[Quinner]

Cannondale Flash 3 29er carbon or BMC TE01 26er? Both same price. BMC is a $4600 reduced to $2,500. Flash is $3,000 bike reduced to $2,400.

The BMC TE01 has X0 and Ea90 XC wheels the cannondale has a so so build kit.

BMC looks like a sweet deal.

 

[exocetaaron]

I rode the BMC at interbike and at demo during sea otter. That bike rips!

 

[DavidR1]

I like the Lefty fork better.

 

[Cainam]

I can't speak for the BMC - never ridden one - but I picked up the Flash 3 a month ago. STAY AWAY. The KMC chain, FSA crank/gears, and Sram derailleur do not play well together, and chain suck is common. Even if that was a non issue, the frame is limp as a noodle. A car pulled out in front of me, and I grabbed the brakes pretty hard. The frame started flexing at the head tube, then springing back like a jackhammer. HARD. I came close to coming off the bike, and ended up running into a bush instead of hitting the car.

I had the LBS talk to the Cannondale rep about it, and he said that is normal for a 29" carbon frame. NORMAL? I got a FELT Nine Elite to replace the Cannondale. It is a 29" carbon frame, designed as a XC rig, and it is solid as a rock! The only way that is normal is if you have an incompetent designer working for you.

Go with anything but Cannondale. There is no way I would trust my life to that thing, and the attitude I got from the company rep was horrible. He basically said that it was my fault for even thinking that Cannondale may not be perfect.

 

[uncrx2003]

I think I'm going to cash out some vacation time to get a mountain bike. Since this is my first bike, it's pretty overwhelming. I have test ride a couple of low end trek (both 26 and 29). Could really tell that much difference but I was just playing around in the parking lot. Reading about how great the 29ers are, I really starting to move toward that direction. Then I saw the deal for the BMC on competitive cyclist. The bike looks great along with a great component kit. My budget is right at 2k right now. One of the bike that I'm looking at is the Giant Anthem X3 29er. A lot of folks on here seem to rave about that bike. The LBS is selling the Giant for $2200 and refused to discount further. This price is almost on the same level as the full carbon BMC. I know it's hard to compare 26 vs 29 but all FS vs HT. So for a beginner that will not be riding in any tough trails and mostly single track, which bike do you think is a better value. Any other 29er should I be considering in this price range? I may up my budget to $2500. Thanks

 

[Cainam]

Well, I'm pretty happy with the FELT Nine Elite I just picked up. I also test rode a Kona Big Kahuna, which was a really nice bike, too. Both are 29er hardtails. Both basic frames are also available in several build levels.

I went with the FELT because it was a 2010 model, on sale for 35% off. If you aren't in a huge hurry, the new models are on the way in soon, and you may be able to afford a better build if you go with a 2011.

 

[uncrx2003]

I picked (ordered) up the Giant Anthem x2 29er tonight. They didn't have an 2011 in stock so they scoured the warehouse to find me one. Going to have to drive about an hour to pick it up next Monday. The local shop around wouldn't willing to negotiate on the x3. The other shop offer the x2 to me for $2100.

 

[jimification]

I can't speak for the BMC - never ridden one - but I picked up the Flash 3 a month ago. STAY AWAY. The KMC chain, FSA crank/gears, and Sram derailleur do not play well together, and chain suck is common. Even if that was a non issue, the frame is limp as a noodle. A car pulled out in front of me, and I grabbed the brakes pretty hard. The frame started flexing at the head tube, then springing back like a jackhammer. HARD. I came close to coming off the bike, and ended up running into a bush instead of hitting the car.

I had the LBS talk to the Cannondale rep about it, and he said that is normal for a 29" carbon frame. NORMAL? I got a FELT Nine Elite to replace the Cannondale. It is a 29" carbon frame, designed as a XC rig, and it is solid as a rock! The only way that is normal is if you have an incompetent designer working for you.

Go with anything but Cannondale. There is no way I would trust my life to that thing, and the attitude I got from the company rep was horrible. He basically said that it was my fault for even thinking that Cannondale may not be perfect.

I'm not trying to make light of your near accident but that all sounds really odd....

Something is not right there...I have that same frame and the front end is as stiff as anything with the lefty, opi stem and niner carbon bars - my Orange 5 feels floppy in comparrison and that's a VERY solid ali frame.

 

[Cainam]

I'm not trying to make light of your near accident but that all sounds really odd....

Something is not right there...I have that same frame and the front end is as stiff as anything with the lefty, opi stem and niner carbon bars - my Orange 5 feels floppy in comparrison and that's a VERY solid ali frame.

I was very surprised myself. Not just at the frame flex, but at the reaction from the Cannondale representitive. The frame I can understand up to a point. Either bad design, or a bad frame. (For your sake, I hope it was just that one frame!) Those problems can happen to any manufacturer, and if they had been willing to make it right, I wouldn't hold it against them. What I CANNOT forgive is the attitude I got. There is no excuse for a high end company like Cannondale to do that. None. I'm writing the whole thing off as a $3200 loss, because they won't refund it, and I really don't want to kill someone else by selling it.

 

[jimification]

yeah, based on my experience I would definitely say something is wrong with your frame.