tdcadillac

Hello guys,

I found a Ridley 105 carbon around $2.3K and the Davinci 105 carbon around the same price and I am debating buying one of them instead of cannondale synapse tiagra aluminium
I read that cannondale synapse are great bike and want to know if sacrificing 105 for the tiagra is worth-ed.
I am new to biking and will be using the bike mainly for training and one race a year in the future. Don't want to end up having a bike for one year and be forced to sell it as it will not fulfill my need in the future
appreciate your feedback to know if I am doing the right choice to have 105 in carbon bike or go aluminium with tiagra.
Thanks a bunch to all

shelbyfv

You can get the Synapse with 105 for only a couple of hundred $ more than the Tiagra. $1500ish? Current Tiagra is a dead end group, not compatible with anything else, no path to upgrade. If you want carbon, the Cervelo R2 and Giant Defy are 105 at about $2400. Both nice enough frames to upgrade if you feel the need in the future. I'm not a particular fan of carbon but the slate blue R2 is gorgeous!
Edit- sorry about the cropped pic, can't figure out how to remove it

tdcadillac

thank you so much for your feedback. I read that the R2 is more performance than endurance. Is the R2 upright enough to use for endurance?

tdcadillac

unfortunately with the pandemic the synapse 105 in my area is sold out and only left out with few options

Mulberry20

If you want a carbon bike for the long run stick with one with a threaded bottom bracket and not pressfit.

If you are ok with rim brakes you can get a Pinarello GAN with 105 for around 2300 or disk at 2500.

Specialized also makes carbon bikes with threaded bottom brackets.

Also consider a lightweight steel bike.

As far as carbon bikes go, in that price range, the Pinarello is the best value.

bruce19

I tried to buy a CAAD 13 and there are none. Like Zero anywhere.

bruce19

Just out of curiosity.....you can buy a lightweight steel bike with 105 for that price?

tdcadillac

thanks for this information first time to hear of it. I will keep that in mid

Mulberry20

The Jamis Quest Elite is around 1500 with 105. Really nice bike.

You can get a Ritchie Road Logic with Ultegra for around 2500 and that is no bike to sneeze at especially if you want to balance speed and comfort.

tdcadillac

I am in canada and tried googling Jamis and Ritchie but could not find them

Mulberry20

Ritchey is an iconic name in bikes. He sells that bike direct.

https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/wcs-road-logic-bike

I spelled it wrong before.

Jamis is a big company it is easy to find them.

shelbyfv

I think the R series is marketed as more endurance oriented than the S. You'd have to compare the geometry tables. I understand that right now you may have to take what you can get.

msu2001la

If the goal is a future proof bike, I would definitely target disc brakes and 105 (11 speed). I don't know why anyone would buy a new rim brake road bike at this point.

I don't think the frame material matters as much. Aluminum frames are bomb-proof, but can feel overly stiff and harsh. Carbon frames in this price range are usually not any lighter than aluminum, but they will ride smoother. The downside to carbon is that it's easily damaged, but if you take care of it a carbon frame can last a long time.

Mulberry20

If my budget was around $2500 I wouldn’t think twice about the Pinarello GAN Disk with a threaded BB and105. That frame is basically the Dogma 8 frame.

If in the future you want to move up, you can always get great money for a Pinarello.

This is a no-brainer for carbon at that budget.

The best part everyone will think you are riding a 15k Dogma 12. 🤣🤣🤣

littleArnold

If ever I got a road bike I would be tempted to buy an alluminum or steel over a carbon just because I heard so many horror stories of carbon breaking a lot more easier and not being as durable.

shelbyfv

OP, to narrow it down, maybe you could list the bikes available to you locally in your size. We could then chime in with relevant opinions.

Tacoenthusiast

Compare an allez elite for$1300 vs other aluminum disk brakes bikes for $1900 (105 level components)

Is it worth almost 50% more money for hydraulic brakes?

Future proof? What are you concerned about not being able to buy brake blocks in 15 years hahahaha

Everyone does seem to love hydraulic brakes, but they certainly add weight and cost.

Jimmy Wisdom

Any added weight from hydraulic brakes is well worth it for the added braking performance, particularly if you live in an area with any kind of hills. They're also far superior in wet weather conditions.

Mulberry20

They are in wet conditions but it is an exaggeration to say that performance is better in all cases. Braking performance is ultimately determined by the contact patch of the tires and the tire compound itself, as well as the condition of the road surface. The stopping power of rim brakes far exceeds any tire ever made.

Tacoenthusiast

I certainly would not argue the point of wet braking or just general braking superiority of disks,

But if you were shopping for a 105 equipped bike would you pay $1900 for disks over $1300 for rim brakes?

Paying a $500-600 premium for a minor improvement in wet braking? I don't even ride in the rain

tankist

No consideration for Ti bikes? Ti is lighter than steel and more durable than Al.

Leinster

Its usually more expensive than either, too. Entry-level for Ti is usually Ultegra at least, and this whole thread is about Tiagra/105-Grade bikes.

Pop N Wood

Not sure what you mean by "investment", but used carbon bikes can be hard to sell. Hard to tell when they have issues and when they fail they often fail catastrophically.

Possibly an overstatement but the perception is there.

Since you are new to biking I would lean toward an aluminum or steel frame bike for a first time bike. More forgiving ride for a fumble fingered mechanic.

MattTheHat 

I wonder how many forum members have had a crabon frame asplode catastrophically. I’m genuinely interested, so I’m going to start a thread. I’m guessing the number will be extremely low.

TiHabanero

I have owned two carbon bikes and found the performance advantage was not apparent. Ride quality was only different in vibration damping at high frequencies, but bar fat took care of that on my steel frame bike. A friend of mine was forced off the road last week while riding and the Tarmac he was on is toast, cracked. Sure is light and tight, but durability under certain circumstances is not its forte'.
My daughter rides a Tiagra Synapse and it performs wonderfully. This is her first road bike and it is more than she needs, but will carry her into the future nicely, and it was reasonable in cost. A very good first bike.