CAAD9... possibly not for me after all

matt7powell
matt7powell Posts: 16
edited September 2009 in Road beginners
First up can I say I big thumbs up to Leisure Lakes bike store in Wolverhampton. They spent at least an hour measuring up the Mrs and myself and talking us through our options, even though we made it clear we wouldn't be rushing into a purchase today.

Thanks Jason!

Anyway, the reason for the visit was because I'd kind of got my heart set on a 2010 CAAD9. I knew they didn't have one in store, before I set off, but they had a 2007 Synapse Carbon Ultegra with similar geometry so off we went to see how they could help. To get to the point, the Synapse just didn't feel bob on. Worse, straddled a 2010 Trek 2.3c and it just felt right.

Final point, as a novice, I'd scoured the internet for sizing charts and they all came back at 54cm. If I'd ordered off the net, 54cm is what I would of bought. Thanks to the local bike store, i found the Trek and Specialized in 56cm trim a better fit. Tried a 54cm & 56cm Synapse and neither had that glove like feeling of the Trek. I know it's been said a thousand times but for the sake of a spending a few extra notes, LBS is the way to go.

So, looks like I'll have to forgo the dream :( Anybody really friendly yet with a 2010 2.3c?

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Finding a good LBS is worth it's weight in gold...

    Finding a bike that you are really comfortable on is worth it's weight in gold...

    You are a rich man indeed!
  • AGNI
    AGNI Posts: 140
    First up can I say I big thumbs up to Leisure Lakes bike store in Wolverhampton. They spent at least an hour measuring up the Mrs and myself and talking us through our options, even though we made it clear we wouldn't be rushing into a purchase today.

    Thanks Jason!

    Anyway, the reason for the visit was because I'd kind of got my heart set on a 2010 CAAD9. I knew they didn't have one in store, before I set off, but they had a 2007 Synapse Carbon Ultegra with similar geometry so off we went to see how they could help. To get to the point, the Synapse just didn't feel bob on. Worse, straddled a 2010 Trek 2.3c and it just felt right.

    Final point, as a novice, I'd scoured the internet for sizing charts and they all came back at 54cm. If I'd ordered off the net, 54cm is what I would of bought. Thanks to the local bike store, i found the Trek and Specialized in 56cm trim a better fit. Tried a 54cm & 56cm Synapse and neither had that glove like feeling of the Trek. I know it's been said a thousand times but for the sake of a spending a few extra notes, LBS is the way to go.

    So, looks like I'll have to forgo the dream :( Anybody really friendly yet with a 2010 2.3c?

    Did you try Fred Williams cycles in Wolves? I got my road bike from Fred Williams and my Mountain Bike from Leisure Lakes. For road bikes, I would say Fred Williams as they are all seasoned road cyclists and have a much wider range than LL. LL are more specialists in mountain bikes IMO
    Still suffering with wind
  • AGNI,

    The intention was to go to LL and then Williams' but we were so long at LL that we didn't have time to go Williams'.

    Your not the only person that told me LL for MTBs and Williams' for road and I will go and check them out. However, the reason I went to LL was because they stocked Cannondale, which is what I wanted to go and check out. The problem for me was despite some fettling (rotation of the bars and moving the seat forward and back) the two Synapses I tried just never had that magic feeling, which the Trek did.

    I don't know too much about the Trek alpha alu frames, where as the CAAD9 is fabled. The other thing is that I'm scared to go to Williams' in case I walk out with a Bianchi regardless of how it rides... I think they look purrrrity nice :)
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    If you want a CAAD9 try a CAAD9, a Synapse is a totally frame and geometry.

    A synapse is just another alloy frame, whereas the CAAD9 is top quality..
    I like bikes...

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  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    I'd try and look all over for a CAAD9, I know I love mine it's a pleasure to ride it everytime, it's just so smooth and solid like a new bike everday :wink:
  • Okay freehub, sounds like a plan.

    I wont find a CAAD9 at a store in Shropshire, that I know of, certainly not in Shrewsbury. Anybody know a LBS in the Staffs/West Mid area that stocks Cannondale?
  • Matt, as was advised to me which i found handy, go to Cannondales site, go to the dealer locator tab, then scroll to Cannondale retailers then look in your area. You might need to phone a few of the dealers as they do not all have websites.
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Can't a LBS that does not stock or deal in Cannondale still order a Cannondale bike on request?
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    freehub wrote:
    Can't a LBS that does not stock or deal in Cannondale still order a Cannondale bike on request?

    Can't imagine they'd want to do it for a test ride though, unless the distributor has test bikes it can lend the shop.
    I like bikes...

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  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Oh yea I guess so, if he'd lived near me I'd have let him test drive mine :lol:
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    AGNI,

    The intention was to go to LL and then Williams' but we were so long at LL that we didn't have time to go Williams'.

    Your not the only person that told me LL for MTBs and Williams' for road and I will go and check them out. However, the reason I went to LL was because they stocked Cannondale, which is what I wanted to go and check out. The problem for me was despite some fettling (rotation of the bars and moving the seat forward and back) the two Synapses I tried just never had that magic feeling, which the Trek did.

    I don't know too much about the Trek alpha alu frames, where as the CAAD9 is fabled. The other thing is that I'm scared to go to Williams' in case I walk out with a Bianchi regardless of how it rides... I think they look purrrrity nice :)

    As Agni said, Mike at Frank Williams is great, alternatively Lynn at Bridgtown Cycles is very patient as well.

    Both are specialist Race LBS's and will offer a fitting service.

    I use both depending whether I am in Wolves or Bridgtown and they came highly recommended to me.
  • cw42
    cw42 Posts: 205
    I've just had an excellent service myself from LL in bury when shopping for my new bike. Both size and make were being considered, so LL shipped in a smaller specialized and a larger trek for me to try.
    I'm sure they'd do the same if you were looking to buy a cad9. There is one for sale at bury in, I think, 54cm.
    live long, eat biscuit
  • Cheers guys for the suggestions.

    As has been said, I can only order in a Cannondale to our local dealers to buy.

    I take it nobody really fancies the trek 2.3 then?
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    The Following are Official Cannodale Dealers: -

    On Your Bike Holdings Ltd.
    33-40 Bradford Street
    Birmingham B5 6HX
    Telephone : 0121-6666933
    Fax : 00441216666388

    Leisure Lakes Nottingham
    168 Wilsthorpe Road
    Breaston
    DERBY - BREASTON DE72 3AG
    Telephone : 01332 872947
    Fax : 1332-875640

    Roy Swinnerton Ltd.
    67-73 Victoria Road Fenton
    Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2HG
    Telephone : 441782747782
    Fax : 01782-745462

    Brian Rourke Cycles LTD
    194 Waterloo Road
    Burslem
    Stoke-on-Trent (Staffordshire) ST6 3HF
    Telephone : 441782835368
    Fax : 01782813458

    Leisure Lakes Woverhampton
    26 School Street
    Wolverhampton WV1 4LF
    Telephone : 00441902716786
    Fax : 00441902772360

    Hope this helps
  • AGNI
    AGNI Posts: 140
    Slow-N-Old wrote:
    The Following are Official Cannodale Dealers: -


    Roy Swinnerton Ltd.
    67-73 Victoria Road Fenton
    Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2HG
    Telephone : 441782747782
    Fax : 01782-745462

    Brian Rourke Cycles LTD
    194 Waterloo Road
    Burslem
    Stoke-on-Trent (Staffordshire) ST6 3HF
    Telephone : 441782835368
    Fax : 01782813458


    Hope this helps

    Rourkes have a very good reputation. They also make custom fit frames.
    Still suffering with wind
  • SLOW-N-OLD/AGNI,

    Cheers for that. LL don't currently have a 2010 CAAD9 within the company that they could ship to to Wolves store.

    Rourkes in Burslem sounds like a plan. I'll give them a ring.
  • If you want a CAAD9 try a CAAD9, a Synapse is a totally frame and geometry.

    A synapse is just another alloy frame, whereas the CAAD9 is top quality..

    +1

    The point of having CAAD9 and Synapse in the C'dale range is that they are totally different. Frankly its bizarre that the dealer let you sit on a Synapse to see if you'd like a CAAD9
    Cannondale Supersix / CAAD9 / Boardman 9.0 / Benotto 3000
  • ON the subject of sizing - if most of the charts put you on a 54 then I'd say thats your size - if not lower
    Its much easier to make a bike thats slightly small fit you than to do the same with a bike thats too big.
    Cannondale Supersix / CAAD9 / Boardman 9.0 / Benotto 3000
  • I take the point about the synapse and the caad, possibly a school boy error.

    However, I'm confused on the issue of sizing. I have little experience but all I know is that I got on 6 bikes, not always knowing the size of frame I was trying out.without knowing the size of the frame of all the bikes when I got on. The 54cm frames all felt okay, the 58cm Specialized just felt wrong but the 56cm Trek and 56cm Specialized all just felt right. Really comfortable from the off. Yet your saying I would probably need something smaller than a 54cm? Next time I'm in a lbs I will try out a few more sizes but I'm intrigued as to why you think this?

    Buying a bike should be a pleasure. I'm now stressed out about buying the wrong thing and wasting my money :(
  • juankerr
    juankerr Posts: 1,099
    Have a look online at sizing charts at the manufacturers site and you'll see that one makers 56 is not equal to another necessarily.

    For 2009 at least a 56 Trek 1.5 was closer in size to a Spesh 54 than a 56.

    I'd imagine a CAAD9 is lower and longer at the front end than an Allez or Trek 1/2 series of the same size. The charts will tell.

    As to which is nicer, I was looking at the CAAD9's and Treks last weekend and the Cannondale is pure understated class while the Trek's graphics are like an explosion in a lettraset factory IMHO.
  • As has been said, I can only order in a Cannondale to our local dealers to buy.

    Which is not what the (very helpful) guys at LL in Bury told me. They said there were demo bikes available; if there wasn't the one I wanted, I would need to pay a refundable deposit so they could order in, but there was no obligation to buy.

    They also said Cannondale frames are usually a size bigger (ie. 54cm C'dale = 56cm Spesh) than equivalents.

    Andy
  • Which is not what the (very helpful) guys at LL in Bury told me. They said there were demo bikes available; if there wasn't the one I wanted, I would need to pay a refundable deposit so they could order in, but there was no obligation to buy.

    Ah, you are quite correct. I was being a little lazy with my typing. When I said that I would have to buy I was referring to a comment by Freehub about LBSs that are not Cannondale stockists. Redddraggon had already responded but I was just restating this as I'd been told similar.

    What I need to query with LL is whether I could get both a 54cm and a 56cm in to try and oscarbudgie suggests even smaller! The logistics all start to get a bit icky :(

    Hopefully, when I get back from hols, LL will have some demo bikes available.
  • AGNI
    AGNI Posts: 140
    AGNI,

    The intention was to go to LL and then Williams' but we were so long at LL that we didn't have time to go Williams'.

    Your not the only person that told me LL for MTBs and Williams' for road and I will go and check them out. However, the reason I went to LL was because they stocked Cannondale, which is what I wanted to go and check out. The problem for me was despite some fettling (rotation of the bars and moving the seat forward and back) the two Synapses I tried just never had that magic feeling, which the Trek did.

    I don't know too much about the Trek alpha alu frames, where as the CAAD9 is fabled. The other thing is that I'm scared to go to Williams' in case I walk out with a Bianchi regardless of how it rides... I think they look purrrrity nice :)

    Well that exactly what happened to me and also to my neighbour when I took him there too. Both very happy with our C2C. You could do a lot worse
    Still suffering with wind
  • Okay, I'm sure nobody is really interested in this but I thought I should provide some conclusion.

    Went off on holiday to France and had a small accident in my van. This has put in a dent in my funds so thought I would have to reign in my bike plans for now. Decided I would have a safety net of a Trek 1.2 C but thought I would go back to Leisure Lakes in Wolves and ask if they had a 2009 Tiagra CAAD9 in any colour, Not the dream but would save me money.

    Any how, walked out with a 2009 alu synapse feminine, for swmbo (she said I owed her a present after the stress of a failed holiday), and a stock clearance 2007 system six LTD carbon ultegra. So not exactly money saving and not plan a, b or c but at least I have a bike. I guess time will tell if I've done the right thing :?

    Poor quality phone pic here >>> http://www.flickr.com/photos/37288685@N02/3938490106/