The saga of a new bike

If you haven't talked to me in a while, you may not know that I have basically convinced myself that I am going to buy a new bike... yep. In my searching I've basically narrowed it down to a Cannondale CAAD 10:

Cannondale CAAD 10 w/ Ultegra... currently sorta my dream for January

or a Felt F5

Felt F5 with 105 components. Need to ride this baby.

Right now the CAAD 10 is winning by quite a bit. I road a CAAD 9 with tiagra components. FYI, as I understand it: components meaning the things that make your bike shift. This often includes brakes and sometimes the crank, but when people are taking about components they're usually talking about the shifters, derailleurs, and the cassette. I really loved that bike. I can't imagine it souped up with nicer components and set up to fit the way I ride.

I have yet to get on an F5, but I was put on a F95 and didn't love it. Didn't hate it.

Some other experiences I've had: rode a Trek madone 3.1. That was a fun one but also a little out of my price range and an old Felt ZW, which is their women's series. I didn't love that bike, but it was a very old model and not set up the best for the way I ride.

Recently, I rode some bikes that are waaaayyy out of my price range. If you really want to nerd out with me here, there are two big companies that produce components: Shimano and SRAM (I mean... there are others, like campagnolo and stuff, but for most purposes...). I went to the local bike store, Turin, that sponsors the team and asked if they had any road bike with a frame between 50-52 cm with SRAM shifting. My bike has Shimano shifting and I had never tried SRAM. I have the option of getting SRAM on a new bike but it is different in operation. Anyway, the manager found a Cervélo S2 (which is a $5000 bike...eek) for me to test ride.

The cervélo S2 with SRAM Red components. MSRP $5000. EEK! Honestly though, I felt every extra grand in this ride <3

After getting over the fact the bike was so expensive, here is my experience with SRAM vs. Shimano:

Let me explain the basics for any non-cyclists out there still reading: On Shimano, there are two configurations of shifters. The nicer shifters have two levers: a front and a back shifter on each handlebar. For the rear derailleur the front bar shifts to a larger chain ring make it easier, and the back bar shifts down to a smaller chain ring to make it harder. For the front derailleur, the front bar also shifts to a larger chain ring... but this actually makes it harder, and the back shifts to the smaller chain ring which makes it easier. Confused? Yeah. You get it once you ride a bit. On the cheaper versions on Shimano, there are little thumb levers (affectionately called "mouse ears") that serve the same purpose of the back bars.

OK so now that I've given a run-down of Shimano let's talk SRAM.
I was nervous about my test ride because they literally put me on one of the nicest bikes they could've put me on just to "figure out" SRAM shifting. I did a little online research so I didn't completely screw anything up. Here is how I can best explain it. SRAM looks a lot like Shimano. I've heard that SRAM has bigger hoods so someone with smaller hands might not like it as much. I didn't really encounter a problem with this (and then later I rode a Specialized with SRAM and didn't have an issue either). There are still the two levers, however only ONE (the back bar) is a shifter. The front bar, like Shimano, is the brake, but it is different because it is ONLY the brake and not the shifter. The way this one bar shifting works is that you push once slightly inwards (a single tap) if you want to shift down/into a smaller chain ring/to make it harder. You push once, but further inwards (a double tap) if you want to shift up/into a larger chain ring/to make it easier. Again, it is backwards for the front derailleur (so once slightly inwards aka a single tap still gets you into the smaller chain ring, but makes it easier; once further inwards aka a double tap still gets you into the bigger chain ring, but makes it harder...).

I got used to it pretty quickly and fell in to a very deep committed love with that S2, but you can't always get what you want, so I reluctantly returned it to Turin and cried a little as they hung it back on the wall. Well, not actually, but it really was one awesome bike and probably was my favorite test ride so far and that is saying a lot since it had shifters that I didn't really know how to use AND I later rode two even more exorbitantly expensive Specialized S-Works bikes (MSRP: $8100.... did you almost pee your pants? Because I almost did...). In the end, I actually think I could really get to like this whole SRAM thing and may get it when I get a new bike. :]

This is the Specialized S-Works Amira I rode. MSRP $8100. HA! Never in a million years. It was a good ride, but I couldn't honestly tell the difference between it and some of those bikes I mentioned before. I'm probably just too clueless, but SRAM red shifting was fun to experience again.

Now, if you also know me, you may know that I don't do anything without picking the heck out of Brad's brain because he is literally a walking triathlon encyclopedia (though he probably wouldn't admit to it). Brad was the one who told me about SRAM hoods being larger and attempted to explain how they shift to me, but it was one of those things I just had to do myself. He and I both went to the Specialized test ride thing where we rode incredibly snazzy and expensive bikes, and he also got himself on a cross bike with SRAM components to give them another try. In his most recent experience, he thought the SRAM hoods felt slightly more ergonomic than Shimano... but he still loves his Shimano (he has many bikes, but his two good ones have Ultegra and Dura-ace... if you're curious). He also told me this, which I think it interesting:

It is his understanding that Shimano components will more easily adapt to new gear, or as he put it SRAM is good if your bike is always going to be "your bike." SRAM apparently can be adjusted to really fit you and the wheels/cassette/whatever you're riding with, but for instance if you flat during a race and someone hands you a new wheel, you're going to have an easier time getting your shifting to work the way you want/need it to with Shimano than you would with SRAM. I believe this has something to do with how you set up your shifting. I'm too much of a novice to really understand how that all works... BUT it's still part of the information I am weighing on my decision to get the SRAM Rival or the Shimano Ultegra outfitted version of the CAAD 10 (you know.. if I get the CAAD 10... which I think I may).

Whoa. I have a lot to say. Don't I?

Well, I really need to go run right now, BUT in my next update on the saga of a new bike, I can talk about pricing and components and frames and what I've been finding in my search for a new bike. So far I've looked at Trek, Cannondale, Felt, Cervelo, Specialized, Giant, andddd briefly at Diamondback to get my brain wrapped around this huge undertaking. Lots to write about/notate/keep track of.

Until then, it's not like there isn't enough to read here....