Winter hack - Caad 8

vermin
vermin Posts: 1,739
edited October 2014 in Your road bikes
Doubling my daily commute from 30 to 60 miles round trip and the presence of brown leaves in the front garden finally convinced me to relieve the pressure on my Di2 Foil and invest in an N+1. This was going cheap in the sales so I decided to jump in.

14916632047_73778a45d6_b.jpg

A big 58cm frame, 10 speed Tiagra group (save for FSA Omega compact cheeseset and Cannondale brakes) and R501 wheels mean it's no lightweight, but it cruises well.

Changes from stock are:

Deda Pista stem. Being used to a more aggressive position on the Foil, I swapped out the stock stem to get a lower front end. A 5mm top cap is on order to replace the standard 20mm one, which should fix the position properly.

Fizik Aliante perch.

Green Fizik tape wrapped over the stock white, as white just isn't practical on a winter bike.

SwissStop blue brake pads.

Halfords aluminium bottle cages.

Reflective spokey dokes!

SKS Raceblades. I went for these rather than mounting guards to the guard eyes, as they can be swapped onto the Foil in a matter of seconds, using a second set of attachments.

Future plans:

Cut the steerer down.

Will probably change the chainset for a standard double. I have a SI Hollowgram and a Raceface Cadence in the spares drawer - which I go for depends very much upon my tolerance for BB30 noise.

Comments

  • earthvspace4XTuUWcX
    earthvspace4XTuUWcX Posts: 322
    60 mile commute! Respect :shock:
  • the_fuggler
    the_fuggler Posts: 1,228
    Friend of mine has a CAAD 8, which he absolutely loves. Rides it more than his 'best' carbon steed. Cannondale know their onions with those alu frames. Like the paint job too!
    FCN 3 / 4
  • type:epyt
    type:epyt Posts: 766
    If you lift off the 20mm headset cap you will notice that the spacer fairy has left you a 5mm one underneath.
    Life is unfair, kill yourself or get over it.
  • vermin
    vermin Posts: 1,739
    type:epyt wrote:
    If you lift off the 20mm headset cap you will notice that the spacer fairy has left you a 5mm one underneath.

    You're joking, right?
  • Skinner2k3
    Skinner2k3 Posts: 310
    No he's not, I have the same on my Supersix!
  • SCR Pedro
    SCR Pedro Posts: 912
    I saw these today in Germany's answer to Evans. I must say they are nice bikes, and look good VFM.
    Giant TCR Advanced II - Reviewed on my homepage
    Giant TCR Alliance Zero
    BMC teammachineSLR03
    The Departed
    Giant SCR2
    Canyon Roadlite
    Specialized Allez
    Some other junk...
  • holiver
    holiver Posts: 729
    Wow a 60 mile commute each day is crazy. My 20km a day is enough for me.

    How much do you carry with you?
    2013 Kinesis Racelight T2
  • vermin
    vermin Posts: 1,739
    holiver wrote:
    Wow a 60 mile commute each day is crazy. My 20km a day is enough for me.

    How much do you carry with you?

    Looks like you're in the same part of the world as me.

    I enjoy it. I ride through the countryside between Altrincham and Liverpool, so it's mostly pretty quiet and relaxing and can be covered in 90 mins each way if I'm feeling fresh. Not carrying much helps - just some lights and a messenger bag with a change of clothes, arm and leg warmers and a water/windproof shell to cope with changing conditions. It might become tiresome in the deep winter though.
  • jeffffej
    jeffffej Posts: 10
    Respect! I've just started commuting Runcorn <-> Altrincham. May pass you some time! 8)
  • vermin
    vermin Posts: 1,739
    jeffffej wrote:
    Respect! I've just started commuting Runcorn <-> Altrincham. May pass you some time! 8)

    That's a good ride too. Do you take the A56 through Lymm and Stockton Heath? If so then yes, I guess our paths will cross (I'm there around 7.30am and 8pm). Give me a shout when you see the bike.

    PS:
    jeffffej wrote:
    May pass you...
    sounds like fighting talk :wink: 8)
  • vermin
    vermin Posts: 1,739
    Quick update:

    Covered well over 1000 miles in my first month on the Caad.

    Haven't changed a thing since the photos (the spacer fairy must have run out of 5mm ones when it came to my bike, so the stack remains as pictured! :D ).

    Having an endless battle with the Tiagra gears, but I suppose that's just down to the cables stretching (and the fact that I've got used to Di2, like some spoilt kid!) Also, the noisy non-drive-side crank-arm fell off one morning - turned out that the shop had failed to apply adequate torque, so I cranked it up to 40-odd Nm and it's been fine (and quiet) ever since.

    Have become accustomed to the spongey, rather lazy feel of the Omega cheeseset and may just leave it, rather than putting the SI double on as planned. Having said that, I haven't actually changed down into the inner ring yet, so it seems a bit pointless carting that around! (I only climb about 2000ft per day and that's all just short sharp sprints, rather than long slow drags.)

    The combination of chainset flex and overall weight make this a much steadier bike than the Foil, with equivalent journeys covered at a pace up to 2mph slower for the same effort, but that's probably no bad thing when covering long distances in the dark at the end of long days in the office. Makes weekend rides on the Foil all the more fun too. :P

    Swissstop BXP brakes are a great upgrade for riding in all conditions.

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