Buying a New Frame: Cannondale, Bianchi or Pinarello ??

[ForkinGreat]

Hey Guys,

Has anyone ridden these frames and can comment on what they are like to ride over longer distances and rough roads?
Cannondale Supersix EVO/EVO Hi Mod,Synapse/ Bianchi Intenso, Infinito/Pinarello Rokh

shopping for a new carbon frame for training and the Alpine Challenge next year. Current bike is a Scott S10 alloy 2009.
Not compliant at all.
Looking for a bit more smoothing out over chip seal and other crappy road surfaces.
Need something with a decent weight limit like cannondale etc, as 110kg

I am getting a bike fit in a couple of weeks from the steve Hogg trained guy in Melbourne (neill stanbury).

I'm also building some wheels with H son archetype 23mm wide rims, so they will take 25mm wide tyres just fine.

Ideally, I would like to save a little money by buying a frame/fork and putting current 6600 ultegra drivetrain on.
Bike/frame has to be rim brake.
There are a few deals going on complete bikes, but, $$$$$

I have tested a Synapse (too small), a SuperSix Evo (non Hi-Mod) and a Bianchi Intenso recently.
The Bianchi was lovely, but I just don't have the $$$ for it at the moment. same for the Infinito CV

Judging by the reviews, it should be a no-brainer - Synapse. unfortunately, I couldn't tell at the LBS because the only one they had was a 56(?), and the seatpost was too short. felt like a clown bike for that reason so wasn't a useful test.
(Yes, I will try to get a test on a bigger frame)

The Supersix EVO was definitely stiffer, but the test bike also had some 50/60mm vittoria carbon wheels on, which surely wouldn't have helped comfort. The larger size (58?) felt more comfortable in terms of position, ie frame size better.

The only downers with the Synapse 2016 seems to be the BB30A, which would need an adapter for hollowtechII cranks(?) and the 25.4 seatpost diam.
The 2016 SuperSix EVO has BB30, and 25.4 seatpost, and is probably the stiffest. Feels similar to the Scott S10, but does the carbon smooth out any road chatter?

I would be looking at Giant, but not a fan of OD steerer, limiting stem choices, the integrated seatpost/mast on some models doesn't appeal either. That being said.. will a propel or tcr be hell to ride (given my current bike) and can they take wider rims?

[trailgumby]

Don't write off alloy frames. My Cannondale CAAD9 is lovely to ride, very smooth and not harsh at all even with an alu. seatpost. There's some dreadful pavement on my commute thanks to the effect of government buses. Would be relatively inexpensive to pick up, even though it is a desirable frame.

[slowK]

Hi,

I have a second hand Synapse (carbon, non-hi mod), and recently got a second hand Infinito CV.

Both are really beautiful to ride (over the last 15 years, I've had a Giant TCR, Spesh Roubaix, Trek Madone, and these are the nicest two I've owned). Comfort wise, the Synapse is super comfy on coarse chip seal roads. Initial impressions of the Infinito (only a few 40k-ish rides so far) is that comfort is similar. No noticeable difference on routes that I ride all the time. The 31.6mm seatpost on the Bianchi should in theory be stiffer and less comfy than the 25.4mm one on the Synapse, but to me there's no difference. Both are significantly more comfy (especially at the rear) than my previous Madone.

The Bianchi feels faster, can't back that up with objective data yet. Aesthetically, the Bianchi looks nicer to my eye. Handling on the Bianchi feels a bit sharper, Cannonade more relaxed. Both completely fine to live with. Probably due to the Cannondale being a bigger bike in my case (was between sizes, and the bike for sale was the size up.) Could also be due to the bigger BB drop and longer wheelbase on the Cannondale.

I have 23mm wide alloy rims which I swap between the two. Conti GP4000s II in a 28mm is too fat to fit either (only about 1mm clearance at the fork on the Bianchi, and under the SRAM force brakes on the Cannondale). But these are really fat tires. A 28mm Schwalbe ultremo ZX is fine on both, as is the Conti GP4000s in a 25mm.

So - I don't think you can go wrong with either. Is the Bianchi worth the extra $$? Probably not, unless you got a screaming deal.

Good luck!

[ForkinGreat]

@trail gumby - thanks, worth considering. would like to give carbon a try this time.

@slowK - Thanks for the heads-up on tyre clearance. I have seen a Synapse rim brake frameset for around $1299, just have to check what sizes they have (need 58). If funds were there, I guess I would already be riding an Intenso or Infinito

[timbo]

Coming in a bit late with this post, but have I bought a Cannondale Synapse carbon 105 recently and can confirm that coming off an aluminium framed Giant OCR1 (2005 model), it is comfortable to the point that while riding, the comfort factor doesn't enter your mind, and after a changing the saddle to an old favourite, you forget about the bike, and from then on, it is just an enjoyable ride.
Whether it is faster than this or that, I'm not sure. I just enjoy riding it. That's all that matters to me. ($2300, complete bike at ABC Bikes Liverpool NSW).

[ForkinGreat]

Thanks Timbo, I like the Synapse, but the proprietary BB (non-praxis compatible) and the dinky seatpost size are negatives.
Wanting to test a Focus Cayo soon. PF30 BB and 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 tapered headset are plusses. Not sure on Seatpost, but I think it's a widely available size.
Cheers

[aive]

I'm looking at doing the same for my next upgrade - where you looking to source frame/fork?

[rodneycc]

My Bianchi Infinito CV fits 28c tyres easily (conti GP4000 II with Fulcrum R zero's) so not sure what the problem with that is with slowy's Bianchi (poss the sram brakes compared to the ultegra 6800 brakes which I have??). There really is massive amount of clearance with the frame. I agree the bike is lovely though. Still not as fast as a Giant Defy/TCR mind you with the Bianchi its more comfort than speed.

[slowK]

My Bianchi Infinito CV fits 28c tyres easily (conti GP4000 II with Fulcrum R zero's) so not sure what the problem with that is with slowy's Bianchi (poss the sram brakes compared to the ultegra 6800 brakes which I have??). There really is massive amount of clearance with the frame. I agree the bike is lovely though. Still not as fast as a Giant Defy/TCR mind you with the Bianchi its more comfort than speed.

Hey Rodneycc - that's very interesting. I know that the Infinito CV should fit 28c tires. 28c Conti GP4000 IIs on Soul S2.0 wheels (23mm wide, just under 18mm internal width) just touches the fork crown. Not sure if its just variance between individual tires and I got a particularly big set. The 28c have gone onto my commuter, and I'm using 25c now on the Infinito (with about 3-4mm of clearance). Once these wear out I might try some 28 in another brand (I do like bigger tires).

Interesting that you find the Defy faster. It was also on my list when I was looking, but a great deal on a used Infinito came up. How do the Defy and Infinito compare comfort wise?

[rodneycc]

My Bianchi Infinito CV fits 28c tyres easily (conti GP4000 II with Fulcrum R zero's) so not sure what the problem with that is with slowy's Bianchi (poss the sram brakes compared to the ultegra 6800 brakes which I have??). There really is massive amount of clearance with the frame. I agree the bike is lovely though. Still not as fast as a Giant Defy/TCR mind you with the Bianchi its more comfort than speed.

Hey Rodneycc - that's very interesting. I know that the Infinito CV should fit 28c tires. 28c Conti GP4000 IIs on Soul S2.0 wheels (23mm wide, just under 18mm internal width) just touches the fork crown. Not sure if its just variance between individual tires and I got a particularly big set. The 28c have gone onto my commuter, and I'm using 25c now on the Infinito (with about 3-4mm of clearance). Once these wear out I might try some 28 in another brand (I do like bigger tires).

Interesting that you find the Defy faster. It was also on my list when I was looking, but a great deal on a used Infinito came up. How do the Defy and Infinito compare comfort wise?

Yeah might be those wider rims. I haven't tried 28c with my swiss side hadrons or my Light Bicycle wide rims (which make 25c look like 28c so with 28c they prob blow out even more). I admit the front fork is a lot closer than the rear where you could come close to running 30 or even 32c on the rear.

The Defy vs the Infinito CV. Where do I start with that one! I have to qualify that the Defy is an Advanced SL model with Di2 whereas the Infinito is 6800 ultegra and the Defy weighs only 7kg against the Infinito just under 8kgs. So those changes make a big difference. Comfort they are on par with each other or maybe Infinito just ahead on flat century rides but the Defy certainly has the edge in top and avg speed as well as hill climbing. So Defy Adv SL would prob get my vote (btw the TCR is even faster again but I still think the Defy edges that in some ways on the longer rides but really hard to separate those two).

[slowK]

Yep - clearance marginally better at the rear on mine too.

Just paid more attention to your signature - you have a great stable of bikes! (And a big shed and a very understanding wife?)

[slowK]

The Defy vs the Infinito CV. Where do I start with that one! I have to qualify that the Defy is an Advanced SL model with Di2 whereas the Infinito is 6800 ultegra and the Defy weighs only 7kg against the Infinito just under 8kgs. So those changes make a big difference.

Thanks for that. I'd have happily bought a Defy advanced SL too if the price was right. My Infinito weighs about 6.6kg with SRAM Red, Soul S2.0 wheels (1300g). It's also a 47cm frame as I'm only 160cm. I'm sure the light weight helps the "feel", but it's lovely.

[rodneycc]

Yep - clearance marginally better at the rear on mine too.

Just paid more attention to your signature - you have a great stable of bikes! (And a big shed and a very understanding wife?)

That reminds me, I have to update that signature with the new project - a 2013 Lynskey Helix (God I'm starting to sound like Rheicel!). I didn't actually mean to buy that one, it started out as a frameset but all these components were thrown in and I resisted for a couple of weeks but I felt obliged to buy it in the end with the offer too good to refuse. Maybe there is a Bikes Anonymous or something out there to treat this n+1 condition

[slowK]

I didn't actually mean to buy that one

I'll try that excuse on my wife next time...

[rodneycc]

Honey... This one jumped into my car and looks like it needs a good home