CAAD12 for climbing?

[superdx]

Been eyeing a '17 CAAD12 disc frame, and currently have an '13 Evo and '14 CAAD10 in the barn. I really like my Evo, and 95% of my rides involve some kind of crazy climb with 15%++ gradients. It's comfortable, seems to want to jump forward when power is put down and just a joy to ride in. On the CAAD10: My biggest rides have been on this bike (> 200km) but I find climbing in it to be a slower and bit of a "dead" feeling.

Every review on the CAAD12 seems to indicate that it's a significantly improved frame from the CAAD10 and that it's a very very good climbing frame as it is very stiff.

Interested to hear opinions from people who actually own a CAAD12! Another frame in my consideration is the carbon Ultimate CF SLX disc.

[evan326]

I can only comment coming from my synapse 6 alloy. It definitely jumps forward much more when I pedal hard. It feels easier to climb the one short, slightly steep hill I have, but that isn't saying much. I attribute most of it to being so much lighter than my synapse was. I've never been on an evo, but I would find it hard to believe the caad12 would climb better than your evo.
I love my caad12 though, I think if everyone in the world owned one, there would be no war.

[nemeseri]

What's your problem with your evo? Why would you want to change? The main differences between the caad10 and caad12:
A little bit wider bottom bracket that might improve the stiffness and a narrower seatpost. There is some minor improvement in weight. I find it hard to believe that there is any noticable difference in climbing performance between the two frames.

[superdx]

Evo can only take 23c tires, tried putting 25c and they do fit but with only 1-2mm clearance they rub quite hard when out of the saddle. 25c are just so much more comfortable and stable.

Also, would like to get discs as descending when wet (I seem to be in the rain a lot) is not very safe. Helps on steep descents too, going up a 25% climb means you need to come down on the same road haha.

[calleking]

Can you not ask your LBS to take it for a spin up a climb? I'm sure they have a demo bike you can borrow for an hour or so. Testing the stuff is the best way to know for sure

[mpulsiv]

Reason #1 to give up on 2013 EVO is due to tire clearance, period. In this case, it's 23mm. 28mm is norm in today's day and age. I sold my bike for peanuts when my 25mm tire was rubbing on carbon chainstays.
I have no tolerance for frames with poor tire clearance and won't even pay $300 for it.

[wingguy]

Interested to hear opinions from people who actually own a CAAD12! Another frame in my consideration is the carbon Ultimate CF SLX disc.

The CAAD12 disc is MUCH heavier than the CAAD12. I've got the 105 disc as my winter bike and while it's nice to ride it'd never be a summer replacement for my Evo.

[nemeseri]

Evo can only take 23c tires, tried putting 25c and they do fit but with only 1-2mm clearance they rub quite hard when out of the saddle. 25c are just so much more comfortable and stable.

Also, would like to get discs as descending when wet (I seem to be in the rain a lot) is not very safe. Helps on steep descents too, going up a 25% climb means you need to come down on the same road haha.

Ah. I see! Well... if you made up your mind about going disc then you have to bite the bullet and accept that it's going to be heavier than your current bike (or paying a fortune). And that's not the best news for climbing. Based on your current groupset / wheelset you might minimize the weight penalty by picking the caad12 with ultegra or the non hi-mod evo with ultegra. Those are pretty nice bikes. You get your disc brake and you can run wider tires.

[grover]

Interested to hear opinions from people who actually own a CAAD12! Another frame in my consideration is the carbon Ultimate CF SLX disc.

The CAAD12 disc is MUCH heavier than the CAAD12. I've got the 105 disc as my winter bike and while it's nice to ride it'd never be a summer replacement for my Evo.

The CAAD12 disc frameset is actually lighter than the CAAD12 rim frameset. The parts on it are the problem! If you're starting from a frameset you're ahead. Choose your parts carefully and you end up with a nice light bike.

Consider SRAM.
Light wheels and good tyres.
Finishing kit eg. bars/stem/post/seat.
Lots of weight to be saved over a stock build.

[srshaw]

Pretty sure the Caad12 disc forks will be heavier, so overall it's heavier. Just built up my caad12 disc as a winter bike with Trp hy rd brakes, shimano 5700 and some mavic open pro/xt disc hubs (and conti gator skins) and it's about 8.8kg. Quite a bit heavier than my summer bike, a Planet X pro carbon with dura ace 9000.

Strangely though I'm getting loads of pbs on strava whilst climbing. Probably more of an indication that the pro carbon isn't that great, but I quite enjoy climbing on the caad. Really seems to just surge forwards.

I think next upgrade will be to get an evo frame for my summer bike though, I imagine that will be awesome.

[wingguy]

Interested to hear opinions from people who actually own a CAAD12! Another frame in my consideration is the carbon Ultimate CF SLX disc.

The CAAD12 disc is MUCH heavier than the CAAD12. I've got the 105 disc as my winter bike and while it's nice to ride it'd never be a summer replacement for my Evo.

The CAAD12 disc frameset is actually lighter than the CAAD12 rim frameset.

No way. Certainly not frame/fork together. Not a snowball's chance in hell.

[tomee]

I built up a CAAD12 disc for my climbing bike as it was the cheapest frame to get with disc

managed to get it to 7.8kg running di2 and Curve wheelset.

no problems climbing with it as i run a medium cage and i've raised the handlebar stack height to make me sit more upright.

Only thing that sucks with CAAD is the front headset move ever so slightly. I thought this was an issue with my frame and headset bearings but 3 other people i know who have CAAD's have the exact same issue.

[evan326]

I've been riding the crap out of my CAAD12 and my headset hasn't ever given me an issue.

[TheDarkInstall]

Been eyeing a '17 CAAD12 disc frame, and currently have an '13 Evo and '14 CAAD10 in the barn. I really like my Evo, and 95% of my rides involve some kind of crazy climb with 15%++ gradients. It's comfortable, seems to want to jump forward when power is put down and just a joy to ride in. On the CAAD10: My biggest rides have been on this bike (> 200km) but I find climbing in it to be a slower and bit of a "dead" feeling.

Every review on the CAAD12 seems to indicate that it's a significantly improved frame from the CAAD10 and that it's a very very good climbing frame as it is very stiff.

Interested to hear opinions from people who actually own a CAAD12! Another frame in my consideration is the carbon Ultimate CF SLX disc.

Mate, come on... climbing is 99.9% about your fitness, power to weight and how you feel on the day. The reviews telling you about 'significant' improvements over the CAAD10 for climbing are just spouting hyberbole. Getting a CAAD12 is not going to suddenly make you climb better.

As for the Evo tyre clearance; yeah I have a 2014 Evo and the 23mm on the rear is a bit annoying. You can get a 25mm on the front with a 28mm outerwidth rim though, and on the rear you can use a 25mm outer width rim with a 23mm tyre. The front tyre has the most effect on comfort, so while this is not ideal, it does make things a lot better.

[cep111]

Are you guys sure you can't use 25mm tires on your older EVO's? I have a Caad 9, 7 and a Six13 and I have no issues at all using 25's with Firecrest rims on any of these frames?