Starter (Used) Roadbike: Cannondale CAAD10-3 vs. Lemond Alpe D'Huez vs. ?

Looking to get into this whole road biking 'thing,' and have been looking at Craigslist/OfferUp/FB Marketplace. Looking at a 2007 Lemond Alpe D'Huez for $700 (aluminum/carbon frame, carbon fork, 105 components) or a 2012 Cannondale CAAD10-3 (aluminum frame, carbon fork, ultra components) for $850.

I'm a long torso, stubby legs, average length arms kinda person. I know that 'fit is everything' but I don't know that I know enough to know how a bike 'should' fit... and COVID means the LBS aren't running their usual fit things.

Anyone willing to share thoughts?

Definitely the caad out of those two. I wouldn't be fully confident in something that old with aluminum and carbon glued together.

I don't think i'd pay that much for either of those bikes though. Check some bike shops as road bikes tend to sit around and be on sale. For $850 you can almost get something brand new with 11-speed 105. And new ones with disc brakes tend to have more tire clearance. A road bike with 30-32mm tires is a lot more comfortable and can handle some off-pavement riding.

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Originally Posted by seldon

Looking to get into this whole road biking 'thing,'

Anyone willing to share thoughts?

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Why?

The whole market is nuts right now, and people are asking (and getting) MSRP for used bikes. I agree that the bonded frame sounds scary.

The Caad 10 is a great frame but has quite racy geometry. It has a lower stack than most newer bikes, which means that it's hard to get the bars high. FWIW I raced on one a few years ago and loved it. For reference, I'm 5'-9", +4 ape index. I had a 52. I chose it then bc I didn't want to wreck a carbon bike in criteriums, and never felt like it held me back at all.

Now my main road bike is a 52 Emonda SLR, which yeilds a very slightly more relaxed fit than the Cannondale. I tend to prefer a size down from what "they" recommend, but I'm very flexible and like the race fit. I will admit that it's not as comfortable when I'm going in Z1 though. For that I like my steel Seven with the big tall head tube.

There's a ton of good bike fit info on YouTube, actually. I like Bikefitadvisor's stuff, and he has a few on sizing that might be useful.

I have a bad back (L5-S1 microdisectomy a few years ago) and don’t plan to race... does that suggest a larger vs smaller size? I would have guessed smaller (less bent over) but maybe I have it backward. The fit calculators have me between a 54 and a 56, the one bike shop took one look at me and said “56”.

Generally you go to a smaller size when you want the bars to be lower, as the seat post has to be higher up giving you more drop. The bigger size will have more stack and then you can shorten the stem. I ride a 60 because I bought it used off the shop owner but would prefer to be on a 58. The reach between the two is nearly the same (4mm different) but the bigger bike has a lot more stack (17mm). Looks cool with the -17 degree slammed stem though.

But what that also suggests is not the caad. Those are a long, low bike meant for racing. Cannondale's synapse on the other hand puts the bars closer and higher for the same size bike, and has more room for tires. Most manufactures have a racey bike and then a more "endurance" geometry bike so look for those of the latter style.

I don't think I would buy a rim brake road bike now, unless it was a screaming deal (which your 2 options don't seem to be), or it was only for racing time trials on perfect pavement, or there was nothing else available. The main reason is to fit wider tires. Most road rim brakes (other than canti brakes on old cyclocross bikes) are limited to about 25c, and riding on 30 or 32 tires just feels so much smoother.

My first road bike to try out road biking was a used 56cm Vitus which was way too fucking big for a 5' 8" with 30" inseam,

I'm now on a 52cm Caad7, I got it new in 2006, I had 2 cannondales becuz they gave awesume deals to anybody working in a shop

riding a size that was too big I noticed the size when trying to get up off the seat and ride standing on the pedals

as already mentioned bike prices are pretty carzy right now

gravel bike are huge mighgt be something you have more use for ?

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Originally Posted by seldon

I have a bad back (L5-S1 microdisectomy a few years ago) and don’t plan to race... does that suggest a larger vs smaller size? I would have guessed smaller (less bent over) but maybe I have it backward. The fit calculators have me between a 54 and a 56, the one bike shop took one look at me and said “56”.

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it means don't get a race bike.

If you have a bad back you probably want either something endurance oriented or maybe a gravel bike. For a little bit more cash you can buy new and get nice things like disc brakes and 28 tires.

I know most everyone here rides in the mountains where gravel roads etc are a big thing. I live in DC, and plan to ride pretty much exclusively on roads. Is there still a big reason to be all-in on wider tires and disc brakes?

Also, does $1,000 for what looks like a very very clean 54cm Ridley Damocles (built with an SRAM Force/Rival) count as a screaming deal?

I don't think $1000 is ever a screaming deal for an 8-10 year old bike with low/mid range components. For $1000 you can almost get a brand new aluminum bike with like rim brakes and 105. Not sure on availability but a synapse with tiagra and discs has an msrp of 1400.

And yes bikes are a little more scarce now but that doesn't apply as much to road bikes. You want an entry level MTB, good luck, but like we've had a bunch of caad 13s just sitting around all year. If someone asked we'd probably give a decent discount on them at this point.

As far as tires and brakes go, I'm generally fine with my 25s and rim brakes but yes bigger tires are great. I like my fast road bike but really wish it had a big more tire clearance. My tires actually measure more like 27-28, and it's all that will fit in there. I should probably have smaller ones on there as some paint is missing in the chainstays.

Price is maybe a bit high, but it’s a seller’s market rn. This is solid option. https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/...190320341.html

Thanks for all the feedback - this is helpful. I think the scarcity may be location based - the shops I've spoken to have literally no new stock under $2k, delivery times 60-90 days out... want to ship a good deal on a CAAD13 to the mid-Atlantic?

That Trek looks nice, but I'm really trying to get out the door under $1k. Having been there with skis, once I start being like, oh, it's only $400 more... my budget becomes a tattered piece of fiction.

Any thoughts on the Look 566? From the reviews / press I read, it has a more relaxed sportive (look at that jargon) / upright geometry with a big head tube.

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Originally Posted by seldon

Any thoughts on the Look 566? From the reviews / press I read, it has a more relaxed sportive (look at that jargon) / upright geometry with a big head tube.

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I'm not sure I'd pick up a Look. The 585/595 are iconic, so it's not that I'm anti-Look...but there have been NIGHTMARE stories about Look's warranty process should something go wrong.

I think they're like a lot of French stuff: when they get it right, it's amazing...and the other stuff? It explodes...frequently.

@OP
FWIW I’m tall with two past low back surgeries and I’m on a caad10 (63cm)
some effort on the fit for stack/reach and you should be fine
it’s not a non-starter

Basic question: do you have any time on road bikes such that you have an idea on the kind of fit you're looking for? If not, can you borrow / test ride some from local friends?

A couple miles on traditional (race type) geometry, and on more upright (relaxed - gravel or endurance type) geometry will tell you what you like, and what your back can handle.

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Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Basic question: do you have any time on road bikes such that you have an idea on the kind of fit you're looking for? If not, can you borrow / test ride some from local friends?

A couple miles on traditional (race type) geometry, and on more upright (relaxed - gravel or endurance type) geometry will tell you what you like, and what your back can handle.

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Short answer is no... and COVID doesn't really help. Planning to rent a CAAD Optima Claris from a place in DC this weekend, which I believe shares the geometry with the rest of the CAAD family (need to double check that). I did test-ride a Roubaix, which has the more enduro-type geometry.

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Originally Posted by seldon

I know most everyone here rides in the mountains where gravel roads etc are a big thing. I live in DC, and plan to ride pretty much exclusively on roads. Is there still a big reason to be all-in on wider tires and disc brakes?

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Narrow tires (like 25) are ok for paved roads (and even good gravel roads, just not optimal), but I strongly prefer the extra comfort and versatility of wider tires even on pavement. Discs are better than rim brakes, but not as important on road bikes as mountain bikes.

If all you can get for your budget in the current market is rim brakes/narrow tires, you'll be fine, but the road bike world is rapidly moving away from rim brakes and they may soon be like the straight skis of the bike world (i.e. obsolete and hard to resell once the supply/demand picture rebalances).

The bike came with narrow 23's and there was a noticable positive difference in going to 25 in terms of comfort and handling with no real difference in speed and I don't think I've had any flats since going wider

I wouldn't worry about rim or disc brakes but if you want to run tubeless you DO need tubeless specific rims and tires

eks

I love my frame, so I got some new wheels, built up for tubeless, and go with 25s as that’s about the perfect width for the rim, and it’s great for chip seal roads and smooth gravel. But it’s a road bike, eh.

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Originally Posted by seldon

I know most everyone here rides in the mountains where gravel roads etc are a big thing. I live in DC, and plan to ride pretty much exclusively on roads. Is there still a big reason to be all-in on wider tires and disc brakes?

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My son lives on H Street, so I’m familiar with riding in DC. Lots of really nice bike trails and lots of traffic on the roads. Are you really going to ride roads or are you riding streets, until you get to a bike trail?

Road bikes are really good for going fast, on roads.
A HT 29r is a lot more versatile and probably more comfortable on your back.

Go to a couple of LBS’s and ride a bunch of different types of bikes before, you buy anything.