Drtumolo

Has anyone seen the new caad 9 optimo 2 from cannondale yet? My lbs is trying to convince me to wait a week or two until they start shipping them instead of buying a caad 8. I am concerned on what size frame in either design I will need to order. I am 5'3" with a 29"actual inseam when measured to the floor. Any ideas on size or coments on the caad 9?

Grasschopper

I would wait for CAAD9 only because I want the newest thing. =) If I had no knoledge of the existance of CAAD9 then I would say go for it...but it HAS to be better right?

No clue on the sizing.

cutters

sounds like a 48cm to me. That's the smallest they make. I'm 5'7" and have a 30" inseam, I ride a 52cm CAAD 7. Sounds like you have long legs, and I'm the opposite.

CastIron

No reference to CAAD 9 on C'dale website. None.

barba

I had not heard about a CAAD 9 either. I thought the System Six was the new big thing.

jbhowat

Velonews Supposedly tested a CAAD9 in an article awhile back ("Flexing their Muscles" or something like that). Rumor is now though, that the frame they tested was actually a SystemSix. They basically tested a bunch of bikes being ridden by pro teams. This was just about the time that Barloworld and HealthNet traded in their Six/13's for System6's. My guess is it wasn't really a CAAD9, but they put that in there so people would know it was a new Cannondale frame- the one that the pro teams were riding. Other than that I have seen NO reference to the CAAD9, and I'd guess based on all the stuff that has just come out and the fact that the CAAD8 is still testing in the top-ranks of bicycle frames it won't be replaced for a year most likely. I'll start looking for them as 2008 models... maybe 2007.5 - but I doubt it.

patentcad

There are some references in reviews of the System Six to a 'CAD 9 rear triangle' which would imply that a complete CAD 9 frame may be forthcoming. Ask your LBS Cannondale dealer and see if they can get some info out of their Cdale rep.

krazyderek

Unless the bike shop has a date, catalogue, or has personaly talked to their cannondale rep, i wouldn't beleive there's a caad9 coming out anytime this season. Like the other's said there's next to no mention of it. Any reference to the caad9 was probably code for the system six to put a layer of smoke over it until it was unveiled. Additionaly, since cannondale started playing with carbon (six 13) they haven't touched the CAAD 8, it's been around since 2004? late 2003? Maybe once the system six starts showing up in number's across north america then cannondale will probably go back and roll out the all Alu CAAD9 for people that don't have the cash or desire for carbon, but want the latest cannondale.

Drtumolo

My lbs has price sheets pictures and his rep told him the caad 99 will be available within the next few weeks. He did not have any info on geometry though.

roadwarrior

Rather than a tapered seat tube, which ends up at 35mm at the bottom half (as on the CAAD8 and the Six/13), the new one is 35mm throughout. If you get a frame only here, you'll probably need a new seat post and new front derailleur.

It's basically the back end of the System Six...very nice and stiff.

As far as I know now, geometry is the same as the 8.

roadwarrior

Caad 8 is basically two years old (I forget as I see frames before they are available to the public), came out the same year as the original Six/13 as the original was the CAAD8 with the carbon inserted (it was all one size tube, rahter than the tapered al tube). Diff between the latest Six/13 and the original was only the removal of the carbon inserted seat tube...they replaced it with the newer stiffer tapered seat tube. Removing the carbon inserted tube saved weight.

Caad9 should be out soon. Tubing's there, it's just getting it out the door. It's the same back end as the System Six.

I hope that helps...

patentcad

I would STRONGLY suggest you try to get your LBS to talk to their Cannondale rep. The buzz I hear is that a CAAD 9 is a near certainty within the next 90 days or so. That's what they told me about the revamped 2006 Six13 @ this time last year - and a few weeks later my lbs had them

Grasschopper

Lets look at the signs. The CAAD 7 went away from the men's line in 06...Cannondale is dumping R1000 and higher AL framed bikes. And SystemSIX is coming out with a new big head tube. I am wondering if CAAD9 will also have this head tube but haven't heard one way or another.

I did hear from our C'Dale rep several months ago that CAAD9 was coming...this was around the same time I rode the SystemSIX.

roadwarrior

CAAD 9 is aluminum...the big head tube on the System Six is carbon. They need the Al frame to have something more affordable.

krazyderek

Well i for one am extremely happy with my caad8 for this year. Especially for the price i got it for. If i was going to give into cannondale's promotions, i'd probably keep my PT wheels, and sell my caad8 and synapse for a system six some time during the winter.... or maybe sell everything and see if i could afford one of the SRM equiped system six's. I guess i just wouldn't want to be shopping for a new bike right now. I haven't seen a system six here yet, and i doubt i'll see a caad9 for at least a couple month's. Both are brand new so they're not exactly going to be onsale the first week they hit the floor's.

Maybe see if you can score a beater for a couple hundred to get you to and thru the winter then get yourself a christmas present once everything is out and prices might be a bit better.

CastIron

Caad 8 is a much vaunted AL full boat race frame. What changes might we expect from 9? More vertical compliance?

jbhowat

^^ Possibly. Or the same vertical compliance while making the bb/chainstays even stiffer laterally. If that could happen though, the CAAD9 would likely beat out the SystemSix, as the CAAD8 is already as stiff as just about any frame you can buy. The big exceptions being the Cervelo R3 and the Scott CR1. But again, where can you get either of those frames in a complete bike for a bit over a grand MSRP. Nowhere, thats where.

Grasschopper

Well yea but the Rush 800 I just got is AL too and the head tube is the same size at that on the System Six or nearly so...to make it exact would be no problem.

youm0nt

any estimated prices for 07 cannondales?

Grasschopper

I know the DA equipped System Six I rode had a tag of $4800 MSRP...the SRAM Force equipped bike will be more I was told. Don't know any of the other prices.

Drtumolo

I was given a price by a buddy that owns a shop of 1675.00 for the caad 9 optimo 2 bike with full ultegra.
What do you think? I felt it was a good deal. Grasschopper, Where are you at in central PA. I live just outside of sunbury.

jbhowat

If thats retail, that means that the new CAAD9 prices will be less than the CAAD8 prices. Full Ultegra is R1000 level, and I'm pretty sure thats an 1800 bike now.

I still think if it was coming out any time soon Cannondale would have made an annnouncement. I remember a huge amount of hype surrounding the release of the CAAD8 (legalize my cannondale... I think Cunego wore a freakin prison-jersey at the Giro).

Drtumolo

I was told that the new caad 9 was priced just below last years caad 8 r100.

jbhowat

^^ thats sounds about right, then - yeah. I wonder why they would do that, though.

I've also heard the rumor that the CAAD9 is going to make some compromises (this might go along with lower prices) and might not be as good as the CAAD8 in stiffness to weight. Supposedly for the same frame size, a CAAD9 is heavier than an 8. Which I might believe considering when the Six/13 came out it was touted as hot-**** yet was not as light as a CAAD8.

jburnsdo

the CAAD9 is supposed to be "significantly lighter" than the 8, per my LBS, and should be available in September.
(they could save even more weight if they scaled the decals back a little, but that's a whole other 70 posts)