THE SELL: An aluminum-framed racer that’s as smooth as carbon fiber. THE TEST: A 1,150-gram frame isn’t exactly svelte by racing standards, but all the testers who rode the CAAD 10-1 were smitten. “Wow! This thing pops!” enthused one. “Faster than most carbon racers,” said another. Speed didn’t come at the expense of rideability, though. The severely sculpted frame shaping鈥攁n ovalized top tube and flattened seat- and chainstays鈥攃ombined with the carbon-laminated RS80 wheels took the sting out of rough roads that would normally have left us cringing on aluminum. And the Shimano Dura Ace drivetrain performed impeccably. THE VERDICT: The smart man’s race bike, as fast and sultry (we loved the stealth-bomber black finish on our test bike) as any comparable carbon bike at a fraction of the price. 16.1 lbs
Handling: 4.5
Responsiveness: 5
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