cannondale caadx any good?

[sjj84]

Has anybody got one of these bikes? Thinking of buying one in the new year on the cycle to work scheme. Not ridden a bike for a long time, want to gain some fitness without joining a gym.

Any other suggestions for similar money (cycle to work limit is £1000).

[Magic919]

We looked at one as a Winter bike, but the standover height was too much for my wife. Looked like a decent machine. Hard to get one at the moment as it's a bit early for some 2015 bikes and a bit late for the 2014 sale bikes. Have a look at Genesis CdF too.

[bakerstreet]

sjj84 said:

Has anybody got one of these bikes? Thinking of buying one in the new year on the cycle to work scheme. Not ridden a bike for a long time, want to gain some fitness without joining a gym.

Any other suggestions for similar money (cycle to work limit is £1000).

A friend of mine has had one for a couple of years and he really likes it He has done a few races on his too. However, for value for money, I would look at the Planet X SLX Cyclocross bike. Carbon frame and a variety of groupsets available. I think £1100 gets you an SRAM Apex model.

I have the original 105 model and I really like it

The Boardman Cyclocross bike is also really good and that is only £700 too. Ali frame with SRAM Apex and it comes with Racing Ralph tyres as well,

[m444ttb]

I picked up a CAADX Tiagra at the start of December on the C2W scheme. I wanted to 105 version however it wasn't available until March (same for the Sora model too!).

I do really like it although I could have been better off with the next size down. It's a 58 and much bigger than my Cube Peloton 60. However, if I had my time again I'd buy the Genesis CdF. The single reason being that it can take proper mudguards where you need SKS Raceblade XLs on the CAADX. This seems to work pretty well on the back (keeps me clean if not the back of the bike) but the front easily shifts out of position and rubs a little on the tyre. I think this is due to trying to mount over the top of the guide for the brake cable (my cable isn't running through this). The second problem on the front is the Raceblade isn't long enough so you get water thrown up in the air then rise into it.

Mud guards aside it's great though. I'm riding it to work where I'm 90% on cycle ways. These vary from a compacted gravel surface that ranges from pretty rough to reasonable smooth via quite loose, over proper tarmac and through a lot of leaf covered paths. I'm still a new cyclist so not great bike handler but it has felt secure over everything.

Edited by m444ttb on Saturday 27th December 17:15

[BadgerBenji]

Mud clearance is not the best, the Giant TCX's are worth a look, no chainstay or seat stay bridge combined with discs give loads of mud drop through space.

[TheLemming]

bakerstreet said:

A friend of mine has had one for a couple of years and he really likes it He has done a few races on his too. However, for value for money, I would look at the Planet X SLX Cyclocross bike. Carbon frame and a variety of groupsets available. I think £1100 gets you an SRAM Apex model.

I have the original 105 model and I really like it

The Boardman Cyclocross bike is also really good and that is only £700 too. Ali frame with SRAM Apex and it comes with Racing Ralph tyres as well,

Not sure how Planet X are managing it at the moment but the Nanolight Rival 22 comes in at £999 for the cycle to work scheme limit.

Shocking amount of bike for the money.

Their XLS carbon frame CX comes in at £850 with Apex, £1300 with Rival 22 hydraulics... Shockingly good compared the the Boardman, I've upgraded everything bar the frame on mine and thats next on the list.
Love the bike, but it's more a love for a disc braked crosser - the frame is heavy and the bike is a definite budget machine with a serious ceiling on upgrades.

[andySC]

I've had a caad x 105 for a few years. It's been a great bike. I replaced the useless standard brakes early on with some TRP CX9 v-brakes & that's been it, kept it clean & looked after & it still looks & rides as it should. The frame finish on the 105 version stands up really well too (it's lacquer over the brushed aluminium). I never did use the original wheels on it as I had some lighter wheels spare so can't comment on those, but they look sturdy enough. Great machines....I've just ordered a new cx so my caad will be on eBay in the new year & it'll make for a great bike for someone.

My girlfriend has just bought the Tiagra version & loves it. Still on cantis (we've upgraded these to cx-9's too) so it was a cheap buy compared to the disc versions.

The caad x frame has all the eyelets to fit full guards & even luggage racks so they're a very versatile machine.

[m444ttb]

andySC said:

The caad x frame has all the eyelets to fit full guards & even luggage racks so they're a very versatile machine.

The current frame can't take full mudguards but does still take a rear luggage rack.

[sjj84]

Thanks for the suggestions, will take a look at them all. Don't think our cycle to work scheme allow halfords so that might prevent the Boardman from being considered.

Any suggestions for planet x sellers, can't seem to find any on the usual sites I look at.

Caadx shows as in stock at Evans cycles, in certain sizes anyway.

According to the size guide I should be a size 58, but there seem to be lots of reviews saying people need the size down from suggested. I'm about 5'11", better off with a 56?

Thanks again

[BadgerBenji]

The cannondales do come up large, and a 56 would sound a better size for you.

The planetx bikes are only available direct from planetx, I personally would buy one, fellow racer has had lots of problems with his, to the point they replaced the frame, and the new frame is now experiencing the same problems, with the rear wheel coming out of the dropouts on tough cross courses.

[m444ttb]

Yeah I'd go with the 56 for your height on a CAADX.

[MadDad]

I have a 2012 CAADx, aside with a few issues with the BB30 bottom bracket (more to do with the fact it's a BB30 than anything to do with the bike) it has been a great bike so far. Canti brakes take a little while to setup but again, that is not specific to the CAADx, its a 'feature' of canti brakes!

I used mine to commute for a while with a set of slicks for which it was excellent, the gear ratio's mean you have a better range of gears when picking your way through traffic and frequently stopping/starting. I mainly use it for CX riding now, mostly in the Chilterns, Surrey Hills and South Downs - tyres make a huge difference to how it rides/handles but it is a very capable and comfortable bike without having to spend a huge amount of money. Personally, I would highly recommend a CAADx.

I usually ride a 56 cms road bike, but went for a 54cms frame in the CAADx - the theory being that you move around a lot more when riding off road by comparison to a road bike where your position remains more or less static.

[BadgerBenji]

Agree with the BB30 bottom bracket, Cannondale unfortunately put the cheapest of the cheap bearings in it, a good set of INA bearings sorted mine out, no more eating them every month after that.

[Steve vRS]

BadgerBenji said:

Mud clearance is not the best, the Giant TCX's are worth a look, no chainstay or seat stay bridge combined with discs give loads of mud drop through space.

I've done over 1500 miles on mine in all weathers and terrain since April and I love it. One of my callipers is awaiting a warranty replacement but apart form that it has been great. First race on Sunday!

Steve

[BadgerBenji]

Steve vRS said:

First race on Sunday!

Good luck, and be prepared for the maddest hour you have ever spent on a bike,be warned it's addictive.

[gazza285]

BadgerBenji said:

Steve vRS said:

First race on Sunday!

Good luck, and be prepared for the maddest hour you have ever spent on a bike,be warned it's addictive.

Seconded.

Where are you racing?

[sjj84]

Any thoughts on the cannondale synapse? Internet suggests it's more of a relaxed geometry than other road bikes, which is what I'm after. Smaller tyres than the caadx, would that make a significant difference to comfort? My reasoning for looking at a cyclocross bike like the caadx is the slightly more upright position, disc brakes and hopefully a more forgiving and puncture resistant tyre. I very much doubt I'll actually take it off road, local single lane roads are where I'll be riding. The sort of roads that get covered in mud from farm vehicles.

The synapse is available from Evans for £770 in size 54, albeit that is a 2014 model. Still has the same brakes and groupset as the 2015 bike and indeed the caadx.

[pbarlow0032]

The synapse seems a bargain at that price! I got a 2014 caad10 (racier geometry, aluminium frame) this time last year, and used it for everything from a 10 mile each way commute to a 150 mile coast to coast in a day. It has been robust enough to cope with claggy commute conditions (town to country B roads) but comfortable enough to do the coast to coast on. Don't write off the "racy" geometry without trying them, Evans do offer test rides, worth trying before you buy

[bakerstreet]

TheLemming said:

Not sure how Planet X are managing it at the moment but the Nanolight Rival 22 comes in at £999 for the cycle to work scheme limit.

Shocking amount of bike for the money.

Their XLS carbon frame CX comes in at £850 with Apex, £1300 with Rival 22 hydraulics... Shockingly good compared the the Boardman, I've upgraded everything bar the frame on mine and thats next on the list.
Love the bike, but it's more a love for a disc braked crosser - the frame is heavy and the bike is a definite budget machine with a serious ceiling on upgrades.

The frame on the CX is quite heavy for a carbon frame. It wouldn't surprise me if that CaadX ali frame is lighter than PX's carbon frame. Also the finishing kit is pretty low rent on the PX CX. The bars are thin and feel very cheap and the seat post has done about 2k and most of the paint has rubbed off where my saddle bag attaches. I wouldn't mind so much, but my Giant road bike has done about 7k with saddle bag and thats in perfect condition.

However, none of this distracts from how much enjoyment I get out of my Planet X CX bike. As soon as I have a job sorted, I shall be buying myself some Crosslights for it. That should help reduce the weight a bit. I've also got some titanium bolts for the discs to fit Lack of job has meant that I've been limited to cheap upgrades. IE chinese carbon and titanium

Edited by bakerstreet on Thursday 1st January 23:56

[Jimbo.]

A touch late to the party, but I've a CAADX. It would be great, if it wasn't for the sack-of-st BB30 that Cannondale insist upon. Utterly woeful.