8 would definitely be easier on the old wallet. I have no desire for carbon fiber. I like the fact that both frames are all aluminum.

Thanks !

J.

Carbon is king

You know I'm not taking anything away from folks who love carbon but I myself have no interest....

The CAAD9 is a little lighter and a little stiffer...plus the geometry is just a tad different.

Hmmm.....just curious, but you ever ride one? When I first got my 5200, I was actually put off a bit by it....it "felt weird", and the whole feels-like-wood thing came to mind. But, I quickly realized that it was mainly due to the lack of the high-pitched frequencies that ferrous bikes give off (those little "pings" you hear when you go over bumps and such). After about 5-6 rides, I started liking it more and more, and the comfort was pretty unparalleled compared to anything else I've ridden. To boot, it is also a fairly stiff bike, so it's the best of both worlds really. Spending 5-6 hours in the saddle isn't bad really.....but my buddy who has a CAAD8 says they are a bit harsh for longer distance riding.

I did test ride an old Cannondale SR800 back in the day (early 90's) that I was going to buy.....that was probably the stiffest (and also the harshest) bike I've ever ridden. I know you get discounts on the Cannondale stuff, but I would try to test ride as much as possible. You never know what you may or may not like.

Joe I think the Caad 9 frame's top tube has a larger diameter at the head tube, while the down tube and seat tube are larger in the bottom bracket region. Supposed to make it a stiffer frame then the Caad 8.

Yeah there's a guy at work who'd telling to go with CF too....and I don't have to tell anyone that Cannondale make CF frames too. I guess I'd have to ride one to be convinced....

The CAAD9 is lighter and stiffer for sprinting and hill climbing. The CAAD8 is an awesome frame, trust me, and is stiff, but not like the old Cannondale's, especially my '87.

The OP asked about the difference between a CAAD8 & 9. Not your opinion of a carbon fiber Trek, a 15 year old Cannondale, or anything else you don’t have first hand experience with.

OP: The CAAD8/9 is one of the finest overall frames out there, and the ride easily compares to that of many high end cf frames - often better. The 9 is a touch stiffer and lighter, but either one is great.

Having ridden and owned both, I'll say there is a noticable difference between the two. The Caad8 is plenty stiff, but has a slight bit of flex over bumps and when putting out a hard effort. Caad9 has absolutely no whip to it at all, yet still feels comfortable over longer rides (I've been on a couple of 75 milers so far with it and felt fine). IMO, Caad9 makes even the six/13 feel like a wet noodle when you're out of the saddle.

That said, I'm not sure its worth the difference in price. There's a noticable difference in stiffness sure, but you really dont need it. Caad8 was raced in the protour very recently, and is still a world class frame.

about 1 CADD......

As the others have said, the biggest difference is that the CAAD9 is slightly lighter and slightly stiffer than the CAAD8. In my short test rides, the CAAD9 definately didn't seem to flex as much at the bottom bracket (I'm 6'2" and 255lbs) and it seemed slightly more responsive (some might say twitchy?) while not being significantly more harsh.

Bottom line? You cannot go wrong with either one.

First off *******, my initial post was sort of a joke with Joe.....and also knowing the areas and rides that Joe does, I figured I'd offer up another perspective regarding that of carbon. However, I didn't even compare a CAAD8 vs. CAAD9, but rather suggested he test ride the bikes and see what he likes best before making his mind up without even trying the carbon. Who knows, he may just like it. And, though his work, he gets a deal on Cannondales, so it's all good.

So feel free to shut it.

No hassle guys !!
I appreciate any and all constructive feedback I get.

CAAD9 still sounds like my best option for my own personal needs (light stiff climbing bike).....even if I just spring for the frame and transfer over my components....

Dana, 4:17am **********
I'd laugh if I haven't done that so much myself....

Yeah, I was on a conference call from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m., and then **** was still broken .

Went to bed at 5 a.m.

The Cannondale site does not do the best job of explaining the diff between CAAD8 and CAA9. They talk about larger seat tube and top bar on the CAAD9. Most of my team mates are riding CAAD9s and I am currently riding a CAAD8. I noticed the CAAD9 top tube is a bit more dropped then the CAAD8. I believe that is one way to get more lateral stiffness. One of the guys "Brad" from Cannondale has a Blog and he puts it this way; "A CAAD 9 is going to be slightly lighter and have less flex “side to side” in the bottom bracket compared to the CAAD8. We only make one frame per model, so a CAAD9 from 2007 is the same as a CAAD9 for 2008." https://www.cannondaletube.iuploadccs.com/ask_brad/ As long as you get the correct size either one will have you screaming down the road with a trail of fire behind you! I hope this helps. May all your roads be downhill ;-)

Take the 9

+1

I might as well throw this out there: if you're worried about spending the cash, I would take the CAAD8 and dump the remainder that would have gone towards the CAAD9 into a better wheelset and grouppo or some clothes, pedals - you get the idea. I ride a CAAD9 and an OCR2; obvious geometry differences aside, unless you intend to race the bike, there should be no appreciable difference.

Dang -- now I feel like my CAAD8 is slightly inferior.

Well, no, not really...

IMO, apart from custom builds, these are the best all-aluminum frames on the market. Neither of them suck at all.

I bought a CAAD 8 a couple of months ago, but did not test ride a CAAD 9. I got a good deal on the CAAD 8 because they are making room for the CAAD 9. The reviews of the CAAD 8 were terriffic, and there have been enough people and enough time to thoroughly test the bike. I decided to go with the cheaper and more tested model. If you find one that fits, I recommend getting the CAAD 8, and if you have extra cash burning a whole in your pocket, get some nice wheels.

Verticle stiffness and lateral compliance?

I tried the caad8 and caad 9, And I went with the caad9 the top tube is a little larger and frame is stiffer, they are both great bikes. They really droped the price on the 8s and most stores have sold out of them. I Went into the bike store the other day and seen the new 2008 and they were really nice but priced about 400.00 more than my 2007.

Titanium is pope.

Aluminum is Supreme Overlord.