Montejello

Good evening/morning fellow cyclists,
I am relatively new to the sport and have only been at it since September of 2008 using a borrowed bike (Specialized Allez Elite) from a friend. Though it is a bit big for me being 5 foot 7 inches and a porker at 176 pounds. I am currently in a market for a new bike however I would like some advice from a much more knowledgeable crowd. I have read many reviews and sort of settled on three bikes in particular. The type of riding I enjoy the most living in Asheville, NC is climbing. I often ride up Highway 80 to the Parkway and really get a thrill out of climbing and may look towards criteriums in the future. I also plan to participate in centuries like Assault on Mt Mitchell and the Hot Dogget 100. My goal is to ride around 200 miles a week with a good portion of climbing regardless of rides and races. I am looking for a bike that will perform well on the hills and be fully capable of being upgraded when the time comes. A bike frame to last at least a better half of five years.

1. Cervelo S1 (Formerly Soloist Team); Ultegra SL, compact

2. Cannondale CAAD9; 105, compact

3. Jamis Xenith Comp; 105/Ultegra, compact

Your help, experience, and advise are very much welcomed and appreciated.

Thank you,
Monte

travkat

the cervelo gets you the best components which may be an issue, but of the three I would pick the one that fits you the best.

MONGO!

CAAD9, Cervelo S1 is over priced and over rated, imo.

Montejello

Why do you suggest the CAAD9? Will it fit the bill with lots of climbing, century rides, and possibly Criteriums at a later date? I guess I am looking for more info and experience with the equipment. My knowledge is limited and any insight would be very much welcome.

Thank you,
Monte

leakysieve

For crits, the CAAD 9 is hands down the best bike for the job. For a century you might feel it a bit as aluminum as a reputation as being a harsher ride that carbon, though i used to have one, and honestly, after 100 miles, they all feel about the same.

Montejello

What is the CAAD9 BB30 frame? I am not familiar with this terminology. I will go see a Cannondale dealer in the morning and most likely pic up the bike. What is the difference between the CAAD9 5, 6, and 7? I notice some have different group sets and different frame colors. Are the frames the same? Also since I live with lots of mountains I am guessing the compact crank would be ideal, right?

captnfantastic

+1

CAAD 9 is a race bike. Jamis will probably be more comfortable for long rides.

Montejello

Is there a way I could get CAAD9 with Ultegra compact groupset? I know it doesnt come from the factory but anyone know any bike shops in Hickory, Asheville, and/or Morganton that are Cannondale dealers who could fill such requests?
Also... I cannot seem to find any CAAD9 frame only setups anywhere in Western North Carolina for sale. I am a small guy and fit on a Jamis Xenith Comp 51cm frame... so what size frame would I be for Cannondale?

Any help with my inquiries would be much appreciated.

leakysieve

Just frames can be somewhat hard to find at an LBS (local bike shop). There is low demand for them, and the people who want them are specific in what they want, so they are not in stock. Talk with them, im sure they can order one for you. Also talk with them about building the bike and what components choices you want. Ulterga is an excellent groupo, though if you are just starting out you may want to consider a cheaper alternative. To buy all the components and have them assembled is $$$. Its almost always cheaper to buy a complete bike than to buy a frame and build, especially if your LBS will be doing the building. 105, which is what the CAAD9 5 is equipped with, will suit your needs perfectly, and may possibly even be overkill. I would suggest getting the 9 5 and, if in the future you decide that 105 is slowing you down, you can upgrade as the components wear out.

The Difference between the CAAD9 5, 6 and 7 other than varying color choices is the components the bike is specd with, 5 being the best.

BB30 is a standard that Cannondale developed a few years back. In a nut shell the bottom bracket, crank spindle, crank bearings and BB shell are all larger, which makes them stiffer and actually saves weight. It is still somewhat in its infancy, and thus the necessary components have limited selection and are pricey.

Now, as for compact or not.... This is a ruthless debate. in the end it really only comes down to personal preference. If your buddy has a standard crankset right now and you feel that once you start climbing you need some lower gears, go with a compact. Do a search for this topic, there will be a lot on it.

In the end you really just gotta go down to the shop and test ride everything in your price range, and go with the bike that feels the best to you.

flip18436572

Owning Jamis, I would say Jamis. But, honestly..... buy from the LBS that treats you the best and go with their brand. The LBS makes the difference. It is the rider that makes the speed, not the bike.

Montejello

You guys are awesome. I appreciate all the information and suggestions. I will be sure to look up the details for compact cranks.

AngryScientist 

i'm going to venture to say most cyclists, especially newcomers would be very hard pressed to tell the difference between 105 components and ultegra. for what you are describing i say 105 is plenty good.

all the shimano groupsets have come a long way, i think for the average rider tiagra or 105 are good hardworking grupo's that are the best deal for the money.

tmass

My favorite bike shop is in Asheville; Liberty Bikes give them a visit.

Montejello

I love Liberty Bikes. Only problem is they don't deal with Cannondale and the shops in the area I have looked at don't seem to carry Cannondale either. I would really like a CAAD9 frame if only I could figure out my size and where to get one.

Garfield Cat

For climbing the Cervelo R series is the one to get, not the S series. There are a few 2008 RS framesets available. Some are complete builds with Ultegra and are reasonably priced.

I find my RS to be light, very stiff, yet a nice ride due to the unique seat stay design. Some riders are more of a masher than a spinner. Although with practice you can get a masher to develop into a spinner, there are limits. At your height and weight, you might have very muscular legs and will have a tendency to power up those hills.

I am trying out the Rotor Cranks, the elliptical chain rings. My first test will be to substitute out these two rings: 53/39 and keep the Dura Ace 7800 setup. This should get me to ride up those hills maybe better. I am deferring the switch to compact cranks. With the proper rear cassette, I may not need to go compact cranks.

Another thing, this RS handles well, I mean quite responsive. For crits, I think its more than ok. If by testing the RS, you feel the steering to be a bit twitchy, its because of the R series line being aggressive. You get used to it and will help you in those tight turns, if you know how to ride in close formation.