Cannondale caad8 or Specialized Allez Elite

[geopat]

Both new and Tiagra specced. One is £610 (caad8 2011) and the other £800 (2012 model).

I would be able to go and see an Allez but caad8 would be an online purchase.

Is Tiagra groupset decent or is it worth paying (a lot) extra for 105? I am not in any way a serious cyclist but its really time to upgrade from the Sirrus to a nice road bike for spring.

Thanks

 

[PpPete]

£610 is excellent for a Tiagra spec - and the 'dales have a great reputation. You can upgrade to 105 piece by piece as you spot bargains/as funds permit.

 

[accountantpete]

The Cannondale - they are good bikes and will hold their value on any re-sale.

 

[smokeysmoo]

+1 for the Cannondale if you can get one.

 

[geopat]

Well the Cannondale is ordered after the crank fell off my Sirrus this morning....great timing.

Only thought is if I have ordered the correct bike. Cannondale comes with old 18 gear Tiagra not the new 2012 20 gear version which is on the Allez. Would I have noticed much difference? Old hybrid had 27 gears and I be lucky to use 8 of them.

Thanks for advice anyway.

 

[Albert]

My personal experience of Specialized is not particularly positive. When I got a new Crux Elite last year, I was not impressed by the terrible quality of the hubs and the lack of sufficient grease in all the places where grease should be. Luckily my supplying LBS sorted everything out without a fuss, except for the hubs (made of snot) which were fettled as much as possible and will see out the winter. Thus, what is basically a very good bike did not give me the trouble free experience that I have had from other manufacturers - namely Giant, Pinarello, Kona and Charge.

 

[Cyclist33]

Well the Cannondale is ordered after the crank fell off my Sirrus this morning....great timing.

Only thought is if I have ordered the correct bike. Cannondale comes with old 18 gear Tiagra not the new 2012 20 gear version which is on the Allez. Would I have noticed much difference? Old hybrid had 27 gears and I be lucky to use 8 of them.

Thanks for advice anyway.

As far as I know, which is not much, you can use a 10 speed derailleur without problems on a 9 speed cassette/shifter. Ie, it works having one too many speeds on the mech as long is it's got at least enough speeds. Coz my old flat bar roadster was an 8 speed with a 9-sped Tiagra derailleur and the bloke at the shop just tweaked the limiter screws on the mech so it couldn't shift off the cogs.

Stu

 

[smokeysmoo]

Well the Cannondale is ordered after the crank fell off my Sirrus this morning....great timing.

Only thought is if I have ordered the correct bike. Cannondale comes with old 18 gear Tiagra not the new 2012 20 gear version which is on the Allez. Would I have noticed much difference? Old hybrid had 27 gears and I be lucky to use 8 of them.

Thanks for advice anyway.

No you wouldn't IMO. Plus if you are using the bike all year round, (as you should), 9 speed components are cheaper to replace than 10 speed when the time arrives.
CAAD bikes are world renowned, and are always the most advanced alu framesets money can buy, and even though they have moved onto the CAAD 10, if the CAAD 8 is only a fraction as good as the CAAD 10 then you've ordered yourself a stormer

 

[geopat]

Well after a couple of weeks I maybe wish I had ridden both. Caad8 compared to my old Sirrus is not nearly as comfortable but I suppose a racer is never as comfortable as a hybrid. Also wished I'd got a triple instead of double for those hills.

Anyone know if a caad8's geometry is considered more upright/comfortable than some road bikes?

Thanks

 

[Cyclist33]

Speaking from experience the bikes that have satisfied me most are those i got to try out first. It maks a biiiig difference!

You got two choices.... Get used to the stiffness and efficiency of the caad and learn to love the discomfiture, or flog it and get something else.

It happened with me and my Felt Z just recently, altho that was exceptionally comfy as road bikes go.

Stu

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I never think of Edinburgh hills as being very hilly. What cassette are you running. Presume it is a compact and not really a double at the front?

 

[Arjimlad]

I thought the Synapse was more upright than the Caad8 from what I have read.
What chainrings do you have at the front ?
My 9 spd Sora mech bike has a 50/34 at the front, a 12-25 at the rear, and can cope with hills fine..

 

[Mike!]

I'm getting close to having the funds to buy my first roadie and akthough i'm tempted to buy online due to the deasl i will be going to my LBS, my experiances when choosing my hybrid taught me just how different bikes feel!

Hope you can get comfortable / sorted one way or the other

 

[geopat]

I never think of Edinburgh hills as being very hilly. What cassette are you running. Presume it is a compact and not really a double at the front?

Yeah its a compact but at 16st Garleton hill kills me.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Well after a couple of weeks I maybe wish I had ridden both. Caad8 compared to my old Sirrus is not nearly as comfortable but I suppose a racer is never as comfortable as a hybrid. Also wished I'd got a triple instead of double for those hills.
Anyone know if a caad8's geometry is considered more upright/comfortable than some road bikes?
Thanks

You're right in what you say about comfort compared to your old hybrid, however it shouldn't be uncomfortable per say. It's always worth checking saddle height/position, (a small adjustment can make a big difference), stem height/length, bar position etc, etc.
FWIW I can ride my CAAD farther than I could any of the carbon road bikes I've had, granted it's the later 10 version, but ColinJ of this parish has had a CAAD5 (I think it's a 5, could be a 4) for many years and I can't imagine he'll ever part with it from his postings on here.
I'd take some time to tweak your position and do some shorter shake down rides perhaps rather than full on weekend rides, just to make sure you're happy with your tweaking first.
Lastly, the CAAD geometry is more race oriented than upright, don't forget the last alu frame to win the TDF was a CAAD