# advice on caad3 upgrades



## apapage (Sep 12, 2012)

have an r400 with dt shifters. just upgraded seatpost and seat to get a better riding position for speed and comfort. Was thinking of carbon fork, but has to be budget given the bike's vintage. Any thoughts?


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

mmmmmmmmm......sorry. I really don't think it's worth it. save up for a better frame or bike later.


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## apapage (Sep 12, 2012)

I agree, upgrading components to reach current standards in terms of drive train and wheels will not be worth it, because ultimately the cost will exceed the price of simply getting new or relatively new modern bike. But, I am not in the market for a new bike yet and I want to add to the utility of this bike with worthwhile upgrades at minimal costs. Currently, the bike is mostly stock and because of the poor quality of the roads in my area it gives me a beating every time I take it out. I ride at 70 psi to lessen the impact, but I feel a 30-40 mile ride for at least a day later. I don't want to increase tire size/reduce pressure more because to me it feels more like a mountain bike than a road bike at any pressure less than 70. That being said, I know that nashbar sells a semi-carbon fork for around $100. If this will absorb more impact and correspondingly extend my rides to approximately 50 miles, it will extend the usefulness of this bike.

Has anyone upgraded a full aluminum bike to carbon fork and felt a significant difference? Almost all Al bikes today have a carbon fork. Marketing or worthwhile upgrade?


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## the mayor (Jul 8, 2004)

Your bike has a 1" steerer. You may have a hard time finding a great riding fork for it.
Ride the crap out of what you got.
If you want to throw money at it....put some good tires on it and keep the drive train in good shape.
Save your money for a better bike down the road.


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## apapage (Sep 12, 2012)

I have a set of continental tires on it that I really like. If my choice of forks is not going to give me a noticeable improvement, I will keep it as is and keep an eye out for a lightly used caad9 over the winter. Just missed one on craigslist for $650. I looked at a new CAAD10, but its too pricey for me. Besides, I suspect that CAAD3 vs. CAAD9 will be a huge improvement.


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## Zachariah (Jan 29, 2009)

The CAAD frames really started improving by leaps and bounds, just after the release of the CAAD5 line(circa, 2002). I'd say the closest frame to a CAAD9 is the CAAD7 R2000 Optimo(circa, 2000-2004). A very light, and strong bike that took many ProTour victories.


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## CHL (Jun 24, 2005)

I don't think there's any point to upgrading a CAAD3. The return doesn't justify the cost. My LBS, here in San Jose, CA has a CAAD9 (charcoal 54/56) on sale. They also have a multitudes of CAAD10s that are inexpensive. I saw the current CAAD8 and I must admit, I was shocked at the tubing. It's not a plain vanilla copy of the original CAAD8 that Damiano Cunego piloted to 2004 Giro victory. 

The front triangle looks like the CAAD10 without the tapered head tube and a different shaped downtube. The back triangle appears to have CAAD10 seat stays and my CAAD9's chainstays. I will wager that it probably rides very nicely.

By the way, CAAD3 to CAAD9 is a night and day experience. I went from CAAD4 to CAAD9 and was shocked!! It's more efficient, better handling and far smoother.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

On the tire size issue, you should go bigger. not sure if geo is identical but my CAAD5 can accommodate 28mm wide easily.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Don't do it... While carbon 'can' smooth out a ride, it doesn't always. Carbon is great but it's shock absorbtion ability is overhyped IMO, unless you spend enough money to have a better engineered carbon fork. But I don't think an inexpensive carbon fork won't help all that much. The shape and the carbon layout is what makes it smoother but economical carbon forks rarely get all that much research put into them. And a fork that would help not even as much as using low-pressure in your tires would probably be less stiff than a wet noodle. My two cents.

If your not happy with bigger tires and lower pressure, you can also add some gel pads underneath your bar tape or put thicker, mushier tape, or install double layers of tape...

But if the roads are as bad as trails and you want comfort, you'll have to expect to give away a bit of the road bike feel... road bikes are designed to be stiff. Mountain bikes don't feel the way they do for nothing, it's to deal with rough surfaces.


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## apapage (Sep 12, 2012)

It's funny you should mention mountain bikes, because I opted to ride my mountain bike in a local century instead of my road for this reason. In the end, each bike has a purpose and I don't want to change that. All I want to do is extend the usefulness of the road bike so that I can ride at least 50 miles at a time without having to resort to the mountain bike. 

That being said, I use cushioned tape and wear gloves with good padding. My hands don't get numb, thankfully. I've replaced the seat post with a 0 degree so that I am not stretching for the handlebar as often, and this helped significantly. Combined with lower pressure, I can ride approx 40 miles (up from about 30) without feeling too beat up. I am pretty close to my goal, but it seems that a low cost carbon fork isn't going to get me there. I think the last thing I am going to try is soft inserts in my shoes and/or thicker socks. The bike has approximately 1000 miles on it, so its got lots of life still left in it. I will probably ride it as is for the rest of the year and try to sell it in the spring for around $250. 

For the next bike, I was thinking about steel but they are pricey. So, the most logical choice is a lightly used aluminum bike with a carbon fork. Thinking CAAD9 (for sale between 600 and 800), but I've seen newer CAAD10 for not much more. The thought of the the CAAD10 is appealing because they say the ride is as close to carbon as you can get, but I am concerned about the durability.


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## CHL (Jun 24, 2005)

Don't want to Imply that Caads are infallible but durability shouldn't be an issue. Like any high end racing machine, whether carbon or aluminum, if you crash then it will be toast. Whether my Caad9, Super Six or Slice, I accept the fact that if it even falls, I will be replacing the frame.

C.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

CHL said:


> Don't want to Imply that Caads are infallible but durability shouldn't be an issue. Like any high end racing machine, whether carbon or aluminum, if you crash then it will be toast. Whether my Caad9, Super Six or Slice, I accept the fact that if it even falls, I will be replacing the frame.
> 
> C.


Yeah I wouldn't be too concerned about CAAD frames durability. But CHL, if one of your bike falls, can I have it?


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## EuroSVT (Sep 15, 2011)

I had a CAAD3 (R800) the first year they came out. I'd still be riding that bike if my ex didn't sell it 

Great frame, awesome handling, especially on high speed descents...a little flexy in the BB. Think the main thing that I see being different between that frame and my CAAD10 is that the 10 is stiff in a good way, with power transfer like a Ti bike.

If I still had the CAAD3, I wouldn't put a ton of money into modding it, but would certainly still ride it often. Think the big thing that's sucking for you is the DT shifters. My R800 had 105.


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## jneilt (Aug 11, 2012)

CAAD3 suck, everyone is right, upgrades are a terrible idea. Go buy something new...


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## EuroSVT (Sep 15, 2011)

^ Sweet...that's what I had, although not hooked up like that one. Best colorway ever, and loved the rough-cut logo. I miss the sound the downtube made when I tapped it, my CAAD10 doesn't do that.

Rode that bike everywhere, the South, Europe, mountains of Colorado & Washington. Only ran it one person that had it, that being a German on a multi day ride I went on.

Please feel free to post more pic's of that beauty! :thumbsup:


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## Murphy93 (Oct 27, 2012)

nice sharing...


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## apapage (Sep 12, 2012)

I decided to up tire size to 25 and it made a huge difference. Rode the bike all winter and I could cover 50 miles somewhat comfortably. Over the winter I came across a lightly used specialized tarmac sport (approximately two months old) at a price that I could not pass up, cheaper than least expensive caad8. I never rode a carbon bike before, but I am extremely pleased. As comfortable as a steal bike with the performance of an aluminum frame. Now I am riding 50 plus miles with absolutely no pain.


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