Looking for a New Road Bike ($1200-1500)

So I am looking for a new road bike, but I am having problems finding
one. I was going to get a CAAD9 5 Cannondale, but someone I know said
it was like riding on a coke can and it was a really uncomfortable
ride. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them. I
will be join a cycle club at my university and prob average about
40-80miles/week.

On Aug 22, 10:52 am, wrote:
So I am looking for a new road bike, but I am having problems finding
one. I was going to get a CAAD9 5 Cannondale, but someone I know said
it was like riding on a coke can and it was a really uncomfortable
ride. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them. I
will be join a cycle club at my university and prob average about
40-80miles/week.

I almost bought a Cannondale Six13 5 recently, which is a very similar
bike, but it does have carbon where the CAAD9 5 has aluminum. I
really, really liked the bike and the ride - the only thing that kept
me from buying one was the fact that the shop couldn't get the bike.
The sale was done, and then the shop guy came back and told me he
couldn't get me an 08 & the 09s wouldn't be in for months. I then
almost bought the Synapse in the window, slightly discounted, but it
turned out to be a different model than he thought and after I test-
rode, liked and agreed to buy it we ran into the same thing - oops,
can't sell you that bike after all.

I ended up with a Lemond Alpe D'Huez from a different shop (my regular
LBS, the place I clearly should have gone to in the first place) that
I'm very happy with. Anyway, if you're willing to go to 1500, and you
liked the CAAD 9 5 but are worried about the "coke can" thing, perhaps
you should ride a Six13 5? I think it was in the 1500 neighborhood.

This is, of course, assuming you can get any of these bikes in your
hands. After what I went through I advise making sure the bike you're
considering is available for delivery in your size before getting too
excited or sold on a specific model – I had a very frustrating day
trying to buy a C’dale a month or so ago.

Also, I love my Alpe D’Huez, though it is an ‘07 (which resulted in a
nice discount, not to mention it was in stock in my size and I rode it
home that same day) and I assume you’d be looking at an 08 or 09.
Something to consider though.

wrote:

I ended up with a Lemond Alpe D'Huez from a different shop (my regular
LBS, the place I clearly should have gone to in the first place) that
I'm very happy with. Anyway, if you're willing to go to 1500, and you
liked the CAAD 9 5 but are worried about the "coke can" thing, perhaps
you should ride a Six13 5? I think it was in the 1500 neighborhood.

The old Lemond Alpe D'Huez was great, but in 2004 they did some serious
decontenting of their whole line, including the Alpe D'Huez.

At this time, I'd get the Surly Cross Check or Surly Long Haul Trucker
for the price range that the original poster mentioned.

On Aug 22, 9:52*am, wrote:
So I am looking for a new road bike, but I am having problems finding
one. *I was going to get a CAAD9 5 Cannondale, but someone I know said
it was like riding on a coke can and it was a really uncomfortable
ride. *If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them. *I
will be join a cycle club at my university and prob average about
40-80miles/week.

I don't know what they sell in your area--but look for a bike where
you can mount a tire that'll give you a pneumatic suspension. A lot of
"race" bikes have trouble with even a 25 mm, let alone a 28 mm tire.

A good example of a racy bike with good clearances would be a Redline
R760. Not endorsing that bike--just endorsing it's traditional
clearances--you can even put fenders on it for winter--A race bike!
The horror! And 28mm tires to soak up the bumps! How unfashionable!

http://www.redlinebicycles.com/adultbikes/R760.html

On Aug 22, 12:20*pm, SMS wrote:
wrote:
I ended up with a Lemond Alpe D'Huez from a different shop (my regular
LBS, the place I clearly should have gone to in the first place) that
I'm very happy with. *Anyway, if you're willing to go to 1500, and you
liked the CAAD 9 5 but are worried about the "coke can" thing, perhaps
you should ride a Six13 5? *I think it was in the 1500 neighborhood.

The old Lemond Alpe D'Huez was great, but in 2004 they did some serious
decontenting of their whole line, including the Alpe D'Huez.

At this time, I'd get the Surly Cross Check or Surly Long Haul Trucker
for the price range that the original poster mentioned.

What don't you like about the newer ones? I've read some poor reviews
of the cranks, but it's too soon to tell - they've been fine so far
though. I'm fairly confident the shop & Trek will stand behind any
issues that arise within warranty period anyway - I hear nothing but
good things about Trek warranties and this shop has always been great
to me. I'll get enough miles on it in short enough time to know
anyway, I think, so if I end up having to replace the cranks after the
warranty period I'll have enough miles on them to write off the loss.
I will admit the price I got the bike for played a big part in my
decision, I wasn't keen on a Trek product, but I loved the ride and
the price couldn't be passed up. The Bontrager race lite wheels seem
pretty good, the group is all 105, there's nothing there to really
turn me away.

The rest of the bike (outside the suspect cranks, which are addressed
above) seems pretty good. I'm very happy with it. Just curious what
"decontenting" you're referring to.

wrote:
On Aug 22, 12:20 pm, SMS wrote:
wrote:
I ended up with a Lemond Alpe D'Huez from a different shop (my regular
LBS, the place I clearly should have gone to in the first place) that
I'm very happy with. Anyway, if you're willing to go to 1500, and you
liked the CAAD 9 5 but are worried about the "coke can" thing, perhaps
you should ride a Six13 5? I think it was in the 1500 neighborhood.
The old Lemond Alpe D'Huez was great, but in 2004 they did some serious
decontenting of their whole line, including the Alpe D'Huez.

At this time, I'd get the Surly Cross Check or Surly Long Haul Trucker
for the price range that the original poster mentioned.

What don't you like about the newer ones?

The change in the metal tubing used for the frame.

On Aug 22, 3:03*pm, SMS wrote:
wrote:
On Aug 22, 12:20 pm, SMS wrote:
wrote:
I ended up with a Lemond Alpe D'Huez from a different shop (my regular
LBS, the place I clearly should have gone to in the first place) that
I'm very happy with. *Anyway, if you're willing to go to 1500, and you
liked the CAAD 9 5 but are worried about the "coke can" thing, perhaps
you should ride a Six13 5? *I think it was in the 1500 neighborhood..
The old Lemond Alpe D'Huez was great, but in 2004 they did some serious
decontenting of their whole line, including the Alpe D'Huez.

At this time, I'd get the Surly Cross Check or Surly Long Haul Trucker
for the price range that the original poster mentioned.

What don't you like about the newer ones?

The change in the metal tubing used for the frame.

We forget, you like to keep your poetry magnets on the frame. Can't
think of any other reason...

What don't you like about the newer ones?

The change in the metal tubing used for the frame.

We forget, you like to keep your poetry magnets on the frame. Can't
think of any other reason...

But it's good to know that there are some things you can always count on
here on the 'net. SMS is nothing if not consistent.

The worst thing about the tubing debate is the extent to which is obscures
the effects of geometry, which makes, in my opinion, a much greater
difference in how the frame rides & handles. Especially slightly-longer
chainstays. Seems like I'm constantly fighting a battle to keep Trek's
chainstays at a reasonable length... I fear that someday I'll wake up and
notice all my bikes have tail ends shrunk to the length of a Cervelo.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA



"landotter" wrote in message
...
On Aug 22, 3:03 pm, SMS wrote:
wrote:
On Aug 22, 12:20 pm, SMS wrote:
wrote:
I ended up with a Lemond Alpe D'Huez from a different shop (my regular
LBS, the place I clearly should have gone to in the first place) that
I'm very happy with. Anyway, if you're willing to go to 1500, and you
liked the CAAD 9 5 but are worried about the "coke can" thing, perhaps
you should ride a Six13 5? I think it was in the 1500 neighborhood.
The old Lemond Alpe D'Huez was great, but in 2004 they did some serious
decontenting of their whole line, including the Alpe D'Huez.

At this time, I'd get the Surly Cross Check or Surly Long Haul Trucker
for the price range that the original poster mentioned.

What don't you like about the newer ones?

The change in the metal tubing used for the frame.

We forget, you like to keep your poetry magnets on the frame. Can't
think of any other reason...

wrote:
So I am looking for a new road bike, but I am having problems finding
one. I was going to get a CAAD9 5 Cannondale, but someone I know said
it was like riding on a coke can and it was a really uncomfortable
ride. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them. I
will be join a cycle club at my university and prob average about
40-80miles/week.

Why not stretch your budget a bit and get a excellent bicycle made by
real USians's (Wisconsinites) who care about their work?
http://www.gunnarbikes.com/sport.php

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
“Mary had a little lamb / And when she saw it sicken /
She shipped it off to Packingtown / And now it’s labeled chicken.”

On Aug 23, 2:11*am, "Mike Jacoubowsky"
wrote:
What don't you like about the newer ones?

The change in the metal tubing used for the frame.
We forget, you like to keep your poetry magnets on the frame. Can't
think of any other reason...

But it's good to know that there are some things you can always count on
here on the 'net. SMS is nothing if not consistent.

The worst thing about the tubing debate is the extent to which is obscures
the effects of geometry, which makes, in my opinion, a much greater
difference in how the frame rides & handles. Especially slightly-longer
chainstays. Seems like I'm constantly fighting a battle to keep Trek's
chainstays at a reasonable length... I fear that someday I'll wake up and
notice all my bikes have tail ends shrunk to the length of a Cervelo.

~and imagine the pain in the ass with heel clearance if you try and
mount panniers on said Cervelo~!!

[snort]

That said, I recabled the Dew after committing to my ultra-dorky
trekking bars last night for ultra marathon shopping rides (30+miles)
and it struck me as a bit silly that even on a basic utility bike--it
was tricky to install fenders and a kickstand a year ago, all because
they needed to make the stays 5mm shorter for some stylistic reasons.

There's always Electra! Check out the 'stays on most of their casual
bikes. Pure acreage.