help me choose. Cannodale Synapse or Specialized Roubaix Pro

daz_mtb

Hi Guys

I am getting into road cycling more and more and want to invest in a cracking road bike. I will do fair weather commuting on it as well, and cycling at the weekends for fitness. I am prepared to go to around 3k..(misses gave green light) I would want an endurance road bike rather than a complete racer. I liked the look of the cannondale synapse but I went to the specialized store in Kingston and I now like the roubaix pro

So I looked at Cannondale Synapse as well and I have shortlisted these:

Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra 2011 Road Bike (2.5k down to 2.2k) lead time is 1-2 months

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... cannondale synapse

Cannondale Synapse HiMod Sram Red CD 2011 Road Bike (3.7k down to 3.1k)
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... cannondale synapse

Specialized Roubaix Pro SL3 2011 Road Bike (4k down to 3.4k)

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... pecialized Roubaix
Please help me choose, in terms of brand appeal, value, looks. What shall I go for, the money is not too relevant as I want a good bike but value is important what has the best name as well?

Lucky Douglas

In terms of brand appeal and looks I would definitely go for the synapse hi-mod, but it's such a personal thing.
In terms of value for money I'd go for a synapse 105 - in fact I did! Not for cost, more because above that I think you get diminishing value (unless racing)

northpole

I have a 2007 Roubaix Pro which I have used as an all rounder commuting every day weather/ meetings/ health permit and romping around the countryside in my own time. Can't fault it and I'm sure the new SL3 frame is miles better than my model.

Thing that I'm not so sure about is the way that Specialised (and others) charge such a massive whack and they still insist on mixing components - I can't for the life of me understand at this price level why you aren't offered a complete dura-ace groupset. If buying again I'd think seriously about buying the frame and then sourcing the components that I wanted, including wheels. May not work out cheaper but you'll have a better all round bike at the end of the day.

Truth is, bike buying above £1,500 becomes a head vs heart thing. At my level, logically there is no need for anything better than Veloce or 105 stuck onto a Ribble carbon frame, bought for little more than £1k on the cycle to work scheme. And then you let your imagination run and before you know it.......

Good luck with deciding!

Peter

daz_mtb

Thanks for the advice so far i know its illogical spending so much with diminshing returns but the way I see it, is that the bike will be my gym as well and a pressie for quiting the smokes. (I know I am failing at justifying it ) plus if the misses is happy (after a lot of banging on about it) then so am I

I do have a trek 6700 2009 on the cycle to work scheme. I will have to wait until mid summer for the scheme to open again and I am too impatient, plus the limit is 1k.

cheers

Evil Laugh

The high mod looks a decent level of kit. Nice wheels,tyres etc.

The wheels on the spesh are supposed to be awful and it doesn't look so great in vfm terms compared to the others. My mate recently bought a roubaix and in research nobody had a good word to say about those rovals.

One option I'd be tempted by is the cheaper cannondale with the wheels upgraded straight away for the rs80 or dura ace carbon clinchers. I had these on my old synapse and it was a very quick, plush ride. Those rims are a pleasure to ride and make a very smooth bike even better.

Try the groupsets out. I love the new shimano and couldn't get on with SRAM, found it uncomfortable. Just my opinion but prob worth finding out your own before you dump £3000.

daz_mtb

cheers guys.

So after some headscraching (evans offered me £3200 (price match for mcconvey cycles) plus 5% cashback i see via cashbacknetwork (evans) for the Specialized roubaix pro - good deal!

However I think the cheaper Cannondale (ultegra) is for me, primera sports would do 20% off! but no stock till Mid February. I managed to get 10% off via 'pedalon' on a 56CM frame.

So I pick up bike next Thursday in terms of weight the synapse is only 7.5KG I understand - thats pretty near the Specialised at 7.2KG

Can anyone recommend good tyres - puncture resistant as well) to fit instead of the duranos?

Cheers

daz_mtb

sorry guys, just one more question to go with the tyre query.

What SPD pedals should I get? can I use the Crankbrother mallets 2 from my MTB for a while? or whould this be silly?

peter101cycle

daz_mtb wrote:

cheers guys.

So after some headscraching (evans offered me £3200 (price match for mcconvey cycles) plus 5% cashback i see via cashbacknetwork (evans) for the Specialized roubaix pro - good deal!

However I think the cheaper Cannondale (ultegra) is for me, primera sports would do 20% off! but no stock till Mid February. I managed to get 10% off via 'pedalon' on a 56CM frame.

So I pick up bike next Thursday in terms of weight the synapse is only 7.5KG I understand - thats pretty near the Specialised at 7.2KG

Can anyone recommend good tyres - puncture resistant as well) to fit instead of the duranos?

Cheers

Definitely go with the Cannondale - I have never been overly impressed with any Specialized kit. Feb stock is irrelevant as you would be mad to cycle atm on anything but a winter bike of some sort.

As for tyres, even though I had a pair of original Ultremos (with the problem with manufacturing defect that was well-publicised), I will buy a pair of Ultremo R1's, partly as the originals rode so well & the after-service that I got from Schwalbe at the time of my defective tyres.

daz_mtb

Thanks peter

So I did go for the Cannondale Synapse Ultegra with 10% off - pick up next week

I could have gotten 20% via primera but with the lead time I am too impatient!

The only thing about the bike to me that looks budget is the tyres.. so I have one vote for Ultermo R1's - any other suggestions?

Plus I am completely perplexed about road pedals. I have crank brother mallets, I like these as they are double sided, as a SPD beginner what does anyone suggest - something light... it would be nice to get something from crankbrothers as I have their cleats in my Shimano MT60's (perhaps these aren't got for road either :?

hardy26

Just ordered my new Synapse from Primera, 20% too good to miss. Just got to wait for it to arrive

twoodley

daz_mtb wrote:

Plus I am completely perplexed about road pedals. I have crank brother mallets, I like these as they are double sided, as a SPD beginner what does anyone suggest - something light... it would be nice to get something from crankbrothers as I have their cleats in my Shimano MT60's (perhaps these aren't got for road either :?

I have just started using clipless pedals for the first time and went for Speedplay Zero for the very reason that they are double sided. WOW these things are easy to get into, and out of. One thing which helps is that you do not have to be fully engaged to still ride. Started on a steep hill the other day and happily cycled a few hundred yards with the left foot "loose" before fully engaging on a more level section.

daz_mtb

hi guys, just though i'd update this thread as a courtesy (started a new one as I bought the bike) thanks for all the advice.

**************************************************************************

My first road bike! picked up yesterday. Sorry for the bad quality picture, will take more when I adjust saddle and put on pedals etc this weekend.

Just waiting on my Keo 2 pedals to arrive before going out for a spin this weekend!

Got into cycling a 18 months ago via cycle2work (after being on my bike all the time as a kid)

Suffering from SAD, nothing beats the blues like a 20 mile blast so I though I'd treat myself!

Can't believe how light it feels think its about 7.5kg, was tempted to get a spesh roubaix pro (from 4k to 3.2k in sale) but this looked better VFM

Not sure how much faster this will be than my 2009 trek 6700 with slicks, I suspect a fair bit!