2bridges1bike

Hey everyone

Looking to purchase my first road bike for longer rides with more relaxed geometry. I currently ride 50-75 miles per week on a decently speced folding bike. A few questions:

First, the bike will be stored in a bike room. It is not uncommon for me to find my bike with 3-4 bikes leaning against it as someone tipped them over taking their bike out. Could this damage a carbon frame?

Second, My lbs has some NOS aluminum frame cannondales that that they are selling. They have a CAAD 10 ultegra for about $1,450 (usd) and a Synapse 105 for $1,000. The model years are either 2015 or 2016, and both are rim brakes. Is this a good deal? The lbs said They could put an upward angled stem on the CAAD 10 to make it more comfortable. The also have both models in my size

Finally, the roads nearby have a lot of bumps and potholes. Will 28 mm tires be enough? For reference, my folder has 20 inch wheels with 1.35 inch kojacks. I can tolerate this but I wouldn’t call it ideal.

Thanks!

MyTi

Synapse should be fine and 105 spec is good. Carbon frame won’t break by just tipping over with another bike on it. Carbon fiber is used on airplanes and is very durable. Good enough impact will cause it to shatter however. It’ll be fine and get a endurance frame.

28s are good just deflate as necessary for more comfort

Kimmo

Nice aluminium frames are more vulnerable to impact damage than all but the very lightest carbon frames, I reckon.

DOS

Those are good bikes and I would go with Synapse over CAAD10 with raised stem if you are looking for more relaxed position (I have a 2015 CAAD10, great bike). But if getting banged around is a concern, you might look for a good quality steel bike.

Sapperc

Dinging any bike will chip the paint. Carbon fiber bikes all have a painted finish, even the matte black ones. Any dings that expose the actual carbon fiber layup is cause for concern. You cannot tell what stress the carbon fiber has been exposed to by impacts just by surface examination.

But why would you expose any expensive bike to an environment where you know others will abuse it? Not a great plan. Look for a different solution for your commuter bike. One that will stand up to abuse and neglect, like a decent used steel frame bike. Save your good bike for the weekends.

Good luck!

big chainring 

Back in the day Sun Cycles from England advertised "Too good for the shed". Keep your good bike in the house/apartment.

guachi

They Synapse with the older 105, is that 10-speed or 11-speed?

Also, I always like 32c tires to soak up road bumps. Even then, the ride can be harsher than I'd like.

bruce19

If you decide to look at a CAAD....I just bought this CAAD12 w/105 for $1300. It comes with a mid-compact crank as stock. I like this bike a lot. With Speedplay Zeros and Mavic USTs it weighs 17 lb 11 oz.

jfranci3

Don't get a new bike if something is going to lean on it. I'd get a beater gravel/cx bike, then get a nice road bike later. You can put road tires on the CX bike and it will be a road bike. When you get a proper road bike, it will be pretty while your current bike will be dirty.
I wouldn't get a 'wrong' new bike. Get a new bike that you want, in the color you want, and don't look at the price so closely. That bike will last 2x-3x as long as the compromise bike and will receive 2x-3x the love. I'd also avoid a road bike that won't take 28mm tires. I don't think a CAAD10 can run a 28mm rear.

2bridges1bike

This is exactly what I am concerned about, that a carbon frame may get more damaged by a “ding” than an aluminum frame. There are some aluminum road bikes in the bike room and I can see where the pain was chipped away in them. I’d love to keep the bike somewhere else but I live in an apartment with my family, so it has to stay in the bike room.

Have been window shopping the Jamis Quest and the Gran Premio from bikes direct after reading this.

2bridges1bike

I believe it’s a 10 speed

2bridges1bike

Excellent point about the tire clearance. After reading your post and others here I may suck it up and get a good steel bike.

2bridges1bike

Nice ride!

2bridges1bike

Yes, I am checking out the jamis quest and the gran premio series on bd. Any other suggestions?

2bridges1bike

Thanks, hadn’t thought about adjusting the tire pressure.

bruce19

FWIW my 2nd road bike is a Guru Sidero (translation from the Italian: "of steel") that I got a great deal on from a friend. It came with SRAM Rival but over the past couple years I changed it out for SRAM Red. With Speedplay Zeros and Mavic USTs it too is around 17lbs 11 oz. It is an amazing bike but you will have to find one on
EBAY or something because Guru is gone. Maybe a Gunnar or Indy Fab or a Ritchey?

Sy Reene

I'd think of other concerns, such as ending up with bent derailleur hanger or spoke damage