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Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: January 9, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | 42 Traverse | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Velo | | Strengths: | Light, nimble, headshok is just right for me - takes the edge off bumps and can be locked out for road/long grinds. | | Weaknesses: | Flexy bike with very flexy POS Coda cranks/bottom bracket. Changed them out for LX and much happier. | | Similar Products Used: | Marin Rocky Ridge | | Bike Setup: | not much is standard on my one - local shop built it up from a frame. | | Bottom Line: | If you want a light nimble cross country hardtail, this takes some beating! The Cannondale parts aren't as good as their frames but hey - they unbolt! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Birmingham, AL
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Oak Mtn, Tsali, Tanasi | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$2400.00 | | Purchased At: | Cahaba Cycles | | Strengths: | Very nimble and quick around corners/switchbacks, climbs well. Spec'd very nicely so not many upgrades are necessary. | | Weaknesses: | Cables are routed on the bottom of the downtube so if its a sloppy ride you'll need to get them cleaned off or the shifting won't be smooth on the next ride. | | Similar Products Used: | Litespeed Obed | | Bike Setup: | XTR drive train, XT shifters, Marta Magura Brakes, Easton seatpost/handlebar, Mavic Crossmax wheels | | Bottom Line: | This bike has taken a beating the past two years and still rides good as new. Its a 2x9 setup so keep in mind there is no granny gear if you've got several steep climbs. An excellent bike that climbs and handles well and can be ridden recreationally or raced. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
thom
a Cross Country Rider
from waco, tx. US
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | In TX.? ...Cameron park | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | 360 Cycleworks, Austin | | Strengths: | Weight. Headshock tracking unbeatable. Extremely nimble- the spider-man of bikes. | | Weaknesses: | Magura Marta Brakes. Drive train can be finicky if not tweaked regularly. Comes stock with 1.80 size tires. I found 2.00 to be more forgiving and satisfying. | | Similar Products Used: | Other hard tails | | Bike Setup: | Good | | Bottom Line: | I've put this bike through hell in 2 years and it still smiles. After slamming through rocky courses, grueling climbs and hard spills- I DO baby it at home. The MAvic UST's are good wheels, but I need a little more beef. I am switching to Crossmax XL's. I've had to send the HEadshock in once for maintenance- no service probs. Brakes don't grab to my liking and could have been designed better. I recommend the new XTR's or Hayes hydro's. This bike is for Ninjas... big guys beware. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fretje
a Cross Country Rider
from Belgium
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Houffalize | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | local dealer | | Strengths: | Light (9,6 kg), strong, looks cool ! Good brakes and very stabile tubeless wheelset ! | | Weaknesses: | ??? (maybe the Hutchinson tyres) | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale F2000SL | | Bike Setup: | Almost original, just a SLR-seat and Extralite bar-ends, maybe another crank and eggbeaters in the future. | | Bottom Line: | This is a very competitive bike ! Some people don't like the front suspension, but I do !! The headshok ultra is very light (lighter then any SID !) but also very strong ! The Magura Marta-brakes are good brakes, but you have to ride a few days before you can really feel it !
Don't try to follow me uphill !!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Deatherage
a Cross Country Rider
from Everett, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Southridge (Corvallis, OR) | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | CYCLOTOPIA | | Strengths: | Great climber, This bike kicks serious ass! | | Weaknesses: | NONE! | | Similar Products Used: | Other Hardtails...Blah Blah.... | | Bike Setup: | Large F3000SI, Nothing is stock on this bike so maybe thats why my review is a satisfied one...I have a XT bottom bracket w/ Richey WCS crankset, XTR shifters and derailers w/ Goretex cables and housings (cause I live in the wet Pac NW), Hope C2 disc brakes (thats right a closed system and I love em') Richey OCR Disc specific wheelset that I've made tubeless (that really rocks!!) And the rest is pretty common stuff like a Terry Fly saddle w/ Thompson Elite post and Titec straight bar w/ richey wcs bar ends... | | Bottom Line: | This is the best Bike I have ever ridden! I ride a good 60 to 100 miles a week on this bike and it never wants to give up..I've ridden full suspension bikes and hardtails up and down trails and logging roads but this frame handles the best out of all of them! dosen't matter what I'm doin it's the Sh*@ know what I mean....I defintly recommend this bike to anyone who likes to ride and I mean RIDE! not toy around and complain, I suggest to some of these riders to get a good mechanic because these problems I hear sound like there from poor mechanics building these bikes or the consumer messing them up...I guess I'm lucky I have a great mechanic...Props to Glen down at CYCLOTOPIA you rock man! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Buster McCrae
a Cross Country Rider
from San Luis Obispo, Ca
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Gold Coast Hammel | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | friend of shop owner | | Strengths: | It rips, when it stays in one piece. had no problems in first 3wks. great suspension | | Weaknesses: | Frame broke in TWO places when I landed off a 12ft rock formation. I weigh 170lbs...Factory would not replace it under warranty even though it was only a month old. Check the welds for inconsistences. My bike's frame was definately not welded right. If you break it in two places at once, dont expect them to believe you... | | Similar Products Used: | Santa Cruz full susp. Cannondale hardtail | | Bike Setup: | Stock except tires | | Bottom Line: | Was an awesome bike until frame broke. Was surprised that factory would not fix or replace frame. It's not what you would expect after buying a high-end ride like this. Otherwise, awesome bike with plenty of potential. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Edward
a Cross Country Rider
from Charlottesville, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 1, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Walnut Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Element Sports, Winchester, VA | | Strengths: | Everything! CAD5, brakes, components | | Weaknesses: | The stock tires are a little weak for the everyday use, but they'd rock on just the right race course. | | Similar Products Used: | numerous Cannondales, hardtail and f/s | | Bike Setup: | as is, out of the box | | Bottom Line: | >> THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST BIKE I HAVE EVER OWNED!
I had an '01 F2000 that was great, but this one is even better. The Marta's work way better than the old CODA's, and CAD5 is hands down the BEST hardtail frame money can buy! Do yourself a favor and buy one of these. The fork is great, light, stiff, industry leading steering, and best of all, I've only put air in it ONCE! That's right, it's held for months on end. The bike is super light, nimble, responsive, and has that fully-integrated Cannondale feel (now if it only had the HollowGram :) ). Super comfy ride that doesn't lose any power from the soles of your feet to the ground. A totally unmatched ride with excellent craftsmanship and superb quality; there's a reason they say:
Cannondale: World Championship--Proven.
Go experience it for yourself. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matt
a Racer
from durham, NH
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Tubeless, headshok, disc only | | Weaknesses: | havent found any yet | | Similar Products Used: | none really | | Bike Setup: | pretty much what came with the bike is still on there. | | Bottom Line: | The bike is great for climbing and can still rip on the downhills. the tubeless tires take some of the edge off the rough trails here on the east coast. the bike performs great, and is an ideal bike for the serious mountain biker. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
FredV
a Cross Country Rider
from Lyon, France
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | www.transmaurienne.com | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Great geometry : much more stable than my previous F2000
Fast & responsive but very comfortable too (thanks to tubeless wheels I guess)
It looks really great :-) | | Weaknesses: | Skiny 24 spokes Wheels : This is MTB !
Pricey | | Similar Products Used: | '98 Cannondale F2000
Specialized M2 | | Bike Setup: | Full XTR, 32h DT 240 hubs with Mavic X3.1, Thompson seatpost, Time pedals. | | Bottom Line: | First, this is the better MTB I ever had.
I was a bit worried about the tubeless tires and the disk brakes (Marta), but both work really great, even in very "mountainous" conditions (see www.transmaurienne.com).
It seems that Cannondale made some improvement on their geometry, the bike is much more stable than my F2000 was.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy Haynes
a Cross Country Rider
from Anniston, AL USA
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Oak Mountain State Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | Fun Wheels | | Strengths: | Handling and climbing performance. | | Weaknesses: | Michelin Tires that came stock.
| | Similar Products Used: | 1999 Cannondale Super V 700. 1998 GT Aggressor.
| | Bike Setup: | Magura Marta brakes. Thompson seat post. XTR/XT components. Changed to Hutchinson Scorpion tires. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is a very light nimble handling ride that loves to climb. With the UST wheelset running the air pressure around 30psi takes alot of the kick out of rough descents. The component selection is excellent and I really love the Magura brakes.
However I did have the dealer swap the Michelin Comp S tires for the Hutchinson Scorpions. Thats the beauty of doing bussiness with your local bike shop.
I strongly recommend this bike for the serious xc-biker.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Err you know.. That one? | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Purchased At: | This guy I met | | Strengths: | Nice and stiff. Looks oh so pretty. Discs. Lefty =3. | | Weaknesses: | Some like to say the coda comps are a weakness, haven't had a problem. | | Similar Products Used: | 99' F1000, Giant Rincon (wooo) | | Bike Setup: | Well quite clearly not stock from what I've read =P. XT Front, pods, cassette, XTR, rear, post, Titec hellbent riser, Coda cranks, Lefty DLR, Mavic 317's. | | Bottom Line: | The dale I wished I could own... and now I do! Yay for me. Leftys are the most wonderfull thing in the world, even above air. Cannondales are the most spectacular bikes. I just hope I don't crash it, no warranty on second hand stuff but hey, can't beat that price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Racer
from Houston, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Pretty light. Great climber. Cannondale’s front suspension. Good rear stay design. Nice looking paint job (blue fades to white). | | Similar Products Used: | 1996 Canndale CADD 3 frame (F700). | | Bike Setup: | Chrisking ISO hubs w/Mavic X317. Avid mech disk. XT components. | | Bottom Line: | I'm reviewing the F3000 Sl frame only (explained below). This frame is would be great for the XC racer or demanding XC rider. Great handling frame set with excellent climbing capabilities! The CADD 5 frame is far improved from the CADD 3 I use to ride. The seat stays and chain stays do a good job of offering some comfort and control for a hardtail. They are thin and are designed to flex when needed. Fantastic handling and front suspension. And for the paint job - pretty cool and other riders have confirmed so. BTW this is a disk brake ONLY frame set (no v-brakes bosses).
I got this frame as a Cannondale warranty from my 1996 CADD 3 frame that started a crack in the seat stay. They didn't even ask questions about abuse. I was offered a new CADD 4 frame or $600.00 towards any Cannondale product. Cannondale now has me as a life long customer!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Johnny Ocasio
a Racer
from DFW ,Texas
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | north shore,Grapevine. | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2600.00 | | Purchased At: | Wheel and fitness | | Strengths: | Ultra light,fast,predictable,most of all best climber on this class. | | Weaknesses: | I got one of the first bike in the shop back in 2001 so it came with hayes what makes it better braker but too heavy for a race XC class bike. | | Similar Products Used: | specialized M5 | | Bike Setup: | Stock but switched to coda brakes and mavic 317 for weight reduction,will get some X-Max ust and magura soon.XTR Crank and shifters,Thompsom elite seat post. | | Bottom Line: | It's a pure racer bike,best on this class,hard to beat this weight on a disc brake bike,cosmetically nice looking bike, no V brake mount.I'm a 200 lb. rider on this bike climbs seems to feel shorter.it geometry locates me just the way I was looking for, long slope top tube,short solid chain stays and S- shaped flexible seat stay makes on seat riding feel more confortable but in standing sprints this bike is a rocket... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Frenchie McElfish
a Racer
from austin
Date Reviewed: March 2, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Austin GreenBelt/Hill of Life | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Cycle 360- Austin Tx. | | Strengths: | Well packaged. All around outstanding lite design for climbs and XC racing. Tubeless. FAST | | Weaknesses: | Magura Marta Brakes: Although I personally havn't had a severe problem, I can feel the lack of compression- good impulse though(perhaps more important). Again- it's a fast, lite system. Vice grip breaks are not necessary. | | Similar Products Used: | Klein Adept doesn't offer the steering. | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | This bike is best suited for lite, nimble speed freaks.
The HeadShock has limited travel yet offers unsurpassed steering precision and is perfect for this fast system. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary Youens
a Weekend Warrior
from Oxford, England, UK
Date Reviewed: January 25, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Ridgeway | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Mountain Traks | | Strengths: | Extremely light. 21.5lbs (No pedals). | | Weaknesses: | Magura Marta brake system. | | Bike Setup: | M858 Shimano pedals. Teflon coats gear cables. SRAM Chain. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is awesome. I have ridden a Jekyll and found little use for rear sus. At 150lbs I have no need for more than 70mm of travel on the fork. My dealer had to change the brake system (including rotors) due a severe lack of stopping power, all is good now though. Having looked at Klein, Scot, Saracen, Kona, Marin, and a few of the higher-end MTB's I made the right choice for me. Out of the pack I'm always the first to the top on a steep climb. OT - Stella cans fit perfectly into water-bottle racks ;c) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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