cvall91

So I am looking to upgrade my bike which is a CAAD8-6. It got me started into road biking and has taken me from the D-C groups to A&A+ and into my first races. It's been a great bike but I'd like something new. My budget is around $2k after selling my current bike. Not really that much but I think I can get a pretty decent bike for that price. I am interested in a racing/aggressive geo bike since that's where I'm at. I'm currently training to have more success in racing and have a lot of interest in it, so comfort and all that isn't important to me. Also, there's no climbs where I live so take that as you will. I'm still a newbie so carbon flexing, stiff/compliant, and power transfer in frames is foreign to me. Don't really know how to judge that in a parking lot test ride.

At the top of my list is the Supersix, which is fits quite nicely into what I'm looking for. The shop which gave me the best deal for it just started stocking Focus bikes aswell. I was just looking at the new inventory when I stumbled upon the Focus Cayo Evo 6.0. I really liked the design and was drawn to it immediately. There isn't that much info about it but I've read good things. I'm also assuming that at this price point, frames aren't going to be drastically different in terms of how they perform.

Opinions?

Edit: The thread title was supposed to be "Supersix vs Focus Evo Cayo. Don't know why it says "All I wanted was a tune up"

Jandro 

CAAD10 with Force/Red hits that budget and is an amazing race bike.

rangerdavid

I agree. I'm on a CAAD9 with full Red, and as many times as I've had the
'wants', i can't get a better all around bike. Plus, if you race it and crash it's not as expensive as a carbon frame bike.

Jandro 

+1.

OP, sounds like you are new to racing. I would not advise racing in the early categories with a new carbon frame and besides, the CAAD10 will be lighter, stiffer, and better than any carbon frame at the same price point.

cvall91

I tried a SS with rival and I just did not like Sram at all. Maybe I didn't give it much of a chance, but I wasn't too fond of it. And also my budget is low 2k so $2,700 would be out of it. Shimano 105 seems like the best bet, maybe a CAAD10 Ultegra. The shop where I'm looking at is giving me a great trade in deal, so I'm sticking with them. After trading in my bike, I have to pay the difference of $1,100 for the '13 Supersix-5 which I think is pretty good. Don't know the math behind it though.

Nagrom_

+1 for CAAD10 Force. I'm glad I'm not riding something else. Great bike.


If you don't like SRAM, try the CAAD10 3 ultegra.

cvall91

Yea that's one of my worries, but I'm hard headed and just assume it won't happen to me. My friend got involved in a big pile up and his carbon frame cracked in half. But the 10+ other riders on carbon frames only had minor scratches.

aquateen

don't sell the caad8. i'd keep it as a trainer/rainy day ride

merlinextraligh

One question is how well the Cdale fits you. If it fits well then there would be a case with staying with C'dale (assuming the CAAD 10, and Supersix have the same geometry and sizing as the CAAD -8)

LDB

"But Dad, my friend Billy jumped off that roof 37 times without breaking his leg and I only jumped once.", said the kid in the ER getting a cast on his broken leg.

TrojanHorse

I saw some 2012 supersix 105s in my area for roughly 1400-1500... if you can find some older stock you can make your budget dollar go further.

cvall91

n=1 for me.

Well the CAAD8 has a more relaxed geometry than the SS and CAAD10 which have more of the same racing geo. At the new shop, I was told my current bike is big on me and they recommended a 54 over my current 56. I think my current bike fits fine, but when I decide, they have a large inventory so sizing won't be an issue.

I like Cannondale's so that's why it's my first option. But this is the only shop I've seen that stocks Focus in my area so there aren't a lot of them on the road. As compared to Cannondale's which take up at least half of any group ride. Everyone seems to be leaning towards the CAAD10 but the '13 colors are just so bleh to me. Which is why the Focus really grabbed my attention. It's a nice looking bike and the internal routing is very clean. I always hear CAAD10's are perfect for crits though so I will check them out the next time I go. I might end up loving it more than the others.

cvall91

Cheapest 2012 105 I've seen is 1800 here. And I'm getting the '13 in basically 2012 discount pricing.

gc3

Once you start down this path of quasi-exclusivity, you can never go back. You've been warned!

If the Focus rides/fits well for you, they're fine bikes for the money.

AMFJ

If you like the components on your caad 8, why not strip it, sell the frame and use the components on a frame you like Then you can use the difference in price towards new wheels or partially towards a power meter.

You can get a caad 9 frame on ebay for around $300-$400. With the left over $1600 you could also pick up a quarq power meter (with money left over). A caad 10 wouldn't be much more.

Just a thought.

RacerOne

CAAD10, it really is the perfect bike for what you want to do.

Velo Vol 

You can learn to tune it up yourself watching videos.

richfell

Don't forget that the "formula" is n+1, so with n=1 it resolves to two. Guess you have to keep the CAAD8 after all.

hfinstrom

I'm gonna disagree with all here and weigh in with the specialized allez

qcpmsame 

I'm in the CAAD 10 school of thought, get the best build level your budget allows, make some good wheels your forst upgrade goal and then log lots of miles and races. Best of luck in your choosing and in your races.

Bill

cvall91

Yea, everyone has voted towards the CAAD10 and no one in favor of the other bikes. I'm going to go into the shop and check out the Ultegra one and see what kind of deal I can get. I've always wanted the 10 but now that I can actually afford it, the 2012 colors are all gone. I want to end up with a bike that I truly like rather than what's better in case I crash. I'm going to ride them the same regardless, but I'll ride happier if it's on a bike I like.