fujiteamrc

Hello Everyone, I have a Fuji Team RC and have never really felt comfort with it. I have ridden about 3000 miles on the bike and haven't been able to get use to the twitchy steering. I have only been road cycling for about 2yrs and this was my first bike(got a good deal) without doing research. The bike is a racing bike. I'm a pretty good rider and usually do well in the local "fast" group weekly rides, but have never been able to feel comfortable because I don't really trust my bike's steering. I�m not all over the road but just don�t feel relaxed with the group. I know some of the problem is that I�m not the best bike handler. I have been doing some research on the Cannondale Synapse and it seems to be more like what I need. The Synapse has a more upright riding position and a longer wheelbase for greater stability. I was wondering if any of you have experience with the Synapse and could the Synapse make a decent race bike? I test rode the Synapse today and thought it had great stability, but didn�t like the upright position, but there was several spacers which could be removed to make it more aggressive. I don�t really race, but I do ride with a very competitive group of which most race locally and would like to have a bike that is race worthy if I decide too. So, Do you think with the proper components the Synapse could be a decent race bike?
Thanks

knucklesandwich

Take $100 to your local fitter before you go and buy another bike.

fujiteamrc

Hello, My Fuji is a 56cm and the Synapse that i'm looking at is a 58cm. The LBS thought that i am more in need of a 58 because of my height I am 6'1" and I have tried to get the Fuji 56cm to fit by changing stem,seat position, and seat height and have followed the basic rules for bike fit. The LBS thought that the size of my Fuji may have been alot of my trouble. As soon as LBS saw me they thought I needed a 58cm but can you tell by looking at someone the size frame they need?
Thanks

mehran9o

I was looking for an entry level road bike couple of days ago. The local dealer offered me a Specialized allez and Cannondale synapse 6. I was fit on both bikes and I felt more comfortable on the synapse. It was more stable than Specialized allez but less aggressive position as you said. It also has a wide space between the fork and the tire, so you can change the tire to a wider one if you ever need to. I don't know if it is a good racing bike but I think it is a comfortable bike.
I actually ended up buying another bike but that's just because the other bike was a bit cheaper with better components.
I'd say synapse series are decent bikes. I also liked their appearances.

echappist

no, but general rule of thumb is that top-tube length is what you use for first approximation, and it's largely a function of the length of your upper body. seat tube doesn't matter as much as long as it's not an integrated seat mast.

DevDel

They do steer nicely, but the aluminum version is heavy...I think it would last forever. It's made to ride comfy, you can bounce up and down and watch the fork flex and I'm sure the rear does the same. I only dabble in MTB racing, but if I went road racing, I wouldn't roll out a Synapse.

The aluminum version also comes with long reach brakes and will leave you unable to run most if not all top of the line brakes from popular groups.

fujiteamrc

Hi, My LBS as an 2009 Aluminum Synapse for $799; the Synapse 6 2010 carbon cost $1599 I was thinking about the aluminum frame what do you guys think? Or do you the carbon is worth the extra money?
Thanks

DevDel

The carbon cures the almost 2lb weight handicap of the alum version, but it's still not a racebike. I'd love to have a Hi mod version...perfect century bike.

,

fujiteamrc

What do you think about the CAAD 8 it suppose to straddle Elite and Performance geometry. Would it be a better choice than the Synapse? Im looking for something not as twitchy as a full blown racer but still not a plush bike.
Thanks

roadiejorge 

Getting used to the twitchy feel is the cheapest option considering most true racing bikes have shorter wheelbases than more comfort oriented bikes. I find myself on my race oriented bike more than I do on the more "stable" one because I like the quicker steering response but to each his own. You can set up the Synapse in a more aggressive position and can race on it, just depends on how much saddle to bar drop you're looking to get out of it.

fujiteamrc

Hi, How much of a weight difference do you think the Carbon Synapse would have on the Aluminum Synapse?
My plan is to take all my Dura-Ace components off the Fuji and build the Synapse. Does anyone have an idea what a nicely done component wise synapse would weight? Weight for Carbon & Aluminum? Or just give me a good guess.
Thanks

ALPhillips

My Synapse + DA is around 16 lbs.

dark13star

My Carbon Synapse with Ultegra and a lightweight wheelset is 16.5 lbs. Don't forget that team Liquigas raced the Synapse in Paris Roubaix a few years back, so it can be raced. It just has a bit longer wheelbase than most race bikes. There is plenty of room to drop the bars, and you can even take off that big cone spacer and replace it with a smaller one.

I love my Synapse, but I did not like the aluminum one that I tested. The carbon is really smooth. The aluminum felt harsh on rough surfaces.

SVThis

You might also want to look at a 2010 Scott CR1. More comfort oriented than last years model and would fit into the Synapse catagory but at the same time be a little more performance oriented IMO. Worth a look. Test ride both and see what you like.

DevDel

For comparison to the carbon numbers above, my alum syn was mid 19's w/ ultegra and 1400 gram wheels, light stem, seat and bars. I swapped the ultegra and wheels over to a caad 9 frame and lost two pounds over the syn build.

Even cannondale dealers don't seem overly fond of the new caad 8, one told me the frame was a lunker. There's too many left over bikes, with the poor economy and all, not to just buy a better model.

Bob Ross

Tell that to this guy https://www.teamsetanta.org/pages/team/davec.html who recently upgraded to CAT3 after racing on a Synapse for the past 2 seasons.

BarracksSi

Add the Look 566 and Specialized Roubaix to that list (I'll bet there are a bunch of others, too).

I haven't ridden a carbon Synapse yet, and it's been a couple years since I tried an aluminum one (and almost as long since I've tried a Roubaix). I got to try a 566 just yesterday, but still no rides on a CR1. I'd say that any of them are nicer for all-day riding than my CAAD8, though. If it weren't for other nice carbon bikes like the Tarmac, I'd definitely be picking one of these to be my next nice road bike.

firebolt428

This is my 2nd race season on my Cannondale Synapse 3. Its a good bike. Mine is a bit heavy at around19lbs but overall its been a great all around bike..

fujiteamrc

I rode the Alum Synapse and it was a 58cm; I felt ok on the bike but have been use to a 56cm. When I straddle the 58cm i was touching the top tube where as on my 56cm I have about an inch. The LBS thought the 58 fit perfectly but I thought it was too big; they didn't have a 56cm to try. I did one of the online bike fit sites and entered all my body measurements and it came up with a 56.4 cm. So, now i'm even more confused. There is a good deal on the 09 Carbon Syn 6 for $1250 and thought this might be my best choice, if it is my frame size. Do you think the 56 would be fine? I have about 1 inch on my 56cm frame. Also, I think now I would rather have the carbon due to weight and smooth ride.

Miller2

I have a Synapse Hi Mod carbon. it is VERY comfortable. My other bike is a Ridley Excalibur. Other than the comfort difference between the two I have noticed that the Synapse does not corner nearly as well as the Ridley and it may not even climb as well, although I'm on the fence about that. It is so smooth and really soaks up vibrations from road imperfections.

With SRAM Force mine weighs in the low 16lb range.

BarracksSi

You don't ride with your feet on the ground.

Standover height was a (mostly) reliable size indicator back when all bikes had horizontal top tubes. The Synapse's top tube doesn't slope much, but it's still not horizontal.

FWIW, I'm also 6'1". I tried to make a 56 cm CAAD8 fit me, but a fitting at my LBS would have given me a LOT of saddle setback and a huge 140mm stem. They swapped it for a larger frame, and it's been a lot better. BUT, as usual, your body proportions may be different enough from mine that we can't compare frame sizes.

stewpot

I have an '08 carbon 3 synapse and have altered it by taking a lot of the spacers out and dropping the stem. My bike came with ultegra compact so I swapped from the 50-36 chain rings and put 53-39 on with 175mm cranks. I love it!

BarracksSi

Potentially relevant thread that I started yesterday, asking about differences between "relaxed" and "race" geometries (I mentioned Specialized Tarmac vs. Roubaix; that would be like Cannondale Six vs. Synapse) --

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ers&p=10557714

EKCooper

I have a Synpase 7 upgraded to ultegra and it's still pretty heavy compared to all of these 16 pound bikes people keep posting. I'm thinking about getting something more aggresive for triathlons (cervelo S1 maybe), but would still not use anything other than the Synapse for long rides. It's very comfortable (I chose it over the CAAD9) and I feel great on it now that it's upgraded and has a good saddle.

bowman57

I have a 2007 Synapse and i have to say it is great bike you can't take anything away from it, but my new 2008 left over SIX13 is my favorite bike now. I only 500 miles on the SIX13 and have over 8000 miles on the Synapse all can say is the Six13 is in a league of its own, a ride like carbon with the performance of a CAD9. All i can say about this Cannondale had some thing going on with the SIX13 bike frame and then drop it to go overseas and make more money on cheap labor.