2ndGen

Please know that I wasn't trying to be a smart arse, but rather, was trying to get a real opinion on how great the E5 frame was.
I've heard so many great things about it and I have this affinity for aluminum and secretly hope that one day,
the technology would be available to produce an aluminum frame that would rival the best that carbon had to offer.
I'm just a fan of metal and see aluminum as that healthy medium between plastic and steel.

I was questioning whether or not the CAAD was actually as good as the E5 (being that the E5 was a [IMO] premier frameset).

ravenmore

No worries at all. The 2 bikes ride a bit different. I want to say (from memory) the CAAD felt a little taller in the front end, and was more stable. The E5 - it's one agile beast and you have to stay on top of it. The first time I did a crit with it I had to go to the back to get used to the handling because it got in and out of corners quicker than I was used to. Neither bike feels like aluminum - a testament to the frame designers and builders. Someone lent me my E5 for a ride before I bought it. My other bike was in the shop for a mechanical. I was so impressed with the S-Works I told him I'd buy it if he ever wanted to sell it. He called me a few months later and I snatched it up. It had only been ridden 3 times. One by me and the two others were very short rides - the bike was like new.

edit: long story short is I wouldn't put one bike over the other; they're just different. Quality wise they are in the same ballpark. After that its really up to personal preference and what kind of deal you can get.

Kurogashi

Hey guys, so I sent him a message saying I can pick it up on Wednesday (have an exam on Tuesday, so didn't want to take up too much of my panicing/studying time). So it looks like his auction on ebay turned out a lot less than he probably imagined. Final bid $736.99. And guess what, I wasn't the one who bid that... Fken hell. Me being an absolute oblivious ebay-er tried to bid within the last 10 secs. I would have had it, EXCEPTTTTTT there was fken a billion confirmation pages (got to the second one and was about to click confirm) and before I knew it, I lost it. Sigh, I am pretty bummed out right now.

I just hope that this man will have some common sense and sell it to me for $900. First I am a local, and I can pay cash, so right there, I am sure he can void the ebay/paypal charges AND the ****en shipping charges. So unless the last bidder was also a Torontonian, this guy would be crazy to sell it to him. So unless he really cares about his feedback, I hope he does sell it to me (still didn't test ride the Caad10 yet... was planning to go Wednesday after my exam before meeting him... except the guy never replied to my email but instead went and put it up on ebay).

https://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...ht_1065wt_1141

Hopefully i'll get a reply soon. Cause now that I think about it, Caad 10-5 is $1808 after tax + pedals + shoes and I am broke. And with this E5, I would've been more comfortable with locking it at campus (with some nice locks ofc), cause no way in hell will I lock an almost $2000 bike outside.

2ndGen

Get a CAAD10 and ride it.

Kurogashi

Well if I don't see an email tmrw, I guess that's the plan... Any ideas on when the 2012 models come out? Is it around July? Would the 2011 ones be cheaper around that time? I called the LBS yesterday asking the sizes they have available and they said only Caad10-5 in 50cm and Caad10-4 in 54. And they can't get anymore (probably cause the 2012s are coming...). I just hope they won't try to persuade me into thinking that a 50cm or 54cm fits me perfectly (even though in reality it doesn't).

Sigh, I guess in my own little way, me trying to bid at the last second meant I wanted the E5 more than the Caad10. But man, it's friggin' half the cost and from the sounds of it, performs just as well. Heck, I bet I could've got him to throw in the pedals/shoes for an extra $50. Plus, I would've loved to commute with it cause I am tired of a crappy beater. It would've been one hell of a bike to go to school with and it's nice also to have a speedy bike around for when I really want to put the pedal to the medal.

mazdaspeed

Just wait around for a decent used bike to pop up in your size and buy it. For ~1k you will be able to find something nice.

2ndGen

Ride a bike before you actually commit to buying one.

topflightpro

2nd Gen - That S-Works frame is head and shoulders above a Caad 10. I promise you.

I loved my S-Works so much, the cracked frame is just hanging in my garage - I am unwilling to part with it despite it being nearly useless.

And to again put things in perspective, I am currently riding a 2007 System 6 and a 2009 Caad 9.

novacoke

I have a 2002 s-works e5 aerotec.

It is uber awesome, that is all. I love the look of the formed seat toob.

Kurogashi

Looks like he came around and is asking for my $900 now. Lol..
Well this might work out because now I can tell him to meet me on Wednesday (after my exam) and before meeting him, i'll head over to the LBS to test ride the Caad10.
Hopefully I can talk him into throwing in the pedals/shoes (his shoes are a size 9, I wear size 10 for running shoes, think it'll fit?). The pedals are some red Look pedals (apparently made in France), are they any good? and he has Northwave shoes. Or would it better to just talk the price down to like $850 and I go buy my own pedals/road bike shoes.

milliron

Let's compare apples to apples:

topflightpro

The Red S-Works is still prettier than that Caad 10.

eippo1

Dayum. I think both of those would look great in my basement workroom.

save10

I've since changed to pedals to matching red look keo's...kinda like ruby slippers. those looks are on the TT bike now

eippo1

Btw Kurogashi, the pedals that he has on there are older Look Delta pedals. Great pedals, but you might have a hard time finding cleats since they are very outdated.

2ndGen

Mmm...

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ravenmore

Here in Austin they're not too hard to find. I think it's because a lot of spin bikes have pedals that take the Delta cleat.

Kurogashi

i just emailed him today asking if i can pick it up tmr (finished all my exams and stuff), and low and behold he said he sold it.
sigh, well i cant say i didnt see it coming. a non so stellar performance on the exam + a lost purchase, leaves my day feeling very gloom.
well he too is looking for the best deal, so i guess i cant blame him. i just lost my opportunity. if only i went and test rided sooner, but then i wouldnt have time to study.
ah, dont think ill ever try buying a used bike again, it's too mentally straining and consumes too much time. but i still need to find a decent commuter, and i dont think ill ever want to lock up a caad10. meaning i need to get two bikes now. it was just nice to have the e5 cause it's cheap enough for me to lock outside without worrying about it, yet still provides me the performance i want. sigh.

stevegreer

Wait... so you're saying the guy had already arranged it with you to come by and look at it and potentially buy it for $900 and then he sold it to someone else? That's just shady and the guy obviously has no integrity! I can understand him wanting to get the best deal, but selling it out from under you like that was just wrong.

rankin116

No, it's not. It's the proper way to sell something. The guy isn't a dealer, he doesn't have a show room. When you list something on CL you sell it to the first person to put money in your hand. I have had so many people tell me they wanted to buy something from me, and then back out, not show up, stop returning emails, etc. I don't hold anything for anyone. First come, first serve.

byrnemm

So is it the 2005 E5 frames in general that are so great, or just the s-works? I have an '05 E5 Aerotec Allez frame and I will feel sad if the S-Works is that much better than it.

ravenmore

this. +1

Kurogashi

Well he is the guy who tried to put it up on eBay when I offered $900. He is also the same guy who didn't end up selling to the highest bidder on eBay because the final bid was way below his expectation (I did warn him he won't get much out of his 6 year old bike). So once the final bid was BELOW my offer (final bid was $700 and I offered him $900), he then drops me a reply saying he's ok with the $900 because he now suddenly decides to give me his sympathy and says he acknowledges being a student is very costly. Somehow I smelled bullsht written all over that.

I hold no grudge for the man, I think what he did was... eh, somewhat right. I asked him how much did he end up selling it for, and no reply. I just wish he would've hold it onto for me just for ONE more day; I did tell him i'll be free tomorrow to pick it up, but looks like he magically found a buyer. I am starting to think that he just decided to keep the bike...

Ah well, thanks for following/commenting on this buying process.

milliron

That's okay, what you really wanted was a CAAD10.

GDA

Time and effort are worth $$$ so why give up so soon? Saving money and working deals is part of everyday life.

Think about your efforts as an investment in your future.