# first road bike advice - amira comp vs. synapse 5 (aluminum - women's)



## bluefire (Jun 20, 2012)

Okay, 5 posts in, now finally I can ask this question!

I've been on the hunt for a road bike for about a month, visiting many LBS's as well as bigger chains. I've ridden about 15 different bikes, some of them several times, and I've narrowed my choice down to two bikes: Specialized Amira Comp ('10) and women's Cannondale Synapse 5 ('12).

I've had a lot of feedback (even from other shops) that the Amira is an incredibly great value: full Shimano 105 set, carbon frame, incredible fit, for $1890. I've forgotten what wheels it comes with.

The Synapse is a a good fit too, aluminum/carbon fork, Shimano 105 shifters & derailleurs, rs10 wheelset, for $1350.

My bike budget was about $2k, although I can stretch it if I want to -- it won't hurt me financially, just a psychological thing. This is my first road bike since I was a kid, so I have to get accessories... pedals, maybe clipless (not sure about this), patch kit, lights, water bottles & cages, pump, probably some bike shorts, etc. I have a helmet already.

My question is, does it seem reasonable to get the Amira as a first road bike? I've been told by many that it's "a lot of bike". My application is recreational riding / exercise to start, then biking with a friend who's an ironman triathlete and will probably push me a bit. I have visions of one day getting into triathlon, though I hate running so not sure this will come to fruition. 

I live in the mountains so around my house there are serious hills, though I think both bikes could handle this okay. I think the Amira has an 12-27 gearset (not sure that's the right term), and the Synapse has 12-28 (which i think is better for hills?).

I *love* the way the Amira feels. Everything about it smooth and slick and it just feels perfect. I *really like* the Synapse and it's a good fit, but the Amira has the edge on how it rides, especially with the carbon frame. One other thing -- these are from different shops. It's also possible the Amira is just dialed in better (it's from an LBS) and that when the Synapse (from a bigger store that maybe isn't as careful with its builds) is adjusted it would feel smoother.

The Amira would stretch my budget, but I'd probably be set for a very long time with it. The Synapse obviously would cost less, but I worry that I'd be dreaming about the Amira (or something like it). On the other hand, I do think I'd be happy with the Synapse, so maybe I would forget about the Amira if I'm happy with the Synapse. I like the aesthetics of both, so would be motivated to ride with either one.

Soooo, any advice, guys? Is it really worth it to stretch my budget to get the Amira? Or is it excessive for a first bike? Would love to hear your input and what you might do in this situation and why. Let me know if I can give any more info that would help. I'm not looking for anyone to make a decision for me, but wanted to bounce the facts off some other ears so I can see if I'm being irrational (do I just want the pretty, expensive bike even though I might not need it) or if there's a better argument one way or the other. Thanks!


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## Lanna (May 27, 2012)

bluefire said:


> Okay, 5 posts in, now finally I can ask this question!
> 
> I've been on the hunt for a road bike for about a month, visiting many LBS's as well as bigger chains. I've ridden about 15 different bikes, some of them several times, and I've narrowed my choice down to two bikes: Specialized Amira Comp ('10) and women's Cannondale Synapse 5 ('12).
> 
> I think the Amira has an 11-25 gearset (not sure that's the right term), and the Synapse has 12-28 (which i think is better for hills?).


My bike has an 11-28. It's not the best on hills. I was going to buy a carbon fiber bike with more gears, but my friend told me to learn on this bike and toughen up first. sigh. I spoke with the guys at the lbs and they suggested adding some lower gears. It would cost me ~$100. 

You could always add lower gears if you find you need it.


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## bluefire (Jun 20, 2012)

Lanna said:


> My bike has an 11-28. It's not the best on hills. I was going to buy a carbon fiber bike with more gears, but my friend told me to learn on this bike and toughen up first. sigh. I spoke with the guys at the lbs and they suggested adding some lower gears. It would cost me ~$100.
> 
> You could always add lower gears if you find you need it.


Thanks for the input, Lanna. I just went and double-checked and I guess I was off on both counts. The Amira is 12-27 and the Synapse is 12-28. To be honest I'm not totally sure I understand what sizes are best for hills -- I've been given explanations but still unsure about it.


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## xls (Nov 11, 2004)

> Or is it excessive for a first bike?


I bought a pretty expensive first road bike (Cervelo R3) a bit over a month ago and so far have zero regrets (having spent a ton of time and money on mountain bikes before helped overcome the initial hurdle for me). If you're fairly sure you'll get good use out of it and you're not risking anything financially, I'd say no, not excessive. If you're not sure if a road bike is for you, maybe rent/demo one for a day or a weekend? I did that among other things before I commited to buy. 

Regarding gearing, ask the shop if they're willing to swap the cassette to a 12-28 or 11-28 (more teeth on the rear cog -> easier to pedal). If you're in a hilly area, and you're a beginner definitely try to get as low gearing as you can. My bike came spec'd with a 12-25 and I asked the shop to swap it for a 11-28.

Also, the ironman triathlete will probably push you a lot more than a bit.   :smile5:


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

First off, kudos to your for going about this bike buying process in (what I see as) the right way. I think it'll better your odds of success and getting you the bike you'll love for years to come. 

You've also offered a lot of useful info - defining intended uses/ goals, types of shops visited, detailed explanations of the 'finalists', how you felt riding them, terrain you'll be riding... so, time to assimilate. :wink5:

Re: gearing, with one cog difference at the rear (12-27 versus 12-28) we may as well say the Spec and C'dale are a wash in that respect. However, at the front there are differences. It appears the Amira is offered with a compact crankset (50/34) while the Women's Synapse 5 is offered in both a compact crankset and a triple (50/39/30), so the latter does offer most recreational riders some advantage in the hills. While it's true that gearing can be changed, there's generally a charge, so if you decide you prefer the triple, but opt for the Amira, that's something to discuss with the shop.

Speaking of shops, which do you prefer? I ask because we often advise noobs to shop for shops along with bikes, because they'll prove to be a valuable resource both short and long term. This may (or may not) help in your decision, but either way, something to consider.

Re: fit, The Spec site is down for maintenance at the moment, otherwise I was going to compare the geo of the Spec to the C'dale, but what really matters is how your feel on the bikes. Assuming you've been sized correctly and the geo of both bikes is similar, I think it's entirely possible that tweaks to the C'dales fit will get you close to the feel of the Amira. Of course, if it's something like the shape of the bars/ control placement, saddle or some other aspect unique to the Amira, the C'dale might never equal it in fit/ feel. Something else to weight, but difficult to predict. 

I don't see a bad or wrong choice here, but given that this is your first bike, I lean towards going with the Synapse for now. Work on fitness/ flexibility, acclimation to road riding, let your fit evolve and maybe in a couple of years go for a full CF bike. You might have a better idea of what you'd want, and you could always use the Synapse as your beater/ rain/ trainer bike. We all (ultimately) have one.

Hope this helps, and have fun pondering.


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## bluefire (Jun 20, 2012)

Hmm... I just found out I get an extra 10% off on the Synapse. It definitely is 
making me lean towards that. But haven't bought yet.


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## bluefire (Jun 20, 2012)

PJ352, thanks for your detailed response! Much appreciated. I posted the 10% off bit at the same time you posted, I think. 

I do like the idea of having a 'training' bike for the future. And I am probably going for the Synapse as I just mentioned. 

You're right about the Synapse gearing, I forgot about that. The one I'm looking at is actually a compact double. 

I'm in a rush right now so will review the rest of your info later. Thanks again.


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## Lanna (May 27, 2012)

Wish I could steer you in one direction concerning which one to buy. I went with the Trek Lexa S as my first entry level bike. I plan on buying another bike once I get a better feel of what I want/like/dislike. I'm not sure if I will want a custom, stock, carbon fiber, steel, or titanium for my next bike. A lot will depend on the type of riding I find myself gravitating towards over the next year.

Since I don't have enough posts to provide links... Google womens cycling blog and read the article: Lowering Your Gearing. I found it helpful in understanding gear ratios and my options for lowering my gears.


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## bluefire (Jun 20, 2012)

xls said:


> (having spent a ton of time and money on mountain bikes before helped overcome the initial hurdle for me)


I think that's my blocking point . If I had done this before I might not be so hesitant.



> Regarding gearing, ask the shop if they're willing to swap the cassette to a 12-28 or 11-28 (more teeth on the rear cog -> easier to pedal). If you're in a hilly area, and you're a beginner definitely try to get as low gearing as you can. My bike came spec'd with a 12-25 and I asked the shop to swap it for a 11-28.


This is a good idea; hadn't considered it.



> Also, the ironman triathlete will probably push you a lot more than a bit.   :smile5:


:lol: Yeah, I probably will wait a bit before I hook up with her. But she was one of my main motivations for eyeing road bikes when I started my bike search -- said if I ever want to ride with her, I better be on a road bike because riding socially doesn't really work if everyone isn't on the same kind of bike. I suspect she meant a bit more intense riding than socially, though, to your point .


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## bluefire (Jun 20, 2012)

Lanna said:


> Since I don't have enough posts to provide links... Google womens cycling blog and read the article: Lowering Your Gearing. I found it helpful in understanding gear ratios and my options for lowering my gears.


Thanks for this tip!


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## bluefire (Jun 20, 2012)

PJ352 said:


> Speaking of shops, which do you prefer? I ask because we often advise noobs to shop for shops along with bikes, because they'll prove to be a valuable resource both short and long term. This may (or may not) help in your decision, but either way, something to consider.


I'm actually not sure. I went through a phase where I thought it would be best to go with the LBS (which meant the Amira) for the precise reason of having a good source of info and a good relationship. They have been patient with me through my many Amira rides and questions. But the selection felt pretty limited, which was true of each of the LBS's I went to. In a way that can be a good thing -- fewer choices means less agony over making a decision. But, since I'm starting out, I want to know what's out there.

We have a gabillion LBSs here -- and I don't actually live near any of them. Nothing is local to me (as, within riding distance), so I had a larger range of shops to choose from since I was driving anyway. I work about 20 miles away from where I live, so I looked at shops all through that area. [That 20 miles is straight up & down a mountain so I don't plan on riding down to the work area till I'm a little more comfortable with the whole road-biking and hills thing].

The place I'm considering for the Synapse isn't as big as say, Performance; it's a local area chain with about 4 stores, I think. I did a little more research and the location I'm going to actually has a good reputation for their bike shop and employees. And I get 10% off everything in the store due to another membership I have. The bigger store is like a local REI; they have tons of departments and tons of selection, but at better prices. So it's not just a bike shop, which was my initial hesitation there. But again, the bike area seems to be close to an LBS if you take it on its own. And the employees have been incredibly patient with me, as well as a great source of information. Plus, it came highly recommended from my triathlete friend .

OTOH, every store I went into gave me useful info, since I really knew nothing when I started. I learned something at each place I went to, even if I eventually crossed the shop off my list.

I did go to Performance and wasn't really thrilled with them. The nice thing there was accessories selection and the 10% back program (whatever it's called). And that they have many locations in this area so in theory I could stop in and find them almost anywhere if I were out and about. But they kept trying sell me a unisex Fuji, saying it would fit fine once I got a shorter stem (the reach was way too long for me -- women's bikes just fit me better since I have a super-short torso). Yet he didn't offer to put on the shorter stem. I could have asked, but I wasn't really sold on the shop so I didn't bother. They *did* have amazing deals though; big sale going on right now.

So, how's the above for a non-answer? Haha. In all seriousness, I would say that to the extent a newbie has shop choices, visit as many as possible. There will be advantages to smaller shops as well as larger shops, I think. Some people just aren't going to be as into the relationship and info factor, and money is a larger factor -- my boyfriend, for example, who got a screaming deal at Performance on a CF Fuji. If you are absolutely, totally clueless, but want to learn and prefer to do so in person (as opposed to say, online research), I would recommend an LBS for that relationship. 

I would *not* recommend buying online, though. I didn't even want to go used since I just don't know enough. It's best to talk to people to get a feel for your options and to start learning about bikes in general.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

If people only got bikes "appropriate" to their level of riding, most of the bike industry would collapse. Don't pretend need has anything to do with it - if the Amira is your favorite bike and you can afford it, buy it and be happy.


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## bluefire (Jun 20, 2012)

Thanks for all the input, everyone!

So, it turns out I managed to get 15% off the Synapse with the help of a friend. That put the price difference between the bikes at $750 before tax ($800 after tax). 

I ended up going with the Synapse, bought all the accessories I wanted (tons of stuff!) and still paid less than the price of the Amira before tax.

I'm good with the decision -- although the Amira was amazing, I liked the Synapse enough to make it silly to pay 800 bucks more for a different bike at this point... better to spend that on all the extra things I needed. 

Incidentally, here's the list of accessories I got with the bike: saddlebag, patch kit, CO2 inflator & cartridges, tire levers, water cages, water bottles, multi-tool, tube, cateye computer w/ cadence, headlight, taillight, flat pedals (to start), clipless pedals, biking shoes, mirror, jersey, 3 nice bike shorts/ pants, bright yellow biking jacket, gloves, and a lock. Plus a full fitting and two years of free tune-ups.

I already had a helmet .

All in all, I'm pretty happy with my haul. Now just gotta get out there and start riding!!

And the next time I come across a deal like the Amira, at least I won't have to get all the accessories too.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Congrats on the new bike - _good choice!_ :thumbsup: 

Post pics when you take a break from riding. :wink5:


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## duffin (Jun 11, 2012)

Cannondale CAAD for aluminum


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

bluefire said:


> I'm good with the decision -- although the Amira was amazing, I liked the Synapse enough to make it silly to pay 800 bucks more for a different bike at this point... better to spend that on all the extra things I needed.


If I've learned nothing else owning a few different bikes and demoing a few more, it's that setup makes more of a difference, as long as the frame size is right to begin with. I bet once you've got your Synapse really dialed for you, if you hop on an Amira you'll be a little nonplussed.


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## Lanna (May 27, 2012)

bluefire said:


> Thanks for all the input, everyone!
> 
> I ended up going with the Synapse, bought all the accessories I wanted (tons of stuff!) and still paid less than the price of the Amira before tax.
> 
> And the next time I come across a deal like the Amira, at least I won't have to get all the accessories too.


Congrats on your new bike! Glad you were able to make a decision. Let us know how the hill climbs go.

I'm amazed at how much I'm spending on accessories: lighter helmet, Thule 916xtr t2 rake, hitch for my jeep, arm screens, jerseys, headbands, shoes, sunglasses, etc... Yeah, the Oakleys weren't a must have; but they match my bike. haha 

Enjoy the ridea!


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