The Rize is the Swiss Army knife of the trail bike world. It's a bike that brings all-new metalforming technology to the industry, and combines it with carbon-fiber fabrication techniques. It uses a dreamy-riding multi-pivot suspension with 130mm of balanced travel. The means that riders can use it as a do-it-all rig, whether you're riding notoriously gnarly rock gardens in the Northeast or the gently rolling foothills of the inter-mountain West.
Submitted by
none
a Weekend Warrior
from Salt Lake City, UT Date Reviewed: October 19, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Anywhere in the Wasatch
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At:
Guthrie Bicycle
Strengths:
Where to begin? The best bike I've owned. Great all mountain bike. Handles speeds and bumps effortlessly and climbs very well.
Weaknesses:
No chain guard. Had to make my own. I can't think of any other weaknesses.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp, Haro X2
Bike Setup:
Fox Float RL 140 mm fork, Fox Float RP2 rear shock, Avid Elixir R brakes, SRAM GXP1 crank, Shimano XT rear derailleur
Bottom Line:
I sold my '08 Stumpjumper to buy this bike and haven't regretted it once, this bike is far superior. Much better control on the descents and high speed turns. If there's such thing as the perfect all-around, do it all bike it's this one. Oh, and it's USA made.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
skennedy
a Weekend Warrior
from Auburn, California, USA Date Reviewed: September 21, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Forresthill Trails
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At:
Wheel Away, Campbell
Strengths:
The bike handles very well. The Shocks are easy to set up and work excellent. For the money this is a GREAT BIKE. This is a great bike for a first time full suspended buyer
Weaknesses:
The front brake could use a little more power. Easy fix with a larger rotor.
Similar Products Used:
Trek,Specialized,Landshark
Bike Setup:
Changed tires to Nevegals, Magura front brake with 203mm rotor, and switched to SRAM rear derailleur with twist shifters, XT pedals, Oury grips.
Bottom Line:
I LOVE this bike! After riding it for a year I still like it. The Fox Shock and Fork are the ticket! I have not had a flat yet and on my third set of tires. The changes I made were minimal. After Ebaying off the parts I switched, my investment was minimal. The bike climbs well for a Trail Bike and It decends with the stability of a Downhiller! Did I say I love this bike. The 2010 bikes come with better tires and 185 front rotor now!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steelhorse
a Cross Country Rider
from Florida Date Reviewed: August 7, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Alifia State Park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2400.00
Purchased At:
Bent's
Strengths:
Glides sweetly over roots, rocks, the whole 9. Climbs well, downhill - oohrah! fun. Love this bike
Weaknesses:
Within the first three months, my rear shock (RP2) had to be rebuilt because it was losing air - but that's on Fox not Cannondale.
Similar Products Used:
My last bike was a Giant VT3 which my son is now kicking butt with.
Bike Setup:
I think i'm going to replace my stem, because the bike comes with a pretty short stem, so i'll go to a longer probably Raceface stem.
Bottom Line:
Love this bike it was easy to bond with this horse!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Alaska Date Reviewed: August 7, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Blueberry Pass
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
the bicycle shop
Strengths:
Light, great suspension, single pivot design works efeciently. The pro pedal and lockouts are super effecient for climbing hills, they pratically turn your bike into a hardtail!
Weaknesses:
the factory seat sucks.. I recomend replacing it
Similar Products Used:
many gary fishers
Bike Setup:
stock with liberator Y seat
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike for someone looking to do all mountain riding, it is light enough and shifts well enough to go up hilll and race, but is sturdy enough and has good enough suspension to do downhill too. For 2500 dollars this bike cant be beat. I did bend one of my rims in the first week i had it but ithink that wasn't anything to do with the bike, i think that falling as hard as i did i would have bent any rim. Great Bike
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
e_hermo3
a Cross Country Rider
from Laguna Beach, Ca Date Reviewed: July 16, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Telonics
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
REVO Cycles
Strengths:
Very smooth and efficient at both climbing and descending. Simple design (no crazy linkages), great fit/feel, descent weight (stock 29lbs for a large) and good enough component selection to last without worrying about blowing the bank to replace any parts. Whether its technical terrain, or smooth and flowy this bike will reward you with smiles through it all.
Weaknesses:
Can't comment too much since Ive only ridden 60 plus miles so far. Hayes brakes have had to be adjusted/aligned a few times, and the rear is producing an obnoxious squeal, but I dont consider that a true weakness.
Frame size: Large. Thomson elite X4 (90mm x 10deg) stem, ESI grips, chainstay cover. All else is stock.
Bottom Line:
Ive been completely off the saddle for a good 6+ years now and have been dying to get back on. Previously I used to race everything (evolving from bmx to XC to downhill and slalom) but always considered myself a downhiller at heart. It took a lot of persuading to convince my better half about spending $2k on a bike (we bought her a C'dale F5) so needless to say, when she ok'd it I made sure I was getting the absolute right bike. At this price point, Id narrowed it down to the Rize 4 and Trek Fuel Ex8. I wanted something that could pedal and climb nicely, and more importantly descend w/ confidence and speed. Both were very comparable, and a difficult decision after a few test rides. Trek's ABP was intriguing, but the slightly slacker head angle and 3D forged backbone and carbon seat stays of the Rize were a bit more appealing to me. Having previously owned a Cannondale, and really believing they have some of the best engineers designing for them, I opted for the Rize.
Im a hair under 6ft (155lbs) and definitely on the lankier side, so it was a close call choosing between medium and large. Im used to riding smaller bikes, but also like running shorter stems. I was a little hesitant going w/ a large, but know I made the right choice, as a medium would be way too cramped to do any decent climbing w/ a shorter stem.
The bike took no adjustment of riding style, or any need to get used to. Just slapped on a shorter stem (it came w/ at least a 120mm!) and I was good to go. First ride to break her in was Aliso Woods...we rode up Cholla, down Telonics, up Stair Steps, and down Meadows. So stoked! The bike was so predictable and confident. Fox suspension soaked up everything, the crank brothers Candy's were worry free. The Hayes brakes are in need of some adjustment, as they've began to rub a bit and produce some nice squealing. They stop plenty though. Tires are Maxxis Ridgelines, good for dry and hard pack trails, in which case they're fast and grippy. A little drifty when leaning/cornering on looser or off camber turns. WTB wheels seem like theyll be bulletproof. Haven't used propedal or lockout as the suspension design is super efficient. All in all, the value was for sure a 5. Yeah, you could be super picky, and swap out a front tire, or brakes, wheels, or some drivetrain components. But for a stock package, this will get you up and down the best trails with solid confidence and stoke...and still leave you with some coin in your pocket to buy your significant other a nice present!
For 2010 they've revised the Rize (130mm travel) into the RZ 120 (120mm travel and RZ 140 (140mm travel) w/ upgrades to the Lefty, and I believe they've broadened the range to 8 different component/parts levels for each RZ compared to the 5 different for '09. Hopefully that means the Lefty forks will be available at a lower price point. Anyways, if you want a do it all, confidence inspiring bike, this is it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
CrashTester
a Weekend Warrior
from Kamloops, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: June 24, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
TaBoo Cycles
Strengths:
Light, stiff frame that is very responsive. Climbs well and is handles downhill singletrack in a variety of conditions.
Weaknesses:
New bike so no obvious weaknesses at this point. Wondering about the stock fork for true all mountain use.
Similar Products Used:
Giant Reign 2, Reign X0 (personal bike),
Bike Setup:
Stock except for a shorter stem (Gravity Light) and lock on grips. Added Elixir R brakes
Bottom Line:
This bike impressed me from my first demo on it. It is light enough to be an efficient climber (helped somewhat by the lockouts on fork and shock). The bike is very reactive to input and handles variable terrain quite well. This is a bike that makes riding fun - it has a playful feel to it that inspires confidence. Specs on the bike are a good value for the price.
Nothing is ever really a "5/5" but I'm giving this bike that rating because it is a bike that has great value for the $ and is such a fun bike to ride.
This is a review based on the first few rides. Updates will come with more time on the bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Flare1
a Weekend Warrior
from Greenwich, CT Date Reviewed: May 12, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Kessler Mtn
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
Carl Hart
Strengths:
Incredibly stiff frame, simple design, great fit and finish
Weaknesses:
frame sits a little high (high top tube)
Similar Products Used:
Rocky Mountain Slayer, Specialized Stumpjumper
Bike Setup:
Stock with new Kenda Nevegal tires and new Specialized seat
Bottom Line:
This is a great all around bike. With Cannondale's system integration you can really fell the stiffness of the frame and how it translates into pure power when you're hammering. I feel the bike sits a little high and with a high top tube it leaves me with only about an inch of standover clearance with a large, and I'm 6 foot. However, you can really point and shoot this bike anywhere and seems best fit for a rider who loves to pedal and ride agressively over a wide range of trails. The spec parts are average but you cannot go wrong with this frame a it will last years to come in my opinion.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ssmrubicon
a Weekend Warrior
from Colorado Springs, CO Date Reviewed: March 23, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
LBS (Old Town Bikes)
Strengths:
Build quality is top notch, made in the USA. Single Pivot is simple but very effective.
Weaknesses:
Stock wheels and handlebars are heavy but that is easily changed.
Bike Setup:
Stock except for Crossmax ST and Maxxis tubeless tires.
Bottom Line:
I just picked up this bike this weekend and was out riding it. I rode a 1996 Cannondale Super V 2000 for 13 years so this was a big change. I had the bike shop change out the heavy wheels and tires that came on the bike for a set of Crossmax ST's and tubeless tires. The bike rode great and although slightly heavier than my old V. the 5 inches of suspension travel was a blast to ride. This is a great bike and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a 5" travel AM bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brent Harder
a Cross Country Rider
from Mission Viejo, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 5, 2009
Favorite Trail:
San Juan Trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2400.00
Purchased At:
2400
Strengths:
Amazing tracking and floating over obsticales. Incredible front shock travel, great climber. Beautiful tube connections. Nice components. Great rear shock.
Brakes are flawless and smooth.
Weaknesses:
Seat is uncomfortable, I replaced it. Pedals replaced too. Ridgeline tires are a little sucky in the mud, but I love them on dry singletrack trails.
Similar Products Used:
GT I-Drive1
Bike Setup:
Odometer, will add bar ends for steep climbing
Bottom Line:
This bike makes me a better rider. It is a joy to climb and decend. Mid range acceleration is amazing, like a booster shot. Rock gardens are a breeze. Great for intermediate to expert riders that can appreciate the handling of this precise Swiss watch of a bike. Amazing on single tracks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brent Harder
a Cross Country Rider
from Mission Viejo, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 5, 2009
Favorite Trail:
San Juan Trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2400.00
Purchased At:
2400
Strengths:
Amazing tracking and floating over obsticales. Incredible front shock travel, great climber. Beautiful tube connections. Nice components. Great rear shock.
Brakes are flawless and smooth.
Weaknesses:
Seat is uncomfortable, I replaced it. Pedals replaced too. Ridgeline tires are a little sucky in the mud, but I love them on dry singletrack trails.
Similar Products Used:
GT I-Drive1
Bike Setup:
Odometer, will add bar ends for steep climbing
Bottom Line:
This bike makes me a better rider. It is a joy to climb and decend. Mid range acceleration is amazing, like a booster shot. Rock gardens are a breeze. Great for intermediate to expert riders that can appreciate the handling of this precise Swiss watch of a bike. Amazing on single tracks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Trogdor The Burninator
a Weekend Warrior
from Yokosuka, Japan Date Reviewed: March 4, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Hayama
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1300.00
Purchased At:
Rim Tours
Strengths:
Great on the ups, Great on the downs, Great on the flats. And it is pretty darn light.
Weaknesses:
RP2, only because mine leaks air...really slowly. Also I have to have crazy psi to get the proper sag. Also Also I have used an RP23 and I think they rock.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Rush Carbon 3z
Bike Setup:
Rize 4, Crossmax ST, X0 shift/rear d., Elixir CR brakes.
Bottom Line:
Once you dial in your suspension there is nowhere that you can't go. Awesome geometry for the descents, smooth feeling, and very responsive, allows me to push my limits. Very stiff rear end allows you to track well while the suspension takes care of the bumps. Handling is twitchy...but in a good way, quick turns without losing traction.
XC riding is similar feel the Rush with out being too stretched out. Very good power position, although it does not have the "sitting in the cockpit" feel of the Rush it is very close.
Climbing gave me some trouble at first. I honestly hated it on the climb until I realized that I just needed to adjust the seatpost and rebound. Now it climbs VERY well. That quick steering really helps and as long as you keep pushing it will keep climbing. It is also light, so you don't feel weighed down on the long grinds.
I really enjoy this bike but it needed to be adjusted to my riding style. Great for the trails I ride, 5 in. travel is nice for harsher riding but it does not sacrifice the efficiency needed to ride long flat spots. It also gives confidence on multiple levels, while it does not cater to just AM/FR or just XC it meshes abilities to do a little bit of everything, which is perfect for me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dorcrycrystal
a Cross Country Rider
from las vegas,nv Date Reviewed: February 20, 2009
Favorite Trail:
bootleg canyon trailssss
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
mcghies sports
Strengths:
super plush suspension, front and rear suspension lockouts are great,very little effort climbing...handling is awesome, hayes hydraulic brakes work great..
Weaknesses:
tires, changed them out right away, but thats not the bikes fault
Similar Products Used:
trek ex6.5, khs, marin
Bike Setup:
stock rize 4 , changed tires to wtb velociraptors
Bottom Line:
I thought I would always stick with trek, but broke the chainstay 2 times on the bike, anyway, I decided to read up on the rize 4 and demoed it, the only word I can say is awesome , the 5.5 " suspension, just sucks up drops and the rear shock transition is effortless, this bike gets going fast and I find myself getting overconfident on it, the handling is like riding on rails with the right tire combination,braking with hayes hydraulics is a major plus, all around this bike is the bomb, just looking forward to riding more..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
danoalb
a Cross Country Rider
from Upstate, NY Date Reviewed: January 18, 2009
Favorite Trail:
anything dirt
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2800.00
Purchased At:
High Adventure
Strengths:
Plush suspension front and back, light weight for a 5.1 inch bike, great customer service and just a plain beautiful bike that rides as good as it looks.
Weaknesses:
Crank brothers smarty pedals (junk) Rendez tires suck butt.
Makes you braver than you should be.
Similar Products Used:
First full suspension
Bike Setup:
Stock except for Irc Trailbear 2.25 tire...Oury red lock on grips
Bottom Line:
I have had this bike for about 6 months now and all I can say is this thing does it all. It uses all its travel without bottoming out and the pbr lefty is simply the best fork I have ever ridden. I shattered my wrist on it as it made me try stuff I would never consider so you must be careful as it gives you way too much confidence...Remember it's still mtn biking which is hazardous by nature. The Rize loves to go fast and just floats over the terrain. The stock tires sucked....once I put on my trusty trailbears it was fun,fun,fun until daddy takes the T bird away. I did alot or research before I bought this and I'm glad I picked the Rize with the lefty. It really does everything well. Cannondale hit the nail on the head with the deer thing as it floats thru the forest with the greatest of ease. The new linkage single pivot works like a dream with the rising rate. I just can't get enough of riding this fine piece of machinery.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
robotkiller
a Weekend Warrior
from Chapel Hill, NC Date Reviewed: January 10, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Blankets Creek
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1900.00
Purchased At:
Clean Machine
Strengths:
Plush, active suspension and good efficiency. Simple and effective suspension design. Pretty good parts spec. Excellent value at the price I bought it.
Weaknesses:
None really. I guess it doesn't have a fashionable suspension design. Stock wheels are heavy. Stock bars are heavy.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Heckler
Turner Burner
Bike Setup:
Stock with Mavic Crossmax SLR, Maxm 660mm 1 inch carbon riser and Thomson stem 70mm/post, Hutchinson Scorpion
Bottom Line:
Set up with with Crossmax SLRs, this bike is the best I've ever owned - bar none. It's nimble and very flickable with a surprisingly efficient suspension action. It's a perfectly dialed bike - it has that balance of efficiency with excellent small bump compliance and seemingly endless travel. I've never had a bike that I've been able to dial in this quickly - and I've built about seven so far. In this regard, especially, it's been absolutely superior. The front end lifts nicely, yet the balance is still great for carving downhill and around twisty singletrack. Very predictable and stable at speed -- an incredibly comfortable bike to which I feel immediately connected.
With my current build, it weighs in at about 27 pounds - a very decent weight for a 5 inch FS. The parts spec that comes with it is very decent, but clearly this frame deserves better parts than stock. The wheels are total anchors and adding Crossmaxes has made an enormous difference in the acceleration department. The front fork is a Fox Float - nothing exotic like the Lefty but it's plush, it rock solid and it just friggin works.
The Rp2 is a pretty good shock. It doesn't have three setting propedal, but honestly I don't even miss it. I run the bike with no propedal, 150lbs in the rear and 55lbs in the fork; 30 pounds in the tubeless Hutchinson Scorpion tires. At my 170lbs of weight, this gives me the small bump compliance and buttery smooth accerlation with excellent efficiency.
I am an efficiency freak -- I built a SS rigid b/c I couldn't stand an ounce of energy loss. Clearly a FS will not have the supernatural snap of a sub 20lb rigid bike, but the Cannondale is no slouch. I am absolutely thrilled with the pedaling efficiency of this bike. Rode about 3 hours on some technical, rooty and hilly terrain today; never once thinking about energy loss. The linkage actuated single pivot may not be high tech or glamorous, but it gets the job done. So far, it's superior to my Horst link Turner.
On top of everything else, the white looks sick. Excellent fit and finish to the frame and a tasteful paintjob.
This is a stellar bike and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
daniel13
a Weekend Warrior
from Memphis, TN, USA Date Reviewed: October 25, 2008
Favorite Trail:
haws ridge, Knoxville, TN
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
outdoors inc.
Strengths:
brakes perform excellent, great suspension, little heavy i think. overall awesome bike!
Weaknesses:
switched out by eggbeaters from the sh*% pedals it comes with. Also i am not to happy with the tire selection but, not too noticable to be honest.
Bike Setup:
Stock, besides eggbeater pedals
Bottom Line:
Awesome bike! def worth every penny i paid for it. If you ever get a chance to demo one, take it on some downhills, you will be amazed at the travel and the suspension this bikes has. buy one!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robert Fish
a Weekend Warrior
from Simi Valley, Ca Date Reviewed: July 25, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Dirt ones
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At:
Simi Cycling Center
Strengths:
Does evertything right.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Cannodale SuperV, Prophet, Kona Coiler, and many others.
Bike Setup:
Stock, except different seat, and Shimano 540 pedals.
Bottom Line:
This is the bike the Prophet wanted to be when is grew up. I demo'ed one and could not believe how I could be so confident on a bike I had never seen before, let alone ridden. Shifts like a higher end group. Hayes Stroker brakes are awesome. Changed then seat and pedals to reflect personal preference.
I cannot believe how well it: A. Climbs. B. Descends. I came rage over stuff seated that would have pitched me on every other bike that I have ridden. Just unbelieveable. I don't lock anything out when I climb. Don't have to. I wish I could give it extra chili's for being such a superior product. It's nice to see a product exceed the advertising "hype". Try one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bigreesern
a Weekend Warrior
from huntington,wv,usa Date Reviewed: June 25, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Kingdom Trails
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Velocity Bike Shop
Strengths:
Front and rear lockout
Hayes Stroker brakes self adjust
Climbs surprisingly easy
Handles extermely well on the downhills and tech trails
6inchs of travel
Weaknesses:
Maxxis Ridgeline tires
Wellgo pedals
Similar Products Used:
First Full suspension bike
last bike Gary fisher Hardtail
Bike Setup:
Mostly stock parts with yeti lockon grips(red), Panaracer fire xc pro tires with tubeless conversion(red), red crank brother candy pedals. I went with the euro look.
Bottom Line:
This Bike is awesome, it has surpassed all my expectations for a Cannondale full supension bike. Coming from a hardtail riding this bike feels like I am on a cloud.Surpisingly, climbing is very hardtail like with its duel lockouts. The Rize with its massive travel gives the downhills (jumps) and tech trails a whole new meaning of fun and confidence.
I was worried about buying a bike that was (is) in its first year without any previous reveiws, but now I would not change my choice, this bike truly is the Swiss Army knife of the trail bike world.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
zhuclear
a Downhiller
from Berkeley, CA, USA Date Reviewed: June 25, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Mount Diablo
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At:
Mike's Bikes
Strengths:
Climbs incredibly well and smooth.
Brakes are self-adjusting.
Front and rear lockout.
This truly is the replacement for the Prophet. I loved my Prophet, but the Rize outclasses it in every way. Climbing is much easier (in no small part due to the front and rear lockout), and it has better handling when descending. Spin-up very smooth, and the Hayes brakes work like a charm.
I actually wanted to spend a little extra for the Rize 3 so that I could have a lefty, but I think the colors for theh 3 are ugly (and let's face it, we all want to show off our rides).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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