Focus Cayo 2.0 vs Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 5

trickytree1984

Hi, I'm hoping for a bit of buying advice. I'm looking for a carbon road bike with at least a 105 group set (preferably ultegra) and i'm looking to spend £1500 to £2000.

The type best options I've found so far are the Focus Cayo 2.0 (review here http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/cate ... -14-48172/) and the Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 5 which seems to have been given bike of the year 2014.

I have found the Focus for £1500 and the Cannondale for about £1700 and im tied on which to go for. The Focus seems like an amazing deal at that price especially with Ultegra group set. Both have FSA chain set due to bottom bracket compatibility.

For a bit of extra info, I've been cycling 3 years on road bikes an i currently have a 2011 Specialized Allez Sport (Alu with Sora). I am starting to take things a bit more seriously now and do about 100-150 miles per week (60 miles of commuting). I have recently joined a cycling club for Sunday rides and would like to get faster and faster. I currently average about 17mph +. I find the Allez a rough ride hence looking at carbon frames now (that and i'd like to save some weight). I don't want to race, but i don't want a geometry that overly relaxed.

I'm open to any bike under 2k, and i'm looking now because sale season is coming. I'm almost set on the Focus at a 25% discount. I'm sort of looking for someone to convince me that there is something better for the money (e.g the Synapse). Oh and id love it to be internally cable routed and di2 ready.

holiver

Aren't they quite different geometry wise with the Synapse being quite relaxed?

trickytree1984

Well, the focus is supposed to be between sportive and race, and the synapse is supposed to be a sportive bike, but according to the review is perfectly capable of being a racer?

trickytree1984

Quote from bike radar review.

"But the kit is only a small part of the Synapse’s huge charm. What sets it apart from a highly competitive crowd is the way that it goes about its business of being flat-out-fast. On the flat, its cotton-wool like comfort makes progress easy. The shape of the bike is far more aggressive than the old Synapse, but not as low and flat as Cannondale's similarly impressive SuperSix Evo, and this middle ground makes for a balanced, swift ride. It's also a nimble climber, despite not being that light."

I guess im more impressed with the synapse review, but the focus seems better value with ultegra fitted

DKay

trickytree1984 wrote:

Well, the focus is supposed to be between sportive and race, and the synapse is supposed to be a sportive bike, but according to the review is perfectly capable of being a racer?

The Cayo's geometry isn't relaxed at all. It's as low and stretched-out as a Scott Foil. The Synapse is shorter along the top tube and has a much longer head tube.

You should go for the one which fits you best. But for what it's worth, I have a Cayo Evo and I love it.

Philby

I have test ridden both and they have different geometries as noted above - I personally found the Focus more to my liking.

marshall_a

I bought a cayo evo earlier this year and it's miles more comfortable than my Alu Boardman Road Team. Have also found Ultegra 6800 much nicer to ride with than 105 5700. That said, you need to be able to get the right position as the geo's are very different. Even if I had the stem slammed on the Synapse it would be a touch higher than I'm used to and I'd need to run something like a 130 or 140mm stem for the reach so the bike never got onto my short list.

trickytree1984

well thanks for all the great feedback. I currently have a specialzed Allez and im used to that geometry now. I suppose that is more like the cayo (not relaxed). That said i have all the spacers in and until recently had the stem flipped. Its just so hard to argue with the cayo value at £1500 with full ultegra 6800.

On a separate note, can the cayo be di2 upgraded easily given that it is not ultegra chain set? I don't want to rule out converting to di2 (shifters, derailleurs and battery)

bikemanspen

I've just orderered a synapse ultegra so hopefully I can ride all day comfatably! It's claimed to be fast and quite racy when you need it to be! And after all Peter Sagan doesn't do too bad on his! To me the bike screams quality!!

trickytree1984

Thanks for all your opinions. I think i'm set on the focus as its quite a bit cheaper in the sales plus has full ultegra.

Does anyone think its possible to upgrade the bike to di2? If so what is involved. Is it just control box, shifters and derailleurs. Will it work with the FSA chain set on the focus (or synapse for that matter)

DKay

bikemanspen wrote:

I've just orderered a synapse ultegra so hopefully I can ride all day comfatably! It's claimed to be fast and quite racy when you need it to be! And after all Peter Sagan doesn't do too bad on his! To me the bike screams quality!!

Sagan's Synapse is a custom geometry frame, which is much longer and lower than the standard item.

DKay

trickytree1984 wrote:

Thanks for all your opinions. I think i'm set on the focus as its quite a bit cheaper in the sales plus has full ultegra.

Does anyone think its possible to upgrade the bike to di2? If so what is involved. Is it just control box, shifters and derailleurs. Will it work with the FSA chain set on the focus (or synapse for that matter)

You'll need:

Shifters
Front and rear derailleurs
Battery
Charger
Junction box A
Junction box B
x4 cables

Shimano sell the lot as a standalone electronic upgrade kit.

Your current chainset will be fine, but won't shift as nice. Call the Focus dealer with regards to upgradability. Theoretically, almost all modern road bikes can be upgraded to Di2. It just depends on how neat you want the install and how much faff you can put up with.

trickytree1984

DKay wrote:

trickytree1984 wrote:

Thanks for all your opinions. I think i'm set on the focus as its quite a bit cheaper in the sales plus has full ultegra.

Does anyone think its possible to upgrade the bike to di2? If so what is involved. Is it just control box, shifters and derailleurs. Will it work with the FSA chain set on the focus (or synapse for that matter)

You'll need:

Shifters
Front and rear derailleurs
Battery
Charger
Junction box A
Junction box B
x4 cables

Shimano sell the lot as a standalone electronic upgrade kit.

Your current chainset will be fine, but won't shift as nice. Call the Focus dealer with regards to upgradability. Theoretically, almost all modern road bikes can be upgraded to Di2. It just depends on how neat you want the install and how much faff you can put up with.

Thanks very much. I though as much. I'm hoping i can get the seat post battery as well. The old cayo seemed to come in a di2 but i cant find any 2014 models. I'm looking at £500 for the upgrade to Di2, which i will probably do in the years to come rather than straight away. I would rather have the ultegra crank but apparently its not compatible with the BB30 bottom bracket.

Sorry to labor the point on geometry, eventually i will try the bike, but do you think the geometry will be far off my Specialized Allez. Below are the specs for the 57 Cayo and my current 56 Allez. I'm not sure on geometry but it looks similar. I don't find the allez uncomfortable, but i don't want my new ride to be more aggressive.

Focus 2.0 Allez
Seat tube (mm) 570mm 530mm
Top tube (mm) 565mm 565mm
Head tube angle (°) 73.50 73.5°
Seat tube angle (°) 73.50 73.25°
Chain stay length (mm) 409mm 405mm
Bottom bracket drop (mm) 70mm 69mm
Head tube (mm) 170mm 170mm
Fork Length (mm) 370mm
Fork rake (mm) 43mm 986mm
Wheelbase (mm) 992mm 816mm
Stack 574mm 575mm
Reach 395mm 392mm

Handle-Bar Width 420mm
Stem Length 100mm
Crank Length 172.5mm
Seat-Post Length 350mm
Fork Rake 43mm
Trail 56mm
Front-Center 591mm


edit - that didnt come out well, here are links to the geo pages

http://www.focus-bikes.com/gb/en/bikes/ ... #chapter-3

http://www.specialized.com/ca/en/bikes/ ... t#geometry

DKay

The Cayo and your Allez are pretty similar. The Cayo comes with a PF30 BB and not a BB30 and you can use Ultegra cranks no problem with a suitable BB adapter. I use Ultegra 6750 cranks on mine with a SRAM adapter.

trickytree1984

Now the synapse 2015 is out with the 105 5800 11 speed groupset for a much more affordable £1650. I'm tempted by that even though its £150 more than the focus and has a 105 vs ultegra

DKay

£150 isn't that much in the grand scheme of things and 5800 is functionally identical to 6800, with only a small increase in weight. The Cayo Evo gets a revised frame for 2015, whereas the Synapse is 'newer' technology so won't be discontinued for a few more years, if that matters to you.

Choose the one which fits your dimensions and requirements the best. The longer you dilly dally, the less chance you have of buying the Cayo and the less time you have left to ride in nice weather.

trickytree1984

DKay wrote:

£150 isn't that much in the grand scheme of things and 5800 is functionally identical to 6800, with only a small increase in weight. The Cayo Evo gets a revised frame for 2015, whereas the Synapse is 'newer' technology so won't be discontinued for a few more years, if that matters to you.

Choose the one which fits your dimensions and requirements the best. The longer you dilly dally, the less chance you have of buying the Cayo and the less time you have left to ride in nice weather.

Hurry up accepted

Ill be getting the synapse i think especially as its so much cheaper in 2015 than 2014.

DKay

Good choice. It's a great bike by all accounts.