I love my vintage Trek 5200, but I'm considering a more modern bike, especially given its age. This CAADX seems to have an upgraded fork and a full Ultegra groupset. Is this a good deal?
My other question is whether a 2015 bike is a worthwhile upgrade from my 1998 Trek. Should I be aiming for something even newer (within the last 5 years)? I'm not racing, and I would still consider myself a beginner, but I signed up for my first tour in May and want to have a better bike for it.
by PerInati
2 Comments
My findings show this as a 2016 CAADX Ultegra, retailed for $2000 8 yrs ago. I would not pay $650. This bike is worth $500 max. A carbon fork is weight savings and more anything you don’t pass the cost of “upgrades” onto buyers. It’s especially not an increase in value since we have no idea when they added the fork. The new fork is used and ridden so it’s already lost the majority of its original value. Nothing else about the bike is special to add more value. All that said, this bike would be great. CAAD is an incredible series and all the bikes perform very well.
Cycling as a whole is full of silly marketing and bad consumer habits. You do not need a new bike to ride well, go far, or enjoy cycling. Lots of people are riding bikes from the 90s. I personally have 2 along with my newer bikes. That said, it is nicer to update/upgrade when you can afford to. A newer bike affords you lots of great advances. This bike 1000% is a great opportunity to get a newer bike. It has good geometry, hydraulic disc brakes, aluminum frame. It will be a world of difference and you’ll have gotten a great deal. If the seller is stiff on pricing, I’d pay $550 max. It’s still a lot of bike for $550 and you’re upgrading significantly from anything during the 90s. This bike is very comparable to lots of gravel/CX bikes on the market currently at a fraction of the price for brand new.
You mentioned starting doing events. Regardless if it’s a race or not, you should invest in clipless if you haven’t already. The difference in power, control, and agility with clips is vastly different than flats.
I had a 2014 CAADX and loved it as a commuter bike. The fork had a recall and Cannondale replaced at no charge. Great bike.