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Cannondale F3 Caffeine XC Hardtail
Product Description
User Reviews 
Submitted by
John R.
a Weekend Warrior
from Flint, MI., USA Date Reviewed: October 16, 2010 Strengths: Light and fast. The brakes are very responsive and you have a certain amount of trust on a washed out downhill that the brakes will stop you before the hairpin turn. I like the headshok and have never had any problems with it. I am 6 foot and 215 lbs on a large frame and it fits me perfectly. The 'Made in the USA' was a huge decision maker for me buying a new bike. The bike handles small jumps and drop offs nicely. I can see hanging on to this bike with the occasional upgrade for the next 10 to 12 years. Weaknesses: After 4 years and just over 2000 miles the brakes are really starting to sing. It is very annoying actually. Time for an upgrade. I have had trouble shifting into the long (road) gears when going fast. But no big deal since most of my riding is at 8-15mph on the trails. I have gone through multiple tires but that is not so much a bike weakness as it is normal wear and tear. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Holdridge in Holly Duration Product Used: More than 3 years Price Paid: $1100.00 Purchased At: Brighton Boutique Similar Products Used: I replaced my Trek 820 with the Cannondale F3. Huge upgrade. Bike Setup: Everything is stock currently. I have had to replace nothing until now - brakes. I had added climb bar ends to give my hands and mainly my back a different position when climbing hills.
Submitted by
random guy
a Weekend Warrior
from Colorado Springs, CO, USA Date Reviewed: September 25, 2010 Strengths: Light, nice frame, head shock does its job well. Climbs like a champ and is awesome at downhills. Weaknesses: None Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Captain Jacks Duration Product Used: More than 3 years Price Paid: $1199.00 Bike Setup: Stock
Submitted by
FultonKBD
a Weekend Warrior
from Akron, OH, US Date Reviewed: September 24, 2009 Strengths: Good overall bike for the price. Two years of riding it and I haven't had any major issues so far. Weaknesses: Tires aren't very good. The components could be better. But then the cost would go up. So it's a trade off. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Quail Hollow, Hartville Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $1100.00 Purchased At: Bisesi's Bicycle & F Similar Products Used: Trek 8000 Bike Setup: Stock except for the tires.
Submitted by
DJer Flamezfan
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto Date Reviewed: September 19, 2009 Strengths: Fast light and great handling. Can take small jumps Weaknesses: easy to push too far ending in multiple trips to the bike shop the headshok dampener is basically opened or closed Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Hardwood hills and the jumps Duration Product Used: 1 Year Price Paid: $1199.00 Purchased At: Chain Reaction Similar Products Used: kona kula Bike Setup: Stock broken components but replaced them with the same ones 
Submitted by
morgan366sailing
a Weekend Warrior
from Richmond Va. Date Reviewed: June 24, 2009 Strengths: Handles very well its light and looks great. IMO all the stock components are up to par brakes ect. Weaknesses: The fork cartridge began leaking on my first single track ride. Oil began to drip from the schrader valve under the fork stem. My confidence level in the F3 Head Shock is at 0. The bike is back at the shop and I am opting for an upgrade to a F2 or F1 with lefty but the dealer says they are not available. ( Wondering now if I should have chose another brand of bike) Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: South bank Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $1100.00 Purchased At: Conte's Bike Setup: Stock
Submitted by
C Dunlop
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia Date Reviewed: April 6, 2009 Strengths: Combined frame and fork weight, fork design and warranty backup. Weaknesses: I had a fork cartridge replaced under warranty. Cannondale have good warranty services but it sucks that the turnaround time is so bad, as it had to be sent to the US for repair. My seat tube was out of spec, so I had to fit a shim and use a non-QR seat post clamp. The handlebars are attrocious and I cannot imagine anyone riding with them, as are the wellgo pedals. The rims are cheap and flexy like a wet noodle, cranks and hubs are cheap but nevertheless perfectly functional. Lack of choice in stems is a real bummer, as the stock one is quite high. Avid juicy 3s are barely passable. Essentially this is a nice frame, with an excellent fork (if you get a good one) with a collection of the worst chosen you could imagine bolted onto it. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Majura Duration Product Used: 1 Year Price Paid: $1050.00 Purchased At: College st. Cycles, Similar Products Used: On-one inbred, Surly KM, Scott scale. Bike Setup: Stock except for shimano XT pedals, WTB saddle, Ameoba scud flat bars.
Submitted by
RyanH
a Weekend Warrior
from San Luis Obispo, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: March 2, 2009 Strengths: Handling, climbing, Product finish, super smooth. Weaknesses: Headshok, stock tires. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $1350.00 Purchased At: Sonoma Bicycle Compa Similar Products Used: Marin Muirwoods Bike Setup: Stock.
Submitted by
Amsterdamned
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: January 16, 2009 Strengths: Light weight, climbs great, looks amazing in matte black ('08 model), Headshock works really well. Weaknesses: Rebound adjuster came lose (not tightened properly by shop), paint chips kind of easily, Juicy 3 brakes are so-so and can be really noisy Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Manly Dam Duration Product Used: 6 months Price Paid: $1350.00 Purchased At: KOM Neutral Bay Bike Setup: All stock apart from Jet Black BMX pedals, Maxxis Detonator tyres.
Submitted by
James Hellmann
a Cross Country Rider
from Chattanooga, TN, 37421 Date Reviewed: August 27, 2008 Strengths: Nimble handling, Brakes are excellent, Headshok provides excellent feel and responsivness mid corner. As light and fast and as XC bikes costing over twice as much. Weaknesses: Headshok is not the best looking shock. The stock tires are too soft for aggressive riding on techical and abrasive trails and will puncture very quickly. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Raccon Mountain Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $967.00 Purchased At: Owen's Cyclery Similar Products Used: Schwinn Homegrown Factory, Lightspeed Ocoee, Sepcialized FSR Comp Bike Setup: stock.
Submitted by
samIamcat
a Cross Country Rider
from sylvania Ohio USA Date Reviewed: August 17, 2008 Strengths: Great bike and great price. Made in the USA. Geared very well. Very fast light bike. The disc brakes are effective and smooth for mechanicals. I love the headshok Weaknesses: The rear derailer Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Mohican Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $980.00 Purchased At: Bike Works Sylvania Similar Products Used: Raleigh, Giant, Trek Bike Setup: Stock
Submitted by
D
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood Ohio Date Reviewed: August 15, 2008 Strengths: Cannondale F3 caffiene Personally for me, it has to be the Headshock, I always loved headshocks, and the reason is you can lock them out when you dont need them, this is great when you dont want your energy absorbed as your riding a flat area. Or with a turn of a switch mounted on your stem, switch it on and up to 80mm of travel. Weaknesses: None that i see so far, its everything my old F700 was and a whoile lot more. IM not crazy about the SRAM shifters honestly, i dont think that is a weakness as much as a preffrence. Other than that the avid Juicy 3's are very nice, brake disc for bicycles have come leaps and bounds in how they (feel) in the past 10 years. ANd its a good thing to love and trust my equipment, and have faith in it, makes your riding all that much more fun. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: too many to list! Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $1200.00 Purchased At: Eddys Bike Shop N ol Similar Products Used: cannondale F7000. I rode that bike 2.5 years. Bike Setup: My bike is set up with stock stuff except the bars and the pedals, I bought a control tech bar with a slight rise in it, and im using bar ends because it gives my hands and back more posistions to relax on long rides. I actually dont mind the cannondale saddle that it came with. It has Sram shifters which are really odd to use after 20 years of shimano. Im trying to get used to it and accept them but if it doesnt work out im going back to shimano, ill even replace it with xtr. I bought myself of speedplay frog stainless pedals and they are wonderful. Ive been using them about 11 years now. They are great in the mud, and the cleat heigh is low which helps you walk and gives more life to the cleat, Thats why i personally love speedplays. You can keep them over many seasons,(re-packing them) most shops know how.
Submitted by
Tmcquillan
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore, MD Date Reviewed: July 24, 2008 Strengths: Fit, geometry, feel, frame. Lock-out headset. Weaknesses: Stock tires and hand grips are worthless. Cranks perform ok but look a little "k-mart". Had some paint chips too but that goes with the territory. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Patapsco Duration Product Used: 6 months Price Paid: $1000.00 Purchased At: Princenton Sports Similar Products Used: Similar model from same company 15 years ago. Still have it and love it too. Tried Fischers, Specialized, full suspension, etc. Bike Setup: X-country. Tires: Smoke and Dart; Grips: Aurie with should support; stock shifters from Schram, etc. All things stock.
Submitted by
macs
a Cross Country Rider
from Miss Date Reviewed: July 9, 2008 Strengths: Very Fast and light. Weaknesses: Bad seat Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $1200.00 Similar Products Used: Trek 6700 Bike Setup: Stock 
Submitted by
fake_usa
a Weekend Warrior
from Somerset NJ USA Date Reviewed: June 5, 2008 Strengths: Light nimble and quick. Weaknesses: Brakes are noisy. Fork lockout lever spins around and around. Seat very hard and uncomfortable, had to change. Stock grips are uncomfortable. Tires are a wimpy for the more technical stuff. PAINT CHIPS and PEELS EXTREMELY EASY. The brake cable was rubbing a bit on the frame, scrapped it with my nail to see if it was dirt or a scuff in the paint and a dime size chip of paint feel off now it's peeling off like a crazy. Also while carrying the bike the handle bars spun around and the brake lever tapped the top tube, guess what, HUGE paint chip,, WTF !! I had to cover it up with a sticker cause it keep pealing. noW after riding the bike for a few month the back triangle is getting all chipped up. I swear to god the paint is defective on this bike and Cannondale will not return any of my emails. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Chimney Rock Duration Product Used: 6 months Price Paid: $1200.00 Purchased At: LBS Similar Products Used: IronHorse, Haro, Specialized, GT. Bike Setup: Bought the shorter stem from Cannondale. Also changed seat, seat post and grips.
Submitted by
Karl Spangler
a Cross Country Rider
from Waterloo, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: June 1, 2008 Strengths: Excellent frame and fork. wonderful finish, especially the weld points. I purchased the "flat black" paint finish, excellent look, very durable (wish it had more evident Cannondale stickers e.g. brighter). Good component mix, however I will be upgrading overtime, the frame is worth it. Weaknesses: Problems with the pedals this will be the first item to go. The tires are OK, however I plan on updating this soon as well. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Hydro Cut Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $1300.00 Purchased At: Ziggy's Cycle Similar Products Used: Kona Kula, Kula 2-9, Cannondale 29er, Trek "something" 2008. Norco 29er, Specialized Stumpjumper 26 & 29er. Devinci Moonracer...the list goes on. The Caffeine won hands down. Bike Setup: Stock at the moment. I have added a lighting package and computer. The following items will be replaced in the following order: pedals, tires (keep them for other terrain). Carbon fiber seat post (seat is good). Carbon fiber flat bar (preference). Race Face crank. Everything else stays. I am going to cut 1" off the end of each bar...a little wide :-).
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