Not long now.........

[smokeysmoo]

Honey I'm home...............................................

First impression? Gucking Forgeous! I am officially over the mooon, the finish is beyond anything I'd anticipated, and the wheels, blown away I am.

I've literally got home, wiped her down, (it was raining as I got her out of the car), and taken these pics - the weather is really not conducive for me to de-flower her properly today, (more's the pity), but hopefullly I'll get a weather window tomorrow to get a few miles in.

For the weight conscious on here, she's weighing in at 16.8 lbs with the Ksyrium SL's, which for a 60cm alu frame I think is exceptional.

 

[cyberknight]

Honey I'm home...............................................

Feck me your a giant !! 54 cm is the maximum size i can ride


You ought to be arrested for posting such porn !!, very very nice

 

[zexel]

VERY very nice, thanks for the excellent pics. Looks very 'stealthy'.

"For the weight conscious on here, she's weighing in at 16.8 lbs with the Ksyrium SL's, which for a 60cm alu frame I think is exceptional."

You're right that is a very good figure considering size of frame. For reference my 58cm Aluminium Trek 2.3 with full 105, comes in at 19.8lbs

I bet you're well chuffed.

How did you take that hub picture? Did you put the camera inside the wheel between the spokes?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Feck me your a giant !! 54 cm is the maximum size i can ride


You ought to be arrested for posting such porn !!, very very nice

I'm 6' 5" CK, so I guess I'm a giant to lots of people, put it this way, I very seldom get to look anyone in the eye without bending down and Mrs S is only abut 5' 1" - talk about Polly Pocket!

As for the porn, I make no apologies, but I'm expecting a knock at the door off the porn police at any minute

 

[smokeysmoo]

VERY very nice, thanks for the excellent pics. Looks very 'stealthy'.

"For the weight conscious on here, she's weighing in at 16.8 lbs with the Ksyrium SL's, which for a 60cm alu frame I think is exceptional."

You're right that is a very good figure considering size of frame. For reference my 58cm Aluminium Trek 2.3 with full 105, comes in at 19.8lbs

I bet you're well chuffed.

How did you take that hub picture? Did you put the camera inside the wheel between the spokes?

Absolutely chuffed to bits.


Sopt on with the hub pic Z, camera through spokes with macro selected and take a deep breath! Forgot to add pic of front hub;

All factory stickers now removed, (only warning/sizing stickers etc - not decals), so bike now in full stealth mode

Thanks for the comments guys. For anyone considering a CAAD10 - if you can find one, buy it. Supply seems to be erratic, (a Cannondale standard I'm led to believe), so jump at it if you get the chance.

I bought this blind, at least in the sense I hadn't seen it in the flesh, I couldn't, no-one had the Dura-Ace in stock. I did view the CAAD10 105 at Wheelbase, so I knew how the frameset looked in black and white, then I put my imagination in 5th gear and went for it - absolutely not dissapointed, and I don't think anyone would be.

Ride review to follow..............................................................

 

[cyberknight]

I'm 6' 5" CK, so I guess I'm a giant to lots of people, put it this way, I very seldom get to look anyone in the eye without bending down and Mrs S is only abut 5' 1" - talk about olly Pocket!

I am 5 foot 7 " and my Mrs is 4 `8" .. i kinda know where tour coming from .......

 

[david k]

im 6ft 2, bit paraniod about frames being too small 4 me. im thinking about a boardman road bike comp, xl frame

 

[theloafer]

hi smokey
thats a great looking bike mate enjoy still waiting for mine been six weeks now is not a happy bunny

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/bi...ynapse-carbon-sram-apex-road-bike-2011-p88441

 

[david k]

looks nice, why so long?

 

[smokeysmoo]

im 6ft 2, bit paraniod about frames being too small 4 me. im thinking about a boardman road bike comp, xl frame

I know exactly what you mean David. A big part of the problem IMHO is that shops don't stock normal sized frames, just the freaky sized ones for guys with no legs

Evans will order a bike in for a small refundable deposit, but I don't like to do that if I have no intention of buying the bike off them, don't get me wrong, I like Evans, my Langster Steel's from them, but there finance options meant my CAAD10 purchase was never going to make their till go ring a ding a ling.

I agonised with this bike between the 60 & 63cm, but I think it's pyschological with me to an extent. What I mean is, because I know they do this bike in a 63, I felt I should have it as I'm so tall, but the truth is I don't honestly need it.

I bought a Ribble 7005 winter bike a while ago, got measured up on their in store jig, guy said I needed a 62, I went away and ordered a 64 online, (because I knew better!). The bike was totally acceptable, but it was freaking huge! The 62 was definately the correct size for me.

I have a 60cm Focus Cayo Pro, that's fine, a 60cm Focus Mares, that's fine, and a 61cm Langster Steel that's fine but does feel much bigger with the traditional geometry and skinny tubing, rides sublimely though. I've always avoided the trend for sloping top tubes as I feel it makes the frame look much smaller than it actually is, and then that starts to mess with my head as well.

I guess a full fitting session would be beneficial, but I've used all the online calculators and keep coming up with the same answer, (well very similar anyway).

I guess your Carrera fits you well and your comfortable on it, if so, learn it's geometry, measure it's tubes and then relate them to your next bike to see how it stacks up. I compared loads of geometries against my Cayo and it really helped me get things straight in my head.

Anyway, my CAAD10 fits perfectly, just tweaked a couple of things and it feels spot on. Just need a good shakedown ride now so we can dial into one another perfectly.

Ride safe

 

[smokeysmoo]

hi smokey
thats a great looking bike mate enjoy still waiting for mine been six weeks now is not a happy bunny

http://www.westbrook...ike-2011-p88441

Nice bike TL. I saw the Synapse, but as I wanted alu it wasn't on my list.

I've been hearing some horror stories about Cannondale's supply. That's why when Wheelbase confirmed the UK distributor had one in stock I jumped on it, if i'd missed it I wouldn't like to think how long I'd have been waiting.

I thought that moving manufacture from the US to Taiwan would have increased production and in turn improved supply, but apparently the issue is here in the UK, I think Cannondale changed the UK distributor, and things are still a bit in the air at the moment - not good when you are waiting though is it?

I was really lucky with this one, and I genuinely hope yours comes through really quickly.

 

[david k]

I know exactly what you mean David. A big part of the problem IMHO is that shops don't stock normal sized frames, just the freaky sized ones for guys with no legs

Evans will order a bike in for a small refundable deposit, but I don't like to do that if I have no intention of buying the bike off them, don't get me wrong, I like Evans, my Langster Steel's from them, but there finance options meant my CAAD10 purchase was never going to make their till go ring a ding a ling.

I agonised with this bike between the 60 & 63cm, but I think it's pyschological with me to an extent. What I mean is, because I know they do this bike in a 63, I felt I should have it as I'm so tall, but the truth is I don't honestly need it.

I bought a Ribble 7005 winter bike a while ago, got measured up on their in store jig, guy said I needed a 62, I went away and ordered a 64 online, (because I knew better!). The bike was totally acceptable, but it was freaking huge! The 62 was definately the correct size for me.

I have a 60cm Focus Cayo Pro, that's fine, a 60cm Focus Mares, that's fine, and a 61cm Langster Steel that's fine but does feel much bigger with the traditional geometry and skinny tubing, rides sublimely though. I've always avoided the trend for sloping top tubes as I feel it makes the frame look much smaller than it actually is, and then that starts to mess with my head as well.

I guess a full fitting session would be beneficial, but I've used all the online calculators and keep coming up with the same answer, (well very similar anyway).

I guess your Carrera fits you well and your comfortable on it, if so, learn it's geometry, measure it's tubes and then relate them to your next bike to see how it stacks up. I compared loads of geometries against my Cayo and it really helped me get things straight in my head.

Anyway, my CAAD10 fits perfectly, just tweaked a couple of things and it feels spot on. Just need a good shakedown ride now so we can dial into one another perfectly.

Ride safe

yeh my carrera is comfy for me 22inch frame, think i need to adjust my seat backwards a little, but the height is nice.
id like a roady, think i can get 1k boardman for 575 on c2w schem, so very tempted, they do xl frames as well

hope your new bike is good for you

 

[cyberknight]

I know exactly what you mean David. A big part of the problem IMHO is that shops don't stock normal sized frames, just the freaky sized ones for guys with no legs

LOL !!

I have the reverse problem , most shops stock standard size bikes, i have a short torso for my size so i end up going down a size to get the reach right .
Guy at work is offering me a 56 cm trek 1.5 second hand and hes approximately the same height as me but he fits a 56cm .
Ahh well i go for kneecaps in a fight

 

[smokeysmoo]

Ahh well i go for kneecaps in a fight

 

[smokeysmoo]

What a difference a day makes..........................

Sat looking out the window this morning and thought sod it. Not ideal, wind's howling, keeps raining, but bikes are meant for riding, especially spanking new ones, so that's exactly what I did.

Didn't go far, quick 20 mile loop to loosen things up, (me included!), then back home, warmth bath and towel dry, and then I went and had a shower myself

First impressions..................awesome. It rides at least on a par with my carbon bike, if not better, (but that could be the new bike phenomenon!), but honestly, it's sublime. I like to take my time, like a new girlfriend, don't rush in and scare her away, softly, softly, catchy monkey. So we'll get to know each other over the next few days and weeks, and gradually move things to the next level, (when my fitness improves).

I'll be doing the Manchester to Blackpool on 10th July, and I've not been riding much lately, so getting fit for that is my new aim.

Oh yes, I've decided to call her Rhianna because she's beautiful and, well go figure