Both can fold now...

http://susiemadrak.com/wordpress/wp-..._internet1.jpg

Deserves a real pic post for $300.:

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...3&d=1309142379

You can most definitely see the welds on my 2010 CAAD9; they're aren't smooth enough to pass the bike off as a CF frame. I don't particularly care how it looks in this sense, but it makes me wonder if Cannondale may have had a handful of the late CAAD9's manufactured overseas and shipped to back to the States with all the original decals (including the "made in USA" decal). It would make sense, especially during Cannondale's major manufacturing transformation.

Thoughts on this?

Interesting, then the 10's first came out I went to check them out...and the welds looked cleaner than my Six13.

I thought the same thing about my welds on mine, they look just as good as the 9's did. Didn't they grind down the welds on the 9?

but again, what do I know? according to 2ndgen, nothing.

It could be uneven quality control. Or it could be another instance of me setting expectations so high that the bike was bound to fall short. This has me wanting to look again closely at the welds on my CAAD9 at different light angles....or maybe not.

When I first tried my 9 after owning a Trek 2.1, the difference was night and day even though I was not expecting a significant difference. By contrast, the differences that I felt and saw between the 9 and 10 were very subtle.

I'm not suggesting that the 10 is a bad bike; I 'm just no longer in a hurry to replace my 9 with it.

Is BB30 really worth it? Never ridden a bike with BB30 and wondering if it is actually worth it or just a gimmick like BBRight.

I don't think that BB30 is a gimmick and I would say that it's here to stay. As far as the actual gains, it's nominal I would bet. i have ridden both, i think the weight is the biggest factor, easy to service is nice too, and the Q-factor thing is important to some.

I honestly can't tell you the difference between my DA crank, my force BB30, my Red BB30, or my regular red crank..they all propel the bike forward, some are prettier than others.

I've been dropped by guys with downtube shifters and 80s shimano 600...and i've also worked over guys on 14k bikes. In the end, it's the bike, not the welds, not the name, not where it was made, but how fast the guy on it is.

I wouldn't be in a hurry to replace it either...I know this is crazy talk, but the Soul Faith (caad9ish aluminum race bike) is better than the 9 too in my opinion. I’ve owned that one too, and I’ve owned a E5 sworks frame that was good, any reputable, aluminum, race geometry inspired frame will do the job just fine for all of us. I am just sick of hearing that the CAAD9 is the only one that can do it.

So far, the 10 has been the best of the 5 aluminum race bikes I've owned. But that's my opinion, what water that holds with anyone on here really doesn't matter. if I had the money I’d be racing on my BHG5 still, but I was too scared to throw a 4k frame down the road. I don't worry about the welds on the 10 because if it fails it's not going to be catastrophic..and if i find a crack, guess what, it has a warranty for LIFE...so i got that going for me....which is nice.

They do. Cannondale grinds down the welds on their alu bike. IIRC, even the grinds on the CAAD8.





The quality control is on Cannondale. It should be no different that Bedford. Being made overseas should not be the issue. If there are problems, its on the QC managers.

The CAAD10 is a different bike. It really shares no similarities to the 9...redesigned from the ground up.

You asked for thoughts, so here goes:

It is such a crock of $hit to assume that because a bike is not made in the U.S.A. it is somehow inferior. I am so sick of hearing this completely BASELESS statement. The degree of generalization that one has to assume in order to support such a statement, makes the statement itself, beyond obtuse. I am speaking strictly of product quality and not interested in a counter rant about sending jobs overseas and screwing red blooded americans etc.

PS: Not directly aimed at you so please save the "take a chill pill" reply. Thanks.

Keel :thumb:

for what it's worth....

the CAAD10 and the EVO...look the same, side by side, with the exception of the welds, they are super smooth on the EVO, must be make in america ;)

...they are so freakishly close you could easily confuse the two.

I prefer non-U.S. products anyway. Hell, I prefer non-american women too.

i can get along with that.

It does help that I'm English....way too many American girls hook up with me due to the accent.

My car is British.
My closet is Italian.
My bike is Asian.
My girlfriend is Irish.

I actually like the CAAD10 more now that it is made in Asia.

I heard from a Cannondale dealer that the first half of 2010's would be made here.
After that, manufacturing would be done overseas. But that's only what I "heard".
Maybe if we could compare BB30 CAAD9's to standard BB CAAD9's, we could see if there is really no difference.
Some would say that the quality of a weld doesn't matter. I wouldn't buy that opinion with their money.
To me, it matters that a bike is well constructed especially if I'm going to be riding it at over 40 mph.

First thing I thought when I saw a CAAD10 in person last year was that it looked like my Trek 1.5.
Which BTW I actually liked a lot. I thought it was carbon at first. It really is a nice looking bike.

Which 2.1 did you own? One with the carbon stays? Or the 2010's+ (which are Trek 1.5's)?
I noticed the "night & day" experience with my hop from a Trek to a CAAD myself.

I've read the same things about the CAAD10 VS the CAAD9, that the differences were incremental.
And more than once I've heard CAAD10 owners say "I wouldn't tell CAAD9 owners to get rid of their 9's for 10's."

I'd bet the CAAD10 might be smoother with it's Synapse feature for more comfort, but when people buy CAAD9's,
they don't buy them because they want a smooth ride. They buy them because they want a hot bike.
So, they (like I) put up with a little "less" comfort for that best bang for the buck peformance.


Exactly. It was designed to address some of the issues CAAD9's had
(less weight, more comfort, simplified production, cost to produce handcrafted frames, etc...).

While the hydroformed tubes look great on a Trek 1.5, on a CAAD10, they actually perform great.
(BTW, my 1.5 was a very smooth ride. It just wasn't as responsive as a CAAD when riding aggressively).


The entry-level cost went up. CAAD10-5 $1,500. Cost less to manufacture. Dorel Incorporated makes...
http://friendlytavern.net/wp-content...05/momoney.gif
In the immortal words of Bob Sugar... http://www.hark.com/clips/cldtvcmxsf...-show-business

Quite honestly EvenKeel, I agree with you 100%. Take the company Apple for instance; they design a superior product which is manufactured in China. You can bet your biker-friendly a$$ I got an iPod and I'm typing this reply on an iMac.

Sadly folks, I've just sold my CAAD9.

At least I had one last 'hurrah' on it with a crit race on Sunday. Gee, DA7800 is a smooth group.

I've got a good reason to sell, but I will miss her. At least I'm making another guy a very happy rider.

i just put a caad10 4 on layaway yesterday. will be my first road bike.

Well done. :thumb:

http://www.filmweb.no/multimedia/arc..._Ia_98694o.jpg

Good to hear you'll have good memories.
Hope you move on to something better.
:thumb:

okay, caad folk, need help making a decision. try and give me unbiased answers and not just the kool-aid we all know and love, I've already got two caad9's...

Nailed a pothole on Saturday, took the wheel to the shop, and the nipples are seized, so it can't be trued. I have the following two options:

1. Have the wheel rebuilt, new spokes, nipples, and hoop for $325.
2. Found a Caad5 R3000 SI, pink, my size, built with 9-spd ultegra, with the same wheels I'm running (but probably 4 years older), for $500.

I could probably make some money back on the group, possibly sell the frame, or just keep it and throw some cheap wheels on it and use it as a beater..

So, Cult of Caad... What do you think?

Buy a new wheelset.
Ride your CAAD9's.

1. Neuvation M28 (or current model) $275.
2. Bicycle Wheel Warehouse Blackset Race 11 $375.
3. Soul S2.0 Wheels $500.

(In order of cost. I'd go with the Souls of those 3)