I've owned this bike for 9 years, replaced the pedals after a week besides that just tires tubes pads and cables. This bike has taken a beating and still rides like new. Frame is perfect. I would recommend this bike to anyone
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chad Huntington
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, va Date Reviewed: November 20, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Fountain Head
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
relatively light frame, NO FLEX, components even tho they are upper low to middle range, they all held up surprisingly well and perform surprisingly well given what they are. cannondale quality frame.
Weaknesses:
close to entry level. many stock coda and lower prices components (tektro). 70MM of travel with the stock fatty M may not be enough for some riders.
Similar Products Used:
2003 Jamis Dakar XC Comp, 2006 Yeti 575 Enduro
Bike Setup:
stock, except for swapping out the saddle.
Bottom Line:
First off, this needs to be said. THIS IS A CROSS COUNTRY HARDTAIL. IT IS NOT FOR FREERIDING, DIRT JUMPING, HUCKING, OR DOING DROPOFFS. The other reviewer who complained about this bike was not using it as intended. And a note to the same reviewer... aluminum doesnt flex.
i bought this bike as a beater cross country bike to compliment my other bikes listed above. for what it is, it performs well, and would be considered a good value.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Guy
a Racer
from Batavia, NY USA Date Reviewed: June 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:
anything with dirt
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
Park Ave bike shop
Strengths:
The bike is built on a very light and sturdy cannondale frame. The headshok is very durable and has stood upto a lot of beatings, I have just put in a 2005 Ultra Headshok which is amazing. All of the coda components have held up with no problem and serve me well. The tektro brake system is one of the best I have ever had.
Weaknesses:
I potato chiped the rear wheel, but it only gave me an excuse to upgrade to mavics. The front derailer is a little weak but it can be upgraded.
Similar Products Used:
Anything that says Cannondale
Bike Setup:
Stock components, mavic rims with xt hubs, 9 speed cog upgrade and all new chaingrings and a chain. XT rapidfire shifters. Coda clipless pedals. 2005 Ultra Headshok in front.
Bottom Line:
The 1999 Cannondale F500 is an amazing bike. I have had no serious problems except with the p-bone headshok(but i ripped on it). I have traveled across a few states on tours and I am a serious off-road racer and the bike got me 3rd at Racoon Rally. Cannondale hand-welds their products here in America and that is why it is the only bike company i look at. I love the bike and the Mean Green paint job is the only way to go.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
alex mathews
a Weekend Warrior
from Deerfield IL USA Date Reviewed: January 13, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$675.00
Purchased At:
Prarie trails bike shop
Strengths:
good entry level bike, forgiving (at least I thinks so...)
Weaknesses:
front derailleur is bad, continental tires not great.
Similar Products Used:
cannondale m400, specialized rockhopper
Bike Setup:
stock, except for mavic rear rim, velociraptors f/r
Bottom Line:
good bike for me, put maybe 25 miles a week in the summer. continentals (are they stock) wear down FAST. In the first week I ripped the rear sidewall and destroyed the rim, replaced it with a mavic which holds true MUCH better. no beef with front rim though. when I ride pavement I put on wildgripper semislicks which are great, real fast. front derailleur is crap, and will replace it with XT when I can scrounge up $25. other than that good. mean green rocks!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane Date Reviewed: August 30, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Any
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
Super Cycles Indroopilly
Strengths:
Sturdy frame, nice geometry, and a perfect bike for a person who stays on the road 90% of the time and does XC for this bike. Handling is fast and frame is light. This is a perfect bike for the "average Joe" who is making a move into more serious riding.
Weaknesses:
Head Shok travel wasn't enough, also the fork's rebounding was aweful as stock (that's why I got the DD60 with the lockout, but still not enough travel). Bike had a tendency to underperform when it is slightly dirty. Also, the frame is NOT as STIFF as everyone says it is. Give the bike a good whacking like me for a year and the frame flexes on the rear which becomes a pain when you're climbing or doing a fast decent. Brakes and ALL the components were CRAP, minus the cranks and the xt deraillure were good. This bike is NOT the bike to be riding if you're going to go full on off road or freeriding. Rims were less than okay. They were like taco shells. I destroyed the rear rim on a small dh section on a freeride ride. The buckle like hell and are of low quality. Get MAVICS~! This is a bike which you do NOT want to be riding as a stock bike! And the upgrade parts end up costing more than getting a half decent Cannondale if you must buy a Cannondale. I'm much happier with my Trek VRX, which is a dual and climbs faster and rides easier than the F500.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale (F500, F700, F900 sx, KV700, Super V 700sx, Super V 2000, Raven 2000, Raven 4000SL), GT (Zaskar, Avalanche), Kona Stuff, Trek VRX (THE BEST so far for me), Giant (ATX 1, ATX 2, ATX980), Mongoose NX8.1, and a heap more. I'm a bike fanatic~!
Bike Setup:
Cannondale F500 frame P-Bone Head Shok with DD60 cartridge Full XTR.
Go the Trek VRX - read my review on it (that's a bike that I can assure you that you'll love).
Bottom Line:
Good bike for a beginner's bike. Not easy on the pocket, because you NEED to upgrade the bike to get any performance out of it. Good for xc. Frame is okay, when you first get it, but not all that good after a while. Get a F700 if you have the money, or better still - a F900sx (with a lefty). They will save you money down the track. After one year of hard riding - this bike is pretty much turned to rubble for me, besides the XTR parts. So think carefully before you purchase this bike. Cannondale are OVER-RATED, and I was a Cannondale nut myself before. Try other bikes from Trek or GT before you buy a Cannondale. They perform better, and are easier on the pocket. Questions - email me and I'll give you a full lineup of the downsides of the bike (too many to list)...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Curtis Pennell
a Cross Country Rider
from Corner Brook, nf, Canada Date Reviewed: January 10, 2001
Favorite Trail:
"the Snake" @ Massey Drive C.B.
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
T&T Performance Bike Shop
Strengths:
A pretty good frame, and a fork that lives up to expectations.
Weaknesses:
The fork needs a little too much attention.
Similar Products Used:
Trek, Kona, Giant
Bottom Line:
Overall this is a good bike that definately lives up to the relatively low price tag. There are a a couple of points where it could use a little help, but that can all be solved by getting a higher level bike, right? I would definately recommend this bike to anyone looking for a decent performing bike at a realistic price level.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
WT
a Weekend Warrior
from Austin, TX Date Reviewed: January 6, 2001
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Strengths:
Solid Frame
Weaknesses:
Shock -- I upgraded to an air cartridge which helped considerably. Hubs, rims are junk.
Similar Products Used:
Fisher, Santa Cruz, Schwinn Homegrown
Bike Setup:
Full XT components, air shock upgrade, hellbent seatpost
Bottom Line:
Not a bad bike, but I began upgrading immediately after purchase. Spent $400 on upgrades, and deciding whether to spend more on new hubs and rims. Nice, solid frame to build on. Good ride, feel.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marty
a Cross Country Rider
from Iowa City, IA, USA Date Reviewed: October 31, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$750.00
Strengths:
Frame Details
Weaknesses:
CODA Comp. and Front Derailure
Similar Products Used:
GT, SURLY 1X1
Bike Setup:
Org. W/ Fenders and Michelin Semislicks
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike as a commuter, to school and work. I have the XL frame and think it would be too large for real off road riding even at 6'1". I had the shop swap out the tires and am now running 1.5 Michelin semislicks, quite, fast and very reliable. The front Derailure has been a big problem, almost as big of a problem as the lack of a good shop or mach. in the area. (just moved here from utah so i'm spoiled!) Don't know if an upgrade will help as the CODA cranks and BB may by the problem. Headshok is very nice but not very quiet. The frame is nice and the detail is great. I have had some set-up problems and Cannodale Cust. Serv. sucks and as there is not a dealer in my area I'm S.O.L.! I wish I had spent the extra for the Klien. For true Cross Country I will stick with my GT and SURLY.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
PD
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, TX, USA Date Reviewed: September 4, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$650.00
Strengths:
Its an awesome bike .... Xtremely light (atleast compared to what I've had b4)
This is my first Cannondale .... it is torch red in color and is verrrrry cool! It rides really well, very light and you can get adjusted to it in a few days. This was an impulse buy 'coz it was on sale for $650 - the dealer upgraded the pedals and bar ends and grips .... I had to pay for the front derailler. I really like the single shock - makes it very stable (atleast it feels that way!) .... I might upgrade the saddle to a CODA COMPETITION.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shawn
a Cross Country Rider
from Bremerton, Wa. USA Date Reviewed: August 6, 2000
Favorite Trail:
anything
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Frame, HeadShok and how addicting it is to stay on and ride all day.
Weaknesses:
Front and Rear Deralures, Brakes
Bike Setup:
I upgraded the front deralure to an LX and the rear to an XT. Other than that the bike is all stock.
Bottom Line:
This is a good entry level bike! I thought it was kinda pricey, but I couldn't help myself I had to have it! The HeadShok is awesome I love the way it handles all the bumps. There are only two complaints I have are the shifters and the deralures, if anyone is thinking about buying this bike, I'd definatley upgrade those along with the brakes. Get rid of those stupid ass grip shifts (who was the genius that invented those?).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Mattox
a Weekend Warrior
from Marin County, CA Date Reviewed: July 17, 2000
EXCELLENT FIRST BIKE. GOT A GOOD DEAL ON BIKE AND UPGRADES. COULDN'T PASS UP THE VALUE. ALSO, THE FRAME WAS A GREAT SET UP FOR SOMEONE TALL, 6'4", AND ALL LEGS. THE HEADHOCK ROCKS AND HANDLES ALL YOU CAN THROW AT IT!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
vomitgas
a Cross Country Rider
from State College, PA Date Reviewed: May 7, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Fork, Color (Mean Green), Component Selection
Weaknesses:
Component Selection, Wheels, Weight, Made by Cannondale.
Similar Products Used:
Delta V 700
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
I just bought this bike for my girlfriend. The fork is really smooth. Not too springy if you have the shock tweak the fork for your weight. It is a great entry level bike. If you are looking for a bike that is excellent out of the box, and you know what you want, this isn't the bike for you.
I would have to say that my biggest complaints are with the brake and shift levers. They will be the first upgrades for her. Next upgrade will be the pedals to a true shimano pedal. Other than those few cheap things to fix, this is a pretty nice bike. It is a little on the heavy side, but for about 99% of the riders a bike that is a bit heavy doesn't matter regardless of what they think. I give it five flamin' foofers for the value (We got it for $600 + tax) and 4 foofers for being a good bike.
Recap for why not 5 foofers: Shift/brake levers. Pedals. Weight. It is a Cannondale.
All in all... a great bike for a beginner
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tyler
a Cross Country Rider
from Ames, IA Date Reviewed: April 18, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Great value, nice entry level setup
Weaknesses:
entry level setup, cheap components
Similar Products Used:
cro-moly hardtails, Schwinn Moab
Bike Setup:
stock +XT/X517 wheelset
Bottom Line:
This bike is a tremendous value. It is the perfect bike for someone who is just getting started in the sport. As you improve you will start to see its weaknesses though. The P-bone headshock is nice as far as control goes, but it is a bit too "springy". The stock wheelset is pretty cheap. My rims were NEVER true. I upgraded to Shimano XT hubs with Mavic X517 rims (nice, light setup). The front derailleur and brakes are pretty cheap too. The CODA components and the frame itself have been very reliable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
newcannyf500
a Weekend Warrior
from Ridgewood, NJ Date Reviewed: April 7, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Ringwood & High Point State Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Bike in general
Weaknesses:
Noisy Tires and front derail.
Similar Products Used:
GT and TREK
Bike Setup:
Stock except for CODA Riser handle bar.
Bottom Line:
My first cannondale and loving it. Got the bike on sale for less than $500 including handle bar upgrade...all money well spent. I bought this on impulse because of the price as 2nd bike to ride around town and for the shore. What a surprise. The bike handles well, corners and leans really good, have logged about 60 miles and still looking like new. The only minor thing that I have run into is the front derail. did not up-shift under load on several occasions, which could be a minor adjustment and a little squeak on the head shock. I can live with the squeak for now and when it is time, I will change the cartridge. The tires are also noisy for road use but nothing is wrong. Buy the bike if you can still see one on sale, you can't go wrong. If you are going to look at the Y2K model, take note that the Frame warranty changed to 5 years but the bike have improved too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RICK
a Cross-Country Rider
from CT Date Reviewed: December 26, 1999
Favorite Trail:
ARCADIA,RI
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
QUICK HANDLING AND ACCELERATION
Weaknesses:
LACK OF DEALERS IN AREA
Similar Products Used:
GT SIMILAR PRICE RANGE
Bike Setup:
USE POST XTR SHIFTERS DD60 FORK UPGRADE IRC MTHO 2.1 TIRES
Bottom Line:
DD60 FORK UPGRADE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE I CAN NOW REALLY THROW THE BIKE INTO TURNS WITH CONFIDENCE
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, Ca Date Reviewed: October 22, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Mission Trails, Santee
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
frame strength, front shock
Weaknesses:
mediocre components
Bike Setup:
2000 F-500, XT front and rear deraileurs, ikon bar ends, yeti handgrips
Bottom Line:
I bought the 2000 model of the F-500. I've never owned such a lightweight, maneuverable, quick bike. I didn't like the gripshift, so I upgraded the shifters to XT's all around. $800 stock + 200 in upgrades+tax made it a great value. My brother owns the Trek 8500, but I think I got the better bang-for-the-buck. Love the single shock fork - feels very solid. CAAD3 frame has mounts for rear disc brakes (expect to add 2 lbs for parts, though). Promptly dumped it trying to get used to the pedals. :-) It still runs great. I've been hearing a squeaking off the front shock... maybe it needs adjusting?
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Larry
a Weekend Warrior
from Orlando, Florida Date Reviewed: September 26, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Cannondale CAAD-3 frame. Sram 9.0 Rear Derailleur. Made in the USA. Fatty Head Shok Big Value for the bucks!
Weaknesses:
None so far. If there is a weakness, it might be the Weinmann rims.
Early review of the 2000 Cannondale F-500 For the 2000 model , Cannondale has made improvements to the F-500 that are so significant, only the model designation remains from the 1999 bicycle. The single biggest improvement is the up-grade to the CAAD-3 frame. Here's a run down of the changes for the 2000 F-500. Frame: Cannondale CAAD-3 aluminum Head Shok: Fatty-M Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore-LX Rear Derillleur: SRAM 9.0 Shifters: SRAM 7.0 Half Pipes Rear Cog Set: Shamino Deore 9 speed Hubs: CODA Expert Crank: CODA CF-1 Brake Set: TX-22 Saddle: CODA Performance Cannondale has produced a bicycle that is a fantastic value. I've had my 2000 F-500 for several weeks and love it! My previous ride was a 2000 Cannondale F-400 (CAAD-2) that I was really happy with. It served me well for 2 months and I had intended to keep it longer. However, my girlfriend purchased a 2000 F-500 and I was so impressed, I had to have one. The improvements were so dramatic, I was blown away! It's hard to express how much better the CAAD-3 frame rides and handles compared to the CAAD-2 frames. Its acceleration is much swifter. Hammer it and it responds. The CAAD-3 is much better balanced and a real pleasure to ride. In addition, the CAAD-3 frame comes ready for a disc brake up-grade and the Fatty Head Shok is much smoother and quieter than the P-Bone found on the previous model.The next major improvement has to be the SRAM 9.0 rear derailleur and SRAM 7.0 Half Pipe shifters. The gang at Shimano better not rest on their laurels too long. The SRAM controls provide quick, sure, and smooth shifts. Actually, instant shifts and this is by far the best rear derailleur I've ever used. The addition of the extra rear cog to 9 speed is a nice change too. It allows a little extra cruise speed for the same pedal effort. The CODA Performance saddle looks to be small and hard but is actually very comfortable with a depressed channel down the center to reduce the dreaded numbness. My typical rides include rail trails, greenways, soft sand single tracks, downtown cobblestone streets, and urban assault rides. I ride 100 or more miles per week and so far, I'm totally impressed with the performance of this bicycle. I really can't rate the climbing ability because we really don't have any hills on the east coast of Florida. However, it does a great job on steep grade bridges over the Intercoastal Waterway. We do plan to test our F-500's in the West Virginia mountains in about 2 weeks. Changes/upgrades that I've made so far include CODA riser stem, Profile riser bars, Trek bar ends, U.S.E. XCR suspension seat post, Trek lighting, Continental Town&Country tires, Sigma Sport wireless computer, Trek bottle cages, and Cannondale seatback pouch.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jeff mclean
a Cross-Country Rider
from london,ontario Date Reviewed: September 19, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Kains Road
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Frame HeadShok with upgrade Bang for Buck Stiff Frame
Weaknesses:
Front Derailer Wheel set
Similar Products Used:
Devinci Rocky mountain Specilized
Bike Setup:
Had Fatty70 cartridge installed Had Alivio front derailler changed to Xt
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike for the money- with a few modifications. The p-bone fork sucks,(catapults you all over the place)the stock front derailler has a very short life span (alivio) and the wheelset(weinmann) needs to be trued quite alot. So what I did was had my shop install fork cartridge up-grade(fatty70) whick cosists of and adjustable on-the-fly oil damping unit and an air-compression cartridge. WHAT a difference! - It's a new bike! The headshok suspension with the cartridge is amazing! Comparable to a Rockshok SID. Also have your shop rip off that alivio front derailler and have them install an XT or XTR-I went with the XT. As far a the wheelset goes, i'll just ride it into the ground then get a good set of wheels.I haven't had any problems with the coda components so far, but i'm sure they could be replaced with some raceface stuff down the road.With this bike the main strength is the headshok(once you up-grade it) It's carves on a dime,and has very good steering control.Lets face it- there's alot of good frames out there but, Cannondale has the only different front suspension setup.I don't think I'd go back to a conventional fork-So i guess I'd be looking at another Cannondale for my next bike.Try one out and see how you like it-it take a little getting used to at first, but it's like having the control of a rigid fork but the plushness of a high end fork.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross-Country Rider
from Manitoba Date Reviewed: September 8, 1999
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
LIGHT, stiff and great components
Weaknesses:
brakes suck
Similar Products Used:
Giant, Specialized, GT
Bike Setup:
Stock set-up
Bottom Line:
I don't have the 99 F500 I got on of the new 2000 F500's and what a huge difference. List price is $1500 Canadian (got mine for $1200). This bike is very light(around 25 LBS) have had very few problems (managed to bend the front outer chainring). Couple o' nasty spills and no problems. This thing is fast, stiff and light even for my big 230 lbs body. Out of the box the only thing that really needs changing are the brakes, comes with Tektronics, trough on some Avid Arch Rivals and go rock. Don't pass this bike up. I know another guy who bought a C'dale Beast from the East and was pissed when he saw this cuz he paid a lot mre and there are not that many differences except mine is lighter.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BEEMER
a Weekend Warrior
from LA, CA Date Reviewed: August 18, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Sullivan
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Value, HeadShok, XT rear d., frame geometry and material
Weaknesses:
every component on the bike (except for the rear d.) are entry level and there is no chain stay guard nor bar ends
Similar Products Used:
Moab 3, Trek 6000, etc.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike for $600 (new)! I would not have got this bike otherwise, b/c it would've been out of my price range. Cannondales are the BMWs of mtn. bikes - very well made, perfectly designed, but their emblems make up 20% of their value. When I found out that I could get this bike for the price of a Moab3, I jumped on it like a buzzard to a gut wagon. Cannondale brings their new models to market before most others, so model close out prices happen earlier in the year. What can I say though, I got a great deal - the shop that I bought it from is still advertising it for $150 more than they sold it to me for 3 months ago(which is still a hellva lot cheeper than I have seen it anywere). Man, I would have gone postal if I would've payed the orig. price of $922, then to see it later for $300 less!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RON
a Cross-Country Rider
from MN Date Reviewed: August 10, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Anywere i am
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Stiff frame great climber xt rear
Weaknesses:
coda cranks seat post seat pedals the shifters
Similar Products Used:
rockhopper Anything trek
Bike Setup:
i have put on lx cranks shifters and brakes and wheel set Ti BB soon to come
Bottom Line:
my lbs is sellin it for 599 they swaped a new lx front derailiur for me i then bought an lx comp gruop sold what i didnt need i am soon upgrading the shock its noisy for the money there is a btter ride i thought i road good stock but why not upgrade if yoou can
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ed
a Cross-Country Rider
from Alexandria, VA Date Reviewed: July 22, 1999
For $900 I expected a lot more. Especially compared to others in the same class. All the previous reviews give 4 or 5 chilis even when they all agree the pedals,saddle,front derailleur and others parts suck. The headshock protector noise is annoying - sounds like a bird flapping its wings, it didn't ride very light (to me at least, I hate the shifter part of the gripshifts because it takes up the whole grip. Therefore, if you torque the grips at all in more than normal riding, you end up shifting by accident. Positives - maneuverable, frame geometry. Overall, it seems as if your paying a lot for the name only.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick
a Weekend Warrior
from Torrance, CA Date Reviewed: July 22, 1999
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Bottom Line:
Get this bike at Costco, only $699.00.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
special_T
a Cross-Country Rider
from NH Date Reviewed: June 17, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great shocks Amazing rear derailer over great commponents
Weaknesses:
terrible seat not great front derailer
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike. Smooth ride, very nice shocks. This is everything I could want in a hardtail, the only way it could be better would be a little lighter. The only problems i have had would be the seat which has come loose on me a few times, and i have had trouble witht the front derailer. Overall I say the cannondale f500 is a great bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross-Country Rider
from Boston, MA Date Reviewed: June 7, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Arcadia, RI (so far)
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light Perfect Steering HEAD SHOCK!!!!
Weaknesses:
stock saddle and pedals are downright worthless. Front deraileur should be at least stx or lx . . . expecially if they're putting an XT in the rear.
Similar Products Used:
Giant STX SE2 GT Karakoram GT Ricochet
Bottom Line:
I have no complaints at all, stock saddle and pedals sucked, but I got the shop to swap them out . . .still a Coda saddle, but the top of the line one with Kevlar, and Shimano 545 pedals. Took it out and rode about 15 miles the first weekend I had it (2 or 3 very technical, and the rest a nice long single track with a good variety of ups and downs adn some technical). . . the bike performed flawlessly in all of it (wish I could say the same for me). Only problem I had was some front deraileur adjustment issues (but I think that was just some initial cable stretch so, not the bike's fault). Overall I give it 5 hot horsies . . .
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam Orosz
a Weekend Warrior
from Columbus, Ohio Date Reviewed: June 4, 1999
Favorite Trail:
any of the dirt roads in the foothills near Boulder CO
Trek, C'dale, G-Fischer Klein Front & Full suspensions
Bike Setup:
H-shok P-bone M CAAD2, 8-speed (X3)
Bottom Line:
The headshok basically ended my original plan to buy another Trek. I do think I probably should've bought something a little higher end than an F500 since I was already spending over $800. I say this because I've been upgrading the bike ever since I bought it. Some of my complaints may be somewhat out of place since I was hoping to retain some of the more road-bike like qualities of my old rigid trek mt-bike. Hey, I can't help it! I hate thinking that my new bike is slower than my old one. The chain rubs both sides inside of the f-derailleur, so the b-bracket sucks. Also, as with all new mountain bikes, the gear ratios suck. You can't go fast. Downhill, you wind up quickly & run out of gears. My old Trek could get a 4:1 ratio, this came with 3.8:1 max. Disheartening. I must admit, I was able to change my 22/32/42 rings to 24/36/48 (leaving me with a joyous 4.4:1 ratio) without a single complaint from the f-derailleur. It is my opinion that lowering the gear ratios makes stupid people think they're going fast: it's a marketing ploy. I highly recommend getting a headshok with lockout. And just for the record, the front derailleur is fine despite what everyone says. The most expensive f-der would also rub since the b-bracket sucks. Overall, the bike's great & I love that headshok.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Yuri
a Weekend Warrior
from Miami, FL Date Reviewed: April 18, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great Frame, lower end but overall very well behaved components
Weaknesses:
Headshock Seat Pedals Front Derailer
Bike Setup:
Cannondale F500
Bottom Line:
OK. I got this bike after reading a lot of good stuff about it and finding it on sale for 720 bucks. I have been riding it in a variety of conditions for the past 3 weeks and have a few comments. Forst of all, the headshock is a great idea, but the one that comes with the bike suck's if your a heavy fellow like me. Upgraded to the fatty and everything is sunshine there. Next the seat made for narrow ass's didnt help much, got a Brooks leather seat and man oh man, now I WANT to go for long rides. Finally the Coda clipless pedals or whatever the hell they are called suck if you arent THAT gung-ho about biking. I got me a cheap pair of pedals I dont care if I bang up and have been doing good all around.The derailers though are something that I think should be good, and while the rear one is pretty nice, the front derailer absolutly blows. Sadly I havent found a decent replacement yet, but I'm still looking. If your willing to spend an extra 200 bucks on upgrades this is an excellent bike. GREAT lite frame, tires so far so good, etc. But as it comes stock it only gets 4 chillies out of me. If Cnnondale sold just the frame and let you add the components you wanted it would absolutly rule (Well, OK, I guess thats what the F900 is for huh? :) but oevrall for the 700 I paid originally I cant complain. If ya find it on sale, dont hesitate to buy it and spend the extra cash on upgrades :)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brad
a Weekend Warrior
from Oklahoma City Date Reviewed: March 17, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Lake Hefner in OKC
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
frame geometry weight front suspension handling maneuverability
Weaknesses:
components on low end head shock rebound feel
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Rockhopper A1 FS Schwinn Moab 2 Gary Fisher GT
Bottom Line:
After testing many bikes of comparable price, I easily chose this bike as my favorite. It had the best feel to it in or out of the saddle and really accelerated with ease. The best aspect of this bike is the maneuverability due to the geometry of the frame and fork. I felt as though I could easily adjust to this bike once purchased...which I hope to do very very soon. The only thing that felt odd was the manner in which the head shock rebounds when you pull the front of the bike off the ground at speed. Overall my favorite bike, if you can spend $800 on a bike, definately give this one a try.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a weekend warrior
from HK Date Reviewed: November 3, 1998
Bottom Line:
Ride a Cannondale F500 CAAD2 framed '99 model in the colour the company calls 'mean green'. All of it's stock-standard still, with the exception of the Headshok suspension fork cartridge. The P-Bone M forks come without the on/off, so I had the cartridge upgraded in the shop to the DD60/P-Bone D cartridge with the on/off dial and nice damping, while the forks below remained the same. Anyway, it all works very nicely. The ride is nice and smooth, and the bike as a whole handles very nicely on my 40 km weekend bursts. The super-stiff frame has a nice kick to it too. The front suspension is reliable and smooth, and I make good use of the lock-out feature. The components are pretty low-end, and I bought the bike expecting to do some gradual upgrades when needed (and when I can better afford them). So far I've been pleasantly surprised with the componentry and still don't feel the need to change anything. The only problem is the Continental Traction tire on the rear, which 'floats' at high speeds on sealed roads, which can be a little unsettling. Other than that, I'm impressed with the package and glad I chose it over similarly-priced Kleins and GTs.
Overall Rating:
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