Would love to see a pic of your bike. Any setup changes between the different type of rides? Cheers!

The 2012 5 had a "carbon wrapped" post. Which I think is just a post wrapped in carbon to make it look better.

I have a 2011 CAAD 10-4, completely stock as far as setup goes. I do a lot of 50-60 mile rides and have never had any issue with it. I'll be doing somewhere close to 150 miles on Saturday (MS ride), but that will be 75 miles to Ocean City followed by a break for food before heading back.

Yup. I had one on my CAAD8. I've read that the carbon layer is supposed to dampen vibrations a little bit, but I'll be darned if I could ever feel the difference.

I've tried to find info on the individual components of the c10 5 & 3 but with limited sucess. Cannondale's website is useless. Unless you want to see the different paint schemes! The raw scheme is on both models but I prefer the white and black on the 3 the most.

Click on the "Specs" link on the left. Tells you every part on the bike.

I do, but for example...I don't know what a " CANNONDALE C2, UD CARBON, 27.2X300MM" seat post is exactly. Their website (as far as I know) doesn't specify if its wrapped, full carbon or what.

C2 is full carbon. Not sure on the current C3, but it used to be carbon-wrapped alloy. This only applies for seatposts though, I think.

The C2 on my 2009 CAAD9 is a carbon wrapped post.

If they change the material they need to change the name. i think old c2's were all alloy then it was carbon wrapped now i think it's all carbon. It's pretty damn confusing.
My C3 is carbon wrapped

The CAAD and synapse are aluminum. So the ride isn't suppose to be as smooth as carbon but that's debatable. The CAAD has a " race" geometry but plenty of people in this thread have gone on longer rides and claim to be relatively comfortable. The synapse has a more "relaxed" geometry for endurance/long distance riding. My knowledge of the supersix is limited and I only have negative (personal) opinions of their new low end carbon frames so hopefully someone else can help you there. I test rode a CAAD and will be purchasing one soon for my all of my riding needs. I think It's more versatile than the synapse and since I can only afford one bike (for now), I'm going with the one that fits me the best, does what I want it to do and (most importantly) puts a big dumb smile on my face!

Agreed....very confusing! And I have to take the word of my LBS and hope they know what their talking about. I like to go in armed with as much knowledge as possible to see if their legit.

they also have a carbon synapse

^ lol, oh yeah!

Sorry I wasn't clear, there is a Synapse Carbon, its comparable to SuperSix, everything same except the geometry. I believe SuperSix is similar in this regard to CAAD, but slightly less aggressive. Hope someone with knowledge on SuperSix can help. What is wrong BTW with their lower end Carbon?

Basically the supersix and the caad are the same bike geometry-wise with one being carbon and the other aluminum. Synapse is a different beast. It's the "performance" road bike or comfort geometry if you prefer. Synapse also comes in carbon or AL depending on model. Both the supersix and caad are considered race bikes but in many ways so is the synapse given that any could be and have been raced. I'm 45 and ride a caad and don't really have any issues. It's not set up as agressive as it could be but still more agressive than my synapse. Basically, you just need to ride them. Difference is subtle and not something you are going to grasp reading about them.

Thanks. That's a helpful explanation. I tried the Synapse and liked the way it rides. I am going to go back there and try the Supersix. What should I look for when I ride it in terms of figuring out the differences? I am wondering if it is faster and sharper than Synapse then do I need to overly worry about longer rides. Based on what I read here many people ride CAAD which has similar geometry for longer rides. I will probably ride 20 to 30 miles at one time mostly, and once every other weekend do a 50, and two centuries a year may be.

That's not easy to answer. I guess the main thing to think about is which bike do you think is more comfortable, more fun or otherwise just appeals to you better? I bought a caad over the alloy synapse originally because it was "more fun" to ride. By which I mean it was just a bit snappier to ride but it was a rather subtle differences. I think the color of the caad was the final decision maker for me. I just liked it better and in some ways still do over my carbon synapse though I like that bike too.

I wouldn't say the supersix is a "faster" bike than the synapse. 99% of the speed is you and most of us won't ever max out the potential of a good bike. I've set my own PRs on both bikes so my own improvements outweigh the bike differences. The supersix might be the sexier of the two.

I've done 50+ mile rides on the caad and have no issues. I did buy the synapse for 50+ mile rides thinking it would be more comfortable and over a long haul it might be. I've only done 65 miles max so far and the bike wasn't an issue. In the 20-30 mile range you'll be fine with either. I ride both and base my decision on which to ride more on the cassette gearing and the intended ride than the length of the ride.

Sorry for the long-ish reply.

I went and tested Supersix today, compared to the Synapse I wasn't comfortable with the bit more aero position I had to be in it. Ended up riding Synapse one more time just to make sure this is what I wanted, then went inside and put down an advance on the bike. Getting the delivery tomorrow. I can't wait for the weekend to ride the new bike for a 20-30 mile run.

And you're also going to post pictures here too, right?

Why would he post pics of his synapse in the cult of caad thread??

Heresy!!! You should've gotten the CAAD!

Because a synapse is a caad that grew up? :)

Congrats. Synapse is a nice bike.

But you may be kicked out of the cult (probably nothing you'd miss :))

Ooh, so happy, got a smokin' deal on a 2013 63 cm CAAD 10 3 Ultegra. Just picked it up last week, now need to find time to rid it! It actually fits me being 6'4".