Cannondale CAAD9 4 or Trek 2.3???

[rdunba]

Okay, so I'm looking to upgrade from my 1993 Trek 2100. My budget is about 1500, but I can push to a little more for the "perfect" bike. What are thoughts regarding the Cannondale CAAD9 4 vs. Trek 2.3?? Is it worth it to go for the SRAM components on the Cannondale? (Are SRAM components better than the 105's on the Trek?) Or, if anyone knows of a better bike in the 1500-1800 range that I'm not aware of, by all means let me know! Thanks in advance.

 

[Chris Edwards]

Let's just recall the phrase, shall we? IT AIN'T ABOUT THE BIKE.

Trek or Cannondale are both brilliant. It will be about which one suits you the best. The unfortunate thing is, you may not be able to come to that conclusion without extensive trialling - by which time the shop will have insisted you purchased both of them! The best you can get is a shop that will ensure that you and the bike fit properly. A retailer that isn't really into this level of service is not deserving of what after all is serious cash.

But, it ain't about the bike! Once you've got your good fit, the rest is up to what you put into it. This is where the Trek, Cannondale or any other decent monika pale into insignificance. The differences between them at a level where you're giving it your all would be miniscule - it's all about the dedication you're prepared to put into it.

 

[forgie]

i think the sram components are amazing. i rode my mates bike and he had to beat me till i was limp to get me off it(well not quite). but thats just my personal oppinion. the sram gear uses doudletapp which takes a while to get used to is great to use. it feels better when braking compared to the shimano gear as the brake levers are also the shifting paddles. i have shimano and find in the wet my hands often slip off the lever. the sram stuff is alot more adjustable. both the reach of the shift paddle and the brakelever is adjustable. sorry i can't help on the bike side of it though. hope i've been helpful