Need help deciding between two bikes

How is someone going to "fix" the dent? Sure, you could fill in the depression with bondo and repaint, but that doesn't sound like the case. Also who is doing the "undenting"? The factory or a guy named Bubba. CAAD8 rides like a dream by the way.

capwater said:

How is someone going to "fix" the dent? Sure, you could fill in the depression with bondo and repaint, but that doesn't sound like the case. Also who is doing the "undenting"? The factory or a guy named Bubba. CAAD8 rides like a dream by the way.

I was told the LBS would fix it. The dent is extremely tiny so it probably doesn't matter. Here is a picture of the dent though so you get an idea of what it is, and can let me know if you think it makes buying the bike a bad idea.

msander19 said:

I was told the LBS would fix it. The dent is extremely tiny so it probably doesn't matter. Here is a picture of the dent though so you get an idea of what it is, and can let me know if you think it makes buying the bike a bad idea.

I would find out if the dent is the result of a crash. I'm not sure exactly where on the top tube that dent is, but it looks like it might be the result of a hard crash where the handlebar spins around and dings the top tube while the bike is flung to the ground. Straight up, I would go for the CAAD 8, but I'm always leary if I bike's gone down. Lots of damage you can't see.. Just my humble opinion.

Go the Felt. They look sexy and have street cred with normal riders... Good price on an already well priced bike...

Every man and his dog has a canondale/giant/trek...

fauxpas said:

Go the Felt. They look sexy and have street cred with normal riders... Good price on an already well priced bike...

Every man and his dog has a canondale/giant/trek...

Lucky on my, I own a Cannondale six13, not a canondale ... and I have a turtle, not a dog :-)

By the way, I agree with PeterF, I don't like the "dent", it has "crash" written all over it.

cuervo said:

Lucky on my, I own a Cannondale six13, not a canondale ... and I have a turtle, not a dog :-)

By the way, I agree with PeterF, I don't like the "dent", it has "crash" written all over it.

It looks eerily similar to a dent on a friends top tube. She hit an uneaven section of road between new and old pavement, went down hard, broke her collarbone, smashed her helmet and was taken away unconscious in an ambulence. A hard crash indeed and the bars rotated hard enough to put a nice ding in the top tupe. Of course, I put a much smaller dent in a top tube when a bike fell over against a weight bench (yes the bike was a week old..thank you. A mind is a terrible thing.) so it could have been caused by a storage mishap, but.....

msander19 said:

I was told the LBS would fix it. The dent is extremely tiny so it probably doesn't matter. Here is a picture of the dent though so you get an idea of what it is, and can let me know if you think it makes buying the bike a bad idea.

Ok, after looking at the attached links it looks like the dent is in the exact place that the handlebars would hit it. like I said, it could be a storage mishap. The drivetrain and wheels of the R1000 are superior to the Felt (which I think is a beautiful bike as well), so on that note, it's a better deal. What kind of warranty will the seller offer (30 days or so?)? If I bought it myself the first thing I would do is pop out the fork (it may need to be cut down anyway) and inspect the steerer tube for any type of small stress cracks. Remember Hincappie in Paris Roubaix this year? Nothing's worse than havind a steerer tube give way while riding along at high speed.

PeterF said:

Ok, after looking at the attached links it looks like the dent is in the exact place that the handlebars would hit it. like I said, it could be a storage mishap. The drivetrain and wheels of the R1000 are superior to the Felt (which I think is a beautiful bike as well), so on that note, it's a better deal. What kind of warranty will the seller offer (30 days or so?)? If I bought it myself the first thing I would do is pop out the fork (it may need to be cut down anyway) and inspect the steerer tube for any type of small stress cracks. Remember Hincappie in Paris Roubaix this year? Nothing's worse than havind a steerer tube give way while riding along at high speed.

Thanks for all the advice so far guys. It sounds like that dent could be more trouble then I care to deal with and the felt has never been ridden, it's always nice to have something brand new. I've decided I'm going to take the felt. For my riding level, I don't think the better components and wheels are worth the headache that the dent could possibly cause in the future.

cuervo said:

Lucky on my, I own a Cannondale six13, not a canondale ...

omfg, did I offend you?

msander19 said:

Thanks for all the advice so far guys. It sounds like that dent could be more trouble then I care to deal with and the felt has never been ridden, it's always nice to have something brand new. I've decided I'm going to take the felt. For my riding level, I don't think the better components and wheels are worth the headache that the dent could possibly cause in the future.

Shimano 105 which is on the Felt is nice reliable equipment. You will be perfectly happy with it. Good luck!

fauxpas said:

omfg, did I offend you?

No ofense Faux, but I love my C'dale, it's an awesome bike.

No question: Get the Felt. Why take a chance on a dent in thin AL tubing -- especially when the other option is a cheaper bike of equal quality?

The difference between 10 speed 105 and 10 speed Ultegra is a few grams, different finish, and bling points. In other words: nothing that matters.

tcklyde said:

No question: Get the Felt. Why take a chance on a dent in thin AL tubing -- especially when the other option is a cheaper bike of equal quality?

The difference between 10 speed 105 and 10 speed Ultegra is a few grams, different finish, and bling points. In other words: nothing that matters.

I have 10 speed 105 and works like a dream. The finish looks closer to Dura-Ace and doesn't have the cheap metallic look of ultegra. Cannondale make their frames for racing and therefore the tubing is normally EXTREMELY thin. I would not take a chance as event though it is a better frame, drivetrain, wheels than the felt, the felt hasn't been damaged and the 105 is great anyway (and when you upgrade wheels, you have a great set for training and a great set for racing)

I love my 105 (yes i know dura-ace is meant to be better but if i can sprint faster, ride uphill better, and ride more than someone with dura-ace, I love my 105 more)