Wow BLACK BIKE! I just bought your bike's twin... I guess I don't have to post pictures now :)

Congrats!!

Does this mean you are going to change your BF name to BLUE BIKE ?

I thought about it. I now have only 2 black bikes, but I have three blue bikes at this point. However my BMX is black as they always were, and that's where my roots are, so the name will remain. (Even if I haven't ridden that silly little kid's bike in nearly 3 years.)

Hmmmm... come to think of it my 1988 Haro Master, my favorite BMX bike of all time was blue. You may be on to something here, chaulky. :thumb:

Hmmmm.....I may have to change my name to RED BIKE......(congrats on the CAAD9-5. Very nice looking ride!!!)

I couldn't help myself. Here's the new CAAD9 and in comparison with my venerable 1995 2.8 R600 and my wife's 2008 (I think...) Six13.

BBQ Caad91 looks real hot.

http://www.greatlakescycling.com/wp-...a91d_bbq-2.jpg

But a few things HAVE to change after (read: IF) I get it.

1. The handlebars and stem have to change: I'll work it so that I can use my Thomson stem. Perhaps I'll finally buy some new alloy bars, but my Deda Newton's have been treating me real nice.

2. Perhaps a different seatpost. I don't like the grooves that set the seatpost clamp. Depending on how the Schwalbe tires ride, and if I can't find other tires that make the ride compliant (enough), then I may have to finally stop riding Thomson Masterpiece seatposts and buy a carbon post.

3. Never ridden a Prologo. Usually don't like saddles with a cut out. If it doesn't work, I'll just put a white or black Sella Italia Flite on there.

4. The Tektro brakes MUST GO!

Which brakes would you put on there? Splurge on DA? Or perhaps Sram? (Would Sram brakes be compatible with the DA shifters?)

I don't understand why everybody hates Tektro brakes? They make a "high-end" brake, and they make brakes in the lower end, just like every brand out there. They're really not that bad in the higher end.

I'll give'em a try. But from what others have told me, they are a 'must go' item on this bike. They report: bad braking, unreliability in staying centered, unreliable cable tension.

Maybe my experience with them will differ.

I put some older "high-end" tektros on my current pig of a road bike (25lbs) and the pads are a lot more sticky and have greater stopping power than some Dura-Ace brakes I've used before.

If they report unreliability in staying centered, then they should probably stop forgetting to release the calipers and knocking the brake pads when they take their wheels out. Also, obviously keep the bolt tightened. If they're speccing the Tektro on the 9 1, it will probably be one of the higher end ones and I doubt you'll have much trouble with them.

It is the Tektro R 580 with cartridge pads.

My experience is that Tektro brakes that come with your bike are usually not the higher end one's. They can be bearable with Kool Stop pads, but if the price is right, the upgrade to a better set of brakes is certainly justified.

Go Rival, they are cheap and have excellent stopping power compared to my Ultegras or those horrible stock Tektros (which go for about $10 a pair on ebay).

I'll probably put my old 7800 series calipers on there until I find a good deal on the 7900's. It'll throw off the color scheme :(, but I should survive.