ppg677

My stolen 2008 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 5 was recovered (it was found the night it was stolen, but sat in the police warehouse for 13 months because they didn't bother to make a phone call until last week).

So now I have a 2008 and also the 2011 version I replaced it with (also a Synapse Carbon 5), and need to keep one of them.

For some reason, the 2008 Shimano 5600 105 groupset seems to shift way smoother than the 2011 Shimano 5700 groupset. The new stuff looks prettier because of hidden cables, but is the old stuff better by chance? It is silky butter compared to the clunky new stuff.

2011 frame is lighter-- somewhere between 0.5 and 1 pound. Probably because of the BB30 bottom bracket (w/ FSA Gossamer Pro) rather than the 2008 BB with out-board bearings.

My 2008 looks better to me (due to the colors). But it was involved in a nice car collision in 2009-- bike shop gave the frame a clean bill of health and has the slightest tiny mark from that collision but nothing else.

Am I crazy to keep the 2008 and unload the 2011?

fstshrk

Which one would you prefer to ride? Keep that one, and then ditch the other one

dnuzzomueller

Nope.

plus you'll get more for the 2011 then the 2008 if you try to sell one of them.

Oregonboy109

I would swap the groupsets and get the best of both.

Savagewolf

Dnuzzomueller has a point. People would much rather have the newer model. Visual is a big thing for a lot of people. I'm eyeing a new bike myself, and I've pretty much come to terms that I'll have to strip and repaint it to make it how I want.

Drag

FWIW, thats a recurring complaint with DuraAce as well when it went to hidden cables from 7800 to 7900. I dont mind the exposed cables myself, and would opt for the better shifting setup.

SlimRider

Any carbon framed bike that's been in a collision, absorbed some stress forces from the impact, that may have compromised the integrity of the underlying carbon fiber matrix. Depending upon how severe the impact was, determines the amount of stress to which the frame was subjected. All carbon frames have the ability to conceal damage due to impact.

I personally would no longer be interested in a carbon fiber framed bike that had been involved in an accident. I'd keep the new Synapse and sell the older version. I would then seriously upgrade my new Synapse for a much smoother ride.

ppg677

I was a bit spooked riding the bike in the weeks after the collision (after the bike shop said it was fine). I ended up riding the bike from 2009 on through 2011 (when it was stolen).

I get the impression that this is a very very strong frame (and my body took the impact). It is the high-modulus stuff, engineered for ultra-lightweight, that is brittle. These lower-end, low-modulus carbon frames are just as heavy as an aluminum or steel frame. They are wicked strong.

Of course I could be wrong. I could sell my 2011 bike. Start riding the 2008 bike and suffer a catastrophic frame failure while descending at 40 miles-per-hour.

SlimRider

I'll gladly gamble with my money! I'd never intentionally gamble with my life!

PS.

As seller, you can easily prove that your bike was stolen and recovered the following day. You can also prove that the bike has just been sitting in the police warehouse for over a year. Therefore, it was not ridden. In terms of ware and tear, the bike is essentially just three years old.

I believe that this fact will impress a buyer...

Besides, why would you sell the better frame from which you will obtain the optimum benefit?

ppg677

I hear ya. I'd rather ride this frame with Aluminum steerer and handlebars, than a new frame with CF steerer tube and bars.

bustedcarbon.com

And I won't go near CF spokes!

SlimRider

Alternatively, you could just sell both bikes and get this:

The Jamis Quest ~ $1800
www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/road/quest/12_quest.html

That's 631 chromoly!

PS.

Now you can ride in peace and never have to worry about concealed frame damage or limited stress cycles. Plus, the Quest is very light and easy to accelerate.

ivan_yulaev

So bike forums.

Q: I have two bikes, A and B, but can only keep one. Should I keep bike A or B?
A: Sell both, buy C.

ZippyThePinhead

How did they know who to call?

Mondo734

@Zipppy He must have had his bike registered with the local police department. When you do this they have all your and the bikes info on file.

As for the OP's question I would ride the 2008 for a while (and be a little rougher than normal) and if it holds up ok then keep that one an sell the 2011. Unless there is no doubt in your mind that the 2008 is solid and have no questions about its integrity.

P.S. Did your insurance replace the stolen bike?

Bike Gremlin

Keep them both. Your bikes will get stolen again. If you have room, keep them both.

1FJEF

If you can afford it keep both. If not keep the newer. It's lighter & maybe safer.

RobertL

That is a handsome bike!

SlimRider

That's the beauty of Bike Forums!

... Sometimes, after opinions have been fully expressed, the alternatives seem to expand. In doing so, more degrees of freedom are realized.

John_V 

Another vote for keeping the two bikes. However, if you are like me, you'll find yourself riding one more than the other to where one bike sits and collects dust.

ppg677

Yes. Insurance company technically owns the '08 bike. I did, in fact, call my insurance agent several days ago. It was incredibly awkward. He said something along the lines of "in 34 years, nobody has ever called me about something like this". He said he wasn't really sure what to do and that I should just call him back in a few weeks. My interpretation in reading between the lines: don't call back. I feel like I did my morally obliged thing by telling the insurance agent, who clearly didn't want to deal with the situation. Thus regardless, I won't be doing anything with the '08 bike for several weeks in case he calls me saying "yeah, put the bike in a box and ship it to us".

bhchdh 

I would keep both.

rangerdavid

**we gave a winner!!!***

robotkiller

This is correct

ppg677

Ha. My co-worker's steel LeMond frame just failed 5 weeks ago on a ride. The dropout busted off the rear chain-stay. Luckily she didn't get hurt.

I like steel. I also ride a Surly Long Haul Trucker. But all materials can fail. Steel does not have magical failure resiliency.

If I go with steel for my next road bike, it will be a Waterford or a Gunnar!

abstractform20

i can only imagine slims sheer excitement and giddiness during discussion with other people that were somewhat wary of carbon and liked steel...only to be shattered with this comment above.