Originally Posted by
WhyFi
Smooth and SUV-like don't necessarily go hand-in-hand, and one shouldn't confuse smooth with slow or, the converse, harsh(er) with fast(er).
True, and I didn't mean to imply slow. I was referring more to the road feel and the sense of responsiveness. These things are really difficult to decipher on a short road test -- I think we all agree that you have to live with a bike to really understand it's character.
When I bought my CAAD, my LBS gave me the opportunity to ride both a CAAD12 and a SS Evo back to back for a full hour. The funny thing was that the CAAD had toe clips, rim brakes and 105, while the SSE had proper cleats, disk brakes and Ultegra. So advantage SSE on the setup. Yet, after multiple short back to back rides, the CAAD was more fun to ride, while the SSE felt more refined, but duller. I'm no expert -- these were just my impressions.