# CAAD9 Optimo 3 - how comfortable is it??



## ripken204 (Nov 27, 2008)

CAAD9 Optimo 3:
http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/07/cusa/road/caad9/model-7RA93D.html

what i really want to know is how do you feel after doing a 20, 30, 50+ mile ride?
i keep reading about how "stiff" it is but i am not finding much about how much your body will be hurting, if at all, after a long ride. especially if i plan on doing 20-30 per day.

i can't test drive one right now due to snow, but i would like to try to get a good price while i can. 

my LBS has this right now for $1,199.99.
is this a good price considering it is about to be a two yr old model?

otherwise i am thinking of the Six13 6 (double) for the same price:
http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/08/cusa/model-8RCT6D.html

it has Tiagra instead of 105...


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## BikeProf (May 9, 2006)

That's the same price as the new 2009 CAAD9 5, which has the same level of components (105). I don't know a lot about 105, so I don't know if it has changed much in the past 2 years (I would suspect not a lot), but it still seems strange that a 2 year old bike would have the same cost as a brand new one.

As far as the comfort issue, it depends on a lot of factors. Wheels make a difference in comfort--those Shimano rims are low-profile, so I'd expect them to be fairly compliant, at least compared to a deep-section rim. Your own fitness level and experience also makes a difference. Keep in mind the Saeco team used a frame very much like this (I can't remember which CAAD they used--6 or 7?) and those guys rode for more than 100 miles a day, day after day. I don't imagine you'd have a lot of comfort issues over 20-30 miles.

The Six-13 is a very nice frame as well--I ride and race on one built up with Campy Centaur. The carbon tubes might make a slight difference in road feel. but I can't really see that much change over all Alu. That said, I'd go for the CAAD.


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## ripken204 (Nov 27, 2008)

do you have a link for the new one that costs $1,199?


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## fireplug (Nov 19, 2008)

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/09/cusa/model-9RA95D_9RA95C.html 

Here is the link for the Cannondale Caad 9-5. 105s all around and is $1,199 at my LBS. The Caad 9-6 is $999 and the Caad 9-7 is $860

If you are worried about comfort might want to check the Synapse line
http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/09/cusa/model-9RAS5C_9RAS5T.html 

This is the link to the Synapse which is also $1,199 with 105 also. They also have a $860 version that is almost identical to the Caad 9-7. Or you can jump up in the Synapse line and move to an all carbon bike...do not have the prices on these since I already know they are out of my price range.

Synapse according to the dealer is suppose to still have the sport bike feel with just a little more comfort. Looking at the specs the Synapse is not that far off...still trying to decide between the two myself

My two cents...your shop needs to drop the price on that bike. If it is bone stock I would think they would cut you a good deal to get ride of it.


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

I think comfort also depends on rider weight. I am 200lbs and find my CAAD7 quite comfortable. If I was 150lbs I might think otherwise.


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## Angelracer (Dec 12, 2004)

ripken204 said:


> CAAD9 Optimo 3:
> http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/07/cusa/road/caad9/model-7RA93D.html
> 
> what i really want to know is how do you feel after doing a 20, 30, 50+ mile ride?
> ...


I have the six13 its a great ride, but if you can get better components on it, you'll probably want to upgrade the Tiagra if you continue doing long distance and such. But yeah a new CAAD 9 R5 is $1,250 or so new, not much of a discount. I'd wait until next year if they really try reducing price, that's not much of a discount. But be wary those CAAD 9 frames get sold out from time to time.


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## Svooterz (Jul 29, 2006)

I'm riding a CAAD4 which is supposedly less compliant than the CAAD9.
I'm very comfortable on it. It's in fact more comfortable my previous Giant OCR, which is supposedly comfort/fitness oriented. It is also both more rigid and agile than the chinese bike.

My longest trip so far on the CAAD4 was 70 miles long and the discomfort I had was from the saddle, not the bike itself. Get a saddle that fits and doesn't crush your genitals, that'll do more for comfort than whatever the marketing guys can throw at you.


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

I have a CAAD9 and a Ridley Helium. The CAAD9 is actually a bit MORE vertically compliant than the carbon Ridley. It's a very comfortable bike, yet stiff very stiff in the bottom end.


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## goulven (Oct 5, 2007)

Hi Backinthesaddle
Do you mean the 9 is more compliant then the Helium?
Even on the front (Head tube) ?
Also regarding stiffness, 9 more stiff than Helium ?
Thanks for your feedback
from a french paddy


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

goulven said:


> Hi Backinthesaddle
> Do you mean the 9 is more compliant then the Helium?
> Even on the front (Head tube) ?
> Also regarding stiffness, 9 more stiff than Helium ?
> ...


On rough roads, at low to medium speeds, the 9 seems to soak up vibrations a bit better. When pushed hard, the Ridley is better on the rough stuff. I don't know if it's the material each is made of or what, but with the same wheelset, the 9 is a bit better ride.
I haven't raced it yet, so I don't know if the 9 is as good as the Ridley under those conditions. The Ridley is a rocket when pushed and when thrown into corners hard.

As far as horizontal stiffness, the Ridley is stiffer, probably due to the front end. It's pretty negligible though...

Both bikes are set up with the same Thomson stem and Deda Newton Deep bars and the comparison was made with the same wheelset.

Head to head, the Ridley is the better frame, but then again, it costs more than 5x as much as the 9.

Hope this helped a bit...


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## jlyle (Jul 20, 2007)

I went from a CAAD7 to a SuperSix. I can't believe how much more comfortable the all carbon frame is compared to the Aluminum. I loved the stiffness of the CAAD7 - it climbed like a scalded cat but you felt every little bump in the pavement. My SuperSix is just as stiff and responsive, but easier on the body after several hours in the saddle. If you are only riding 20-30 miles, I doubt you will really care.


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

jlyle said:


> I went from a CAAD7 to a SuperSix. I can't believe how much more comfortable the all carbon frame is compared to the Aluminum. I loved the stiffness of the CAAD7 - it climbed like a scalded cat but you felt every little bump in the pavement. My SuperSix is just as stiff and responsive, but easier on the body after several hours in the saddle. If you are only riding 20-30 miles, I doubt you will really care.



I had a 7 and now the 9...night and day difference in ride quality. They are probably about the same as far as horizontal stiffness, but vertically, the 9 is waaaaay better.


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## orl2222 (Jul 26, 2008)

I have a Bianchi 828 C2C carbon, to be honest, my CADD9 is actually more comfortable. The CADD9 soaks up the bumps better, its a just a fun bike to ride.


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## goulven (Oct 5, 2007)

Thanks Bits (Back in the saddle)
So if I can resume very close bikes, both in comfort, stiffness and sensation.
Just for info, are your stem and bars carbon ? It seems to make a difference / alu on the comfort level.
Regards


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

goulven said:


> Thanks Bits (Back in the saddle)
> So if I can resume very close bikes, both in comfort, stiffness and sensation.
> Just for info, are your stem and bars carbon ? It seems to make a difference / alu on the comfort level.
> Regards


Nope...alu bars and alu stem. I ride the same setup on every bike I have, including Selle Italia Flite Ti gel saddles.

The bikes are close, but if I was blindfolded, I could tell which was which...


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## Sirveyir (Apr 5, 2008)

I do not think that comfort should be the main concern. I doubt you would notice much difference in the frames. The components would be more significant in terms of ride quality. I think the CAAD9 with the 10-speed drive train and the 105 components is a much better option than Tiagra and 9-speed on the Six-13. The Shimano wheelsets also get many poor reviews. I had a set of the WH-R550's that were too fragile. I am very pleased with Mavic Aksiums. I find a significant difference between the shifting quality of 105 vs. Ultegra. I am a 6-2, 200+# Clyde and find my CAAD6 and CAAD7 Optimo frames quite comfortable...certainly for 20-30 miles. I have upgraded the wheels, shifters and CODA Delta brakes on my 2005 R700 CAAD7 and find it is a very sweet ride for rides up to and including centurys.


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## sabre104 (Dec 14, 2006)

Can you purchase just the CAAD9 frame and fork ?

Thanks in advance


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## goulven (Oct 5, 2007)

*Let's agree to disagree.*



Sirveyir said:


> I do not think that comfort should be the main concern. I doubt you would notice much difference in the frames. The components would be more significant in terms of ride quality. I think the CAAD9 with the 10-speed drive train and the 105 components is a much better option than Tiagra and 9-speed on the Six-13. The Shimano wheelsets also get many poor reviews. I had a set of the WH-R550's that were too fragile. I am very pleased with Mavic Aksiums. I find a significant difference between the shifting quality of 105 vs. Ultegra. I am a 6-2, 200+# Clyde and find my CAAD6 and CAAD7 Optimo frames quite comfortable...certainly for 20-30 miles. I have upgraded the wheels, shifters and CODA Delta brakes on my 2005 R700 CAAD7 and find it is a very sweet ride for rides up to and including centurys.


I am OK with you if the rider is a 200+ mother of a rider doing only 30-50 miles on butter-smooth roads, but not if you are a 68 kilos (guess it's around 130-140 pounds) doing 80-100 miles rides on bad roads - some of them looking and feeling like coming straight from Beyrouth 20 years ago !


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## Sirveyir (Apr 5, 2008)

Goulven, 
I do not know what we are disagreeing about. My point was that at the same price the CAAD9 was a better value, component-wise, and would add to the ride quality with what would probably be a negligible difference between the two frames, in terms of comfort. The saddle choice is probably the biggest concern for ride comfort, as was mentioned, or some fatter tires. I also think that the price on the 2-year old CAAD9 was a little high. It might drop after Christmas. 
If you are riding terrible roads, why not get a cyclo-cross or touring frame for your Beirut riding rather than a CAAD9 or Six-13?


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## goulven (Oct 5, 2007)

Hi Sirveyir,

Just to be on same level with you : you are talking about the helium and the Caad9 ? aren't you ? It is not clear.

I definitely think that I misunderstood the objective of your post. I thought that your message was that, generally speaking, comfort was not important in bike riding !

I think that we agree that comfort (with the same degree of performance, of course) IS the key stuff in bike riding, not to be sacrificed, unless you crit race!!).

What you say is right, tires and saddle are important, but also position, you can have the most comfortable bike, if it does not fit properly, you will get plenty of physical problems at the end of the day. It is to my eyes the most important criteria.

After that comes the rights components ( in order of priority to my eyes : wheels, saddle, saddle bar, brakes, then handlebar, stem and the last parts are the transmission parts) fine tuned in accordance with the usage that you have with your bike : where is the sense in buying DuraAce parts or other high level stuff of you do 7000 kms in the year and no racing ? you'd be better off with ultegra or, even better as you said, the 105 parts.

I am personnally sorting out the reasons of my problems with my present bike (CAAD8 with Neutrons and Spe wide saddle) but it is likely to be due to a bad position that is why I am curious to have opinions about comfort with the CAAD9 (and the helium as well).

Regarding cyclo cross or touring bikes, I have nothing against them, but I prefer performance bikes. You can find swell rigid, nervous, zippy bikes and very comfortale performance bikes wich are designed also to be very comfortable. (e.g. to some level my other bike a 2004 orbea Orca which is too 'chewing-gum' compared to my Caad, I also had a Supersix which was Okey-dokey but comfort was not that great : my bum preferred by far the Caad8 !).

If I personnally have to switch bike I will go for one of those whatever the price (or maybe recumbent (to have a better view at women's knickers !) but I hope not as I love my Caad8.


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