Cannondale Synapse 105 2013

[Andy_G]

Im pretty impessed with dale frames, i took at 30mph hit up my backside on my MTB from a car and only the rear wheel was screwed.

 

[Joe_s101]

Im pretty impessed with dale frames, i took at 30mph hit up my backside on my MTB from a car and only the rear wheel was screwed.

I have a Cannondale Prophet II that I bought back in 2007-2008 changed the wheels on cause I had too to Hope Pro,
The gears and brakes to Shimano XT again because I needed to and I've been all over the lakes, Wales, and Scotland on that fantastic single pivot / swing arm design.

 

[outlash]

My feedback is.......... if there is ever a chance you will wish you had a more racey bike, forget the Synapse or any similar shopping bike, sorry sportive bike.

You can easily approximate the more upright fit on a race geometry bike with readily available and cheap components, with the ability to quickly and easily get back to race fit, you will not be able to approximate a race fit on a Synapse as easily or cheaply, you will end up with daft angled stems trying to lower the handlebar below the top of the head tube. The Synapse will be less responsive due to the geometry too, so it will never ever be a crit machine! The comfort gain will be marginal.

So how would you go about making a race bike more like a sportive one? What you're saying makes sense but what components would you need?


Tony.

 

[Banjo]

So how would you go about making a race bike more like a sportive one? What you're saying makes sense but what components would you need?


Tony.

An upward angled stem and larger cog on rear cassette is the usual mod for more long distance comfort.These wont cost the earth and the original;s could be put back on in 15 minutes.

 

[Rob3rt]

An upward angled stem and larger cog on rear cassette is the usual mod for more long distance comfort.These wont cost the earth and the original;s could be put back on in 15 minutes.

This ^^

Essentially, a sportive bike has a taller head tube, meaning the bars are higher, in relation to the saddle (there are some frame geometry differences beyond this such as wheelbase etc but forget that for a second). To get the bars higher vs the seat on a race bike, flip the stem (take it off, turn it upside down and put it back on - they are designed to allow this, hence the graphics are usually right either way up, and the face plate is reversible). If it is not high enough, buy one with a more dramatic angle (won't take much) and flip it. Won't dost much and the stems with the required lengths and angles are readily available. A cassette with a larger cog is also fairly cheap and readily available if you need easier gearing, not necessarily the case.

To lower the front end on a sportive bike to the degree it puts you in a full on race position you would be looking for a stem with a silly angle, probably something not as readily available, expensive or heavy and made mainly for track use.

As for the geometry differences I alluded to above, these mainly affect handling with a minor effect on "comfort". 1st, thinking about handling, a road race bike will be more twitchy and more responsive when thrown about, i.e. when you really dive into a bend or try to get round someone with a rapid movement, a sportive bike in theory would be less responsive and more happy to make less sudden movements and to go in a straight line. "Comfort" wise, the wheelbase and geometry of the road race bike vs the sportive bike results in minimal difference comfort wise (i.e. you gain next to nothing going for a sportive frame), but substantial handling wise (you lose a lot of the potentially handy handling characteristics of a race bike when going with a sportive frame).


Basically, if all you will ever do is pootle around on sportives, then a sportive bike may be the better choice, I am not trying to put you off that choice. BUT if you see yourself racing some point down the line, you may be better with a race bike, because, odd as it may sound, they are more versatile.

 

[billy1561]

I kind of agree with Rob here.
I have only owned 2 road bikes and both in the last 2/3 years.
My Cannondale synapse 105 was a great bike to ride. Very comfortable and very quick (for me)
My Cube gtc sl is also a great bike and comfortable and even quicker.
Now there is not a great deal of difference in the bike comforts of either other than the feeling of being stetched out on the cube due to its slightly more aggressive lines.
Both felt as quick as each other on the flat, but on the hills (due to my weight as much as the bike i suspect) then the cube is in a different class.
What i'm trying to say is unless you're in the elite class of riders where speed is everything then there is not a lot to be gained from a racier bike that the dale wont already give you.

 

[outlash]

Thanks , so essentially it's easier to tune 'down' a race bike over tuning 'up' a sportive bike, right?


Tony.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Thanks , so essentially it's easier to tune 'down' a race bike over tuning 'up' a sportive bike, right?

Yup

 

[outlash]

, that's got me thinking a CAAD8 over a Synapse now..


Tony.