Cross Bike Upgrade

Pross

I've got a 2013 base (Sora) model CAADX that I'm thinking of upgrading to do some "gravel"/"adventure" riding next year in the hope I'll rediscover my love of cycling. The bike is currently in its original spec as listed here https://www.thebikelist.co.uk/cannondale/caadx-sora-2013 so has cantilever rim brakes and clincher wheels. I'd like to upgrade it to hydraulic discs and also to run tubeless and had planned to just get a new full disc groupset (Shimano RX400 or 600) together with a suitable pair of tubeless disc wheels such as Mavic Allroad and tyres (the bike is allegedly disc ready).

However, I'm having trouble finding a full disc groupset in stock anywhere at the moment so I'm trying to work out the minimum I would need to buy to achieve what I want. I'm thinking:

Levers (RX400 or RX600 2x10 / 2x11)
Calipers (same model as above)
Suitable 160mm rotors (are there compatibility issues?)
Associated cables
Suitable Shimano rear mech 10 or 11 speed to match levers (current Sora is 9 speed)
Suitable disc wheels
Cassette (10 or 11 speed)
Chain
Tyres and tubeless kit
Bar tape

So effectively a full groupset without the chainset and front mech plus wheels, tyres and tubeless kit!

There's a local independent mechanic I would get to do the work.

The intention is to get everything through cycle to work. The other option I looked at was getting a Boardman ADV 8.9 on C2W, selling the CAADX and using the money to buy a better set of wheels but the Boardman is currently low stock and not available anywhere near me.

All sensible advice appreciated.

veronese68

Does the frame have mounts for disc calipers? If not you'll struggle, better off buying a used bike complete.

Pross

veronese68 said:

Does the frame have mounts for disc calipers? If not you'll struggle, better off buying a used bike complete.

I need to double check as I haven't even looked at it for a year or so but it was specced as disc ready so I believe so.

veronese68

OK, didn't see that when looking at it on my phone.
I upgraded to 11 speed and full hydraulics buying the calipers and shifters as a heavily discounted set. They were being sold as wrong hand drive with left front and right rear but I thought i would just swap them over and re-bleed. But when they arrived they weren't connected anyway, so I connected them UK style.
Mind you, looking at th few pictures I've found do the forks have disc mounts? If it does have disc mounts they will probably be post mount, or mabe even IS. Most road disc sets are flat mount now and require some quite expensive adaptors to fit earlier frame. You could cobble something together with used parts, but if someone will be doing the work for you it might not be worthwhile.
I'm still leaning towards selling it and buying a bike with discs on it.
Actually, if the frame and fork have post mounts I may have just the thing for you. A used Parabox hydraulic convertor. Fits under the stem in the place of a couple of spacers and the brake cables actuate hydraulic cylinders, nearest thing to full hydraulic. I'd still be running that with 10 speed 105 if I hadn't found the set up above stupidly cheap.

Pross

Cheers. The more I look at it the more inclined I am to wait for the Boardman to come back into stock and get the whole bike and a wheel upgrade. I believe the C2W value is no longer capped so it opens up some other potential options too. The CAADX is a decent frame and it's only done a few hundred miles but it is still a 7 year old frame at the end of the day.

Wheelspinner

I think they did two frame versions, one specifically called “CAADX Disc” and the other not, and 2013 was around when the frame was redesigned to suit this. Different fork fitted in the disc version too IIRC with post mount caliper.

Pross

Decided I'm not going to be able to change to disc brakes on this bike. I thought about buying a new gravel bike but stocks of everything in my budget seem non-existent and I've come to the conclusion the CAADX is probably as good as anything for what I want to do.

However, I would like to improve the braking performance. I intend to change to Swissstop pads but is there anything else that would help? The setup is as stock so Sora 9 speed STI levers and Tektro cantilevers. The original build was rubbish and the cable angles were terrible meaning I had horrendous brake judder at first but got that sorted with a few YouTube videos. I'd like to change to 10 speed 105 or Tiagra as a minimum but are there cantilevers that are substantially better than the current Tektro or are they all much the same?