Caad 3 Groupset upgrade, worth it?

[xkomo]

Hi all,

To get straight to the point. I own as a second bike, which btw ADORE, a Cannondale CAAD 3. I bought it at a very low price and kept it since then unchanged, just using it on wet rides or whenever I missed it. As a groupset it has shimano components (not from the same series) 8 speed.
In a few months I will move to another city and get my carbon bike (no room for two bikes), so I will leave my Caad to my parents home, which also means that it will be ridden more often when I visit them.

So, would a move of upgrading this non-same-series-8 speed-groupset to a brand new 105 r7000 make sense?
Will it make the bike "better" and more enjoyable?
Is it a good investment in general?

That you very much!
Greetings from Greece!

 

[black lightning 1987]

I would say no, not worth the money involved.

 

[kjop]

from the money point: no!
you'll not get it back, if you want to sell the whole bike in once. maybe if you disemble it and sell the parts for them selves...

from the love point: damn, yes!



had a CAAD3 and have a CAAD5 upgraded with R3000 groupset, in the meantime even with new Fulcrum44 wheels and i ride the CAAD5 4-5 times a week. from the joy of riding point, i do not regret to have upgraded the CAAD5... for training purposes it is still an awesome bike to me. with the newer parts it is a way better joy!

and one more point, i personally like how the newer parts look on old frames. once i saw a CAAD5 R900 with it's sky blue / white gradient, Hollowgram wheel set and R8000-groupset... damn it was so hot! i like those rebuilds

 

[FPrue1304]

Did this with a CAAD9 and Force 22 (crank, chain, cassette: Red) and in combination with a lighter full-carbon fork and carbon-aero-wheels and carbon seat-post and steering bar it was worth it, even tough just an upgrade from 10 to 11 speed. Shed off about 1 kg. Thought an electronic group would have gone too far. If you come from 8 speed and probably shifters on the downtube, this must come even better.

 

[black lightning 1987]

The bike looks great. What fork and wheels did you choose? I have the same white/red CAAD9 with a Campagnolo 10 speed group. It would be nice to drop a kg but I suspect it would cost a lot of money.

 

[kjop]

yeahh.. good job. watched your caad9 restauration thread back then. awesome rebuild. the handlebar is killer!

 

[FPrue1304]

Thank you. Bicycle is after more than 3000 km still going strong, quite happy. I feel very good on that frame, good position. It is just a very hard frame, but I am running 25 mm tubeless at 4/4.5 bar which helps (before with the Mavic Aksiums and 23 mm clinchers it was much worse). Right now I am on a project for a gravel bike conversion based on an old 3.0 MTB frame, but that involves paint/decals and I do not find sufficient time. My hope is that it will be ready for spring.

Handlebar is 3T aero, but they don‘t make them any more. It was a surplus and the curves go well with the hourglass seatstays.

The fork is from a contemporary Cannondale SuperSix that I sanded and clear coated (because it came in blue). By sheer luck, it turned out to have the same carbon pattern than the original Ultra fork. I did not get the decals very well so I might redo it sometime.

The wheels are knock-offs from China. They are holding on very well and I am pleased with the performance. Tubeless, 25 mm tires. was expecting that at some point they would fail and I would need to upgrade to „legit“ ones.

 

[kjop]

Handlebar is 3T aero, but they don‘t make them any more. It was a surplus and the curves go well with the hourglass seatstays.

these modern parts like the wing dropbars are quite nice on these old frames. 'enve' has with the 'jual' a similar one. in my opinion the caad9 is one of the nicest frames. i like on it how it's details were developed compared to the caad5. the flatened seatstays, the different top tube etc... probably one of the best aluminum frames you can get. looking by myself for a white/red caad9 in 54^^ but offers are rare since years.

Thank you. Bicycle is after more than 3000 km still going strong, quite happy. I feel very good on that frame, good position. It is just a very hard frame, but I am running 25 mm tubeless at 4/4.5 bar which helps (before with the Mavic Aksiums and 23 mm clinchers it was much worse).

yeah 23mm isn't comfortable^^ since last summer i'm using 28mm. way more comfortable, after i was trying 23 in front and 25 at the back wheel. interesting to drive, but uncomfortable as hell. would love to try 30 or 32mm at the back, but the tires then doesn't fit into these frames. 28mm is going well for the caad5.

Right now I am on a project for a gravel bike conversion based on an old 3.0 MTB frame, but that involves paint/decals and I do not find sufficient time. My hope is that it will be ready for spring.

sounds interesting. did similar years ago with an old 26" focus mtb. was gambling around with 28" wheel. the 28" was fitting into the frame, but was struggling with the brakes. after some time it was sold again and i decided to get a cannondale road bike^^

maybe we see your gravelbike project at the restauration section?

 

[FPrue1304]

When there is notable progress I will be more than happy to share. I will stay with 26 inch; I have already laced a set of wheels with widest possible tires for maximum circumference. Thank you for your interest!