spec differences from '08 models are:

rims- '08=Mach1 510 w/machined sidewall, 32 hole 09'=Jalco GX460, 700c, 32h

Crank- '08=FSA Vero 48T '09=Awful looking 4-arm Truvativ 5D 42T

specsheet lists the same handlebars and brake levers, however the image obviously has some funky track/flat/road style bars with cross style levers. and purple tape/grip condom. and purple chain. i'm a fan of all things purple so i'm not complaining. actually i'm complaining because that's lavender, not purple.


i actually prefer the black frame to '08's BBQ color scheme, sans the white fork and seat tube.

yeah those cranks are hideous, and whats with those bars?

that tapered down tube looks gross.
cannondale would do well to maintain a quality product rather than catering to people who color matched fixed gear road bikes so they can do wheelies. They have a great thing going with the rep of old cannondale tracks, why are they bungling it up in such a hurry?

^^ you have no idea what that bike - or any modern Cannondale - rides like, do you?

with the number of posers fiendin' for the old school Track frames, you'd think C'dale would pull their heads out of their asses and just do a run. Don't get me wrong, the Capo is a nice, nice frameset for its intended use, but people want that Track frame.

last - I agree with the OP about the white on the black frame, esp. on the seat tube. With any real hard riding conditions, the paint in that area gets chipped and discolored. It looks like $hit after a couple months.

my only real experience with anything modern from cannondale is a late 90/early 2000's touring frame and older cannondale tracks/road bikes besides a few quick test rides.
not sure what you are implying they ride like, and I think posers and folks who legitimately enjoy track frames fiend after those old cannondale tracks.
My indication was more intended at my distaste for the aesthetics of that frame and the selection of build parts than the way it rides.

Yeah, the reason they taper the down tube like that is to get a really stiff BB. Its just something they like to do with their road frames for power transfer. My CAAD 9 is the same way...

I agree tho, they should just bring back the track model, and the build list on the Capo is bad... really bad. If they're using the same freewheel for '09 as '08, then it will have no sealing, so it'll be gone after one ride in the rain.

ugh, I mean, I can live with foul frame aesthetics I SUPPOSE, but that build list, good lord...
can you feel a noticeable difference in the stiffness with that weird tapered downtube?
thats an honest question, btw, not just me being a dick.

Makes me glad I bought my Capo last spring and got a 2008. I have always liked Cannondales frame but have been disappointed before by some of the cheap components that comes with it. I rode several different brands last year including a Langster and in my opinion none of the other frames were as responsive as the Cannondale. I couldn't have bought any of them I rode though without making some modifications right away.

The crank on the 2009 model is horrendous. I would have to change that when I bought it. Maybe they are looking more to the hipster crowd that wants to do tricks. I live in a fairly flat area and I like my 48/16 combination. But then I don't care to skid because my mom isn't buying my tires. The handlebars look horrible but then the handlebars on my 2008 were the 3rd thing I changed right behind the horrible choice in pedals and the seat. I don't mind the tapering of the tubes as I find all of Cannondales frames very responsive. That paint scheme with the white/gray/lavender looks like puke.

yeah, it makes a big diff with stiffness. I compare this to Ciocc and Miele lugged steel frames as well as a Giant OCR aluminum frame.

Really glad I got my Capo when I did as well in bbq black (of course the only part left stock on it now is the headset). Those paint schemes make a seriously good frame look cheap and toy-like.

Kergin, I know the capo's based on the older generation CAAD road/crit frames so I was wondering how you like your CAAD9 and how you think it compares to the capo in stiffness, etc. I'm looking to build up an aluminum road bike in the spring and was specifically looking at getting either a CAAD9 or importing an older Ciocc 7005, Principia Ellipse, or Coppi frame.

lost me on the bars and four bolt crank.

i actually really like those bars; they look like vampire's teeth!

is there an online spec sheet for this?

overall i kind of like the look of that bike (if you ignore some of the details)

i like the grey/white frame.

also, we have very similar avatars :-)

dddave - there was last night, however cannondale took their '09 site down since then =(

https://www.cannondale.com/bikes/09/cusa/ - got the link from weight weenies, and it was up yesterday.

delicious - yes! i was lucky enough to see kraftwerk in 2004 while they were touring for Tour de France Soundtracks. managed front row and center, absolutely the most incredible concert i have ever been to.

i'm dissapointed with the wheel downgrade and the hideous cranks. they def should have more color options, considering its just grips and a chain

Man, the black one would give me such a ***** if it was all black with just the "cannondale" on the side of the top tube.

And also just a frameset.

Anybody know how much they are charging? I managed to get my Capo this summer from a shop ~3 hours away that actually had a silver 07 for $700. I bet these 09s are $900-$950 with lesser components (how they managed that I do not know)

Cashing in on fg craze, blame it on the price of oil, economy, etc. etc.

its understandable, all bikes seem like they are getting more expensive. I just want to know the difference on the exact same bike

The only thing worth keeping on the stock '08 capo is the frameset. Even the headset on it is shyte.

would there be any way to put a threaded headset on a capo, or would you be stuck with an integrated one?

i can't find anything enjoyable at this bike. then again, i've never been able to get into modern cannondales.

you are pretty much stuck with the integrated headset unless you want to try some heavy modifying, which then afterwords will most likely look really awkward with that humongous tubing and skinnier threaded stems/forks.

You are stuck with it. They take campagnolo hiddensets. You can't change it, the frame was designed that way.