Buying a bike halfway through "the season"

awesterhoff

Hi there,

2 months ago I started riding and bought a Cannondale CAAD12 105. I've been hooked ever since. Riding a lot of km in this summer beautiful weather and even got on the home-trainer when the weather has been bad.
For the last 2 month the only thing that has been in my head is cycling – especially digging in to the more nerdy stuff, learning about the different components, type of bikes, manufactures, tweaking different stuff and everything in between; And I still love it!

I've tried my friend's carbon racer, fitted with SRAM Red eTap and overall a lot better components... and was sold quite fast. It's of cause a completely different ride!
Therefore I've been looking at a new bike already. The Canyon Ultimate CF SLX DISC 9.0 SL.. I've been through their Factory Outlet too see if any size Large where to be found for a lower price, but it seems it's to be a very popular size, so there weren't many nor did they meet my requirement. At the moment there are some money to be saved on the Canyon, and I've been thinking about buying it.

What I basically wanted to hear answer: Is it really that bad to buy a bike halfway though the season? Got a friend who told me to back off, because Canyon will have new bikes next year and SRAM might introduce a new Red eTap system. But that how it will always be... New stuff get's introduced all the time!? Or is he actually onto something.

Hope to get some more insight from some people with more experience than I :roll:

Thanks,
Alex

cooldad

May. Might.

The correct number is always n + 1.

Korhag

cooldad wrote:

May. Might.

The correct number is always n + 1.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbour’ and hate your enemy. But I say, buy more bikes! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven....."

(Matthew 5:43-47 )

Thigh_burn

The main reason to wait a little bit - maybe month or so - is because 2018 bikes will be on sale as 2019 bikes get introduced.

CitizenLee

There will always be a faster/lighter/nicer riding bike

cougie

2 months and then onto a superbike is a huge step. You'll have nothing to look forward to for the rest of your cycling career. Also most of your spills come in the first year or two. You'd not want to total your dream bike like that.

Personally I'd hang fire and ride what you have. Have you got a winter bike sorted ?

awesterhoff

cougie wrote:

2 months and then onto a superbike is a huge step. You'll have nothing to look forward to for the rest of your cycling career. Also most of your spills come in the first year or two. You'd not want to total your dream bike like that.

Personally I'd hang fire and ride what you have. Have you got a winter bike sorted ?

I hear you, but if we're talking dream bike, we probably looking at a 10.000£ custom Italian bike
No winter bike. I'm probably going to be sitting on the home-trainer all the way through winter.

Thanks, for the answers guys!

Beatmaker

If you have the funds, why wait? This is the best summer in my lifetime, get it ordered and enjoy riding it in this brilliant weather we have.

helterskelter

Why not hold off and buy yourself a decent wheelset instead? That way if you do see a great deal in the sale, you probably shouldn't have spent more than you would have if you bought currently. AND you also have a really decent winter steed.

The caad is a great frame and 105 is quality kit, the biggest difference you will make is with a decent set of wheels.

haydenm

The Caad is a cool bike, keep it as a winter bike and buy the Canyon provided the deal is as good as the sometimes are. No harm in having a really nice bike and it'll only make you enjoy riding even more! I've just gone from a low specced supersix to a nice bike and the difference is huge in terms of feel and noticeable in terms of speed. Admittedly I have been riding road bikes for 3 years and have a touring bike too but I can't see any disadvantages in having a nice bike sooner

DeVlaeminck

A caad12 is a decent bike and definitely a race oriented bike, if your mate's bike felt faster it likely was 99% just a feeling other than perhaps for the wheels.

That's not to say not to get a new bike though you might be able to save a few hundred if you wait.

lettingthedaysgoby

Spend your money on a cycling holiday somewhere nice instead.

Then buy another bike next year

Matthewfalle

swap the 105 and stock wheels for something decent and it will change the bike.

CAADs are brilliant frames.

stueys

Canyon discount around TDF time and then they move end of season stock through their outlet. But they never really discount massively. I suspect the deals you see now aren't likely to get massively better for Canyon. Shop stock tends to be discounted when the new model lands, the discounts are bigger but their starting price also tends to be bigger so probably a wash.

My view is life is short, the summer is here, if you can afford to get a new bike and want to, then why not. You might get some time to enjoy it before winter bites. The only thing that would make me pause is if the delivery date was going to be October time then you would probably be wrapping your nice bike away for the winter and then it might make more sense to see what the landscape looks like spring time next year.

gary_sparrow

I have a caad 12 105 which I upgraded to di2 and a nicer set of mavic wheels . I put 28s on and a carbon post . The bike is a bullet , more comfortable with the wider tyres and carbon post . It’s also really light and all I need or pretty much anyone racing needs .
If I had left it as is with 105 and stock wheels I’d definitely want something sweeter . You could upgrade it or use it as a nice fast winter bike and buy that something special now

southdownswolf

Buy yourself some new wheels and some winter cycling gear. That way you have nice new flashy wheels for the summer, wheels for the winter and you don't have to be stuck on a trainer all winter.

fenix

I think you've been fantastically lucky with the summer weather. It's hardly rained for the last two months. (assuming you're from Britain). No wonder you're loving the cycling.

The vast majority of weeks are not like this. You'll need a lot of autumn/winter kit. Riding a turbo all through the bad weather means you'll miss the outside for 2/3 of the year or so.

MisterMuncher

Nothing wrong with wanting a "better" bike, but the advice here is pretty solid. A CAAD with decent wheels and a good group is as much as most of us will ever need. I'd look into that first. At worst, you'll have a nicer set of wheels to stick on the next bike.

Put another way. It was a much bigger change for me when I changed the chunky-ish wheels with Durano tyres on my CAAD for a pair of 1400g tubeless wheels with proper race tyres than when I changed the CAAD for a SuperSix HiMod. The 'six is objectively a better bike, no question, but the margin isn't as wide as you'd think.