Cannondale CAAD10 w/ 105's or Marin Stelvio w/ Ultegra



lovinglifetx

New Member
Aug 14, 2013
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Can anyone help??? I'm looking at a CAAD10/5 w/ 105's or a Marin Stelvio w/ Ultegra. I've rode both bikes and really enjoy the ride of the Marin but my concern is the size of the bike and the quality of the brand. I've only ever rode alloy frames so carbon is new to me and I like the way it feels. The Marin is a 56cm frame with a 55cm top tube and the CAAD is a 54cm frame with a 54.5cm top tube. On the Marin they put a shorter stem on the bike which brought the reach into specs but that was with my saddle all the way forward. I like the ride, the components, and the price of the Marin but slightly worried about the bike being bigger. Should I be concerned or just leave everything the way it is and buy it/ride it and stop worrying. For perspective, I'm coming from an undersized bike that I'm way too cramped on. Please help!!
 
If you have ridden both and prefer the ride of the Marin, I'd say buy it. The size differences here are pretty minimal and the fit can always be tweaked. You should check to ensure that pushing the saddle forward hasn't put you too far forward on the pedals. For this size frame, you should be in the area of 6 feet tall. Is that correct?

Brian in VA
 
Hey Brian,

I'm 5'10'', according to their sizes the next size down is a 53cm frame. So, it would either be put a longer stem on the 53 and push the saddle back or shorter stem on the 56 and push the saddle forward. Unfortunately, the only frame available to me is the 56. I talked with a buddy of mine about it last night. The biggest concern is, although the bike feels great right now, am I losing the ability down the road to make adjustments and get more aggressive?
 
Others that know more about bike fitting may want to chime in here. (I'm no fitter.)

I'm 5 11 and my first road bike was a 55 Giant CFR3, used from Craigslist. I had a guy set it up so it wasn't as agressive and I liked the way it felt. I just bought a 56 Fuji Gran Fondo and I like it, too. There are always ways to change the position on a bike and I think you can do that with this one. I could be wrong.

Do you see yourself wanting to adopt a more agressive riding posture? If that's important, than maybe your friend is right.

Brian in VA
 
Brian, sounds like you and I were in a similar boat. I purchased a used Giant TCR Aero 1 off Craigslist. The bike frame is actually labeled as Medium but after looking at the new specs on their frames it's actually the same size as the current Small frame. Therefore makes sense why I was feeling so cramped on the bike. I already have it in a very aggressive riding position to make room for my height. If absolutely necessary, I could probably add a longer stem to make this bike work but at what cost? I already feel like I'm supporting half my weight on the handlebars as is. The CAAD and Stelvio (both racing bikes) felt like recliners compared to the way I've been riding that TCR.
 
After talking with both Marin and Cannondale today I've decided to make a move on the CAAD 10. For the price I can't beat it, it's the right size, and I can do more to it in the future. I think it's the responsible decision. I'm really looking forward to picking it up today! I'll be sure to post pics of my new ride!