# My proposed Caad9 Build?? Suggestions?



## racermech (Jan 15, 2009)

So here is what I am thinking for my build This will be my race bike and some training.

Caad9 56cm Stock cannondale fork
Shimano 7900
Cannondale SI cranks w/SRM
Thomson Post
Thomson X2 Stem, 110mm
EC90 42cm bars
Deda/Stella tape
Speedplay Zero Pedals (usually get SS for sponsorship)
Fizik Airone (anteres later this season if I like it)

Wheel: Basic old trainers,reynold mid-v clinchers,reynolds DV tubs, zipp 404 (wheels depend on the day and if the 404's are available from my team)

That should be it. The stem is something new for me, so I am open to suggestions there. It should be a decent weight build, nothing special. I am thinking about pulling out a set of TI axles for the pedals to save a bit of weight. 

So what do ya think?


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

How about USE Alien carbon post ? shave a fw grams.


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## wankski (Jul 24, 2005)

racermech said:


> I am thinking about pulling out a set of TI axles for the pedals to save a bit of weight.
> So what do ya think?


this i don't get! ti pedal axles to save weight but stock fork? the ultra fork is not great, and u can save around 200g on that thing.... Now if you want it in all white, i can understand - but if another color, and for what u seem to be going for... ditch the fork!


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## are (Feb 5, 2005)

the thomson seatpost is really nice and not that heavy - it sounds like a good choice. The fork is heavy, but I imagine most of the weight is in the steerer tube - I wonder what cut down forks weigh?


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## racermech (Jan 15, 2009)

Fork is staying, it is a custom color for our team. Maybe at the end of the year when we get the 2010 team frames I will ditch it, but for now it stays (actually it has to stay as cannondale is a sponsor so we cant really swap forks around).

Alien posts will NEVER go on any of my bikes. Just my opinion, I wont go into details. The thomson at 250mm is 188gm. Alien is 143gm. FSA all over 200gm. Bontrage XXX liste is around 140gm (but it is so damn ugly!) By the time I figure in the cost compared to the weight savings, and the fact i run zero setback, the thomson just makes sense. Again if you have a suggestion please let me know.

Ti axles. Well I have an extra set of TI's sitting around collecting dust, so I figure it is a no cost weight savings.

Stem??? The thomson was a shot in the dark. Last 2 years I have been on the cannondale carbon system 6 stem. FSA?Ritchey?Thomson? Others???


Weight is not the ultimate concern, having a reliable bike that I can race all year and not worry about is the concern, also my pocket book.


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## STARNUT (Jun 19, 2005)

I know the fork is painted but that thing is a pig. Get a nice light carbon one of your choice and pay the $50 to have someone repaint it. That what I'm doin' with my Caad 9 custom.


Off the top of my head I'd say bars, stem, post, clamp, carbon railed saddle of the Anters or Airone (the Anters is much cheaper BTW), make sure you have the SL version of the Hollowgrams. Brakes would be on my list if you're not to big and since you're look at Ti speedplays I know you lighter than 175. KCNC would be my rec.

The Thompson stuff is nice but heavy. 

Starnut


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## racermech (Jan 15, 2009)

Saddles are another sponsored item, we usually just get TI rails. 

A some point i might upgrade to the SL cranks, I have the SI right now and will run them untill I find a set of SL's (in black if i am lucky)

How heavy is the fork anyways?? The last one I had the the preimum+ and I did not think it was that heavy, so I was not thinking this one would be much worse


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## wankski (Jul 24, 2005)

isn't the premium a full carbon gig? the caad9 is downgraded by Cdale - its the ultra, carbon blades only IIRC, alloy crown and steerer - altho starnut would know far better.

IIRC from WW, the ultra is around 550g. Its not hard to get a full carbon 45mm rake fork in the 350g range these days, if even an ebay cheapie. Right now that's the big plus the cervelo s1 enjoys over the caad9. It gets a 'proper' 3t funda fork (370g carbon)...


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## racermech (Jan 15, 2009)

Well looking here
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=162727

There caad9's came with what looks to be carbon steerer. Maybe because this is the team bikes.

Starnut, have your Caad9's come it yet, if so do they have carbon or alloy steerers?


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

I believed all 09 SL crank are in black, Cannondale no longer produce the silver version. Based on your pix the orignal fork is a good one why bother to replace it.


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## Caine (May 20, 2006)

racermech said:


> Well looking here
> http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=162727
> 
> There caad9's came with what looks to be carbon steerer. Maybe because this is the team bikes.
> ...


Team framesets are going out with matching EC90 forks. Retail CAAD9 BB30s will come with Ultra forks.


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## STARNUT (Jun 19, 2005)

Yep, new guy at Cannondale made the running change and switched the forks. Should be the SL not the SLX. Caine is correct, the carbon steerer Easton's will _only_ show up on the cusotm team frames. All other frames will ship with the ultra alloy steerer.

Starnut


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## durangoscott (Sep 7, 2004)

STARNUT said:


> Yep, new guy at Cannondale made the running change and switched the forks. Should be the SL not the SLX. Caine is correct, the carbon steerer Easton's will _only_ show up on the cusotm team frames. All other frames will ship with the ultra alloy steerer.
> 
> Starnut


Are these the '09 EC90 SLs with the threaded steerer or the '08s? Just planning out my build and trying to figure everything out. Thanks to anybody that can answer this (I'm guessing it's going to be Starnut, but might be somebody else)!


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## Feminine (Jan 30, 2009)

STARNUT said:


> Yep, new guy at Cannondale made the running change and switched the forks. Should be the SL not the SLX. Caine is correct, the carbon steerer Easton's will _only_ show up on the cusotm team frames. All other frames will ship with the ultra alloy steerer.
> 
> Starnut


Easton do a 45mm rake on those?


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## leedouthitt (Aug 19, 2008)

STARNUT said:


> I know the fork is painted but that thing is a pig. Get a nice light carbon one of your choice and pay the $50 to have someone repaint it. That what I'm doin' with my Caad 9 custom.
> 
> 
> Starnut


Starnut, or anyone else who knows,

How easy/expensive is this to do? I am looking at building a CAAD9 but want to make sure I can upgrade the fork and have it painted white to match. 

I wouldnt want to try it myself. Who would I take the new fork to to have painted, etc? 

Thanks so much with your patience with a newbie.


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## STARNUT (Jun 19, 2005)

durangoscott said:


> Are these the '09 EC90 SLs with the threaded steerer or the '08s? Just planning out my build and trying to figure everything out. Thanks to anybody that can answer this (I'm guessing it's going to be Starnut, but might be somebody else)!


yep ~350ish grams. Good fork.




Feminine said:


> Easton do a 45mm rake on those?


Yes, that's the stock geo and that's what the customs should/will come with.



leedouthitt said:


> Starnut, or anyone else who knows,
> 
> How easy/expensive is this to do? I am looking at building a CAAD9 but want to make sure I can upgrade the fork and have it painted white to match.
> 
> ...


you can take it to any local body shop/paint shop that sells paint and the can tell you exactly what the color is to match. I have the _actual_ Dupont color codes for the white they use, if'n you're lookin' for that. I will warn you, the Dupont paint is high quality stuff and is ExPeNsIvE! A body should be able to recommend a suitable alternative. 


Starnut


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## racermech (Jan 15, 2009)

durangoscott said:


> Are these the '09 EC90 SLs with the threaded steerer or the '08s? Just planning out my build and trying to figure everything out. Thanks to anybody that can answer this (I'm guessing it's going to be Starnut, but might be somebody else)!


I should be able to let you know this week, we got the word that our frames where ready to ship, so any day now we will see them.

We also heard that our frames got delayed because of forks. Seeing how other caad9's have been shipped with the c-dale fork, and now ours are delayed because of forks. It leans towards mine will have the easton fork.


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## jtferraro (Jun 28, 2002)

*43mm vs 45mm rake on Easton EC90SL*



STARNUT said:


> Yes, that's the stock geo and that's what the customs should/will come with.


Wow...I find it surprising that Easton is going to make a special batch of 45mm rake EC90SL forks, but that's cool if it's true. Any chance C'dale would just use their (Easton's) stock 43mm rake forks, even if it's not as conducive to their frame geometry (which was built around a 45mm rake fork)? I also wonder what the Easton's axle to crown length is, and how that number compares to C'dale's Ultra & Premium forks.


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## jtferraro (Jun 28, 2002)

*fork update*

Our team frames have shipped w/both Premium and Easton EC90 SL forks (some frames w/the Premiums, other frames w/the Easton). However, the Easton EC90 SL forks that have shipped AREN'T the '09 versions, w/ITT (threaded steerer). They are the '08 versions.  I'm trying to decide which route to go for my 56cm CAAD9 BB30 frame but am leaning towards the Easton.


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## are (Feb 5, 2005)

Wow - strange that Cannondale would ship two different forks to one team. I never used one, but people seem to have been unenthusiastic about the premium fork (premium+ a different story - people seem to love that one).


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## jtferraro (Jun 28, 2002)

are said:


> Wow - strange that Cannondale would ship two different forks to one team. I never used one, but people seem to have been unenthusiastic about the premium fork (premium+ a different story - people seem to love that one).


Agreed. I currently ride a non BB30 CAAD9 w/Premium fork. I guess I can't say anything bad about the Premium but have never ridden a Premium+, although isn't it the same fork, only lighter b/c of carbon dropouts and crown? In other words, I would think it would handle/ride very similarly.


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## are (Feb 5, 2005)

Here's a link ... http://www.belgiumkneewarmers.com/search?q=premium+fork

Could be total BS, but a good read. Says that there may be a different carbon layup between the premium and premium+.


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## jtferraro (Jun 28, 2002)

Yup, I remember reading that article a whle back. I do wonder if it's BS, but I do trust BNW. I wonder how the Premium+ stacks up against the Easton EC90SL.


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## racermech (Jan 15, 2009)

Saw our first team bike today and it came with the standard cannondale fork, with carbon steerer, but aluminum drop outs. I do not have mine yet so we will see what for it has. I will report back as the team gets theres built and I start to see them. Also the come with Cane Creek headsets now, no more FSA.

It is not surprising that cannondale shipped some with easton and other with a stock fork, last year we got bikes with wrong forks, right color, but wrong stickers.


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## jtferraro (Jun 28, 2002)

racermech said:


> It is not surprising that cannondale shipped some with easton and other with a stock fork, last year we got bikes with wrong forks, right color, but wrong stickers.


I think I noticed the Cane Creek headsets too. Interesting. Actually, re: forks, I think they sent my LBS the '08 Easton EC90 forks, but with the '09 threaded caps (rather than the '08 caps)!


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## racermech (Jan 15, 2009)

Just picked up my frame and i came with the cannondale fork, premium I guess it is, carbon steerer, but alloy tips. Our bikes only shipped about 2 weeks ago.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

racermech said:


> Just picked up my frame and i came with the cannondale fork, premium I guess it is, carbon steerer, but alloy tips. Our bikes only shipped about 2 weeks ago.


Any pics??


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## 7he ]-[0rr0r (Mar 18, 2009)

I can understand a bit of hesitation on the Use Alien. I read horror stories but often I have the attitude that somebody is doing something wrong in those situations. that said when saw one used at $30 usd i jumped anyway. it arrived with a hair line fracture in the clamp. (this was the old two bolt clamp) what i observed of it's design is that it will allow overtightening to the point of destroying the thing. Still I stuck with it the (re)seller took full responsibillity and refunded and i got the cyclops bolt design clamp (for about the same as i bought the stem). I applied some friction compound to the curved surface of the clamp mounting and it has been good to go since I rode most of last season. 
I'm riding the same saddle and love it. (so much better than the old selle italia flight it replaced, my chode tells me embroidering is bad) I also love the fizik bar tape (it's pretty, tough does not get dirty easy and cleans off easy) and nice to touch with bare hands even when wet but I suggest to get the gel too unless all your races are short.
If you can go for another brand for the shifters I'd be more interested in the sram red save about 100g right there and though I can't afford the personal experience but have heard many a good thing and even more importantly nary a bad thing.


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