Submitted by
seriously
a Weekend Warrior
from Louisville, Ky
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2010
Strengths: Light, nice looking
Weaknesses: Lost oil and lockout from P Bone Headshok, though it was over 8 years old.
Bottom Line:
This bike has made me huge Cannondale fan. I ride this bike to work 5 days a week. Need to replace the Head Shok but other than that I love this frame.
Bike Setup: Coda (Cannondale) components. Think it was mostly stock.
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Submitted by
Geoff
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver CO US
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2010
Strengths: Aluminum frame makes this super light, yet distinct, and pronounced. Great paint and coatings used. 12 years later and nothing ever rusted out, everything works fine. Greased a foot pedal a week ago (a tad sticky), and it came right back to life for Spring riding. Handmade in USA versus by an eight year old Chinese kid. Fat head shock still works, and all extensions took easily.
Weaknesses: Chain guard would be nice. Yes, I ride with regular pants most times. I leisure ride with my daughter.
Bottom Line:
Definitely buy another. F600 is also phenomenal. I test drove one but couldn't swing the price when I was younger.
Bike Setup: Bought assembled. Just tubes and new tires this year for the drier mountain air in Colorado versus the wet taiga of Alaska.
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Submitted by
findawg
a Weekend Warrior
from Camden County, NJ
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2008
Strengths: all around solid bike
Weaknesses: 1999 had no disc brake mounts
Bottom Line:
I've owned this bike for 9 years, replaced the pedals after a week besides that just tires tubes pads and cables. This bike has taken a beating and still rides like new. Frame is perfect. I would recommend this bike to anyone
Submitted by
Chad Huntington
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, va
Date Reviewed: November 20, 2006
Strengths: relatively light frame, NO FLEX, components even tho they are upper low to middle range, they all held up surprisingly well and perform surprisingly well given what they are. cannondale quality frame.
Weaknesses: close to entry level. many stock coda and lower prices components (tektro). 70MM of travel with the stock fatty M may not be enough for some riders.
Bottom Line:
First off, this needs to be said. THIS IS A CROSS COUNTRY HARDTAIL. IT IS NOT FOR FREERIDING, DIRT JUMPING, HUCKING, OR DOING DROPOFFS. The other reviewer who complained about this bike was not using it as intended. And a note to the same reviewer... aluminum doesnt flex.
i bought this bike as a beater cross country bike to compliment my other bikes listed above. for what it is, it performs well, and would be considered a good value.
Strengths: The bike is built on a very light and sturdy cannondale frame. The headshok is very durable and has stood upto a lot of beatings, I have just put in a 2005 Ultra Headshok which is amazing. All of the coda components have held up with no problem and serve me well. The tektro brake system is one of the best I have ever had.
Weaknesses: I potato chiped the rear wheel, but it only gave me an excuse to upgrade to mavics. The front derailer is a little weak but it can be upgraded.
Bottom Line:
The 1999 Cannondale F500 is an amazing bike. I have had no serious problems except with the p-bone headshok(but i ripped on it). I have traveled across a few states on tours and I am a serious off-road racer and the bike got me 3rd at Racoon Rally. Cannondale hand-welds their products here in America and that is why it is the only bike company i look at. I love the bike and the Mean Green paint job is the only way to go.
Similar Products Used: Anything that says Cannondale
Bike Setup: Stock components, mavic rims with xt hubs, 9 speed cog upgrade and all new chaingrings and a chain. XT rapidfire shifters. Coda clipless pedals. 2005 Ultra Headshok in front.
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Submitted by
alex mathews
a Weekend Warrior
from Deerfield IL USA
Date Reviewed: January 13, 2002
Strengths: good entry level bike, forgiving (at least I thinks so...)
Weaknesses: front derailleur is bad, continental tires not great.
Bottom Line:
good bike for me, put maybe 25 miles a week in the summer. continentals (are they stock) wear down FAST. In the first week I ripped the rear sidewall and destroyed the rim, replaced it with a mavic which holds true MUCH better. no beef with front rim though. when I ride pavement I put on wildgripper semislicks which are great, real fast. front derailleur is crap, and will replace it with XT when I can scrounge up $25. other than that good. mean green rocks!
Similar Products Used: cannondale m400, specialized rockhopper
Bike Setup: stock, except for mavic rear rim, velociraptors f/r
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Submitted by
Justin
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2001
Strengths: Sturdy frame, nice geometry, and a perfect bike for a person who stays on the road 90% of the time and does XC for this bike. Handling is fast and frame is light. This is a perfect bike for the "average Joe" who is making a move into more serious riding.
Weaknesses: Head Shok travel wasn't enough, also the fork's rebounding was aweful as stock (that's why I got the DD60 with the lockout, but still not enough travel). Bike had a tendency to underperform when it is slightly dirty. Also, the frame is NOT as STIFF as everyone says it is. Give the bike a good whacking like me for a year and the frame flexes on the rear which becomes a pain when you're climbing or doing a fast decent. Brakes and ALL the components were CRAP, minus the cranks and the xt deraillure were good. This bike is NOT the bike to be riding if you're going to go full on off road or freeriding. Rims were less than okay. They were like taco shells. I destroyed the rear rim on a small dh section on a freeride ride. The buckle like hell and are of low quality. Get MAVICS~! This is a bike which you do NOT want to be riding as a stock bike! And the upgrade parts end up costing more than getting a half decent Cannondale if you must buy a Cannondale. I'm much happier with my Trek VRX, which is a dual and climbs faster and rides easier than the F500.
Bottom Line:
Good bike for a beginner's bike. Not easy on the pocket, because you NEED to upgrade the bike to get any performance out of it. Good for xc. Frame is okay, when you first get it, but not all that good after a while. Get a F700 if you have the money, or better still - a F900sx (with a lefty). They will save you money down the track. After one year of hard riding - this bike is pretty much turned to rubble for me, besides the XTR parts. So think carefully before you purchase this bike. Cannondale are OVER-RATED, and I was a Cannondale nut myself before. Try other bikes from Trek or GT before you buy a Cannondale. They perform better, and are easier on the pocket. Questions - email me and I'll give you a full lineup of the downsides of the bike (too many to list)...
Similar Products Used: Cannondale (F500, F700, F900 sx, KV700, Super V 700sx, Super V 2000, Raven 2000, Raven 4000SL), GT (Zaskar, Avalanche), Kona Stuff, Trek VRX (THE BEST so far for me), Giant (ATX 1, ATX 2, ATX980), Mongoose NX8.1, and a heap more. I'm a bike fanatic~!
Bike Setup: Cannondale F500 frame P-Bone Head Shok with DD60 cartridge Full XTR.
Go the Trek VRX - read my review on it (that's a bike that I can assure you that you'll love).
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Submitted by
Curtis Pennell
a Cross Country Rider
from Corner Brook, nf, Canada
Date Reviewed: January 10, 2001
Strengths: A pretty good frame, and a fork that lives up to expectations.
Weaknesses: The fork needs a little too much attention.
Bottom Line:
Overall this is a good bike that definately lives up to the relatively low price tag. There are a a couple of points where it could use a little help, but that can all be solved by getting a higher level bike, right? I would definately recommend this bike to anyone looking for a decent performing bike at a realistic price level.
Weaknesses: Shock -- I upgraded to an air cartridge which helped considerably. Hubs, rims are junk.
Bottom Line:
Not a bad bike, but I began upgrading immediately after purchase. Spent $400 on upgrades, and deciding whether to spend more on new hubs and rims. Nice, solid frame to build on. Good ride, feel.
Similar Products Used: Fisher, Santa Cruz, Schwinn Homegrown
Bike Setup: Full XT components, air shock upgrade, hellbent seatpost
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Submitted by
Marty
a Cross Country Rider
from Iowa City, IA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 31, 2000
Strengths: Frame Details
Weaknesses: CODA Comp. and Front Derailure
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike as a commuter, to school and work. I have the XL frame and think it would be too large for real off road riding even at 6'1". I had the shop swap out the tires and am now running 1.5 Michelin semislicks, quite, fast and very reliable. The front Derailure has been a big problem, almost as big of a problem as the lack of a good shop or mach. in the area. (just moved here from utah so i'm spoiled!) Don't know if an upgrade will help as the CODA cranks and BB may by the problem. Headshok is very nice but not very quiet. The frame is nice and the detail is great. I have had some set-up problems and Cannodale Cust. Serv. sucks and as there is not a dealer in my area I'm S.O.L.! I wish I had spent the extra for the Klien. For true Cross Country I will stick with my GT and SURLY.
Bike Setup: Org. W/ Fenders and Michelin Semislicks
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Submitted by
PD
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2000
Strengths: Its an awesome bike .... Xtremely light (atleast compared to what I've had b4)
Weaknesses: Pedals & Front Derailler
Bottom Line:
This is my first Cannondale .... it is torch red in color and is verrrrry cool! It rides really well, very light and you can get adjusted to it in a few days. This was an impulse buy 'coz it was on sale for $650 - the dealer upgraded the pedals and bar ends and grips .... I had to pay for the front derailler. I really like the single shock - makes it very stable (atleast it feels that way!) .... I might upgrade the saddle to a CODA COMPETITION.
Bike Setup: Stock except for: CODA clipless pedals + Shimano Deore-LX Front Derailler
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Submitted by
Shawn
a Cross Country Rider
from Bremerton, Wa. USA
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2000
Strengths: Frame, HeadShok and how addicting it is to stay on and ride all day.
Weaknesses: Front and Rear Deralures, Brakes
Bottom Line:
This is a good entry level bike! I thought it was kinda pricey, but I couldn't help myself I had to have it! The HeadShok is awesome I love the way it handles all the bumps. There are only two complaints I have are the shifters and the deralures, if anyone is thinking about buying this bike, I'd definatley upgrade those along with the brakes. Get rid of those stupid ass grip shifts (who was the genius that invented those?).
Bike Setup: I upgraded the front deralure to an LX and the rear to an XT. Other than that the bike is all stock.
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Submitted by
Jason Mattox
a Weekend Warrior
from Marin County, CA
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2000
Strengths: FRAME HEADSHOCK
Weaknesses: BRAKES
Bottom Line:
EXCELLENT FIRST BIKE. GOT A GOOD DEAL ON BIKE AND UPGRADES. COULDN'T PASS UP THE VALUE. ALSO, THE FRAME WAS A GREAT SET UP FOR SOMEONE TALL, 6'4", AND ALL LEGS. THE HEADHOCK ROCKS AND HANDLES ALL YOU CAN THROW AT IT!!!!
Similar Products Used: TREK 7000 SPECIALIZED OTHER CANNONDALES
Bike Setup: LX RAPIDFIRE SHIFTER XT FRONT DERAILLEUR XT REAR DERAILLEUR OTHERWISE STOCK
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Submitted by
vomitgas
a Cross Country Rider
from State College, PA
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2000
Strengths: Fork, Color (Mean Green), Component Selection
Weaknesses: Component Selection, Wheels, Weight, Made by Cannondale.
Bottom Line:
I just bought this bike for my girlfriend. The fork is really smooth. Not too springy if you have the shock tweak the fork for your weight. It is a great entry level bike. If you are looking for a bike that is excellent out of the box, and you know what you want, this isn't the bike for you.
I would have to say that my biggest complaints are with the brake and shift levers. They will be the first upgrades for her. Next upgrade will be the pedals to a true shimano pedal. Other than those few cheap things to fix, this is a pretty nice bike. It is a little on the heavy side, but for about 99% of the riders a bike that is a bit heavy doesn't matter regardless of what they think. I give it five flamin' foofers for the value (We got it for $600 + tax) and 4 foofers for being a good bike.
Recap for why not 5 foofers: Shift/brake levers. Pedals. Weight. It is a Cannondale.
Submitted by
Tyler
a Cross Country Rider
from Ames, IA
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2000
Strengths: Great value, nice entry level setup
Weaknesses: entry level setup, cheap components
Bottom Line:
This bike is a tremendous value. It is the perfect bike for someone who is just getting started in the sport. As you improve you will start to see its weaknesses though. The P-bone headshock is nice as far as control goes, but it is a bit too "springy". The stock wheelset is pretty cheap. My rims were NEVER true. I upgraded to Shimano XT hubs with Mavic X517 rims (nice, light setup). The front derailleur and brakes are pretty cheap too. The CODA components and the frame itself have been very reliable.
