Submitted by
Roger Miller
a Cross Country Rider
from Center Valley, Pa., USA Date Reviewed: May 15, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Lehigh
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
Spokes
Strengths:
I have had this bike since 1999. I find it hard to replace! I want to but then I don't because I like it that much. I love to climb and this is the bike to do it with. Its real light and easy to flick for a guy like me who is always bunny hoping and jumping trail obstacles (MX Racer)/
Weaknesses:
None
Bottom Line:
Hard to give this bike uo for all the new cool stuff, I think I'll keep it around still.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Filipe P. J.
a Cross Country Rider
from Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil Date Reviewed: March 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Floresta da Tijuca
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Strengths:
Durabilite
Weaknesses:
no one
Similar Products Used:
varius.
Bike Setup:
All XTR.
Bottom Line:
Very good bike. No problens at all. The front suspention just need the appropriate maintenance!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
arie
a Racer
from belgium Date Reviewed: May 18, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Bottom Line:
This is just the best bike i ever ridden,and there where a lots before.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike W
a Racer
from San Francisco, CA Date Reviewed: March 17, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Mt. Tamalpais Railroad Grade
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Private Sale
Strengths:
Rigid rigid rigid, which I think is the most important thing in a mtb. Great frame. Strong brakes. Headshock is nice and stiff too.
Weaknesses:
Coda cranks are crap. They loosen up and start popping and creaking every 3 months. When I have the $$$ I'm replacing the cranks for sure. The pedals got replaced with eggbeaters the day after I got it. The Coda pedals make better paper weights. The frame looks cool as hell (it's the battleship green one pictured above) and it's the recipient of quite a bit of bike-envy.
Similar Products Used:
Scott mtb about 5 yrs ago. Univega (I know, don't laugh) before that.
Bike Setup:
Crank Bros Stainless Eggbeater pedals. Second wheelset by Shimano with road slicks.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike as a dual purpose daily commuter / weekend offroader. It is PERFECT for this. I bought a second wheelset with Specialized slicks. This is my daily commuter from Haight to Downtown. I'm a competitive rider, and with this setup the bike is the same in weight and rolling resistance to most road bikes. Only strong roadies can keep up or pass me. It sure is fun to pass roadies on a mtb. On the weekends I swap out the road wheels for the mountain wheels and I'm ready to go. I'm not an all-out offroader. I like the Railroad Grade because it's the full height of the mountain, technically easy and lets you get some FUN speed on the way down. The bike's rigidity is great on the trails, climbing is efficient since it's a hardtail and light. The headshock takes all the pounding I give it on the way down. I'd recommend this bike to anyone, especially if you can get at the steal price that this one was.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Chi-Town Illinois Date Reviewed: April 6, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Cemetary Hill
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1300.00
Purchased At:
Crappy Ass LBS
Strengths:
Incredibly Light, stiff, fork tracks like it's on rails, have had no problems with the fork, brakes are so strong my fillings shot out of my mouth when I stood on them, did I mention stiff and light?
Weaknesses:
Stiff. Also stiff, and it's stiff. Had trouble with the front large chain ring, Rapid rise is confusing as hell after years with a normal rise. Remaining fillings almost shot out after hitting the bumps it's so stiff
Stock, just got a new thudbuster to correct the bleedin' ass and a WTB Stealth for the numb schlong.
Bottom Line:
Bought the bike new, came with XT, XTR Fatty SL with 5 position dampner. Liked it because it felt similar to my OCLV in terms of handling, weight, etc. Turned out to be MUCH harder riding bike. Rode last week for an and hour and a half and could barely sit the next day. Ass STILL hurt a week later. Bought new bike shorts, seat, and thudbuster to correct. Not fun with numb hands from carpel tunnel like syndrome, numb naughty bits from crappy seat and seatpost, and throbbing ass. Rapid Rise confused me for months because I still rode my old bike once in a while. Shifters worked well, but had trouble with front chainring. Chain kept falling off and lousy chain suck. Turns out I had a bent ring. I used to smash my old OCLV rings and never bent them. Don't remember ONCE hitting large chain ring and it seemed to happen almost from the day I took possesion. Bike shop lied to me and gave me the run around, eventually paid $60 to diff. LBS to diagnose problem and get new ring. Never had a problem with the wheels, brakes, or Fatty headshok after hundreds of miles. Corners like a Ferrari and stops cold like you threw out the anchor. best steering I've ever experienced. Climbs like a scared cat on speed. I think I'm getting to old, I think my next bike will be Full suspension. Intrigued by Specialized Epic. Overall, love the lightness and nimbleness, can't stand the fact that it rides like a brick. My old Trek OCLV was MUCH more compliant while still being light and stiff. Five flamin' turds for value, incredible weight and performance for the cash, four for overall cause while it handles great, wish it was a little better with the ride and I think I got a bad ring from the factory. Wish I could give it 4.5
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
hardtailer
a Weekend Warrior
from earth Date Reviewed: July 15, 2003
coda components, aluminum (not just cannondale) frames tend to creek, hard to find knowledgeable headshok techs & aftermarket replacement parts for the fork/headset.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
'99 f1000, xt & xtr, race frace, avid, mavic.
Bottom Line:
bought in '99. im a clyde (235 lbs) and ride urban and single track nothing crazy or with more than 3ft drop's. trashed the coda bar ends first yeat, trashed the coda crank first year, trashed the coda handle bars second year. the hubs have held out but are not smooth at all. the mavic 221's lasted almost 3 years but needed to be trued often. everything else rox0rs. love my caad4. bottom line, great hardtail that can be built up w/o replacing every piece of componetry, if you don't mind being tied to a particular fork/headset brand.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dr. J
a Cross Country Rider
from Montreal Canada Date Reviewed: August 12, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Rougemont
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
ABC
Strengths:
Light, Stiff, Perfect Geometry, Good Parts
Weaknesses:
A bit bouncy, Weird road cogset, Defective small chainring, cheap Damping Dial on the fork
It's a 1999 model I bought in 1998, before 9 speeds were available from Shimano. So it has a weird setup: GripShift 9 speeds shifters, XTR RapidRise rear derailleur and a 12-27 Ultegra road cogset. I got powerful legs now! I changed those cheap Coda pedals, took off the bar-ends.
I had a lot of trouble with the small chainring. The chain seemed to just fall off of it, everytime. I thought it was a bad front derailleur adjustment, but it turned out to be a warped chainring. I took it off and never put it back (since at the time, I was riding almost always in the city).
It's a climber's dream machine. I'm not a big fan of Rock Shox and Manitous, I love the Headshok! It's very stiff (on par with the old Girvin Vector). This bike wants to go fast, all the time. It's not a cruising bike, it's really stiff and could be unconfortable to some (I had a Proflex before so I wasn't used to Alu Hardtails). I'll be buying other Cannondales that's for sure! Maybe a Scalpel 3000 next summer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
eric
a Racer
from northridge Date Reviewed: October 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
chumash trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
bought from friend
Strengths:
this review is for a 1997 f1000
the weight is nice and that's it!!!
Weaknesses:
everything, first off, 2 or 3 spokes break every 70 or so miles, 2nd, i cracked the frame, and i'm only 125lbs, 3rd, everything breaks down all the time,and last, i'm just never satisfied with the damn thing
Similar Products Used:
none as bad as this bike
Bike Setup:
pretty much stock
Bottom Line:
this bike WILL BREAK DOWN !!!!!!!!! but for a 22lb bike, from 97', i guess you can't expect too much from that. for 300 bucks, thats what i got. i guess i deserved it?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lauren
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA, USA Date Reviewed: October 11, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
BikeUSA San Diego
Strengths:
Very light, responsive, cool color (green->brown fade) w/ yellow decal,
Weaknesses:
Can have more grip on loose gravel or downhill. Don't have disc brakes.
Similar Products Used:
1999 F900, 2001 F600 Disc
Bike Setup:
Stock + XTR shifter
Bottom Line:
I paid only $1k(altho of an older model) for a new 1999 (it is now Oct'01) Cannondale CAAD4 frame + XT/XTR components, I'm more than happy with the performance and everything.
This is definitely a racer-grade weight and setup. I am looking forward for years of mountaining raiding on this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Barrett
a Cross Country Rider
from Costa Mesa, CA USA Date Reviewed: June 23, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Whiting Ranch
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1300.00
Purchased At:
Jax
Strengths:
A natural born climber Unique proprietary fork design Durable frame with a lifetime warranty Razor sharp handling
Weaknesses:
Super stiff...makes it a great climber but comes at a price downhill limited suspension and headset choices limited travel on the Headshok
Similar Products Used:
Trek aluminum hardtail
Bike Setup:
Set up at varying times as both a hopped up xc racer with all the chi chi titanifiber parts, and as a 100lb touring bike with front and year panniers
Bottom Line:
Overall, this bike has given me years of service and, considering I have a lifetime warranty on the frame, will continue to serve well into the future. Originally, I bought the bike to hop up and build the stiffest, lightest, climbing machine xc racer out there. It was a perfect frame for that, really light at around 3lbs, and really stiff. It worked well for me. I raced a bit and had some success at it. The frame was a complement to my strengths at hillclimbing, yet it also tended to emphasize my squirrelyness going downhill. Like I said, the frame is REALLY stiff, specifically in the rear triangle. Bear in mind the fact that the newer CAAD 4s and 5s have much narrower, and bent, seat stays, which I'm sure take a lot of the sting out of technical downhills and rock gardens. With me, however, I'm fairly light, and the bike was disguntingly light, and I just got bounced all over the place. Not only have I raced with it, but I went on an extended bike tour from Vancouver, BC to Southern California over the course of six weeks. It was the perfect bike for that; light, rugged, and durable. What was great about the CDale as a tourer was the fairly standard fork blades of the headshok. Although I had to find extra large U Clamps for my Blackburn lowrider front racks, the design of the fork allowed my to have a front rack AND front suspension. I can't think of a better testament to bike frame durability than several years of xc racing and a 2000 mile bike ride over countless rolling hills lugging around 80 lbs of stuff....and still stiff as a board. I'm looking at getting a new racing bike, and I'll tell ya, the new CDales are still on my short list. Who knows, I might go with a Trek OCLV or even a dualie, but the same qualities I liked on the CDale design five years ago...the slop free steering, light weight, etc, are still attractive now. Some may hate headshoks, but give them points for originality; there's nothing else like it. Some of the gripes about parts I'll go along with too; but do what I did. Buy it at a place that will allow you to leave off particular parts (the weird Coda crankset in my case) with the commensurate deduction in the total price for the bike...then just get your own stuff.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Blake
a Cross Country Rider
from Bellingham, WA Date Reviewed: April 14, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
Fairhaven Moutain Sports
Strengths:
FRAME FRAME FRAME. Top of the line drivetrain. Really lightweight.
Weaknesses:
CODA parts not as burly as other brands; Recommend different pedal setup than CODA ones
I love this bike. It is a serious climber: The lightness of the bike makes it go up pretty much anything, and you'd have to work much harder with many other bikes. Downhill is a different story. You have to really be concentrating or the bike will get away from you. Also, the CODA crankset is not the best...I'm probably going to replace with something else. The bottom line is that when you buy a Cannondale, you buy the frame, and the CAAD4 frame simply rocks. Also, the new F1000 has a lefty shock--which may be some technological advance in dropping the weight by some minimal amount, but as a vain biker I would feel stupid riding such an incredibly ugly bike (because as we all know, it's not about how you ride, it's about how you look when you ride! ;-)). Also, the 2001 F1000 has XT rear and LX front--1999 has XTR rear and XT front. I wanted the better drive train over the lefty shock myself.
Overall: I LOVE this bike. Its a great all around bike that, if you can find any, you will get at a great price if you buy today. Highly recommended...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
greg
a Cross Country Rider
from sweden Date Reviewed: March 11, 2001
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
light, stiff, avid brakes, nice paint
Weaknesses:
headshock, coda parts, too stiff sometimes, wierd bar-ends, rapid rise, feels like its made of glass, 1 1/4 head is retarded
Similar Products Used:
GT's and Treks
Bike Setup:
stock except for seat (got a serfas) and pedals (shimanos)
Bottom Line:
this bike is a pretty good all arounder. i use it to go to school and to work and sometimes ill take it on the trail. not too much anymore, since this is my second bike. on the trail it excells going up, on the downhill i wouldnt recomend doing anything too hairy. the headshock is good until you actually need it. it is terrible at soaking up small bumps when the pressure is high and if you lower it then you will bottom out really easily. although it does have good tracking abilities. the coda parts do thier job but are not on par with the other companies that are out there. the seat wasnt good at all. on the plus side....this bike is light enough to do some racing on even with the stock setup. the frame is very stiff which gives excellent power transfer to the wheel. although its easy to tell how stiff it really is after a long ride and your ass hurts. for slowing down avids arches are in my opinion the best v brake you can buy. probably the only ones that can hang with xtrs. no doubt the best thing about this bike is the frame. its made very well and has a good paint covering. the only this bad i can say about it is the lack of choice that you get when you buy it because of the dumb 1 1/4 head. the other things is if you tap the downtube near the bottom bracket it sounds like the bike is made of glass and is paper thin. i havent crashed this bike but if it took a good shot i dont think it would survive. if youre looking for a light inexpensive bike that you can have fun on or maybe do some light racing this could be a bike for you. if you are a serious trailrider that gets pretty dirty opt for the light fs cc bikes or longer travel models.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Santee Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from Uh...Santee Date Reviewed: January 13, 2001
Favorite Trail:
"Flying W", Noble Canyon, Sping Canyon
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1250.00
Purchased At:
Cycle World (now Bike USA)
Strengths:
Light, INCREDIBLE handling & braking. Show me a better paint job - the "Reptillian Fade" is AWESOME!!!. This bike is an excellent climber, but (in my opinion) even better on the technical downhills. On the technical downhills I wonder: Is this really a XC bike?
Weaknesses:
I concur with some of the other reviewers in that: 1)There may be some problems with the CODA BB, mine also started creaking after about 8 months - I may replace it with another brand. 2) I too needed to have the Fatty SL Headshock serviced (oil leak). This I can live with (as long as it is not a common occurrance) since the Cannondale headshock design is a major contributor to its lightness and "INCREDIBLE handling". This is not the best bike for technical uphill climbs because of fairly low ground clearance (pedals tend to hit things like rocks, etc...).
Bike Setup:
Stock, with a few minor changes.
Bottom Line:
First: Those that complain about tires and seats on any bike don't have a clue - that's trivial stuff that is not intended for this type of review (in my opinion). REPLACE them if you don't like them and get on with life. Personally, I like the CODA 900 seat and I think that the MythosXC tires are a perfect match for this bike.
This bike is speced out real nice with the possible execption of some CODA parts. The "Avid Arch Rival" brakes KICK ASS!!!. The main reason I purchased this bike was so that I would have a lightweight bike that I could take on longer XC types of rides that I generally don't go on, but that I am occasionally invited to go on by some of my XC racing buddys. I couldn't have made a better choice. This bike actually is better than my 1998 Specialized FSR Comp on the real technical downhills (steep, lots of loose rocks) . I plan on riding this bike for a long time to come. I would recommend this bike for anyone that is interested in getting into XC racing or for anyone that simply wants a quality lightweight hardtail for specific types of rides. This is not a bike for entry level riders (unless your hobby is throwing away $$$). There are a ton of less expensive pretty good quality hardtails out there (check out Voodoo Al Comp - Mtn Bike Magazine June 2000 ). Happy downhills!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay Ramer
a Cross Country Rider
from Wisconsin, USA Date Reviewed: December 14, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Lake Kinkaid, Murphysboro IL,
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$750.00
Purchased At:
Gear N' Up Bikes Shop, Neenah WI
Strengths:
Stiff climber, great paint job (Chromalusion Purpleen), Good ergonomics, disc Compatible, Headshock
Weaknesses:
Headshock tougher to work on, tall Cdale specific front end, downtube cables.
Similar Products Used:
Schwinn Homegrown Factory XTR, Balance FS Pro w/EFC, Cdale M600 w/EFC, Specialized Stumpjumper Cromoly W/EFC, Have Ridden virtually every MTB in existence, own 27 bikes currently.
Bike Setup:
Crossmax Wheels, XTR Brakes and deraillers, XT Rapidfires, Azonic World Force Flat bar, Ctrl Tech Barends, Stem in "rise" position, Suspension Seat Post, Flite Max saddle, 747's, UN72 BB and XTR cassette are only changes
Bottom Line:
Bike looks great, I have only a few miles on it off road before the snow came, but so far it fits me well. The headshock will be more maintenance than I like, and hard to seal off. The Coda Cranks are great quality sugino units, regardless of what anyone else says about them. Original seat did suck, and the rear end is rather stiff, so Suspension seatpost was a good upgrade. 9 spd is good, rapid rise is wierd. Would suggest buying new seal for upper headset bearing (avail. from dealer) and upgrading cassette and bottom bracket to XT units to save weight. Bike is a good deal for the paint job alone. Stock bike is good deal for aspiring racer on a budget looking for world class handling, do not buy it if you want longer travel or hate headshocks. XC use only.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew Grammer
a Weekend Warrior
from Lawrence, Kansas Date Reviewed: October 17, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Lawrence River Trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
*bank repossession of local store
Strengths:
Climming ability, Headshock with lockout and lightweight frame with aggressive riding possition (put stem "down" like Tinker)
Weaknesses:
Seat - ouch! 9 speed doesn't stay tuned very long.
Similar Products Used:
none like it
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
I absolutely love the bike. I had a V-700, which was a lot of fun in the mountains of Colorado, Utah and Idaho. However, the lightness of the F1000 makes it easy to handle on the down-hills (where I thought I would really miss the full suspension) and it kicks ass on the climbs!!! But, the Head shock with its lockout on the fly capability is probably one of the single most innovative concepts/components in all mountain bikedom - I would not be able to say enough about it here.
I would recommend this bike to anyone interested in fun, off-road riding to rippin' the trail to shreds! Don't waste this beauty on just pavement riding (i.e., only to and from school)!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Isaac
a
from ohio Date Reviewed: October 2, 2000
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
light
Weaknesses:
light
Similar Products Used:
f500 sv500
Bike Setup:
XTR cassete race face cranks Jr T fork
Bottom Line:
I'm a bigger rider 260 and 6'5" to be exact and this frame holds up to everything I put it through. Ive broken alot of stuff on the bike but at my size that happens I love the ride and the way it climbs even with the big Jr. T up front The headshock worked well but I blew three of the 5 position adjuster ones out but the lock out one held up great. I race this bike and occasionally win and I love the frame
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brad
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, TX Date Reviewed: September 14, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Cedar Hill, Grapevine
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Strengths:
The bike is fast and light - sometimes almost too light on the downhill stuff. It tends to "get away from you" on a quick downhill. But it is a great climber.
Weaknesses:
I hate the way Canondale is getting in the habit of spec'ing the bike out with its own parts (Coda). For the most part, I find them inferrior to other brands that should be used on bikes in this price range. Also, hate the headshock. And where can you turn? It isn't like you can just put on the newest fork from another company.
It is a really quick bike, and I can imagine it is quick enough for racing (not that I do). Despite what you may think about the alumni stiffness and the stiff rear triangle, the bike is really fairly comfortable. I can easily stay on the bike for a 25 mile ride. It is supper light and easy on the uphills. I just wish Canondale would stick to making bikes and not components. If you buy this bike, get ready to shell out some bucks to get rid of those lousy Coda parts.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
LD Harrington
a Weekend Warrior
from Cupertino Date Reviewed: September 9, 2000
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
Sausalito Cyclery
Strengths:
Bike is a late 97 model. Stellar climbing bike with perfect geometry for my body. I'm 5 ft 6, and like many women, gain most of my height in the leg with a short torso, so I needed a shorter top pole on a Med size frame. Great components package; super shifting, lightweight and I love the bike...it lives INSIDE the house.
Weaknesses:
HORRIBLE SEAT and HORRIBLE SEAT POST. Had to replace them both before I could even ride the bike. Thank god my boyfriend suggested the seat post might be the problem. The worst was the cheap aluminum seat post, which made every seat I tried on miserable until he realized it was more the seat post than the seat. Ended up buying a 100 plus dollar high end perfectly balanced seat post an anatomically correct seat...solved all my problems. Hate the clip in pedals and put pedals with toe clips on as soon as I got aggressive on the downhill stuff. Warning; Head shock got some water in it on some of the wilder, wet n rainy rides, and rusted...had to be rebuilt. Bummer.
Similar Products Used:
Tried the Specialized, Gary Fischer, Klein.
Bike Setup:
All original except the crappy seat and post which could have ruined the whole bike experience had I not pursued a new setup aggressively.
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. The frame is stellar for climbing. I'll have the bike for the long haul. I'd buy it all over again in a heartbeat and would pick it over the other's I've ridden since. Just watch out for the crappy stock seat and seat post.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Heber City, Utah Date Reviewed: June 29, 2000
I posted shortly after I bought this bike in May of 1999. Well, after a year of great riding my 1999 F1000 is performing great. I still hate the seat, but that is no big deal. It climbs great and the shock is incredible. I love the Avid Arch 50 Rival breaks and the FATTY SL is just perfect. I don't like taking it to a bike shop for a tune every 100 miles, but it is one the best shocks I've ever used.
My F1000 hasn't had a thing go wrong expect for a few minor adjustments when it was new. Everything is stock and working well.
I'm glad I bought the 1999 F1000, the 2000 model doesn't have quality components the 99' does, but I'm sure it will perform well.
I'm sold on Cannodale.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Duke
a Weekend Warrior
from Kingsport, TN USA Date Reviewed: April 23, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Creeper, Bays Mountain
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Frame, Headshock
Weaknesses:
Coda Seat
Similar Products Used:
Schwinn, Nishiki, GT, Fuji, Cannondale
Bike Setup:
Stock except Seat, Seatpost, and Pedals.
Bottom Line:
I thought I was ready for Dual Suspension, and tried several models. But anytime I climbed, I quickly lost interest in Dual Suspension bikes. When I told my LBS my delema, they told me to try the F-1000, and what a bike! It is a great climber in or out of the saddle. My first ride was a 25 mile rail trail, and the Coda seat was the worst seat I have ever sat on. I had pressure on the prostate the whole ride, and could never get comfortable on it. I re-adjusted it, and gave it one more try before replacing it and the seatpost (Serfas RX Seat, and Coda Seatpost Suspension) I also replaced the pedals, but not because I didn't like them. I have never moved up to clipless pedals,(Still stuck in the 80's) so I am using some old used ones. Will probably go clipless, as I am about to change my mind on this one. One more comment on the seat. My buddy at the LBS says that when people come back into his store, they either say, best seat I have ever ridden on, or they say, That saddle is terrible! He says it runs about 50%. Also, I am 40, and enjoy bicycle touring. One note: If you ever want to add a rack, there are no brazons in the rear to do this. There is a way around it, by mounting a bracket at the base of the seatpost, which is what I have done to take a two day overnighter in West Virginia, then its coming off. All the Caad 2's and 3/s have them, but the Caad 4 doesn't. Just FYI if that is in your future plans. Thats not a flaw, because it is a bike built to race with. The headshock Suspension has been perfect, and something I have been very impressed with. I like to bounce this bike, (I wish I was a trails rider)and the shock has held up flawlessly to my abuse. I am going to give this a 4 star rating, only because I hated the Coda seat, that much!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from China Date Reviewed: April 2, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Great frame, considerably more forgiving than my old M800 without any apparant loss in efficiency. The headshock is a revelation.
Aside from chain suck, the gears are silky smooth
Weaknesses:
Not sure that I like the "non-sevicable" hubs. The press in bearing cones have come loose a couple of times, but seem ok with a quick twist. I like to be able to take things apart. Mind you, I had the same concern about cartridge BBs 10 years ago and am sold on them now.
Loads of chain suck compared to any of my previous bikes, however I am hearing rumors of 9 speed having something to do with this. I'm not yet sure if the extra 2 gears are worth the hassle. (I missed out on 8 speed, too busy enjoying my 91 M800.)
I'm not a 'merkin, so the brakes are the wrong way round for me. The "floating" design of the v-brakes (which work superbly) makes it a little difficult to swap the levers, without the cable housing pushing the block onto the rim. Serves me right for being English, I suppose.
Also unsure about the longevity of the shifting, with the reverse action rear derailler, once the cluster rings start to wear, but it works great at the mo.
Similar Products Used:
'91 M800 '00 F something (lefty fork - wow)
Bike Setup:
Off the shelf
Bottom Line:
This seems to me to be a very well put together bike for the price, considering the options I had when I bought it. Choice in Asia is somewhat limited compared to North America. Having said that, my wife went to Canada last summer and, after test riding about 20 different bikes (and failing to find a shop that had a Kona Stinky in stock) she ended up buying an F1000 aswell. In order to avoid "matching bike" type piss takes, I may have to get a new steed, but it won't be because there's anything wrong with this one.
The headshock works superbly, I'm suprised that more bike companies aren't licensing the tech. from them. Very difficult to service, though, Particularly if you live a 4 hour flight from the neares "authorised" C'dale mechanic. Cannondale were very helpful in that regard, sending me out a service manual (more stuff to take apart!)
I would say that anyone could benefit from owning this bike. Heavier (and / or less "subtle") riders might have some issues with some of the lighter weight parts, like the wheels and, I have to admit, full suspension is looking tastier and tastier each year...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fred
a Racer
from fredville Date Reviewed: March 16, 2000
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
it sucks
Weaknesses:
it really sucks
Bottom Line:
it really really sucks
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
FunBob
a Racer
from Maple Grove, MN 55369 Date Reviewed: March 6, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Theodore Worth
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Fast, efficient ride. It is pretty light for the money. Head Shock works well. Good climber
Weaknesses:
Saddle,weak rims,Coda cranks,9 speed in general,water bottle mounts,creaks from stem/handle bar/shoch area.
Similar Products Used:
stumjumper m2
Bike Setup:
I use Time pedals which are a lot better than the coda pedals. I switched to an 8 speed drive train because of 9 speed issues that seemed to pop up.
Bottom Line:
This is a good race bike but I have had my share of problems. The saddle started to come apart at the rails on the 2nd ride. The rear wheel required constant truing until I tweaked it bad and had to rerim it with a 517 mavic. The bike had spinal reflex-like chain suck when things got dirty. This was fixed by changing to a shimano crank. My bike creaks a lot too, which is very annoying. Also, when I was installing a cage the bolt could not be tightened because the threaded piece inside the frame would spin with the bolt. I'm glad I work at a bike shop so I can maintain this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Racer
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: March 3, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Anything technical and hilly.
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Light, strong, responsive.
Weaknesses:
Friggin' bottom bracket creaked from day one. Normally do my own work, but took it to the shop and they tightened it back up. Bought a BB tool for it while I was there. Loosened and started creaking again. Pissed me off. I'm not a big CODA fan, so I bought a new XTR BB and cranks and replaced the whole deal. Since then, no problem. Only other problem is the lightweight nature of the frame. Already have a nice big divot in the bottom of the downtube where a rock popped up and hit it. Nearly severed my shifter cable as well. :-)
Similar Products Used:
Original MTB was a '90 Cannondale. Broke the frame at the BB in the fall of 1998 after eight hard years.
Bike Setup:
Started out stock. Now have XTR BB and Cranks XTR hub-based wheels. Upgrades are always cool.
Bottom Line:
Love the bike. Problems with the creaky BB had me a little upset for a while, but think I'm past that. The original wheels are a little poofy (lightweight) for riding the rocky trails in Arizona (especially when you're a big rider), so I'm replacing them with new ones (XTR hubs, Mavic 517 rims and DT 14/15/14 spokes). Maybe a little heavier, but I can stop replacing broken spokes and having to retrue the wheel every month. Love the bike, but still not sure about the lifespan it's going to have riding on the rocks of AZ.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dan day
a Weekend Warrior
from geneva NY Date Reviewed: February 20, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Rim Trail at Taghonic Falls
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Head shock, stiff, fast, cannondale-'nuff said
Weaknesses:
chain has dug a gauge in the bb housing, thats it
Similar Products Used:
gt,trek,fisher
Bike Setup:
Stock w/times and xt brakes
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks. It is the best hardtail i have ridden.
Just a comment to all of you how complain about tires not gripping or your saddle hurting or that your ass hurts when you sit down when riding over rough areas:SHUT THE HELL UP Tires have different uses-if you dont like yours buy new ones Saddles can make your ass hurt-if your does buy one that doesnt And lastly if your ass hurts when you go over rough areas- remember your riding a damn hardtail and your ass will hurt if you dont like it buy a duely or a soft-tail.ok so shut up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from PA Date Reviewed: January 28, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
strong, stiff,light, forgiving
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
trek 8000, klein attitude,fisher supercaliber
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent race bike or aggressive trail bike. I have no complaints about this bike....friend of mine has a 94 F1000 and it has been through 3 or 4 24hrs races and alot of aggressive trail riding...and he has had no problem w/ the frame so far.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
KING
a Weekend Warrior
from Salt Lake City, UT Date Reviewed: January 1, 2000
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
great handling great climber great price
Weaknesses:
original brake system sucked, no problems after replacement
Similar Products Used:
giant marin specialized mongoose
Bottom Line:
bought it new in '95. have taken it everywhere. always reliable, climbs like a goat
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
KC
a Weekend Warrior
from AYLMER,PQ,CANADA Date Reviewed: December 30, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Powerline Gatineau Park
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
HEADSHOCK CLIMBS LIKE A BILLY.
Weaknesses:
STOCK WHEELS TO SOFT Paint chips
Similar Products Used:
SCOTT TEAM GT KONA GIANT
Bike Setup:
CANE CREEK WAM WHEELS RACE FACE BAR SEATPOST CRANK & RINGS HUTCHINGSON TIRES
Bottom Line:
Soon after I received the bike I had problems shifting up front.C-Dale replaced the front derailer right away.I also had problems with my stock 221's going out of wack. I've beat the living poop out of this bike and it's still going strong.The headshock is smooth and quite,it's the best shock out there.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Rankenberg
a Racer
from holland Date Reviewed: December 20, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Stiff frame, stiff fork, light, haven't got much faith in coda, so I replaced it with XTR(it rules, but XT is almost as good but much cheaper)
Weaknesses:
not a bike for non-racers(too hard on the rear)
Similar Products Used:
cannondale cad 3 with rond-fork and XT
Bike Setup:
cad 4 with ultra-fork(2000-model f1000)full XTR except magura hs-33(=best rim-brakes),plasma shifters(good), time pedals(ultimate pedals, except the lateral float, i would be very pleased if i could get shoe-plates with no lateral-float, but with rotation-freedom, please e-mail me if you have a solution for this problem), coda hubs. Also flite saddle(i also have had a pave, but it did not satisfy for my MTB), syncros alu seatpost, mythos tires(nobs in front and semi-slick back, the original mospuito's are very good, but after 300km they were half worn)mavic 517 ceramic rims.
Bottom Line:
Good bike to race with (next year I will have a espoirs-licence). But when you don't go for ultimate speed, I would buy a fully
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sam
a Cross-Country Rider
from ct Date Reviewed: December 15, 1999
Favorite Trail:
hartman park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
ready to rock right out of the box component delection shock
This bike can be raced right out of the shops door if you want. it comes in 2 very cool colors, the headshock rules, adn the bike so far has been without a problem at all. i can not find anything to complain about on this bike and i have had it for 11 months now and has been through two races. retail is about 16-1700 but see what your lbs can do for you-i got mine for less and a free pair of time pedals. i would give it ten things if i could
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nic
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles CA Date Reviewed: November 29, 1999
Favorite Trail:
the Bumps
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
this bike is a great all around bang for the buck, good racing bike.
Weaknesses:
Wheels do seem a little soft.
Similar Products Used:
specialized stumpys, schwinn Moab.
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
this bike is the bomb. With a few needed replacements as parts wear out, I'm looking forward to having a long lasting good quality bike that will ripen with age.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Les
a Weekend Warrior
from Albany,GA Date Reviewed: November 15, 1999
Great bike so far. Handles great for this beginner. Light weight and good components for 1300.00
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross-Country Rider
from washington DC Date Reviewed: October 27, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Avalon
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Climbs like a goat Head Shock system rules Avid Breaks
Weaknesses:
Coda Clipless... XT 9 speed system, no better then 97 8 speed Not realy light Tires
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Trek 8900
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
Great Value for 1200.00 Control is Great in the tight turns and Climbs very well. It is, however, a very unforgiving ride. You always have to be on your toes or you may not be on the bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin
a Racer
from Lake Orion, MI Date Reviewed: October 22, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Centenial Trail Semalius Trailhead
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
It is A crack n fail
Similar Products Used:
Homegrowns, Chuck, Zaskar, Trek OCLV
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
Cannondale has absolutely the worst frame making ability of any company out there. I would never buy another Crack n Fail as long as I live. After working in a shop and seeing dozens of broken frames come in it was no suprise when mine broke as well. It's to bad because the geometry is great and cannondale is a really forward thinking company. Unfortunately sometimes it seems they don't think things through before bringing products to market. If they change that they would have an excellent product.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gary Fogelman
a Cross-Country Rider
from Toronto, Ontario Date Reviewed: October 15, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Don
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
stiff, resposive, climbs like hell
Weaknesses:
Saddle, pedals, seatpost,wheels are soft
Similar Products Used:
First suspension bike
Bike Setup:
Time pedals, max flite saddle, Thompson seatpost
Bottom Line:
I waited for the end of the season to review this. Started off with the stock bike, but soon realized that the saddle and pedals had to go. Time pedals are amazing, mud no problem. I have always had a problem with single bolt seatpost's, after every ride I had to adjust the saddle. After replacing to Thompson (dual bolt) no such problem. I have done over 40hrs of hard racing this year with the bike, and love the way it climbs and how smooth the headshock is. The wheels need to be trued after a couple of hard rides. My headshock did blow out after one week of owning the bike but was replaced no problem. Customer service is great. Overall I love this bike, and would definitely purchase another C'dale when this one is finished.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pk
a Cross-Country Rider
from Kensington, CT Date Reviewed: October 14, 1999
Favorite Trail:
all of em
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
stiff, light, explodes up the hills, steering precision
Weaknesses:
difficult front shifting
Similar Products Used:
various c'dales, s-works fsr xc, klein
Bike Setup:
2000 model stock except Thompson/Flite, smoke silver
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. Had it several months, but I wanted to wait till after the VT 50 to review. Weighed 23 lbs when I picked it up. The steering precision is outstanding, and esp. important where I ride - the terrain is very rocky, large, small, sharp and loose. The bike just jumps forward on command over or around the stuff that stopped me before. My first bike with the headshock and I'm impressed. Have a squeek in the freehub when coasting with chain on any of the top three cogs. My mechanic pulled it apart and regreased, still there, so c'dale is just sending out a new wheel. The bike performed flawlessly during the VT 50 race last weekend. 50 miles, mostly singletrack, 7500 vertical (picked a good one for my first race, eh?). Especially nice to be able to lock out the front shock on a few of the smooth uphills. Front shifting is too hard - long throw and much effort req'd. Der. spring too stiff? Anything to do with dual chainring (only two on this bike)? Hopefully just an adjustment. Too bad c'dale downgraded some components (LX shifters and front der., generic brakes), but its got the Ultra, at (I think) the same price as last year. I wonder if the mavic 225's will hold up - they better be a whole lot better than the 222's.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chris
a Cross-Country Rider
from ottawa Date Reviewed: October 12, 1999
Favorite Trail:
gatineau park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
many
Weaknesses:
leaking fork
Bottom Line:
Just a follow up from two weeks ago. My local Cannondale dealer fixed my fork no questions asked and I was back on the trail the next day. WICKED BIKE, WICKED COMPANY!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Randy
a Cross-Country Rider
from Portland, Maine Date Reviewed: October 6, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Similar Products Used:
Every full suspension bike under $3,000. Most Treks, Gary Fishers, Cannondales, Specialized, and GT.
Bike Setup:
Stock with Rock Shok suspension post, Mavic Crosslink Wheels, Shimano XT Rapidfire shifters. Raceface XC riser bar trimmed to 23.5.
Bottom Line:
Over the last two years I have tried over 80 bikes. After trying about 50 bikes last year I bought a Proflex 2000. This year I tried another 30 bikes and didn't find anything I liked better than the Proflex until.....I had an opportunity to buy a new Cannondale F1000 for $1,000. It was a great deal, so I bought it. I rode it off and on for about 3 weeks until I realized that it was the bike that I preferred to use. Much lighter, great handling, incredible brakes, and the riding position makes me feel more confident going down steep drops. The Coda 900 saddle is the most comfortable I've ever used. The most stable and predictable bike I've ever ridden.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zeb
a Cross-Country Rider
from Canadian Rockies Date Reviewed: October 2, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light Incredible climber Perfect mix of components Headshok
Weaknesses:
None really Rear stays flex under braking, but I can still stop on a dime & a booster would fix it in a flash
Similar Products Used:
GT Tequesta Diamond Back something
Bike Setup:
Pretty much stock
Bottom Line:
This is an amazing bike. Looking at reviews of other C'dales, it seems that the F1000 hit the sweetspot of price vs components. The Avid's are awesome brakes, XT shifters/levers & front shifter are perfect & the XTR rapid rise is a dream. I'm 6' 1 & went with the Large size (18) which is an excellent fit even though I was a little nervous it would be too small. IRC Mythos' are excellent tires Headshok is an incredible improvement over my Indy C pogostick. I was looking at a Stumpy with a few upgrades, but the F1000 is perfect totally stock. To the guy who posted below, I'm sorry you got a lemon, sounds like part of your problem could be the dealer. If you can get a replacement I think you'll see it for what it is, one of the sweetest hardtails around. By the way, I couldn't care less about the colour, but I went with the Cromalusion Purpleen since it was a gloss finish as opposed to the other choice which was a matt finish. I figured it would be easier to maintain. Anyway, it's really funky, changes colour in the sunlight, from purple to green. Fun to check out while you're waiting for your riding buddies to catch up at the top of the hill!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
geert sonck
a Cross-Country Rider
from herdersem, belgium Date Reviewed: October 2, 1999
Favorite Trail:
col de valbelle, french alps
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
- light but rigid frame - good brakes
Weaknesses:
Headshok cartridge leaked within couple of months. Al in all my bike was in for repair at my dealer for more than 8 weeks. Even now, the headshok does not seem right, and cannot be locked out completely. Cannondale service in europe did not respond to my complaints about this. The QR skewers were recalled, but I had to tell my dealer to get them replaced, since cannondale seemingly did not tell him. The rear hub has 2mm of play and cannot be adjusted according to my dealer. I would definitely not recommend this bike to anyone. I've been riding seriously for 15 years (>15k km/year) and has never been so frustrated with a bike as with this one.
Similar Products Used:
5 roadbikes, but 1st mountain bike
Bike Setup:
stock european F1000 bike (same shok but apparently different frame (caad3) when compared with US version).
Bottom Line:
I cannot recommend this bike. Allthough the frame is good, you´re stuck with the headshok fork which means trouble.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ottawa Date Reviewed: September 30, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Gatineau Park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
light strong reliable great fork
Weaknesses:
fork is leaking oil excessive rear frame flex under braking cranks are a little flexy
Bike Setup:
1999 CAAD4 XT/XTR DER. Race Face Cranks XT BB TITEC Ti Bars Synchros Post Avid Rollamajig
Bottom Line:
I love my bike. It's the coolest. Some minor problems but overall I'm completely satisfied with it. My rear wheel goes out of true often so I'm building a new wheelset. Have put on over 1200 kilometers this summer including cross-country racing, road riding, and just playing around. I totally recommend the F1000.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave G.
a Cross-Country Rider
from NJ Date Reviewed: September 10, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
fork is very plush + easy to adjust CAAD4 frame is very light + strong brakes are very effective componentry is very high-end for the money hubs, BB, + headset are sealed cartridge bearings! wheels are light and strong Mythos XCs grip in almost anything
Weaknesses:
tires dont grip very well in loose-dirt uphills frame is compatible with only HeadShok forks
stock, Fatty SL with Girvin Rock-Ring, Cateye Enduro 2, and Lizard Skins jumbo chainstay protector
Bottom Line:
the bottom line is that I spent only $1249.99 for this bike and it has already payed off. I have beaten the living @#@# out of it and I have had no complaints. The wheels have not touched a truing stand and nothing else has even had to be adjusted! The HeadShok Fatty SL is so plush and smooth that you feel like you're landing in mud every time. I only got the rock ring for personal preference because of all the log-hopping that I do. Its great that the hubs, headset, and bottom bracket are sealed cartridge bearings. Shifting is so smooth that sometimes you dont even know you are shifting. If I started to race this bike I would change nothing!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paal
a Cross-Country Rider
from Oslo, Norway Date Reviewed: September 10, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Birkebeinerrittet
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Stiff, light and extremely good looking
Weaknesses:
Wheels (I had to change to Mavic Crossmax)
Similar Products Used:
GT Avalanche, Klein Attitude
Bottom Line:
The best bike I have ever had, it is much better than GT/Klein. The frame is stiff and I have had no problems even then I race downhill with my 95 kilograms. However, the wheelset (Mavic 222) did not last more than 9 months before I had to upgrade it. The spokes lookt like spagetti after a hard ride (Because of my weight). After I upgraded with Mavic Crossmax have I had no problems. BUY IT NOW!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from NJ Date Reviewed: September 7, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Mercer County Park
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
everything
Weaknesses:
none that i could see
Similar Products Used:
F2000, F700
Bike Setup:
stock with fatty SL
Bottom Line:
the bottom line is that this bike kicks a$$!! everything about the bike is great, i strongly recommend this bike
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Björn
a Weekend Warrior
from Huizen Date Reviewed: September 6, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Groesbeek
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
The f1000sl (caad 4) is the stiffest bike man ever made, as far as i'm concerned. Turns like a cheetah in action, accelerates like a rocket. Climbs like a goat on XTC.
Weaknesses:
The front derailleur is a little troubled, because of the Coda Tarantula, which has only two rings. Other thing: paint on Coda-parts comes off too easily.
Similar Products Used:
American Eagle, Rotwild, Trek, Gary Fisher, Klein
Bike Setup:
The standard for the F1000SL: XT, LX, Coda, Fatty D.
Bottom Line:
Lightest (9 kg.), stiffest and most hardcore bike I've ridden so far. Couldn't wish me anything better. The F1000SL increases your average speed, duration and overall performance. Pretty nice bike to show off with, too...
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chad Beck
a Weekend Warrior
from Sagle, Idaho Date Reviewed: August 28, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Gold Hill in Sandpoint
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Very stong riding frame. Just point the bike where you want to go and ride through anything. This bike handles like no other bike I've ridden! Excellent climbing, good descending, and cornering like a mo-fo with the fatty.!!!!!!
Weaknesses:
Having to take the front tire off to get to the headshock air valve kind of sucks, but other than that I have no complaints......
Similar Products Used:
Trek sucks!!!!!! Klien is pretty close to the same feel. Garry Fisher's old Mtn. Tam was nice, but can't even compare in an all out sprint.
Bike Setup:
I custom built this bike, so don't expect to get this stuff stock. All XTR drivetrain, Avid Arch Supreme brakes, speedplay pedals, titec bar, onza barends, thomson seatpost, and Cane Creek wheels.
Bottom Line:
Even though nothing(componants) came on this bike, I bought the frame off the internet and built it from scratch.,,,,,,,,,, I saw an F-1000 in a shop for $1200.!!!!!!!!!!! For this kind of money you can't go wrong!!! The frame and shock alone cost me $650. Slap on a nice mix of components and you have an awesome racing bike for $1200 straight from the shop!! I love this bike and will ride it untill I finally kill it off, and then I'll get myself another C-dale!!!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a Weekend Warrior
from Arlington, Tx. Date Reviewed: August 25, 1999
Favorite Trail:
TylerState Park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
This is by far the best handling bike I have ever ridden. I like the way it climbs, and handles most anything you have big enough nuts to try. Frame is not as stiff as one would think, and the TI seat post helps out here. I got rid of my Dual suspension bike for this one and no regrets.
Weaknesses:
HeadShock Leaked oil at the top, Dealer Wheels in Motion left town, the only other local dealer charged me $29.00 to fix a warranty problem.
Shimano Pedals, Dean TI seatpost, Carbon Brake Booster(rear),Race face cranks&BB, Profile Riser Bars.
Bottom Line:
If you're looking for a hardtail, buy this one. The F1000 is a great buy for about $1290 and beats the hell out of my Proflex, no more blown Nolean shocks and crappy Girvin front forks to rebuild. Headshock doesn't have as much travel as the others but makes up for that by pinpoint steering. XTR shifting even with gripshift works perfect, no misses. I will buy another Cdale when I wear this one out.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Travis
a Cross-Country Rider
from Evansville, IN Date Reviewed: August 2, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Land Between the Lakes
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Strong frame with with cool mix of components. Fatty SL responds great even for a heavier rider (200 lbs). Low center of gravity makes handle great in the turns.
Weaknesses:
Seat, Pedals (replaced with Time Pedals), and is a little nosier than was used too.
Similar Products Used:
Previously rode a GT
Bike Setup:
Used to ride GT backwoods with an upgraded Judy XL and XT Brake/Shift levers. It is no comparison. I knocked wheels out of true almost every ride. Shock nowhere responsive as the Fatty SL (on the fly adjustments a lot easier while riding).
Bottom Line:
Kicks but. C-Dale is kind of pricey, but well worth the bucks. I'm a recreational rider who rides very hard. The bike has held up great. You get great components, frame and a super cool looking bike (the green). The factory support is so much better than GT. It also helps when shops like The Bicycle Loft stands behind their products completely.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RJ Bluhm
a Racer
from Mentor Oh Date Reviewed: July 31, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Alpine Valley
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
light, fast, stiff, good componetry, HEADSHOK
Weaknesses:
rear brake frame flex
Similar Products Used:
everything.....i work at a bike shop
Bottom Line:
kick ass bike. cannondale customer service is always a pleasur to work with
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Byron
a Weekend Warrior
from Omak, WA Date Reviewed: July 16, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Conconully Heights
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light, rigid frame.
Weaknesses:
At 5'8 go for medium or even small frame. Saddle and pedals need upgrading.
Similar Products Used:
Baracuda A2
Bike Setup:
F1000, purpleleen, stock set-up.
Bottom Line:
Love the excellent, convenient 5 position headshock and light, rigid CAD4 frame. Climbs like a demon; light front end requires concentration on downhill. I am replacing the seat and pedals right now.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
karle
a Cross-Country Rider
from black forest, germany Date Reviewed: July 16, 1999
Favorite Trail:
lago di garda , italy
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
stiff light great looks perfect racing-geometry
Weaknesses:
bottom-bracket too high seat tube too thin and not finished good enough if you crash, the handlebar will hit the top-tube chain- and seatstays too flexy
Similar Products Used:
rocky mountain hammer klein pulse yeti kokopelli
Bike Setup:
M900 model 95 mach 5sx lx group xt v-brakes dx pedals
Bottom Line:
this frame kicks ass! hey you guys: if you EVER break it, c'dale will replace it within a week, no questions. i havent broke mine yet, because im only 65 kilos but if youre a fat bag of potatoes you will break just every bike if you ride hard enough, so dont blame it on c'dale. by the way: about 1 year ago the german cycling-magazine tour tested road-racing frames (20 , made from all materials possible, steel , titanium, alloy,carbon,...) the only ones who survived the test (at a university laboratory) were the cannondale ,principia and trek OCLV. => it's not the material itself thats better oder worse, its the engineering and the craftmanship! always remember that, when you buy a heavy steel bike and you think you're safe for the next 10 years!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ron
a Cross-Country Rider
from charlottesville, va Date Reviewed: May 20, 1999
Favorite Trail:
walnut creek park
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
superior weight-to-$$$ ratio fantastic customer service headshock rocks!
Weaknesses:
mucho front brake tweaking required creaky bb
Similar Products Used:
gary fisher
Bike Setup:
'99 caad 3, fatty sl full xtr comps (except for xt front derailleur)
Bottom Line:
this frame kicks ass, period. you can't buy a better frame combo for the $$$. have been pounding this bike for the past month and it has no equal... i was a faithful fisher rider for almost 3 yrs. i even sold my 98 joshua so i could get this ride. the headshok design is probably arguably the best fork design out there, especially for bigger riders (clydes, take note!). the handling is superb; the bike tracks true to the rider's input... unlike the flexy rockshox independent telescoping tube design, which gave the bike vague handling characteristics... not good for those steep, technical descents! i built this bike from scratch, and it is monster. kudos also to the more compliant rear seatstays from c'dale-- i had a '98 paragon (for racing) that was the mega-assrammer model. almost made me want a suspension seatpost! but the c'dale, whilst stiff, had a good sense of compliance from the rear. they've really done their homework on this one. i would've done the caad 4, but couldn't come up w/ enough scratch to save those [relatively few] grams.only major complaints: creaky bb... i need to get in there and do a little teflon tape action. also, the front brakes howled and howled; i adjusted them every which way, but to know avail. finally, i gave a brake booster a try-- and now the front brakes are slient. with the exception of those two minor complaints, this product gets 5 chilis, hands-down.ps: cannondale also has kick-ass customer service! i've dealt with them on those few occasions where i've had a warranty issue and i got 100% satisfaction, 0% hassle and speedy delivery.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Kessel
a Cross-Country Rider
from Hamilton, Ontario Date Reviewed: May 15, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Kelso
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Fast as lightning!
Weaknesses:
Why is the Ultra fork not an option?
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager, Fisher
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
Tried some Fishers, and a Bontrager, all in the same price range. Sorry guys, nothing compares to the value of a Cannondale! Check the specs out and you will see that Cannondale offers the most value for your buck. But don't stop there, you have to ride one to understand! Try 15 other bikes, and I know that you will come back to Cannondale. Guaranteed!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steve
a Cross-Country Rider
from gainesville florida Date Reviewed: May 10, 1999
Favorite Trail:
The Dump Akron,Ohio
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
light, stiff, headshock tracking and durability
Weaknesses:
ass pounding ride if you're the least bit tired and not on the gas, creaky bottom bracket, fork maintenance needs some extra tools
Cannondale F1000 frame, headshock fatty d, XT mix of parts
Bottom Line:
got this new f1000 with fatty d as a replacement for my older cad 3 with dd50. the old frame was actually defective--misaligned. Imagine my pleasure when the 'dale rep--after 3 YEARS on the old frame--said yep, that's a warranty issue. So I took home a brand new f1000 cad 3 frame and gave them like 200$ to throw in the new fatty d. The bike rocks and is fast, stiff, and light. There are some issues with the shock, especially if you're a clydesdale like me... However, installing the red spring kit and checking out your cartridge will alleviate any problems--some cartridges are bad out of the box and either are half filled with oil or will fail quickly. Warranty fixes seem easy from the company if you have problems though.... Those of you with creaking bikes need to wrap the bb cartridge threads with plumber's teflon tape once in a while, the noise will disappear. I love this bike. Remembe, those of you with cash flow problems can always get one of these frames for like 600$ when they have that frame exchange deal. get the sweet frame and fork and put your old parts on. Cannondales have some rep as a yuppie bike or something, but I don't see how they can be exclusively a rich man's toy when they have that frame deal. All i know is I was using their products--cycle bags, water bottle cages, panniers--way back in 1982 when many of these so-called real riders were probably not even off of their training wheels yet. And besides, everyone knows that Klein, Merlin, and Lightspeed are the real yuppie bikes!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon Huber
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ashland, OR Date Reviewed: May 7, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Very light, great xt, xtr components. Great avid breaks.
Weaknesses:
Headshok. I blew the cartrige in less than 2 week. Saddle squeeks like no tomarrow. Headset rattles. Bottom bracket, shimano un-52 sucks. Bar ends are really strange feeling.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Fattly sl
Bottom Line:
This is a very fast, light bike bike. The shok works very well on downhill, but I am worried that I will be replacing the cartriges every week. I really like the bike, but it is kind of noisy. Put different pedals on. Descent bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jack
a Cross-Country Rider
from Manhattan Beach, CA Date Reviewed: May 3, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Portuguese Bend
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Precise tracking. Nimble USA-made frame. Decent weight. Good value.
Weaknesses:
Pedals, saddle, grips.
Similar Products Used:
Trek 8500LT, Klein Attitude Comp, Cannondale F700, Specialized Stump Pro.
Bike Setup:
Stock with upgraded pedals, saddle, handlebar, and grips.
Bottom Line:
Awesome cross-country machine. My initial impression was wow, this sucker is fast! After one 20 mile ride it was apparent that the stock saddle was crap. All was well once I junked the Coda butt-muncher for a Specialized Geo Pro. Additional upgrades to the pedals (Shimano 545's), handlebar (a bit wider Azonic), and grips (Answer somethings) have made this one top-notch hardtail. Pay no attention to the conformist masses - no suspended-fork bike can match the Headshock setup in tracking and steering. I've put over one hundred on/off road miles on the bike in just under a month and I have yet to find its limit. So far it's held up well to all the thrashing my 6'-5, 220 pounds has dished out. Time will tell if I'll be singing the same tune in a year. I paid $1,349(US) for bike in stock trim. Yeah, I know I could get a good full suspension bike for close to that, but no thanks. What I give up on the downhill doesn't compare to what my full suspension buddies give up on the incline. Maybe the honeymoon isn't over, but I'm still awarding 5 hot ones to this fine green machine.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Chrisman
a Cross-Country Rider
from Heber City, Utah Date Reviewed: April 30, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Overall quality and price
Weaknesses:
Minor worry about CAAD4 Warranty
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Stumpjumer 1993 and Stumpjumper M2 Pro
Bike Setup:
F1000 - Headshock Fatty SL
Bottom Line:
This is my 5th mountain bike in about 12 years of riding. I've had two Jamis' and Specialized for the last 8 years. I loved my Stumpjumper, but decided to change based on word of mouth concerning the quality and engineering of Cannandale. So far I love my F1000. It is incredibly light and responsive. The Headshock is much better than my Specialized Future Shock (yes, my Stumpjumer is old - but dependable). My only concern is I noticed the CAAD4 frame has a 2 year warranty in my manual and the CAAD3 frame has a 5 year warranty. I weigh 160 and have never screwed up a frame - (I know how to ride without destroying my bikes). Does any expert on this board know why the warranty period is 3 years shorter on the CAAD4 frame? I hope I didn't buy a race ready bike, which is only supposed to last a couple of years. I plan on keeping this bike for a long time. Overall, the F1000 is a great ride and I strongly recommend it over the Specialized M2 Pro.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brian
a Cross-Country Rider
from berea Date Reviewed: April 30, 1999
Favorite Trail:
T-bury
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
None so far
Weaknesses:
long stays, slack head tube angle, slow handling, yuppy, I wanna be cool like Tinker and Missy bike. If you are going to ride aluminum, ride Klein. Yes you do see Cannondale win many races, but when you flood the market with flashy advertising and corporate dollars, many racers will flock to you. It merely comes down to Cannondale having the bucks and numbers. If you want to get away from the mass hysteria of I'm cool, I've got the newest and lighest parts, ride Bontrager. Keith makes bikes for people who love to ride not the fame or the glory of finishing first.
Similar Products Used:
I'm not fond of aluminum, so I don't ride the stiff ungodly metal
Bottom Line:
If your a yuppy and love being the kid with the prettiest and coolest bike ride C-dale. If you want to ride for the love of it ride Fisher, Bontrager, Rithcey, IF, R-Dale, Old Bridgestones, and Klein.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben Bailey
a Cross-Country Rider
from Geelong, Australia Date Reviewed: April 25, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Anakie Slate Quarry
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Excellent handelling, stiffness, pure accaleration with the best suspension fork ever made.
Weaknesses:
Pedals are a bit iffy, put on my TIME ATAC's and its a machiene.
Similar Products Used:
Nothing can be compared.
Bike Setup:
Completley stock issue except for the seatpost and sea. Put a Syncros 425mm with a Sefras Ti saddle on and tyres to suit race courses.
Bottom Line:
Never befor have I enjoyed winning as much as on my Cannondale. The stiffness is unparalled from the rear end. No telescopic fork will ever track or steer anywhere near as good as the Fatty SL. 3 races down in Expert, 2 wins and a third so far. Thank you Campione cycles and Cannondale for producing the ultimate in cross country racing, the CAAD4 F1000.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Trond Thomsen
a Cross-Country Rider
from Oslo Date Reviewed: April 24, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Østmarka
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
none!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Weaknesses:
It broke
Similar Products Used:
TREK 9.9
Bike Setup:
CANNONDALE F2000 with headshock fatty sl
Bottom Line:
DO NOT EVER BUY THIS BIKE!!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brandon
a Racer
from abilene, tx Date Reviewed: April 22, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
really fast out of corners, headshock works really well, light, performs
Weaknesses:
pedals
Similar Products Used:
trek 7000, other cannondales, specialized fsr comp.
Bottom Line:
this is an excellent bike for racing. i was just at a race and cannondale is one of the contenders for most popular bike. the reason for this is because they perform really well. i work in a local bike shop and have ridden many bikes and this is the one that impressed me. it is really fast and can climb whatever you put in front of it(as long as you are not a pus). i don't know if this is a very strong frame but, what does one expect for a CAAD4. it is light and fast and that is what matters to me. if anyone has problems Cannondale is an excellent company and they will fix you up. this bike is a bit pricey but, it is worth it if you really want to go out and ride. i am still riding this bike with all stock parts (since i still am paying it off). the only thing that i will replace in the near future would be the pedals. probably with some shim. 747 or times. overall i am really impressed with this bike and, everybody should go out and ride one before they buy anything else.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lee
a Weekend Warrior
from oklahoma Date Reviewed: April 18, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Bottom Line:
I've just owned the bike for two weeks now and have riden it twice on trails and around school the rest of the time. From what I understand CAAD4 weighs only 140 grams less than CAAD3, so why pay extra for the F1000 when you can get F700 or F900 for less. The answer is the paint job. I hate to say it, but vanity was the number one reason for choosing the F1000(went with purpleen). But seriously the main reason to buy any bike is the feel(I figure if your reading about the F1000 you know the price point and the purpose of a rigid hardtail). It's the best climbing bike I've ever ridden, the descents are a little sketchy(still not sold on negative rise stem). I don't care what anyone says, aluminum frames are not that forgiving(meaning my ass hurts) no matter how expensive you get, maybe I'm not used to the livelyness of the frame/ride. Was really surprised by the headshock. It is smoooooth and adjustable with on the fly lockout, too bad it's fatty sl and not ultra(what's up c-dale that they waited so long to put an aluminum steerer on the fork, aren't they the aluminum experts?). Well gotta go, just remember to ride, ride, ride, ride, ride..... and if you got the money ride a cannondale, they're nice and pretty. PS I'll update in few months after I've got some more mileage.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Noel
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Monica, CA Date Reviewed: April 5, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Sullivan Ridge
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
The bike is very light which makes the climb up the hill that much easier...manuevers well...I am extremely impressed with the Fatty SL Headshock. I was skeptical about the Headshock having used a Manitou shock on my previous bike.
Weaknesses:
So far so good....
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Mt Tam
Bottom Line:
After having spent the last six years on a thirty-plus pound Panasonic Mountain Cat 7500 hardtail, the F1000 is dream bike for me. I find the weight of the bike a stregnth which to some can be a weakness. For instance, when going down hill and hitting major bumps the bike can be unforgiving.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
john
a Weekend Warrior
from utah Date Reviewed: March 23, 1999
Favorite Trail:
gweedo
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
fast
Weaknesses:
i crashed
Similar Products Used:
trek
Bike Setup:
proseries/3 piece crank
Bottom Line:
dont be sorry
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JIm Levinson
a Weekend Warrior
from New Hampshire Date Reviewed: March 22, 1999
Favorite Trail:
all of them
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
lock-out makes it a nice police bike.
Weaknesses:
nothing we can't modify so far.
Similar Products Used:
trek y bike.
Bike Setup:
standard police setup
Bottom Line:
Ken, we are closing in on you. Thanks for address listing. To any perspective readers/pyramid participants: seriously consider the legalities of pyramid schemes. The flaws in these schemes should be obvious, but if you have any questions, please contact your local police department or better business bureau. Also, if you have received the address listing, bring it with you, as they will do a follow up investigation.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a Cross-Country Rider
from New Hampshire Date Reviewed: March 20, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Bottom Line:
MAKE MONEY FAST THIS IS NO SCAM (Selling) Ad Created: 20-Mar-99 KenIt's a great bike, but with this opportunity, think of what other bikes you could by!!!!fusion70@hotmail.com HTML1DocumentEncodingutf-8Turn $6.00 into $1,000 or more...read this to find out how!!! READING THIS COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE! I found this on a bulletin board and decided to try it. A little while back, I was browsing through newsgroups, just like you are now, and came across an article similar to this that said you could make thousands of cash within weeks with only an initial investment of $6.00! So I thought, Yeah right, this must be a scam, but like most of us, I was curious, so I kept reading. Anyway, it said that you send $1.00 to each of the 6 names and address stated in the article. You then place your own name and address in the bottom of the list at #6, and post the article in at least 200 newsgroups. (There are thousands) No catch, that was it. So after thinking it over, and talking to a few people first, I thought about trying it. I figured: what have I got to lose except 6 stamps and $6.00, right? Then I invested the measly $6.00. Well GUESS WHAT!!... within 7 days, I started getting cash in the mail! I was shocked! I figured it would end soon, but the cash just kept coming in. In my first week, I made about $25.00. By the end of the second week I had made a total of over $700.00! In the third week I had over $13,00.00 and it's still growing. This is now my fourth week and I have made a total of just over $30,00.00 and it's still coming in rapidly. It's certainly worth $6.00, and 6 stamps, I have spent more than that on the lottery!! Let me tell you how this works and most importantly, why it works....Also, make sure you print a copy of this article NOW, so you can get the information off of it as you need it. I promise you that if you follow the directions exactly, that you will start making more cash than you thought possible by doing something so easy! **Suggestion: Read this entire message carefully! (print it out or download it.) Follow the simple directions and watch the cash come in! It's easy. It's legal. And, your investment is only $6.00 (Plus postage) IMPORTANT: This is not a rip-off; it is not indecent; it is not illegal; and it is virtually no risk - it really works!!!! If all of the following instructions are adhered to, you will receive extraordinary dividends. PLEASE NOTE: Please follow these directions EXACTLY, and $50,000 or more can be yours in 20 to 60 days. This program remains successful because of the honesty and integrity of the participants. Please continue its success by carefully adhering to the instructions. You will now become part of the Mail Order business. In this business your product is not solid and tangible, it's a service. You are in the business of developing Mailing Lists. Many large corporations are happy to pay big bucks for quality lists. However, the cash made from the mailing lists is secondary to the income which is made from people like you and me asking to be included in that list. **Here are the 4 easy steps to success: STEP 1: Get 6 separate pieces of paper and write the following on each piece of paper PLEASE PUT ME ON YOUR MAILING LIST. Now get 6 US $1.00 bills and place ONE inside EACH of the 6 pieces of paper so the bill will not be seen through the envelope (to prevent thievery). Next, place one paper in each of the 6 envelopes and seal them. You should now have 6 sealed envelopes, each with a piece of paper stating the above phrase, your name and address, and a $1.00 bill. What you are doing is creating a service. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY LEGAL! You are requesting a legitimate service and you are paying for it! Like most of us I was a little skeptical and a little worried about the legal aspects of it all. So I checked it out with the U.S. Post Office (1-800-725-2161) and they confirmed that it is indeed legal! Mail the 6 envelopes to the following addresses: #1)Brad Henderson / 2870 Keasler Circle/ Germantown,TN, 38139 #2)Brian Smith / 8017 Allison Dr./ Huntsville, AL 35802 #3)Jerry Webb/ 620 Fremont Rd./ Chester, NH 03036 #4)Rudy Eckhardt/ 65934 Scenic View Dr./ Sturgis, MI 49091 #5)Drue Herl / 1310 E. 8th street / Colby, KS 67701 #6)Ken Greene/ 30 Cross Road/ Amherst, NH 03031. STEP 2: Now take the #1 name off the list that you see above, move the other names up (6 becomes 5, 5 becomes 4, etc...) and add YOUR Name as number 6 on the list. STEP 3: Change anything you need to, but try to keep this article as close to original as possible. Now, post your amended article to at least 200 newsgroups. (I think there are close to 24,000 groups) All you need is 200, but remember, the more you post, the more cash you make! This is perfectly legal! If you have any doubts, refer to Title 18 Sec. 1302 & 1341 of the Postal lottery laws. Keep a copy of these steps for yourself and, whenever you need cash, you can use it again, and again. PLEASE REMEMBER that this program remains successful because of the honesty and integrity of the participants and by their carefully adhering to the directions. Look at it this way. If you are of integrity, the program will continue and the cash that so many others have received will come your way. NOTE: You may want to retain every name and address sent to you, either on a computer or hard copy and keep the notes people send you. This VERIFIES that you are truly providing a service. (Also, it might be a good idea to wrap the $1 bill in dark paper to reduce the risk of mail theft.) So, as each post is downloaded and the directions carefully followed, six members will be reimbursed for their participation as a List Developer with one dollar each. Your name will move up the list geometrically so that when your name reaches the #1 position you will be receiving thousands of cash in CASH!!! What an opportunity for only $6.00 ($1.00 for each of the first six people listed above) Send it now, add your own name to the list and you're in business! ---DIRECTIONS ----- FOR HOW TO POST TO NEWSGROUPS------------ Step 1) You do not need to re-type this entire letter to do your own posting. Simply put your cursor at the beginning of this letter and drag your cursor to the bottom of this document, and select 'copy' from the edit menu. This will copy the entire letter into the computer's memory. Step 2) Open a blank 'notepad' file and place your cursor at the top of the blank page. From the 'edit' menu select 'paste'. This will paste a copy of the letter into notepad so that you can add your name to the list. Step 3) Save your new notepad file as a .txt file. If you want to do your postings in different settings, you'll always have this file to go back to. Step 4) Use Netscape or Internet explorer and try searching for various newsgroups (on-line forums, message boards, chat sites, discussions.) Step 5) Visit these message boards and post this article as a new message by highlighting the text of this letter and selecting paste from the edit menu. Fill in the Subject, this will be the header that everyone sees as they scroll through the list of postings in a particular group, click the post message button. You're done with your first one! Congratulations...THAT'S IT! All you have to do is jump to different newsgroups and post away, after you get the hang of it, it will take about 30 seconds for each newsgroup! **REMEMBER, THE MORE NEWSGROUPS YOU POST IN, THE MORE Cash YOU WILL MAKE!! BUT YOU HAVE TO POST A MINIMUM OF 200** That's it! You will begin receiving cash from around the world within days! You may eventually want to rent a P.O.Box due to the large amount of mail you will receive. If you wish to stay anonymous, you can invent a name to use, as long as the postman will deliver it. **JUST MAKE SURE ALL THE ADDRESSES ARE CORRECT.** Now the WHY part: Out of 200 postings, say I receive only 5 replies (a very low example). So then I made $5.00 with my name at #6 on the letter. Now, each of the 5 persons who just sent me $1.00 make the MINIMUM 200 postings, each with my name at #5 and only 5 persons respond to each of the original 5, that is another $25.00 for me, now those 25 each make 200 MINIMUM posts with my name at #4 and only 5 replies each, I will bring in an additional $125.00! Now, those 125 persons turn around and post the MINIMUM 200 with my name at #3 and only receive 5 replies each, I will make an additional $626.00! OK, now here is the fun part, each of those 625 persons post a MINIMUM 200 letters with my name at #2 and they each only receive 5 replies, that just made me $3,125.00!!! Those 3,125 persons will all deliver this message to 200 newsgroups with my name at #1 and if still 5 persons per 200 newsgroups react I will receive $15,625.00! With an original investment of only $6.00! AMAZING! When your name is no longer on the list, you just take the latest posting in the newsgroups, and send out another $6.00 to names on the list, putting your name at number 6 again. And start posting again. The thing to remember is: do you realize that thousands of people all over the world are joining the internet and reading these articles everyday?, JUST LIKE YOU are now!! So, can you afford $6.00 and see if it really works?? I think so... People have said, what if the plan is played out and no one sends you the cash? So what! What are the chances of that happening when there are tons of new honest users and new honest people who are joining the internet and newsgroups everyday and are willing to give it a try? Estimates are at 20,000 to 50,000 new users, every day, with thousands of those joining the actual internet. ***Remember, play FAIRLY and HONESTLY and this will really work.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Spin Cycle
a racer
from Conneticut Date Reviewed: February 4, 1999
Bottom Line:
I've had mine for 3 months. It broke already at the headtube already. I'm not so psyched anymore. I want to ride, not wait for somebody to decide if I abused my bike or not.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a cross-country rider
from Halifax Can. Date Reviewed: January 31, 1999
Bottom Line:
ya don't buy a caad4 bike looking for long frame life you buy it to go fast. it's a race bike and most people who race change there equipment every year or two. if you want a bike to last you for years get titanium or steel or a caad3. my caad4 f3000 will probably last as long as i need it to...
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ed
a racer
from portland Date Reviewed: January 21, 1999
Bottom Line:
adam and who it may concern, please read my response at review for f2000. same frame, diff kit maybe i mouthed off a little to much and i apoligize if you personally took offense
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aram cipolini
a racer
from Date Reviewed: January 20, 1999
Bottom Line:
Ed...I respect all the products that keith bontrager makes (i got bar ends from them and they're good), but how often does Bontrager actually palce at world cup or national events? Cannondale is Always up there, bontrager is never there. Ed...you are a moron, and are jsut one of the many people who wish they could ride a Cannondale, but can't, so they make stupid remarks out of sheer jealousy, ed, you are a moron. Cannondale kix your ass.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Borden
a cross-country rider
from Houston tx Date Reviewed: January 15, 1999
Bottom Line:
I've been a hardcore roadie for 13 years, but also owned a nice 24 bmx cruiser that I was crazy as hell on(7 foot high speed drops and big air jumps). I sacrificed my bmx because I found a deal on a c-dale F700. We have a kick ass bayou trail here in houston(HO CHI MINH), with some really gnarly gullys and shear drops and countless nice speed jumps. This bike is wonderful man it takes every little suicide attempt I can dish out and handles like an extension of my body. The sachs grip shifters could be more precise though. Only fear I have is that I'm built like a football player at 260lbs, and even with my good riding form I worry that the frame(CAAD2) might crap out on a landing. I don't care if the frame cracks and I have to replace it, I just dont want to crash because of the frame. Anybody heard of allout frame failure that caused serious crash? No indications of any wear and tear at all yet other than torn seat and slightly untrue wheels, the frame looks and feels great. I don't see how any light rider could destroy this frame unless they just didn't know how to ride.I give this bike 5 stars in spite of the shifters.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JLester
a cross-country rider
from Abingdon, VA Date Reviewed: January 14, 1999
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike back in October and really love it. It was a big step up for me as I was riding one of GT's low end bikes (Palomar). I can't believe the difference between the two. This CAAD frame is so responsive .. it feels like all your legs power goes straight to the ground. A side benefit is that it's a wheelie monster. I've never ridden a bike that wheelies as easy as this one. I'd recommend this one or one of its cousins to anyone.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a cross-country rider
from MD Date Reviewed: January 13, 1999
Bottom Line:
I just got this bike for wholesale a couple of weeks ago from the bikeshop I work at. I took it out riding the day after I built, and all I've got to say is that this is an intense bike. The CAAD4 frame is great, and the Fatty SL works really well. The component group is good as well-XT/XTR. Brakes are good. The only way the bike could be improved would be with a lockout on the shok. The XL frame weighs in at 24 lbs 8 oz.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lehman
a cross-country rider
from Pittsburgh Date Reviewed: January 10, 1999
Bottom Line:
i have been riding the f1000 hard since july, and let me tell you...this bike is it. the only adjustment i made was to put shimano pedals on it, and this bike just flat out prefroms in all situations. its super light and tough. and the headshok is great. no other shock on the market has the precision that this fork has, not to mention that its light. my only gripe is that the headshok isnt as plush as some of the other shocks that i have ridden...like a marzochi, but it makes up for that in the sense that it doesnt bob like other shocks on hard climbs. overall a great bike and i would recommend it to anyone looking for a bike that i fast, light, and ready to race. 5star.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean
a cross-country rider
from Madison, WI Date Reviewed: December 30, 1998
Bottom Line:
I purchased my Cannondale in April of 1998, and after one season of riding it I am pleased. The greatest two things about this bike are the frame (quality, strength, and lightness) and the HeadShock (smoothest shock you'll find anywhere). I originally purchased the bike based on the extrordinarily smooth ride the HeadShock provides. Now I dont think I'll ever be able to ride a bike with out a HeadShock. This is the best suspension fork ever, period. The bike is lighter than anything else I could find for the price. However the lightness does not sacrifice strength or stiffness. I am a 6'-1 195 lb. rider and have been known to punish my bike. I am happy to say that Cannondale has achieved what other manufacturers can't seem to produce in this price range: an extreemly light weight, solid, and fast bike. Test ride one and don't look back!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JACK NERI
a weekend warrior
from VANCOUVER, CANADA Date Reviewed: December 28, 1998
Bottom Line:
The F-1000 is by far the best mountain bike that I've had the chance to ride. The ride is really smooth and the entire bike is very light compared to other ones on the market. The off-on suspension switch is awesome to use. A few weeks ago, my headshock leaked...factory defect the dealer said so it was replaced in 20 minutes at no cost. Except that little problem, no other complaints. Cannondale is to be congratulated for designing such a fine bike. Before you buy another brand, give it a try first and you will see why I love this bike so much.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a cross-country rider
from GA Date Reviewed: December 26, 1998
Bottom Line:
Chad---quit crashing and you'd probably not fracture the frame---seeing as how you've already bend your chainrings and broken handlebars---not surprised the frame finally cracked after repeated minor wrecks--after all, ANY frame or component can be broken, especially if ridden with disregard and complete stupidity--or lack of training and sense. But then again, what can one expect from a 14 year old child.Tim--Cannondale frames can crack, just like anyone else's. What causes it to crack is the ultimale question. If someone weighing almost 200 pounds expects to bunny-hop the bike over and over, repeatedly crashes it, slams into curbing and rocks without regard to it, and then laments on the frame's demise, he is living in never-never land, and should buy a steel anchor frame from Roadmaster--at least he won't groan too much when it dies under him!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RepoMan
a cross-country rider
from Southern California Date Reviewed: December 25, 1998
Bottom Line:
Absolutely outrageous bike once it's set up right, although there were some minor problems early on. The rear skewer came apart in my hand the first time I pulled the wheel, the Headshok leaked after 15 miles and the pedals went into the trash after the first ride. LBS took care of everything.I've put about 600 miles on the bike since and couldn't be happier. The component mix sems much better than in years past, too.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a racer
from Michigan Date Reviewed: December 25, 1998
Bottom Line:
I had a '94 F700, and figured it's about time for a new bike this summer. I liked my cannondale so much, I couldn't help but get another. Plus, its the best deal on two wheels I could find (in my opinion). It does everything my old cannondale did, only better. I love the bike, especially the headshock, but my frame seems to creak a little. Has anyone else noticed this? Its mostly when I stand up and pedal hard. My old bike does it real bad, and I hope my new F100 won't get worse. Other than that, its a great bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ty Geren
a racer
from columbia,sc Date Reviewed: December 12, 1998
Bottom Line:
I bought my F-1000 and i loved it until my little 140 lbs. ass broke the coda bar , sending me into a tree then crumpling the frame like a beer can... i warrantied it (b4 i put it in the box, i urinated on it.) but they gave me hell and i had to ride my road bike for 4 weeks.... then, i get it back and put on some coda disc brakes and i carack the frame! i say screw c-dale, they suck!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Theo
a weekend warrior
from Annapolis, Maryland Date Reviewed: December 5, 1998
Bottom Line:
Since August I've been riding my F1000. The factory shipped the wrong headshock. I didn't get a 5 position adjustable Fatty SL. They shipped the bike with a on/off Fatty D. LBS had a new cartridge swapped in short order. Also, apparently there has been a recall on the skewers. I have the bump and scar to show for Cannondale's lack of quality control on that component. Local Bike Shop (Bike Doctor) did me right. Of note: The Fatty SL does not lock out. The air pressure needs to be pumped to maximum in order to prevent too much commpression going uphill. The 9 speed rear is perfect. This bike has a sweet ride once the adjustments are made. Yes, I would buy a C-dale again. Almost 5 Fired-up peppers!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jasper
a cross-country rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: November 23, 1998
Bottom Line:
I used to ride a Trek but after test riding the F1000, I'll never go back. I love the Head shock and even was impressed by the ever evolving coda components. As for the frame, the new cadd frame is, for lack of better terms, SWEET.I know that Cannondale 100% guarantees their frames and I find it hard to believe that a 145 pound guy cracked his frame....maybe sears is the place for you
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard
a cross-country rider
from SLC, UT Date Reviewed: November 23, 1998
Bottom Line:
In Chad's defense, I cracked a Cannondale frame, and I only weight 145lbs. Every once in a while they turn out a bad one, but they replaced the frame no problem.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Smith
a cross-country rider
from Black Mountain North Carolina Date Reviewed: November 21, 1998
Bottom Line:
I bought a '99 F1000 about 3 weeks ago, and thus far it has been a sweet bike . It handles great on any surface, from single track, to fire roads. I upgraded the Avid calipers to XTR and put XTR shifter/break levers on it. The shifting is incredibly smooth, even in tight situations. The fatty SL has quick rebount and I cannot bottom it out no matter what I do. Chad if you dumbass had taken the bike to a bike shop, they can pump the shock up for you. And if you knew anything about your bike you would have noticed that there is a schrader valve on the underside of the shock. I have never seen a Cannondale frame crack, if it did, there is a life time warranty on the frame, it sounds like you need to go to Wal-mart and get a Huffy.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brett
a cross-country rider
from Woodside, California Date Reviewed: November 18, 1998
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike in the summer as a replacement for my old Specialized. I wanted a race bike for no more than $1400, and I got it! This bike rocks! Radial laced front wheel, Arch-Rival 50 brakes, XTR 9-speed, 23.5 lbs, Time ATAC pedals. All for $1290! It sprints and accelerates faster than any bike I've ridden, it does extended climbs like a mountain goat. Did I mention I love the fork? It can do everything, Singletrack, fireroads, rock gardens. It is the perfect bike! Go now! Buy one! And man, the paint job is sooooo hot! If only I had it during my first race... Hot! Hot! Hot!It deserves an extra spicy rating, for an extra spicy bike!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a cross-country rider
from C'ville, VA Date Reviewed: November 18, 1998
Bottom Line:
I once had an F-1000 with a DD-60. The frame was great and the shock stunk. At least this is what I though. I next bought a steel bianchi and put a manitou 98 SXR on the bike. This bike is great but it is missing something but it does not compare to the F-1000. I actually have an F-4000 frame with full XTR stuff. I put on a Race Face BB and cranks with a Nuke proof atom bomb/sun 0 XC wheet set. I must say. This is the best bike I have ever ridden. Most of the peopl who ride it agree. This bike corners like the best. In fact it is much larger than the Bianchi but can turn just as well. And this bike is stable. On a straight away the bike accelerates like nothing else. As for climbing. I have not been able to get a good feeling yet because I am just getting used to the larger frame. Overall, this bike is amazing. I was going to wait to write but I wanted to spread the word so more people can try them. I spent about 1600 putting this thing together but it is better than any other bike you can buy at this price.If you like a stable ride that does not compromise you ability to maneuver, then this is the bike for you. If you want a bike for tricks I have a small Bianchi I could sell you.Way to go Cannondale on making such an impressive bike!!!!Sincerely,Paul Lenkowski
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aram Cipolini
a racer
from LA Date Reviewed: November 16, 1998
Bottom Line:
Chad, you obviously don't know anything about frames or bikes for that matter. If your fat-ass was riding a frame with visible cracks, it would collapse. What you are probably seeing are scratches. Cannondales won't crack...no matter how fat you are. Especially when they are less than a year old...fatman.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stinky
a cross-country rider
from MI Date Reviewed: November 16, 1998
Bottom Line:
I have one of these and I weigh 220. I was going to wait a year before I reviewed it so I could give a better impression, until I saw Chad's review. I would just like to say that so far, this has been nothing but one sweet, killer ride! As I said, I'm big and um, husky, and I haul up hills, and no problems here. Chad, you sound like there is no warranty, but there is. Plus the Fatty is the sweetest, most responsive, stiffest fork I've ever tried!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chad Kopkau
a racer
from Michigan Date Reviewed: November 15, 1998
Bottom Line:
At 191 lbs I'm not the lightest of all 14 year olds but i like this bike because its got the strength to support me. I'd like to get a whole new bike becasue this one stinks. For example : the headshok is horrible and bottoms out at the smallest of bumps and is not durable enough for me and the riding I do. But I spent all my money on it because everyone else was buying a bike and I thought if I bought one I'd be cool to ( I'm not ). The frame several cracks and bad welds in it.i've bent the chainrings and handle bars because of only minor crashes. OVERALL THIS BIKE IS EITHER TOO WEAK OR I'M TO FAT !
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erika
a weekend warrior
from CA, USA Date Reviewed: November 12, 1998
Bottom Line:
This bike is awesome! The headshocks rock my world, and the frame is a very nice wieght for it's durability. AND I got it at a wholesale price of around $750, but with a few adjustments it came to a total $900. Easily well worth the price, even at retail.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gromit
a cross-country rider
from Connecticut Date Reviewed: November 11, 1998
Bottom Line:
This is a footnote to the earlier review. Cannondale has recalled some of the skewers on these bikes, those with an oval around the CODA trademark. My front skewer failed at home while changing a tire, and it is one of the recalled batch. That said, and a few hundred miles more on the bike, it still ranks as a great bike. And the rating remains the same.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lance
a weekend warrior
from Cambridge, MA Date Reviewed: November 11, 1998
Bottom Line:
I've had mine for about 2 months now and every time I hop on for a ride it's an awesome experience. The HeadShok is a superior system, with outstanding steering precision and small bump response. Set the preload right and it sure feels like it has a lot more than 70mm of travel on the big hits. Try it once and your hooked! The bike has a decent level of components, and the stiff, light frame climbs and accelerates like it's nobody's business. You probably spend a little more for a C'Dale, but in the case of the F1000 the benefits are a great, disc-upgradable frame and that amazing Fatty SL HeadShok - a no-brainer 5 flamers here!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gromit
a cross-country rider
from Connecticut Date Reviewed: November 7, 1998
Bottom Line:
We have both had our F1000's for about two months. They are simply terrific bikes. The shocks are great, the component mix is right (we have XTR cassettes instead of XTs for some reason), and the whole package works beautifully. The frame is stiff, great for climbing and accelerating, and fine for descending. I would buy toward the low end on size, because it makes the bike more manoeuvrable. Nothing has broken except for one handlebar in an endo in a gully, but otherwise, all the parts work and the frame/fork combination is flawless. There are two paint options, and I would choose the matte finish. The paint seems to be more durable.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sebs
a weekend warrior
from Montréal Date Reviewed: November 6, 1998
Bottom Line:
This is my third Cannondale, six years since I got my first one. The only reason I've had three is that since their such great bikes they tend to get stolen. In all the years I've had my Cannondales, I have never cracked or warped a frame. I weigh over 190lbs and I like to do some downhill runs as much as technical x-country. Never did I have any problems. So this past summer when I needed to replace my stolen bike, I looked around but came back once again to a Cannondale. The F1000 '99 is absolutely the best bike I found for the components, weight and price. Up here in Canada, it goes for around 2000$ and it's well worth the price. I picked up a 20bike (that's a large in Cannondale's sizing scheme). With my 6' this is a perfect combination. If you're never used a HeadShok, you don't know what you're missing! This shock works great. Plus the easy 5 point damping at the stem is the most convenient AND functional system I've ever used. Try it out and you'll be convinced. Well enough rambling... This bike get's the full plate of 5 flamin' chillies!
Overall Rating:
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