Rondog

Hello. I am getting in my later 40’s and am looking to try my century rides with a little more comfort over my 60cm Aluminum Cannondale CAAD4. (The bike is verid rigid and I want to smothen out the bumps a bit.)

I looked at the Giant Defy, Cannondale Synapse, and BMC SLR02.

They are all Shimano 105 equipped and are all about $1,500 new.

So my dilemma is which one to buy.

They are all pretty comparable as far as I know and each dealer wants to sell me theirs but cannot tell me why I should buy theirs over their competitors.

Can anyone shed some light to give me some food for thought as to any advantages one has over another?

Thanks in advance!

KantoBoy

Nothing. Just pick whichever you think has the better ride quality and catches your eye.

znomit

Are you running 25c tyres?

bigfred 

In response to your direct question: The one that fits you best. Seriously.

The unsollicited response. Also consider a BMC GF01 or GF02.

I also happen to own a Caad4. They are stiff. But, there are things that can be done to soften the ride. 25 or 28mm tires, a light carbon post, stem and bars. Or, light carbon fork, like an Easton EC90SL in combination with stiff stem and bars.

I have a Thomson post in the Caad4, in addition to the stock Time fork and a number of different stems or bars over the years. My most recent build uses Easton EC90SL post and fork. Their flex characteristics are night and day different from the components on the Caad. If you're otherwise happy with the bike, this might be a reasonable alternative.

catonec 

links to the exact bikes you are thinking about would be helpful but the answer you're looking for is cannondale. reason: because I like the way it looks.

mr645

Out of about a dozen aluminum road bikes I have ridden, I found the CAAD8 and Bianchi to be the smoothest riding. But for long distances, I would address specific discomforts and perhaps work on fixing those with fit met. perhaps saddle, or bar tape, or other adjustments

rpenmanparker 

Besides ride quality and "what catches your eye", don't forget the quality of the shop that sells the particular brands. If you don't really care about anything else brand specifically, pick the shop with the best reputation, mechanics, "feel", service, pricing flexibility,....

Garfield Cat

Add the Felt to the list

https://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2014...Series/z5.aspx

Looigi

Seriously, they can all be made to fit the same with the appropriate choice of frame size, components, and adjustment.

gc3

Just to encourage a little hating...I suggest you get Specialized or Trek in lieu of one of your 3 preferred brands...

bigfred 

Being "made" to fit is not the same as inherently coming closest from the design point onward. Between the Defy and the SLR02 there's a 15-25mm difference in HT length for a given TT length. That's substantial and at least in my book, reason enough to choose one frame over another.

If both the Synapse and Defy fit the OP, my next bit of advise would be to pick the one that "speaks to you".

Team Sarcasm

Not sure what synapse's you're looking at, but carbon synapses start at 2k....but the synapse is an awesome bike. I like BMC a bit more then Giant.

xjustice09x

All the bikes you listed are good bikes. The best thing to do is to test ride them. As some others have pointed out the BMC has different geometry than the others.

I thought I wanted an endurance bike like a Specialized Roubaix, or the BMC GF01 but after test riding a bunch of bikes I fell in love with the BMC SLR01. It just felt right for me.Your experience may differ.

Of the endurance type bikes I tested I really liked the Raleigh Ravenio Carbon.

After test riding them if there isnt a clear winner go with the dealer you like best, or the bike that looks better.

BenPS

This. I can save you a grand, and suggest that you change tires and contact points. Can make an enormous difference in the comfort of your ride, more-so than the stiffness of the frame

Rondog

All good advice! Thanks Gents! Going to be doing some test rides to see what speaks to me. On the Cannondale it does have 25c Continental tires, carbon Slice fork, carbon stem, carbon front rim, and carbon seatpost, but aluminum handlebars. Maybe I’ll change those out to see if there is any difference. The rear wheel is an aluminum Powertap and don’t know if anyone has an opinion on it but it does seem a little rigid.

zymphad

I thought the Cannondale Synapse was supposed to be an Enduro bike with comfortable ride, not stiff like a CAAD.

If I had to buy those three, I'd go with the BMC just to be different. I have never seen a BMC bike in person. Seen Cannondale Synapse and Giant Defys though.

bigfred 

You don't have sufficient seatpost exposed for a carbon post to offer much flex compared to alloy.

How sure are you of your saddle position? If that's set properly and if the bars are where you want them, definately don't consider the BMC SLR02. Look instead at the GF models of BMC. If your current fit is correct you really need to be looking at only endurance geometry bikes. The Synapse and Defy could certainly also work. But, for bump absorbtion, make sure to consider the Trek Domane and Specialized Roubaix, if you have them available to you. Those are probably the leading bump absorbers amongst road bikes.

Rondog

How about the BMC SL01? I've heard they are more versatile and offer comfort and performance.

pdedes

you are lucky to be living in a time of "pretty good stuff". All your choices are pretty good. Pick the one that fits and you like the colour of the most.

bigfred 

From a Cycling Plus review of the SL01 on BikeRadar:

"At the rear, the short back end, deep chainstays, and seatstays that meet the seat tube a few inches down from the seatpost junction make for a very firm feel. On the TeamMachine and GF01, the addition of a slender carbon post with plenty of room for flex makes for a very comfortable bike. On the SL01, however, the deep, broad, aero profiled carbon seatpost does little to reduce the firmness. In most conditions it’s of no real issue, but on particularly scarred roads it can jar. "

"Lightweight race bike with snappy steering but can be harsh over rougher surfaces"

At least to me, that doesn't sound like it fills your criteria of smoothing out the bumps.

Gramercy

Where can you find a BMC bike for $1,500? I have never seen one for under $2,600 or so.

Looigi

Nah... the other differing characteristics are much more important than that difference in HT length which can almost certainly be easily accommodated with a spacer or two and a stem with the appropriate angle, unless your concerns are principally with cosmetics. That said, individuals with unsual proportions or fits may find they have to deviate further than usual to be accommodated on some frame, for example having to select an unusually long or large negative angle stem as many pros seem to do.

bigfred 

I agree that some of the other differences are just as important, if not more. But, if you look at the photo of the OP's current bike, he has very little drop and a shorter than average stem on an otherwise probably too large frame. BMC racing geometries are decidedly on the long and low side, so probably not a good starting point for the OP.

While it's possible to "almost certainly be easily accommodated" by "deviating further than usual to be accommodated on some frame", I will contend that it is usually best to start with a frame that more closely matches a rider's dimensional requirements than to try and force a rider onto frame that isn't as suitable for them. Not just for aethetic reasons. But, for the reasons of handling and balance on the bike. While it's possible to match the variations in seat tube angle with varying seatpost set back and center the riders cg over the cranks while positioning their hands with a stem. What isn't possible, is to achieve the variation in wheelbase and HT angle that many frames provide over their size range.

Anyhow. The OP's looking for a bike to smooth out some of the bumps and I suspect we both agree there are better choices than a BMC SLR or SL for that purpose. Regardless of our reasons.

Long Tom

Be sure to ride 'em, OP. We all hear how "carbon smooths the ride" and it may (road buzz in particular) BUT the first carbon bike I rode I was surprised how stiff and jolty it felt.

At any rate, add the Specialized Roubaix to your list, although at your price point of $2k I think you'd be best served by a last-years-model SL2 or SL3 frame. The 2014's all have the SL4 frame and the cheaper versions of the bike lack the CG-R seatpost. Peeps are saying it's too stiff in the rear triangle to be comfortable sans that seatpost.

Anyway the Roubaix is great on long rides.

zvez

Whatever you do.............DON"T BUY SPECIALIZED

Read this vital thread before you do anything else!

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...on-Specialized