Road Bike Terminology

[Allblackdup]

Chaps

As per other threads i'm on the look out for a new road bike but am really struggling to know the difference between bikes as i'm not familiar with the parts involved and the different terminology used.

For example, if you look at the different Cannondale bikes in the link below:-

http://www.evanscycles.com/search?category=1634&am...

What's the different between the bikes at £699.99 and £999.99??

There are 2 Synapse models but one is £699.99 and one £849.99?
There are 4 bikes under the CAAD8 banner (whatever that means) and they range from £699.99 to £999.99? - what's the difference between the Sora and Tiagra?

I quite like the sound of the Synapse Tiagra at £849.99, especially as it states its a more upright position which i think will help going from an MTB to a road bike, but i wouldn't know if something similar at less or even more is a better buy and why...

I'm going to start looking around and http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_...
is a local LBS to work (and they've been very helpful before) but it would be really good if i can understand what it is i'm looking at a bit more before i start trying a few bikes out.

Many thanks

Gaz


(Edit to add, Sunset have the synapse Tiagra reduced and the CAAD 8 105 not far off the Evans price of the synapse - http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_...

Edited by Allblackdup on Friday 26th August 23:50

[shalmaneser]

The names of the bikes refer to the frames - A CAAD 8 is a Caad 8 frame and fork, with Sora/Tiagra or 105 components on it. Similarly a Synapse is a Synapse frame and fork with Sora/Tiagra or 105 bits on it.

go to Shimano.com to find out more about the different groupsets. Sora is OK, Tiagra is good and 105 is very good indeed. Ultegra and Dura Ace are amazing but out of your price range.

The Caad series of frames gets more aggressive and lighter as the numbers go up. a CAAD8 is fairly aggressive, a CAAD 9 more so and a CAAD 10 is pretty much a race machine - front end very low, top tube stretched out for better aero, very stiff but excellent power transfer. The Synapse series are much more relaxed (ie. top tube shorter and headtube higher) than any of the CAAD bikes. The tubing is also manipulated to give a smoother ride.

My suggestion for you would be a Synapse Tiagra or 105 if you can afford it. The jump from Sora to Tiagra is significant and worthwhile.

[Allblackdup]

Wow! Thank you for such a detailed and prompt response!!

So, something like this if I could stretch to it ?http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_id=1770&category_id=149

Is the above worth the extra over the Tiagra version?
http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_...

Just to confirm, if I look at the CAAD 8 105 it's going to be far racier and less upright than the similarily prices Synapse 105?

What's the difference between bikes that say triple or compact?

Are there other brand I should consider that may off similar spec but at greatest vfm?

Cheers
Gaz

[Ben Jk]

Thats a handy guide!

I'm out of touch with groupsets etc.

Edited by Ben Jk on Saturday 27th August 09:19

[anonymous-user]

groupset is not the be all and end all of a bike, yes the higher end stuff will provide more accurate and reliable shifting but check out the rest of the spec of a bike you are interested in. the manufacturer will be unlikely to upgrade much from the previous model other than the groupset in a bid to keep the costs low but there are a few things to consider, particularly the wheels.

for the price of the 105 bike, you could have the tiagra bike, then go online to merlin cycles and get a set of wheels like Fulcrum 7s or Mavic Askiums - wheels found on bikes costing £1500-£2k - Believe me, a better pair of wheels will be far more effective than the next grade groupset. you might think why would i want to buy a bike then immediately buy new wheels but you are upgrading the most important part of the bike bar the frame in one hit and essentially getting just as good a bike because if you keep any drivetrain well maintained you wont suffer from mechanicals. over time you can upgrade the groupset accordingly if you feel its necessary, remember the frame on the tiagra bike is exactly the same as the 105 bike.

quality wheels roll faster on better bearings, have increased lateral stiffness and are normally lighter making climbing a bit easier and providing a really nimble and responsive bike.

[shalmaneser]

Allblackdup said:

Wow! Thank you for such a detailed and prompt response!!

So, something like this if I could stretch to it ?http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_id=1770&category_id=149

Is the above worth the extra over the Tiagra version?
http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_...

Just to confirm, if I look at the CAAD 8 105 it's going to be far racier and less upright than the similarily prices Synapse 105?

What's the difference between bikes that say triple or compact?

Are there other brand I should consider that may off similar spec but at greatest vfm?

Cheers
Gaz

TBH the CAAD 8 won't be that much more aggressive than the Synapse, TBH you're better off trialing them back to back to figure out which one suits you the best.

If you can afford it definitely go for the 105, but having said that Pablo is right, upgrading the wheels makes a significant difference to the bike. However it's a lot easier to upgrade wheels down the line than it is to upgrade from 9 speed Tiagra to 10 speed 105 - and a wheel upgrade would leave you with a spare set which could come in useful if you ever intend to commute or even tour on your bike.

You pays your money etc etc.

Triple means three front chainrings, compact means two. Go for compact every time unless you live in the alps/are hugely fat!

As far as different brands go, I'd stay with Cannondale personally. Excellent frames and VFM all round.

[Allblackdup]

Pablo and Shalmaneser - many thanks for all the information.

Apologies this is going to turn into a bit of a what bike thread now... Excellent information in relation to wheels and something i've never thought of. I'm not sure it's something i'll think about straight away as i'd like to get the best overall package now before looking to upgrade in the future. Any spare cash will go on proper shoes and pedals as i don't use cleats on my current mtb when commuting.

I really want the road bike to be used on the commute as well but also so i can start to take cycling a bit more seriously with riding on other days at events & random events and so i can really tran a lot harder and start to ride longer distances and to continue getting fitter and fitter. (Would love to do the Lon-Paris PH ride but i'm nowhere near that level yet or in 6 months time)

Forgetting the wheels idea for a minute if i take 4 bikes - 2 with Tiagra parts and 2 with 105 which is a better bike? (The cube has very good reviews on bikeradar but my gut feeling is still to look at the Synapse tiagra especially given the price at sunset at the moment)

Cannondale Synapse Tiagra

Or

Specialized Allez Elite

105 Groupsets..

Cannondale Synapse 105

Or

Cube Attempt


Thanks again!

[anonymous-user]

stock answer is the one that fits but i appreciate you may not be able to try them all for size so find one, see if it fits, find out the geometry of that bike (all you really need is the length of the top tube and seat tube) then find the geometry of the others, easily done online. you can do lots of adjustments with seat position so dont worry if one bike is an inch or so longer on the top tube and adjust the seat post accordingly. this can help if you are longer in the legs or body than the average bloke...

now in all honesty they are very much the same, the quality of the frame, wheels and other components on those bikes will be very similar. we say it a lot but manufacturers buid bikes to a price point and know who their competition is. given the cycle to work limit is normally £1K, most manufacturers will have bike or two close to that point and the law of reason states that they will be simiarly spec'd.

in simple terms, if it fits, and you like the look of it, buy it.

[Rocksteadyeddie]

I'd echo Pablo's thoughts on wheels. Best place to put your money.

Also might be worth considering a used bike. Lots more value for your cash, and loads of used bikes have hardly been ridden. A quick look reveals this and this. With a bit of mechanical knowledge, and a bit of TLC they'll be as good as new, and effectively you've got a bike that is twice as expensive.

[shalmaneser]

My personal preference is for a Cannondale frame every time at this end of the market vs pretty much any other manufacturer. Although the Scott Sxx frames are nice the tube manipulation of the 'Dale is much more refined.

Hence I'd suggest that the Synapse would be better in both of those comparisons. The Allez frame really is nothing special IMO. The Cube has nicer wheels than the 'Dale but the frame is very average.

The Synapse 105 is a beautiful thing, but do give a CAAD 8 a go - it was my personal favourite out of those two but obviously your mileage may vary. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to test ride these bikes.

[Kermit power]

shalmaneser said:

Triple means three front chainrings, compact means two. Go for compact every time unless you live in the alps/are hugely fat!

True, but not all double cranksets are compact. Compacts generally have 50 and 34 teeth on the front rings, whereas a standard double setup will typically have 53 & 39.

Unless you're very skinny or live in Norfolk, go for a compact rather than standard setup. It will make hills easier to deal with, and most people are unlikely to notice the really high gears they sacrifice for it.

[Allblackdup]

Chaps

Many thanks for all the information. I've used Sunset MTB before for advice and information and bought some gear there, so i'll pop in and make sure to try out a few of the Cannondale's and go from there. The whole Road bike set up is totally new as mentioned above so i'll be sure to come back with more queries as they come up.

Rocksteadyeddie - That ribble is stunning!, although a bit on the small side judging by the questions and the fact that i'm a couple of inch's over 6ft. I'll take your point though and make sure i check the used market before taking the plunge.

Much appreciated!

Gaz

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Allblackdup said:

Rocksteadyeddie - That ribble is stunning!, although a bit on the small side judging by the questions and the fact that i'm a couple of inch's over 6ft. I'll take your point though and make sure i check the used market before taking the plunge.

You'll probably want a 58, although you could get away with a 56 maybe. this sort of thing maybe?

[Allblackdup]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

Allblackdup said:

Rocksteadyeddie - That ribble is stunning!, although a bit on the small side judging by the questions and the fact that i'm a couple of inch's over 6ft. I'll take your point though and make sure i check the used market before taking the plunge.

You'll probably want a 58, although you could get away with a 56 maybe. this sort of thing maybe?

That Cube is very nice! Bookmarked so I'll keep an eye on it.

Cheers for the sizing advice too!, I thought a 58 would be right but I'll make sure to try a 56 as well.

One other thing chaps, both of my brother in laws have Boardman's (Carbon fork/alu frame IIRC), should i consider these before going straight to the LBS to look at the Dale's? VFM and spec wise how do they compare bearing in mind the potential savings on some of the Dale's at the moment?

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Allblackdup said:

That Cube is very nice! Bookmarked so I'll keep an eye on it.

Cheers for the sizing advice too!, I thought a 58 would be right but I'll make sure to try a 56 as well.

One other thing chaps, both of my brother in laws have Boardman's (Carbon fork/alu frame IIRC), should i consider these before going straight to the LBS to look at the Dale's? VFM and spec wise how do they compare bearing in mind the potential savings on some of the Dale's at the moment?

Boardmans are generally great VFM, and have an excellent reputation.

[shalmaneser]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

Boardmans are generally great VFM, and have an excellent reputation.

Frames are thoroughly average, although parts are OK.

[Rocksteadyeddie]

shalmaneser said:

Rocksteadyeddie said:

Boardmans are generally great VFM, and have an excellent reputation.

Frames are thoroughly average, although parts are OK.

What makes you say that? Are they any better or worse than most generic China/Taiwan carbon frames?

[shalmaneser]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

What makes you say that? Are they any better or worse than most generic China/Taiwan carbon frames?

No, they are generic Taiwanese carbon frames.

[Rocksteadyeddie]

shalmaneser said:

Rocksteadyeddie said:

What makes you say that? Are they any better or worse than most generic China/Taiwan carbon frames?

No, they are generic Taiwanese carbon frames.

As are most in the world nowadays. Do you have any evidence that they any the worse for it?

[shalmaneser]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

As are most in the world nowadays. Do you have any evidence that they any the worse for it?

Most, but not all. Specialized, Trek, Scott, Cannondale, the Italian manufacturers...plenty that produce their own frames and are all the better for it. And obviously there's the Halfords issue.