2010 CAAD9 or 2009 Giant TCR Alliance 1

The Big Cheese
The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
edited November 2010 in Road buying advice
Morning guys, not new to biking (MTBer) but new to road riding :)

I have the funds to get either of these puppies:

2010 CAAD9 Tiagra

or

2009 Giant TCR Alliance 1 (106 groupo)
I love Dale frames, and it seems a good frame to upgrade on eventually, however the Giant has better kit, wheels etc but I know very little about road frames, so help is much appreciated...

What would be your choice and why?

Thanks in advance
TBC

Comments

  • JesseD
    JesseD Posts: 1,961
    CAAD 9, no contest, google it for reviews, all positive, better than most low to mid range carbon frames, almost the perfect crit bike as well.
    Obsessed is a word used by the lazy to describe the dedicated!
  • *AL*
    *AL* Posts: 1,185
    As the one who mentioned the CAAD 9 in your Crudcatcher thread, I'd have to say get a CAAD9 :wink:

    As above, check out CAAD9 reviews and try to find a bad one.
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    CAAD9 frame with the Giant spec :D
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    Guys... you are going to kill me, I had 900 bones to the button and the CAAD9 had sold out EVERYWHERE in my size for that money..... so I bought the TCR.

    I am a newbie to roady-ing (and I plan to change that) so am thinking this is still a top bike to start with...

    Without harping on about MTBing (this is not the place) I am a bit of a weight weanie and my XC race bike rides like a dream and is approax 19lb now.

    However these are 2 different discplcines and I hope to start spending more time across here as I get into and develop my roadie skills.......

    Thanks for advice, and as the dale was sold out this was the only other bike for the money I was interested in and I cannot think of any immediate upgrades for the new bike.

    I cant wait..... ooohhhhh my first road bike in over 20 years :D
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    You should have looked for a CAAD9 in stock of waited, they're brilliant frames, you've proper missed out there.
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    freehub wrote:
    You should have looked for a CAAD9 in stock of waited, they're brilliant frames, you've proper missed out there.

    Yes, I thought that, they are very nice frames but didnt have the funds for a 2011 CAAD9 with a half decent spec, however I will still like the Giant, not exactly a BSO is it??? :lol:

    Originally it was just going to be used for a winter / training bike but as there are not many local 'trails' near me for MTBing and most of my riding is on the road these days so I thought I would get something better than a winter bike.

    The only dilemma now is use MTB shoes/cleats on it, rather than going out an buying new road shoes/pedals...
  • letap73
    letap73 Posts: 1,608
    If its any consolation I test rode a caad 9 with my mate and we both prefered the specialized Allez!
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    letap73 wrote:
    If its any consolation I test rode a caad 9 with my mate and we both prefered the specialized Allez!

    Were the specs the same?
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    letap73 wrote:
    If its any consolation I test rode a caad 9 with my mate and we both prefered the specialized Allez!

    And do they make a tandem?
  • cuthbertrogergaylord
    cuthbertrogergaylord Posts: 58
    I'd have gone for the Giant. I've got a 2010 caad9 in my stable and it ain't all that.
  • letap73
    letap73 Posts: 1,608
    letap73 wrote:
    If its any consolation I test rode a caad 9 with my mate and we both prefered the specialized Allez!


    And do they make a tandem?

    Oooh the Caad 9 fanboy who follows the crowd bites. I offered an opinion based on actually riding the bike rather than proffering the opinion that one bike is better than the other because everybody says its better or pretttier. For myself personally I prefered the ride quality of the specialized, my friend who rode both bikes before me felt the same. In terms of spec, the Caad 9 had the better groupset - Tiagra as opposed to Sora, however a difference was certainly felt in terms of ride. So sorry to offer a different opinion to you I didn't realise this thread was purely to blindly pay homage to the Caad 9.
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    Well the TCR shall be here Tuesday/Wednesday so I shall let you all know how it performs, general consensus is its a lively ride, and fast-feeling. I don't regret getting this at all as it's a top bike for what I paid and Giant seem to have a good rep. Well they do in the MTB world anyway.

    only upgrades planned at this moment (immediate) are I am replacing the Tektro callipers with 105 to complete the gruppo (why didnt they just equip it with 105 brakes when everything else is 105 is beyond me)

    Also, before xmas the wheels shall be swapped out for some RS80s. Im a total weight weanie so plan to shave some weight off it by xmas. After wheels and calipers Im not changing anything til parts wear out.

    Claimed weight for a medium is 18lb 12

    Very excited about this turning up now and me getting some mileage in on it.

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