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Buying my 1st "serious" bike: Cannondale Synapse Carbon, or...?
I've been an avid recreational cyclist for almost 40 years now (yikes!)
but this year decided it was time to jump in to the adult swim: My wife, who's been an aggressively competitive distance biker for 11 years, got me to sign up with the New York Cycle Club, and since February we've been doing between 40-80 miles every weekend. And I am having a blast! I know it's only been 2 months, but I can see myself doing this longer/faster/harder thing for the rest of my life ....except that my current bike must weigh a good 35-40 lbs, and it's alarmingly undergeared for those flat roads where we're cruising over 25 mph. It's a ten year old Trek 750 Multitrack (hybrid). It'll probably last forever, and if I weren't getting so serious about distance cycling & group riding it'd probably be fine as the last bike I ever owned. But I'm ready to step up to something that will let me realize my full potential...or at least that will force me to point to my own abilities as the limiting factor, rather than my gear. So anyway, after a bit of research, I'm leaning towards a Cannondale Synapse Carbon 3 (triple). I admit I'm somewhat predisposed to go with a full carbon frame: I'm a professional bass player, & 2 of my instruments have composite necks, so I'm well aware of the advantages of carbon's high elastic modulus, high STW ratios, & inert resonance. So I'd love to hear from folks who can offer well-reasoned encouragement -- or discouragement -- for pursuing this technology in a bicycle frame. If there are better bikes in a similar price range ($2500) in titanium or aluminum, I'd love to hear about them. Suggestions welcome, and I would especially appreciate explanations for *why* you're recommending a particular make/model. Or why you might steer me away from the Synapse. (Eg., one fellow told me the Synapse gets no respect from racers because it's a "comfort" bike. Irrespective of whether I care what others think about my ride, ideally I want comfort *and* performance.) Thanks so much. |
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#2
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Buying my 1st "serious" bike: Cannondale Synapse Carbon, or...?
If you like the Synapse, go for it. Personally, I'd never get a full
carbon bike unless I was competitive. It's a lot of change for a pound or two of weight saved. If it were my $2500, I'd get either a nice lugless steel bike made from triple buttle tubing, or any number of Ti frames, and build up with 105 or Centaur. Metal is just so much more "no fuss". Again, if the carbon makes ya swoon go for it, but if it was me, It'd be a built up frame like a Soma Smoothie or similar. Such a bike can easily be built up with strong parts and hand made wheels, and still come in at around twenty pounds. With a decent, affordable steel or aluminum frame, $2500 buys you a heck of a lot more bike. Instead of 105 you could get Ultegra, and instead of those bogus Shimano wheels, you could have a hand built set laced up that suits your style and weight perfectly. |
#3
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Buying my 1st "serious" bike: Cannondale Synapse Carbon, or...?
Ted wrote: Look at a Bianchi Virata; it has a carbon fork, chain stays, and seat stays, with a steel triangle. It is light and very comfortable riding. My last bike was a 1971 vintage Reynolds 531 and when I first started riding my Virata I kept thinking my tires were soft it is so comfortable. It has Ultegra parts and is in your price range. And the celeste color is a cult thing. Nice recommendation! High zoot, good spec, and sane use of carbon. Celeste does indeed rock. :-) I'm not usually a fan of boutique wheelsets, but those Mavics have proven themselves as pretty dang reliable. |
#4
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Buying my 1st "serious" bike: Cannondale Synapse Carbon, or...?
Suggestions welcome, and I would especially appreciate explanations for
*why* you're recommending a particular make/model. Or why you might steer me away from the Synapse. (Eg., one fellow told me the Synapse gets no respect from racers because it's a "comfort" bike. Irrespective of whether I care what others think about my ride, ideally I want comfort *and* performance.) First, anything I suggest should be regarded as 100% biased and self-serving, since we're the largest Trek carbon road bike dealer in the country (although there's no way I could sell you a bike anyway, since you're in New York, a bit of a drive from California...). Having said that... OK, unbiased part first. Your choice of dealer may be the single most-important part of the equation, since it's that dealer that is going to help make sure you're getting something appropriate for how you're going to ride, knows the riding opportunities in your area, and perhaps most-important, is the person who's going to make sure it fits you properly. The best bike in the world, with a poor fit, is not going to be anywhere near as nice to ride as a "lesser" bike with a great fit. Now on to the biased part. Trek has been building full-carbon road bikes since 1992, and partial carbon bikes six years prior to that. They've thrown more resources at carbon technology than any other manufacturer, and have made continual improvements in the product over the years. Unlike most bike companies, they're more centered on product than marketing, and don't reinvent themselves every three years, claiming they now have something new, improved, and so much better than what you had before that it's time to throw that old dinosaur out. So you've got an investment in something that you're going to enjoy for a good number of years, and Trek is known to be one of, if not the best in the business in terms of standing behind their product (warranty issues). Plus they have a full range of carbon road product now, including bikes with a taller front end so you can get a higher bar position if you wish. Like I said, purely selfish, 100% biased drivel from a dealer. But it's from a dealer who actually believes the stuff he says (and weirdly speaks in 3rd-person at times). Oh, one more thing to check out on our website. www.ChainReaction.com/roadbiketestrides.htm. It's one of the few completely unbiased articles on our website, in terms of both brand & materials. It will give you a good idea of what to look for when test-riding a bike, and might help to evaluate different dealers as well. In the end though, the right bike is the bike that you just can't stand to walk past without feeling like you want to get on it and go for a ride. --Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReaction.com Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA "Bob Ross" wrote in message oups.com... I've been an avid recreational cyclist for almost 40 years now (yikes!) but this year decided it was time to jump in to the adult swim: My wife, who's been an aggressively competitive distance biker for 11 years, got me to sign up with the New York Cycle Club, and since February we've been doing between 40-80 miles every weekend. And I am having a blast! I know it's only been 2 months, but I can see myself doing this longer/faster/harder thing for the rest of my life ...except that my current bike must weigh a good 35-40 lbs, and it's alarmingly undergeared for those flat roads where we're cruising over 25 mph. It's a ten year old Trek 750 Multitrack (hybrid). It'll probably last forever, and if I weren't getting so serious about distance cycling & group riding it'd probably be fine as the last bike I ever owned. But I'm ready to step up to something that will let me realize my full potential...or at least that will force me to point to my own abilities as the limiting factor, rather than my gear. So anyway, after a bit of research, I'm leaning towards a Cannondale Synapse Carbon 3 (triple). I admit I'm somewhat predisposed to go with a full carbon frame: I'm a professional bass player, & 2 of my instruments have composite necks, so I'm well aware of the advantages of carbon's high elastic modulus, high STW ratios, & inert resonance. So I'd love to hear from folks who can offer well-reasoned encouragement -- or discouragement -- for pursuing this technology in a bicycle frame. If there are better bikes in a similar price range ($2500) in titanium or aluminum, I'd love to hear about them. Suggestions welcome, and I would especially appreciate explanations for *why* you're recommending a particular make/model. Or why you might steer me away from the Synapse. (Eg., one fellow told me the Synapse gets no respect from racers because it's a "comfort" bike. Irrespective of whether I care what others think about my ride, ideally I want comfort *and* performance.) Thanks so much. |
#5
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Buying my 1st "serious" bike: Cannondale Synapse Carbon, or...?
Mike, thank you for the roadbikestrides link, that looks like it'll be
a good read. I love Trek bikes. I've been extremely happy with my 750. I've drooled over their OCLV stuff ever since it was first introduced, and the tech papers on their carbon frames that I've read strike me as being thorough & based on solid science rather than marketing babble. And I currently have a remarkably good relationship w/ the LBS. My wife bought her Cannondale there a dozen years ago, they do all our tune-ups, & we've bought 95% of all our bike gack there. Great service, very knowledgeable guys, generous to a fault, and they really seem to have the customer's best interests at heart. I'll certainly be taking their advice & recommendations to heart, just want to go in there armed with as much info as I can. Here's the problem: My LBS isn't a Trek dealer. I've got a relationship w/ these guys that's solid, beneficial, and only one year younger than my 10-year-old Trek bike. I am reluctant to shop elsewhere, not because I don't believe I can find good service/support elsewhere, but because I believe a well-cultivated merchant relationship is one of the few remaining bastions of integrity in commerce. I think if these guys sold Trek I wouldn't even be shopping other brands (which itself might be myopic, I know...but since that's just hypothetical...). LBS sells Cannondale, Specialized, Fuji, Kestrel, & Calfee, (plus Lightspeed, should I expand my search to Ti). Probably can't afford a Kestrel or Calfee. If I'm ever in Redwood City I'll stop by your shop. Mike Jacoubowsky wrote: First, anything I suggest should be regarded as 100% biased and self-serving, since we're the largest Trek carbon road bike dealer in the country (although there's no way I could sell you a bike anyway, since you're in New York, a bit of a drive from California...). Having said that... OK, unbiased part first. Your choice of dealer may be the single most-important part of the equation, since it's that dealer that is going to help make sure you're getting something appropriate for how you're going to ride, knows the riding opportunities in your area, and perhaps most-important, is the person who's going to make sure it fits you properly. The best bike in the world, with a poor fit, is not going to be anywhere near as nice to ride as a "lesser" bike with a great fit. Now on to the biased part. Trek has been building full-carbon road bikes since 1992, and partial carbon bikes six years prior to that. They've thrown more resources at carbon technology than any other manufacturer, and have made continual improvements in the product over the years. Unlike most bike companies, they're more centered on product than marketing, and don't reinvent themselves every three years, claiming they now have something new, improved, and so much better than what you had before that it's time to throw that old dinosaur out. So you've got an investment in something that you're going to enjoy for a good number of years, and Trek is known to be one of, if not the best in the business in terms of standing behind their product (warranty issues). Plus they have a full range of carbon road product now, including bikes with a taller front end so you can get a higher bar position if you wish. Like I said, purely selfish, 100% biased drivel from a dealer. But it's from a dealer who actually believes the stuff he says (and weirdly speaks in 3rd-person at times). Oh, one more thing to check out on our website. www.ChainReaction.com/roadbiketestrides.htm. It's one of the few completely unbiased articles on our website, in terms of both brand & materials. It will give you a good idea of what to look for when test-riding a bike, and might help to evaluate different dealers as well. In the end though, the right bike is the bike that you just can't stand to walk past without feeling like you want to get on it and go for a ride. --Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReaction.com Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA |
#6
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Buying my 1st "serious" bike: Cannondale Synapse Carbon, or...?
If it was MY purchase, I would buy a Gunnar. You can choose between the
Roadie, Sport, or Crosshairs. I have a Sport, which has rack/fender eyelets and relaxed geometry, and it's a very nice bike. Made in Wisconsin from US made True Temper steel, and should last me a long time. The Roadie is more racy, and the Crosshairs is a cyclocross bike with cantis and clearance for fat tires. I have nothing against carbon, but I like steel, so that's my bias. |
#7
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Buying my 1st "serious" bike: Cannondale Synapse Carbon, or...?
And I currently have a remarkably good relationship w/ the LBS. My wife
bought her Cannondale there a dozen years ago, they do all our tune-ups, & we've bought 95% of all our bike gack there. Great service, very knowledgeable guys, generous to a fault, and they really seem to have the customer's best interests at heart. I'll certainly be taking their advice & recommendations to heart, just want to go in there armed with as much info as I can. I've got a relationship w/ these guys that's solid, beneficial, and only one year younger than my 10-year-old Trek bike. I am reluctant to shop elsewhere, not because I don't believe I can find good service/support elsewhere, but because I believe a well-cultivated merchant relationship is one of the few remaining bastions of integrity in commerce. Absolutely in agreement. If your shop has a reasonable solution for your needs, by all means, that's the way to go. A great shop will stand behind the product they sell, such that it may negate many of the positives you might see in another brand at another store. And maybe they'll carry Trek when it's time for your next bike! :) --Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReaction.com Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA "Bob Ross" wrote in message oups.com... Mike, thank you for the roadbikestrides link, that looks like it'll be a good read. I love Trek bikes. I've been extremely happy with my 750. I've drooled over their OCLV stuff ever since it was first introduced, and the tech papers on their carbon frames that I've read strike me as being thorough & based on solid science rather than marketing babble. And I currently have a remarkably good relationship w/ the LBS. My wife bought her Cannondale there a dozen years ago, they do all our tune-ups, & we've bought 95% of all our bike gack there. Great service, very knowledgeable guys, generous to a fault, and they really seem to have the customer's best interests at heart. I'll certainly be taking their advice & recommendations to heart, just want to go in there armed with as much info as I can. Here's the problem: My LBS isn't a Trek dealer. I've got a relationship w/ these guys that's solid, beneficial, and only one year younger than my 10-year-old Trek bike. I am reluctant to shop elsewhere, not because I don't believe I can find good service/support elsewhere, but because I believe a well-cultivated merchant relationship is one of the few remaining bastions of integrity in commerce. I think if these guys sold Trek I wouldn't even be shopping other brands (which itself might be myopic, I know...but since that's just hypothetical...). LBS sells Cannondale, Specialized, Fuji, Kestrel, & Calfee, (plus Lightspeed, should I expand my search to Ti). Probably can't afford a Kestrel or Calfee. If I'm ever in Redwood City I'll stop by your shop. Mike Jacoubowsky wrote: First, anything I suggest should be regarded as 100% biased and self-serving, since we're the largest Trek carbon road bike dealer in the country (although there's no way I could sell you a bike anyway, since you're in New York, a bit of a drive from California...). Having said that... OK, unbiased part first. Your choice of dealer may be the single most-important part of the equation, since it's that dealer that is going to help make sure you're getting something appropriate for how you're going to ride, knows the riding opportunities in your area, and perhaps most-important, is the person who's going to make sure it fits you properly. The best bike in the world, with a poor fit, is not going to be anywhere near as nice to ride as a "lesser" bike with a great fit. Now on to the biased part. Trek has been building full-carbon road bikes since 1992, and partial carbon bikes six years prior to that. They've thrown more resources at carbon technology than any other manufacturer, and have made continual improvements in the product over the years. Unlike most bike companies, they're more centered on product than marketing, and don't reinvent themselves every three years, claiming they now have something new, improved, and so much better than what you had before that it's time to throw that old dinosaur out. So you've got an investment in something that you're going to enjoy for a good number of years, and Trek is known to be one of, if not the best in the business in terms of standing behind their product (warranty issues). Plus they have a full range of carbon road product now, including bikes with a taller front end so you can get a higher bar position if you wish. Like I said, purely selfish, 100% biased drivel from a dealer. But it's from a dealer who actually believes the stuff he says (and weirdly speaks in 3rd-person at times). Oh, one more thing to check out on our website. www.ChainReaction.com/roadbiketestrides.htm. It's one of the few completely unbiased articles on our website, in terms of both brand & materials. It will give you a good idea of what to look for when test-riding a bike, and might help to evaluate different dealers as well. In the end though, the right bike is the bike that you just can't stand to walk past without feeling like you want to get on it and go for a ride. --Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReaction.com Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA |
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