Cannondale or Scott road bike, advice/opinions appreciated.

[bully74uk]

Im looking to move on from my flat bar road bike to a drop bar with a budget of £1000 as I will use my employers cycle to work scheme again.

I would like 105 or equiv and am quite keen on the following two bikes:

2013 Cannondale CAAD8 105 (£1049 pay the extra as deposit)
http://www.cannondale.com/gbr/2013/bikes/road/elite-road/caad8/caad8-5-105-compact-crankset-28420

2013 Scott Speedster 20 (£999)
http://www.scott-sports.com/global/en/products/227786023/bike-speedster-20-cd20-l56/

Both seem similar spec wise, I don't know much about the FSA crankset thats on the Cannondale.

Does anyone have any opinions on Cannondale or Scott frames, is there anything spec wise on one of these bikes that puts it clearly above the other ?

Is there anything on the Cannondale that makes it worth the extra £50 over the Scott ?

I do prefer the look of the Cannondale but spec, quality etc are much more important to me than looks !
I will get my local bike shop to get both in so that I can try them but would still appreciate any views people may have.

Thanks

 

[smokeysmoo]

Is there anything on the Cannondale that makes it worth the extra £50 over the Scott ?

In a nutshell yes, the frame.

The CAAD frames are the best alu frames in the world. As a CAAD10 owner I have to admit to being biased, but that aside it is true.

Granted we have had the CAAD 9 & now 10 since, but the fact they still produce the CAAD8 speaks volumes IMO.

Always buy the best frame you can, everything else is easily upgraded if required, so in this case the CAAD wins.

 

[Rob3rt]

The Cannondale, without question, if it fits well and geometry suits.

 

[Ruary]

I've got the 2012 CAAD 8 and the build quality is excellent, never ridden a Scott bike mind but I'd recommend a Cannondale to anyone!

 

[billy1561]

Cannondale every time for me

 

[d87francis]

I've just got my CAAD10 (I realise the saddle is pointing skyward in this pic I was desperate to have a first ride)!

I would recommend seeing if there are any 2012 CAAD10s heavily reduced given the 2013 has only recently come out, and pay a little more on the deposit.

 

[bully74uk]

Thanks for the replies.
Unanimous so far.
I'd love to go for a CAAD10 but as far as im aware when using Cycle 2 Work you have to pay rrp even if bike is reduced so I don't think I can benefit from last years models.
To be honest, im considering the CAAD8 Tiagra as well as it comes in at £899 which is more of a sensible price considering this will be my first drop bar road bike. Frame and forks are the same, and it gets a good write up in this review:
http://road.cc/content/review/50515-cannondale-caad8-tiagra
The 105 groupset would be nice but is it worth £150 more to me, im really not sure !?!

 

[Sittingduck]

I've just got my CAAD10 (I realise the saddle is pointing skyward in this pic I was desperate to have a first ride)!

I would recommend seeing if there are any 2012 CAAD10s heavily reduced given the 2013 has only recently come out, and pay a little more on the deposit.

Nice!!
But get it out of the corn field... treat it with some respect

 

[smokeysmoo]

I've just got my CAAD10

Ooooo, CAAD10 top trumps, love this game I don't know the first thing about C2W, but to offset d87's team coloured CAAD here's my stealthy baby for some contrast

I don't have an upto date pic TBH and there have been some changes since this pic, but you get the idea

 

[billy1561]

That chain looks way too clean smokey

 

[Jdratcliffe]

Ooooo, CAAD10 top trumps, love this game I don't know the first thing about C2W, but to offset d87's team coloured CAAD here's my stealthy baby for some contrast

I don't have an upto date pic TBH and there have been some changes since this pic, but you get the idea

Loving the cleanness ! oo is the one red spoke per wheel by design or accident? Love it either way!!

and incase mine feels left out pictures a bit old ( its from when she was shiny and new 4months ago if you look not so hard you'l see the shop tag)

 

[smokeysmoo]

Loving the cleanness ! oo is the one red spoke per wheel by design or accident? Love it either way!!

Cheers Jd. The red spoke is standard on the Ksyrium SL wheels. TBH the bikes had a few changes since this pic but I don't have an upto date one

Wheels are now functional OP rims with Hope Pro3 hubs, cranks are now Ultegra grey after I converted the stupid BB30 to Hollowtech II, saddle is now a Spesh Romin Expert, pedals are now DA SPD-SL, computer is now a Garmin Edge 200 on a Fliploc Design mount and rubber is now Gatorskin Hardshells, I did saw a few changes didn't I?

She doesn't look quite as sexy now TBH but she is far more functional and more robust for my fat @rse

 

[400bhp]

Thanks for the replies.
Unanimous so far.
I'd love to go for a CAAD10 but as far as im aware when using Cycle 2 Work you have to pay rrp even if bike is reduced so I don't think I can benefit from last years models.
To be honest, im considering the CAAD8 Tiagra as well as it comes in at £899 which is more of a sensible price considering this will be my first drop bar road bike. Frame and forks are the same, and it gets a good write up in this review:
http://road.cc/content/review/50515-cannondale-caad8-tiagra
The 105 groupset would be nice but is it worth £150 more to me, im really not sure !?!

Given this is your first drop bar bike then I would say no. They will be almost identical for you and the difference will be more of a placebo effect. If you get serious about it you can always change parts later.

However, if you are a higher tax payer and if your cycle 2 work scheme means you pay back £0 after 5 years of your employer/3rd party owning it, then the extra £150 has only cost you £87 (150 x 0.58)

 

[400bhp]

Oh, and another massive thumbs up for the Cannondale. I have a CAAD9, covered perhaps 10,000 miles on it and love it. I got mine on the c2w scheme (tiagra specced) and hope to keeep the frame for some years to come.

We're probably doing a dis-service to the Scott

Only other thing to consider. IMO £899 Tiagra for a CAAD8 is quite a bit to pay for a 4(?) year old frame. I do wonder why they continued with the CAAD8 but not the CAAD9?

 

[400bhp]

Also...the weld seams are non-existent on my CAAD9. I would imagine the 8 is similar. It looks like a monocoque frame it's that's good.