Fair warning: what follows is a bit long winded.

Last night I picked up my new bike -- A Cannondale Synapse Carbon 3*. A little background -- I am in my early 40s and I woke up a couple of months ago (May 10th to be exact) and I felt horribly fat at 237.5 lbs and 5'10". We've got two small kids, and I had simply gotten lazy about eating right and making time to exercise the last few years. It happens...

I decided to do something about it, so I simply tried two things: I stopped eating starches, and stopped eating after 8:00 at night. I lost about 10 lbs in a couple of weeks, and then I began riding a borrowed bike for an hour in the mornings a few times a week before I get ready for work. The borrowed bike is a Cannondale SystemSix equipped with SRAM Force. Before riding it, I had no idea how much road bikes had evolved since I last owned one in sixth grade in the late 70s! I was instantly hooked. It is so nice to get out early in the cool Los Angeles mornings, before traffic has gotten bad, and just ride. I can't say it makes me feel like a kid again, exactly, but it does make me feel younger, and it gives me time to stop thinking about grown up stuff.

Fast forward -- I'm down a total of 34lbs to 203.5lbs in a little under three months, riding only three times a week mostly. My goal is to drop another 20 lbs to get down to 185lbs, which feels entirely doable. I'll assess my fitness level there and decide if I am comfortable at that weight. I also plan to get a complete physical and maybe see a nutritionist to try to avoid giving up any ground and to make sure I am eating in a healthy way.

As much as I enjoy riding the SystemSix, the geometry is just not right for me and I end up with a lot of neck and shoulder pain on it. As a treat for my work thus far, and as an incentive to keep it up, I decided to buy a bike of my own. After riding a few bikes, and doing a lot of research, I narrowed down my search to the "plush" road bikes, and I test road those I could get my hands on -- from Specialized, Scott, Felt, Cervelo, Giant and Cannondale. They are all beautiful to me, and each had their unique advantages, but in the end the Synapse seemed to just feel right to me, and I was able to purchase it through my LBS literally three miles from my house. It's a small shop with mostly Scott bikes and a little bit of Cannondale. The owner has been really cool to me, and patient, and has more than once stayed beyond closing time to work with me. We worked out what seemed like a very fair deal to put SRAM components on the bike. In this, I was maybe a victim of chance that the bike I borrowed happened to have SRAM, but I have really grown used to it, and after riding a bunch of Shimano equipped bikes, I just decided for me SRAM feels better.

I smiled the entirety of the short ride home last night, and I cannot wait to ride it Saturday morning.

A quick thanks, too. I've lurked and read a lot here, and I've learned a whole bunch. Some of that learning cost me $$$ that I wouldn't have otherwise even thought to spend, but you only live once!

CaliforniaJed

That is a beautiful bike! Way to go...and keep riding!

As is customary around here...flip it!

Beautiful bike!

Don't flip it lol

Great bike...enjoy it! I have a Synapse as well and am very pleased with it.

That's legit.

I hear you when it comes to being brand specific. Sometimes certain manufacturers just have your geometry, and that's that.

Mine has been Specialized, but that was prior to riding a Felt F5, which was a dream machine in terms of fit. I sometimes feel like you could basically take any frame in your "range" and make it YOURS by adjusting the saddle and stem, but that's not the whole story.

Lust continues

Congrats on weight loss & Synapse. I have a Synapse Carbon 5 and love it. Over a period of time, I went from 225 lbs to 165 lbs by cycling and by watching what I eat, and I have managed to keep the weight off. Stay with it.

Congratulations and thanks for posting. I am in the process of trying to lose weight via cycling myself so it is always nice to read success stories. Keep it up!

Beautiful bike! I'm a big Cannondale fan and went from around 218 to 190 in a couple months watching what I eat and riding 150-200 miles a week on my CAAD9.

Have you had a professional fit? I realize the Synapse is more of a comfort bike and know you worked with the shop owner a lot but there appears to be little to no bar-to-seat drop and the frame appears really compact for a 5'10" rider.

I have about 11cm of drop on my CAAD9 and I'm 6'1" tall. Totally different geometries between our bikes but I'm wondering if you're giving up some power with that fit. I had a retul fit after putting on 2000 miles on my CAAD9 and it made a HUGE difference to my comfort and power.

Again, without even seeing you on the bike it might be a silly observation.

Continued success, sir!

I thought you were describing ME, until you got to the part of buying a brand new awesome bike. Congrats. I'm glad it's working so well for you.

Where in LA? I'm up in Santa Clarita.

Of course you got a Synapse!!! Congrats! I agree, if you're looking for comfort right now, don't flip it. You can always flip it later if you want a more aggressive position. Enjoy!

Accordion, congrats on dropping that weight. I have not had a professional fit but probably will. We spent a half hour or so on fit yesterday, though, and it feels good. The frame is a 54. I think the perspective of the pic may make it look a little small?

I'm 5'10" on a good day, really more like 5'9-1/2", with short legs, a longish torso and short arms. I may be able to go a little higher on the seat -- I have maybe too healthy a bend at the knee where it is, and eventually I probably can flip and/or lower the bar, but I am coming off a pretty painful experience on the SystemSix (which was also a 54) so I am willing to sacrifice a little power for a little comfort right now.

Thanks for the thoughts.

Thanks PhotoJoe! I am in the West San Fernando Valley.

Thanks EKCooper. See you on Hwy 16 some time? (In California now, but grew up in Texas!)

My old stomping grounds! Used to live at West Hills Hospital as a kid. LOVED that ER!

Did you like your LBS? If so, which one did you buy from? Close enough that it could be an option for me when the time is right.

the synapse is high up on my list of 'must try' bikes... particularly the 4 with the berserker green paint and rival components on it...

I've never seen the green in person, but it looks cool! (As would be the Rival.)

LOL!

LBS is Bike Warrior. Ray Liebert is the owner. I give it a thumbs up, but everybody's needs are different. He has a great inventory of Scott bikes, road, mountain and hybrid, but not much Cannondale. He's a really good natured guy, and clearly enjoys what he does.

Congratulations. That's a beautiful bike! The carbon Synapse is one of the bikes on my "if I win the lottery..." list. Buried in your post was another major bonus - finding a good shop with a good proprietor close to your house. That's gold!

Have fun riding the new bike!

I rode last weekend and a girl had a Synapse. I ride a Cerveloo RS. Some people put down these "comfort bikes" but if you get a comfy ride do you care what other people think? If you got a Synapse that fits you, keep riding.

Ha, that would be cool! We've only been in SA for 5 years, but love it. I can easily cycle 10 months out of the year and 11 1/2 if I want to brave some cold. It's great! Enjoy!

..

Jed, very nice bike and congrats on the weight loss.

There is a 2010 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 5 at my LBS that I test rode and absolutely loved. I am seriously thinking about opening a Trek account and doing the 6 months deferred interest. I have $1200 of it already in a bike slush fund. Someone please talk me out of it.

OK, I may be new and all, but can you buy a Cannondale on a Trek account?

According to my LBS yes. It is a Trek credit card that can be used for anything I believe. As long as you pay off the entire balance by 6 months, you pay no interest.

Do not buy a bike on credit.