Help/advice on comparing 2 bikes
 

Hi,
I am new to the forum and any advice would be appreciated. I am now ready to purchase a new bike for fitness, not necessarily race purposes. The two I will be test riding next week will be the Cannondale CAAD 10 and the Trek Lexa SLX (this bike is female specific).
I understand that they may not be comparable, but would like a few opinions from those more experienced regarding advantages and disadvantages of both bikes.
Thanx in advance!

Hiya Spingirl. I'm fairly new to cycling but the more I ride, the more I see that the usual advice given around here has many thousands of miles of wisdom behind it. That advice is always the the best bike is the one that fits best. If we are to ride, say 10 of 15 miles, then fit is not crucial. On the other hand, if we are really taken with cycling and begin to ride longer distances than we ever imagined, say 50 miles or more, then fit does become, not just important, but crucial to comfort and enjoyment. I hope you have a good and reliable bike shop to rely on. My guess is that most of them do their best to put customers on the right bike. I suggest you contact a local bike club, maybe through their web site, and inquire about good LBSs in your area.

Generally most folks here will like the CAAD better, it's more responsive and aggressive in terms of handling.

That said, you should try them out and see what feels better and fits better for you.

Good luck!

Hi SpinGirl,

Just so you know, Cannondale does make women-specific CAAD-10 bikes.
http://www.cannondale.com/2013/bikes...te-road/caad10

It really depends on what you like in terms of geometry. If you like to push yourself in exercise and training, even if you don't race, you might enjoy the more aggressive geometry (like myself). However, if you are more into casual rides, not really pushing your limits, you might like something with more relaxed geometry, like the Cannondale Synapse line of bikes (just as an example).

Most companies make different bikes with different geometries for different riding styles from more comfortable and casual to more aggressive "racing" styles. Definitely go to a shop, and see what fits and feels good to you!

Above all, FIT is more important. A sweet bike that doesn't fit you well isn't going to do you any good.

Berner,
Thx for the advice. I went to my LBS today and was measured for fit. Brought home a Trek, Cannondale, and Pinarello to test ride for tomorrow. Cross fingers for one to be a perfect fit! ; )

wow, they let you take three bikes home with you? I have never heard of a shop like that, be sure to stick with them.

We know the owner very well and have done lots of business with them in the past. ; )
We have choices, but always stick with them!

Imcq784,
I suppose that after I ride a bit (something besides a Giant hybrid) I will know more in terms of the geometry aspect of biking. I will test all three tomorrow and make a decision. I will keep your advice in mind. Thank you!

While that's the general wisdom I think it's mostly a starting point. I have both a race and comfort bike and in all honesty can't tell much difference between them. I can do fast or casual, long or short rides on either. I pushed myself just fine today on my comfort bike.

If it is a 2013 trek lexa slx, you are going to notice the biggest differences in that frame in terms of comfort while riding. That frame has the ISO speed coupler system, that was designed on the domane frame that trek created for Fabian and the boys racing on the cobblestones. the coupler system that is used her is designed to allow the seat tube to have greater flex to (not a huge/bad amount mind you) this system greatly increases the vertical compliance of the frame making for a vastly smoother ride that is more comfortable. Also that frame has a slightly longer wheel base than most bikes do to the raked front fork, this will make for a more stable riding bike and in most cases would cause a slower handling bike, but trek actually offset the fork to make that not a issue. This bike overall rides extremely smoothly, especially for a aluminum road bike.

Yeah, the geometry is a very personal thing. I have a Specialized Tricross, which has a slightly more relaxed geometry than my Giant TCR Adv. I am comfortable on both, fitted on both (slightly different fit), and can ride hard on both. I do find that there is a little less fatigue on the Tricross over longer ride, while it's easier to push harder on the TCR.

Obviously, the bikes are configured differently, and there are lots of other variables (material, components, etc.). But bottom line is that a bike with slightly more relaxed geometry is designed to allow you to sit up just a tad more, while a more "racy" or aggressive geometry is more conducive to be more agile and sensitive in handling, while sacrificing a tad on comfort (relatively speaking).

If you're making a jump from a hybrid bike, the jump itself is a big enough change that you may not notice the difference between a more relaxed vs more aggressive road bike geometry. Either way you go, you can get a great bike, and not one is better than the other necessarily. It was just one thing I wanted SpinGirl to maybe ask about and be educated on before spending the money.

SpinGirl, seems like you have a REALLY good store there! Definitely get as much education as you can from the guys/owner at the store, even about things you didn't think you needed to know about yet. Well informed purchase are much less likely to result in buyer's remorse ;-)

Oh, another point - SADDLE! My wife hated riding her bike for a while because she was extremely uncomfortable on the bike. At first, we thought she just needed to get accustomed to the smaller bike saddles and having her weight on her sit-bones... (as'opposed to the larger cushy seats you'll find on rental bikes) but the discomfort never went away, and when she tried my bike on a trainer, she had no pains and no discomfort at all!! So we spent some time and energy trying out different saddles, and now, she has a women-specific saddle from Specialized that she loves. It made all the difference to her. Some shops are willing to do a saddle swap on a new bike... (or pay the difference if it's a much more expensive saddle) so you can ask about that too.

Thanks for that! Yes, after only a few test rides I had some sore sitbones!!! Not like! I can't have time to be sore after only a couple of rides ��. I think I'll put on a sparkly banana seat. Thx everyone for all the useful info. Much appreciated. Now I am beyond ready for the bike to come in. Should be this week. Will post a pic of the new baby

What did you decide to go with?

Hey!
I went with the Trek Madone 2.1. The comfort and fit were best. Can't wait to ride! I chose the red! Nice looking bike. So excited!!!

Wooo HOOOOOO!!!!!!!!:thumb:

yes, always good to hear about new bikes. I am getting a new one this year, I am waiting to see what the 2014 C'dale line looks like before I buy.

I want a new Specialized this year (for a guest bike) but the $ situation will probably not allow it. :(