voz

First off, sorry for asking so many questions about bikes and flooding the forums recently... I'm just new to the sport and don't have anyone to turn to locally yet.

Now that I got that off my chest, would the Cannondale CAAD8 suit my needs for a beginner road bike? I am looking for a bike to ride to get into racing with and to train with for running when my shin splints prohibit me from running. I am 5"6 1/2 and the bike is a size small. I am also 16 so I am very flexible.


I have a budget of $1000 cad. The seller is asking $850 but is open to negotiations, and the ad has been up for almost a month, I think I can talk him down to $800. That means I have $200 more to buy clipless pedals and shoes.

The bike - https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details...dId=1445282620

Thanks,
voz

noodle soup

I'd rather see you asking questions first. You'll probably get many different recommendations, but if most people tell you not to buy a particular bike, there's probably a good reason for it.

Better to ask questions first, than to ask "did I get a good deal?".

Homebrew01

CAAD 8 is a great bike. And the 105 group is good.

But tighten that rear QR skewer before riding

Clipped_in

The CAAD8 is a nice bike. I spent a month on one a few years ago and loved the geometry and handling. I did a couple of centuries on it and would have no reservations about recommending one. Have fun!

alcjphil

Asking a bunch of questions when you are new is a very good idea. What I take issue with is that you open a new thread for each new question. Makes it difficult to follow your thought process. I have had to look at multiple threads to try and figure out where you are going. Honestly, my head is spinning trying to follow your timeline. Is this question newer than the last question you asked? Was it older? You seem to be fixated on the idea of racing in the future. Don't look at road bikes with 10 speed cassettes unless you want neutral support cars that only have 11 speed wheels to be unable to help you. Doesn't matter if the bike you look at is a dedicated race bike, many races have been won on good bikes that were designed for less competitive events. A bike designed for criterium racing would fare badly at Paris Roubaix. For a newcomer, a bike designed for Cyclosportifs,(Gran Fondos) is an excellent beginner's race bike. These are the sort of bikes pros use for races like the cobbled classics.

ARPRINCE

Just adding that based on the description of the ad, you are not getting a carbon frame but an aluminum one (CAAD = Cannondale Advanced Aluminum Design).