WTOCMike said:
My current bike has Kenda Kross 700 x 40c @ 50 - 75 psi. They're "Cupped" tires with the usual point of contact fairly smooth, with some "slits", while the edges are nubbier to grip if the going gets deep. My LBS has suggested narrower tires if I want, but this is where we are.
Listen to your LBS & buy some narrower tires & tubes, FIRST, before you pony up any money on a new bike, particularly if you are keen on buying a ROAD bike whose maximum useable tire size may only be 700x25.
Now, as far as the Kenda Kross tires being cupped, they probably shouldn't be. Were they always that way? Or, have you just put on so many miles that the center has worn thin & they are cupped when they are under-inflated?
WTOCMike said:
I guess part of what I'm wondering is if I modified my rides a little bit, avoiding the gravel drive crossing and the dirt path shortcut, and staying on the roads & sidewalks, would the Synapse be a good choice. My LBS doesn't have one in stock yet, to get me in the saddle and make more informed decisions.
With regard to the bikes you are currently considering, I think you can test ride ANY road bike to get a sense of whether-or-not you will be happy-or-unhappy with the narrower tire size ...
For the type of riding you described, I don't think you will perceive ANY difference between two different ROAD bikes if the components & saddles are the same (and, the tires are inflated to the same PSI) except if/when you are lifting it off the ground to put it on a vehicle for transport or away in your garage/house.
Again, IMO, if you are keen to buy a ROAD bike, then I think it will be well worth your money to first buy some 700x25 tires & tubes to use on your Raleigh ... because, even if you think the test ride (hopefully, more than just in the "parking lot") of a new, road bike is satisfactory, you'll want probably have a better idea of just how much better-or-worse the narrower road tires will be for you if you take ANY bike with narrower tires on your current, regular rides (weather permitting).
You may decide that a 700x28-to-700x32 tire will be better for you ... most road frames will not accommodate sizes larger than 700x25, now. If you eventually decide that the slighly larger tire size is right for you, then there are some options which include CYCLOCROSS bikes.
Bianchi (amongst others, including Raleigh) makes a couple of 'flat bar' bikes which should allow for up to 700x32 tires (the EASIEST way to spot a bike which can use larger tires is to see whether or not the frame/fork will accept fenders).
Now, with regard to the
Cannondale Synapse -- I have no doubt that the carbon Synapse models are great bikes; but, I personally wouldn't choose it for the type of riding which you have described despite the
fact that it allows you to buy-and-ride "more bike" than you need like 90+% of the riders who participate in this Forum.
Philosophically, I have a problem with Cannondales, in general, because there has been a strong tendency to be innovative to the point of incorporating non-standard (aka "proprietary") components. THAT's not a problem for a sponsored rider OR an enthusiast who wants to buy a new bike every two-or-three years ... but, for regular folk, it can be akin to buying an Atari in a PC-compatible world way-back-when.
The problem with slugging what amounts to being a racing bike for the type of riding you are planning to do means that the Synapse will come with some nice (as in, expensive) components (e.g., shifters) which you will not be able to use with "flat" bars ...
It will cost probably you a minimum of $150 to have your LBS convert a Synapse to a "flat bar" bike -- new shifters, new bars + grips ... and, labor. If you go that route, make sure you get the take-off road bars & original shifters!
The shifters will have to be removed-and-resold (the odds of your LBS giving you what will seem to be fair credit for the shifters/derailleurs/whatever might be iffy because the true cost is much lower than the retail price) ... Shimano road shifters retail for $400+ (depending on the model) ... they sell for about half of retail on eBay.
NB. The presumably longer wheelbase on your Raleigh AND the head tube angle go a long way to making the Raleigh comfortable to ride. A shorter wheelbase and/or a steeper head tube angle may-or-may-not make ANY road bike you ride uncomfortable.
Since 'I' am one of the few people who mainly considers the frame to be something that the components are attached to, presuming the frame is size properly for the rider & is not out-of-alignment due to a crash, if you like your current frame BUT want a lighter bike, I would suggest that you compare the cost of upgrading the components (and, possibly wheels) vs. buying a new bike. MANY will suggest that it is not money well spent ... so, I would disagree if you understand that you aren't rebuilding/re-outfitting the bike for resale.
Regarding the "
Cannondale Quick 2 or 3" (or, equivalent from another bike manufacturer) that you mentioned, since it is presumably for your significant other, get the nicer of the two if your budget allows it.