June 25th
The much rumoured CAAD10 is starting to see the light of day and here’s a short intro video from Roadbikereview. The CAAD9 had an almost cult following and I suspect the new CAAD10’s going to be an even better bike … let’s hope they can cope with the volume and bring in some SRAM equipped versions to the UK. If the geometry works for you (i.e. it fits you), this would be a great training/racing bike.
“Our medium-paced group ride quickly evolved into spirited mini-sprints up each successive rise and the CAAD10 is refreshingly devoid of vagueness when you mash on the pedals or yank hard on the bars.
Chassis stiffness is on par with many mid-level carbon frames we’ve ridden – and better than most entry-level ones – both in terms of pedalling efficiency and front triangle torsion, proving that it’s better to have a more advanced example of a lesser material than a lesser example of a more advanced one.
Comfort-wise, the CAAD10 is certainly no old-school aluminium tooth rattler, with a surprisingly refined feel on the road while also doing a decent job of taking the edge off of obstacles like expansion joints and cattle grids (US: cattle guards).
Dedicated criterium racers may wish for something a bit more aggressive and casual riders might prefer a taller front end and more relaxed feel but for the majority of enthusiasts out there it should be just right.
Let’s be perfectly clear, though: as advanced as the CAAD10 is, it’s no SuperSix Hi-Mod. That flagship carbon chassis is still a bit more efficient under power, noticeably snappier when you torque the front end, lighter, and notably smoother both in terms of high-frequency vibration and bigger impacts – though we’ll continue to extract more details as the months roll by on a long-term CAA10 tester.”