Seen a few posts about people picking up CAAD12's and wanted to hear about how you're getting on with the disc version...
- Living up to the marketing hype?
- How does it compare to you're previous bikes?
- Any disc rub?
- Post a photo if you've customised your build.
Seen a couple in the local bikes shops now and they look fantastic. Stack/reach of the 58 could work for me. Thinking about replacing my Ti bike and building up a CAAD12 disc frameset (on a budget). Something to ride year round with a little more get-up-and-go over my current bike.
Many thanks!
Anyone on a CAAD12 Disc? Ride reports?
Moderator: robbosmans
-
Valbrona
- Posts: 1629
- Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 3:25 am
- Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
I've not really noticed any marketing hype.
I ride a Synapse alloy disc. Everything is badly thought out on it. One of those bikes that because of improper placement of bottle cage on seat tube ... you can't get a bottle in an out. That badly thought out.
I ride a Synapse alloy disc. Everything is badly thought out on it. One of those bikes that because of improper placement of bottle cage on seat tube ... you can't get a bottle in an out. That badly thought out.
Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓ Broad Selection ✓ Worldwide Delivery ✓
www.starbike.com
Thanks for reply. Can imagine that bottle cage placement on the Synapse is annoying. With a horizontal top tube and an apparently extra low cage mounting on the seat tube (aero advantage hype) hopefully it's not a problem on this one
I had a 2015 10, let it go to grab a 2015 Super Six Evo HiMod, and then saw the 12. I've ridden it a few times, both the rim caliper and disc versions, and am setting up to buy it as a winter bike to go with the Mosaic, Crumpton, and others that I just don't want to trash as much.
First, as to ride, I'd say it still isn't the comfort of the Super Six Evo HiMod, but it's close enough that the difference is more in the saddle and the tires than in the frame. I mostly ride the same urban lake loop and know some of the same bumps and ridges intimately, so I can compare not just general riding characteristics but how the bike handles specific instances of road irregularities. Where I notice the ride difference the most is when I go over little stress risers in the road or ridges between different paved sections. It's definitely a bump that I feel if I don't unload the saddle before I hit them. On the 10, it was a hard ping and after a couple hours and a couple hundred of them, they were all noticeable. On the 12, I didn't seem to be counting them. That's the ideal kind of road issue that vertical compliance is really about -- and here the 12 takes the edge off what otherwise is an upward vertical force on my comfort. I also noticed that my hands, arms, shoulders felt less discomfort after a ride on the 10. I wish I still had the 10 available to do side by side comparisons but I know there was a reason why I only took the 10 out for wet-weather riding. The 12 addresses that issue.
As for steering, the 12 takes turns and handles in sprints pretty much like the 10, but I'd say that the 12 does act like a well-tuned motorbike or even car does -- it tracks a little better and in a sprint the bike doesn't have a sketchy moment because I'm too far back or too far forward. It feels harder on the 12 to do a wheelie in a sprint compared to the 10, which is a good thing. Compared to a variety of Specializeds, with compression inserts and other methods to stabilize the bike, I think the 12 did it better. I have one ride on a 2016 Super Six Evo HM and have to say that it does this magnificently as well.
As for discs versus rim calipers, there's a little bit of compliance with the rear rim caliper as well as the rear disc. I'd say that since the rear triangle was made more compliant, the seat stays will flex more with sudden hard braking with rim calipers, and the chain stay mount for the rear disc caliper will also flex more than before for the same reason. This was a direct side-by-side comparison on the same stop on the same bit of road, as close as I could compare them without metrology. I don't think this was a big issue, just a slightly different feel.
The welds look smoother on the 12 compared to the 10 -- the 10 still was lumpy aluminum, while the 12 is much more even and clean. The seat cluster in particular is done a lot better than the 10. The internal derailleur cable routing looks on the 12 like it'll get gunked up where it exits the down tube at the bottom bracket, but I'd be swapping out some Di2 equipment so that would be largely moot anyway. The fork disc mount has a plate that covers the hydraulic hose routing, which is ok, but I've seen much more elegant approaches that wouldn't have cost more. The OEM disc hardware, by the way, isn't all that great, at least I'd like it better with TRP HyRds and frankly it deserves to have Shimano R785 calipers. The 12 has this 25.4 mm seat post, and I'm still trying to find a shim for the seat post Di2 battery to fit the narrower post (it also has a high wall thickness) since the shop told me that the thinner Ritchey adapter, for one, doesn't fit. I haven't looked at the seat post from underneath but almost wonder if the battery will fit, period, or has to be wrapped in bubble wrap and wedged in the seat tube. Someone at a shop might comment on this ; that would be a stupid shortcoming if it's so.
I could go on, but I have about 80 miles on the rim caliper version and about 50 miles on the disc, all of it really devoted to comparing the two for my own purpose. I'm tending to side with the rim caliper, mostly because I'd have to do more of a component upgrade to get the disc version where I'd like it, but for a winter/rain bike I may jump for that anyway. After those upgrades the Super Six Evo HM 2016 starts looking pretty competitive, though.
Hope that helps. It isn't much but I couldn't find anybody, period, who had been on the bikes and had to convince the shop to let me gather the data I did.
First, as to ride, I'd say it still isn't the comfort of the Super Six Evo HiMod, but it's close enough that the difference is more in the saddle and the tires than in the frame. I mostly ride the same urban lake loop and know some of the same bumps and ridges intimately, so I can compare not just general riding characteristics but how the bike handles specific instances of road irregularities. Where I notice the ride difference the most is when I go over little stress risers in the road or ridges between different paved sections. It's definitely a bump that I feel if I don't unload the saddle before I hit them. On the 10, it was a hard ping and after a couple hours and a couple hundred of them, they were all noticeable. On the 12, I didn't seem to be counting them. That's the ideal kind of road issue that vertical compliance is really about -- and here the 12 takes the edge off what otherwise is an upward vertical force on my comfort. I also noticed that my hands, arms, shoulders felt less discomfort after a ride on the 10. I wish I still had the 10 available to do side by side comparisons but I know there was a reason why I only took the 10 out for wet-weather riding. The 12 addresses that issue.
As for steering, the 12 takes turns and handles in sprints pretty much like the 10, but I'd say that the 12 does act like a well-tuned motorbike or even car does -- it tracks a little better and in a sprint the bike doesn't have a sketchy moment because I'm too far back or too far forward. It feels harder on the 12 to do a wheelie in a sprint compared to the 10, which is a good thing. Compared to a variety of Specializeds, with compression inserts and other methods to stabilize the bike, I think the 12 did it better. I have one ride on a 2016 Super Six Evo HM and have to say that it does this magnificently as well.
As for discs versus rim calipers, there's a little bit of compliance with the rear rim caliper as well as the rear disc. I'd say that since the rear triangle was made more compliant, the seat stays will flex more with sudden hard braking with rim calipers, and the chain stay mount for the rear disc caliper will also flex more than before for the same reason. This was a direct side-by-side comparison on the same stop on the same bit of road, as close as I could compare them without metrology. I don't think this was a big issue, just a slightly different feel.
The welds look smoother on the 12 compared to the 10 -- the 10 still was lumpy aluminum, while the 12 is much more even and clean. The seat cluster in particular is done a lot better than the 10. The internal derailleur cable routing looks on the 12 like it'll get gunked up where it exits the down tube at the bottom bracket, but I'd be swapping out some Di2 equipment so that would be largely moot anyway. The fork disc mount has a plate that covers the hydraulic hose routing, which is ok, but I've seen much more elegant approaches that wouldn't have cost more. The OEM disc hardware, by the way, isn't all that great, at least I'd like it better with TRP HyRds and frankly it deserves to have Shimano R785 calipers. The 12 has this 25.4 mm seat post, and I'm still trying to find a shim for the seat post Di2 battery to fit the narrower post (it also has a high wall thickness) since the shop told me that the thinner Ritchey adapter, for one, doesn't fit. I haven't looked at the seat post from underneath but almost wonder if the battery will fit, period, or has to be wrapped in bubble wrap and wedged in the seat tube. Someone at a shop might comment on this ; that would be a stupid shortcoming if it's so.
I could go on, but I have about 80 miles on the rim caliper version and about 50 miles on the disc, all of it really devoted to comparing the two for my own purpose. I'm tending to side with the rim caliper, mostly because I'd have to do more of a component upgrade to get the disc version where I'd like it, but for a winter/rain bike I may jump for that anyway. After those upgrades the Super Six Evo HM 2016 starts looking pretty competitive, though.
Hope that helps. It isn't much but I couldn't find anybody, period, who had been on the bikes and had to convince the shop to let me gather the data I did.
Last edited by 11.4 on Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thank you for the lengthy description.
Except for the mounting standard, how are the BR-RS805 calipers different from the BR-R785? Could you elaborate on why you like TRP HyRd better than Shimano full hydraulic?
11.4 wrote: The OEM disc hardware, by the way, isn't all that great, at least I'd like it better with TRP HyRds and frankly it deserves to have Shimano R785 calipers.
Except for the mounting standard, how are the BR-RS805 calipers different from the BR-R785? Could you elaborate on why you like TRP HyRd better than Shimano full hydraulic?
I've got a DA disc version, I can give a write up shortly. Also traveling to the south of Italy next week for a 2 week "training camp" with it, will have an even more in-depth feel after that.
Instagram @seanblurr
11.4 wrote:The R785's are much better than HyRds. I was saying that I'd want the HyRds at a minimum but the bike deserved R785's.
I see. What do you mean by OEM hardware? According to Cannondale's website all CAAD12 Disc models come with full hydraulic brakes from Shimano. The 105 model with BR-M505, the Ultegra and Dura Ace model with BR-RS805 calipers.
seanblurr wrote:I've got a DA disc version, I can give a write up shortly. Also traveling to the south of Italy next week for a 2 week "training camp" with it, will have an even more in-depth feel after that.
Thank you, that would be really helpful. I too am considering the CAAD12 Disc Dura Ace. Hopefully it is not already sold out in Europe, as one LBS told me yesterday. At least so he claimed. Several online retailers from the UK list it with a due date in March.
11.4 - I really appreciate the detailed feedback, as I'm sure a number other readers do too. Many thanks! Sounds like a very capable bike.
I'm very much leaning towards discs as I ride the same bike all year and tend wear out a set of rims a year. Rather be changing rotors than getting wheels rebuilt. Also interested to hear about how you get on with the DI2 installation as that is also something I'd want to do, budget permitting.
Seanblurr - Envious of that training camp. Let us know how you get on there with the bike.
I'm very much leaning towards discs as I ride the same bike all year and tend wear out a set of rims a year. Rather be changing rotors than getting wheels rebuilt. Also interested to hear about how you get on with the DI2 installation as that is also something I'd want to do, budget permitting.
Seanblurr - Envious of that training camp. Let us know how you get on there with the bike.
-
eliflap-scalpel
- Posts: 870
- Joined: Sun May 25, 2008 10:12 pm
- Location: italy
- Contact:
i have the CAAD 10 disc Black Inc.
if someone is interested of, i can write a report ...don't want to hi jack the thread
if someone is interested of, i can write a report ...don't want to hi jack the thread
http://eliflap.it/
The Black Inc? Wow. Some might argue the Black Inc is an overpriced halo model, but the matte black - shiny black paintjob with the bare, polished aluminium section is truly stunning. I would be very interested to hear abour your experiece with it, Andrea. But of course Alex has to decide whether this would be thead-highjacking.
Hey - Would love to hear about the CAAD10 Black Inc. disc too. I always thought it looked like a pretty amazing bike with a great spec. Not many places ever sold those here in the UK but every once in a while they crop up for sale too...
Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓ Broad Selection ✓ Worldwide Delivery ✓
www.starbike.com
