29er

[lancerracer]

What cardboard master did you study under?

Do you have any other exceptional skills??

Perhaps you have also mastered the high speed tube install?

I may need some help once it gets warm.

j

I learned under the man with the long black hair....and I have mastered the high speed tube install (as well as the highly technical rim strip to velox maneuver). I will stop in and talk to you about my other skills (such as the kicking-the-bmx-kid-out-of-the-store-after-you-caught-him-stealing-stuff).

As for the bike...I have ridden the reba and I had the same impression as j (I have been spoiled by the lefty and my fox). I was wondering if anybody has had experience with the 1/8" steerer for the lefty (I think it is made by project 321). I am interested in using the lefty, but I don't really want to use a caffeine 29r as the frame. I dont have anything against cdale, (I have owned 3) but I wanted something different for this bike...

 

[Shaggz]

i was talking to pumkinbitr (321) about the converter - great guy, great company. i am in a similar situation - i have a lefty just sitting here doing nuttin. the reba on my giant is good, but the lefty is far superior imho

 

[jdog]

I learned under the man with the long black hair....and I have mastered the high speed tube install (as well as the highly technical rim strip to velox maneuver). I will stop in and talk to you about my other skills (such as the kicking-the-bmx-kid-out-of-the-store-after-you-caught-him-stealing-stuff).

As for the bike...I have ridden the reba and I had the same impression as j (I have been spoiled by the lefty and my fox). I was wondering if anybody has had experience with the 1/8" steerer for the lefty (I think it is made by project 321). I am interested in using the lefty, but I don't really want to use a caffeine 29r as the frame. I dont have anything against cdale, (I have owned 3) but I wanted something different for this bike...

My buddy Drew works for Cannondale. He says that the forces that a lefty puts on a headtube almost double that of a standard 1-1/8 fork.

They would have long ago downsized to 1-1/8 if they thought it was strong enough.

I have seen a bunch of pics of Leftys on non-Cannondales but I think you are just asking for trouble. Nothing ruins a day like a sheared off headtube.

Basically if a bike isn't worthy of a dual crown fork I would steer away from a lefty conversion. Steer way Left that is..

j

 

[lancerracer]

Maybe I will have to give the Caffine 29r a better look...

 

[jdog]

Maybe I will have to give the Caffine 29r a better look...

I just got an e-mail 30 seconds ago from Cannondale. They finally have F-29's as framesets.

Here is the pricing:

$599 for the frame alone.. $449 if you trade in an old C-dale.

They have trade in pricing on the Lefty too.

j

 

[Shaggz]

aluminum frame? i'm worried about the harshness of the ride

 

[jdog]

aluminum frame? i'm worried about the harshness of the ride

I was too.

You will never believe how smooth this bike is until you ride it. It is very very similar to my Ti bike.

I know you won't believe it though..

j

 

[heythorp]

seems like most of the 29ers made by bigger bike companies are Aluminum. my guess is weight savings/cost/thats what then do. Canandale will always be an aluminum company. bianchi's 29er option is aluminum. I guess lower end stuff like the mary and monocogs are steel but from what i am seeing most are not.

the karate monkey is steel. but i would consider that a higher end bike and not one of the bigger companies...

ok so my post contradicts its self all over the place. what was my point? i have no idea anymore.

the thing that is keeping me away from the Rita is aluminum, and now the reba after the other thread that is going on, i might just buy a fox 80x for the sass and rock the 26er instead, New tarmac is on the list this year anyways, dont "need' the 29er

 

[lancerracer]

I have been very impressed by the new cannondale frames...I bought a CAAD8 (road bike) with intention of just using it as a race bike because of the usual harshness of aluminum. After a few shakedown rides however, the ride was great. It was easily one of the best aluminum frames I have ever ridden. I would not hesitate to buy one again on the idea that the ride is too harsh.

 

[jdog]

I have been very impressed by the new cannondale frames...I bought a CAAD8 (road bike) with intention of just using it as a race bike because of the usual harshness of aluminum. After a few shakedown rides however, the ride was great. It was easily one of the best aluminum frames I have ever ridden. I would not hesitate to buy one again on the idea that the ride is too harsh.

You should try the Cadd9..

Even smoother. Really.

I just got a System6 with the Sram force kit.

Now that bike is smmmoooth!

j

 

[ChrisG]

yeah but you wear armor and carry a sword, so aluminum probably is no big deal for you.

Ha!:rofl:

 

[walter]

yeah but you wear armor and carry a sword, so aluminum probably is no big deal for you.

That must be a loud ride, with all that metal banging together, body armor, sword, frame. It must be hard to see through that visor with those tiny slots, too.

 

[lancerracer]

You should try the Cadd9..

Even smoother. Really.

I just got a System6 with the Sram force kit.

Now that bike is smmmoooth!

j

I rode the caad 9 and I was very impressed...I also raced the System 6 with Force, and the ride was awsome, but the problem was, it was my first time on the Sram stuff, so shifting was a bit interesting....
If I was buying another road bike now, it would probably by a system 6. I think the carbon and aluminum delivers an amazing ride. I had a Bianchi Lugged Carbon bike to demo over the summer and I just couldnt get used to the ride, but when I ride the Six13 or the System 6 I fall in love with the ride...

 

[lancerracer]

That must be a loud ride, with all that metal banging together, body armor, sword, frame. It must be hard to see through that visor with those tiny slots, too.

I am thinking of switching to carbon armor...I here it makes less noise...

 

[Shaggz]

I was too.

You will never believe how smooth this bike is until you ride it. It is very very similar to my Ti bike.

I know you won't believe it though..

j

you are confused, heythorp is the skeptic, i am just an instigator. the irony is that i still have this lefty sitting on the jekyll carcass in my garage. this caffeine 29'er sounds appealing, but i am apprehensive about dropping coin on a ride that will jar my bones and rattle my fillings.

 

[bonefishjake]

you are confused, heythorp is the skeptic, i am just an instigator. the irony is that i still have this lefty sitting on the jekyll carcass in my garage. this caffeine 29'er sounds appealing, but i am apprehensive about dropping coin on a ride that will jar my bones and rattle my fillings.

so what does that make me? eh, nevermind.

anyway, i wouldn't be too concerned about the ride. doesn't your garage have a nice, smooth concrete floor?

seriously, i think the way the 29ers roll, the alum. frame wouldn't be too bad. i didn't think the specialized was bad at all and that was aluminum. in all honesty, for places like KVSP and LM where i rode it the most, i thought it was great.

 

[heythorp]

I used to have a specialized Sworks steel hard tail. Unfortunately the frame broke. Fortunately Specialized replaced the frame, but unfortunately they no longer made a steel frame and I ended up with their M2 aluminum frame. That may have been the most miserable ride I have ever had.

 

[lancerracer]

There is a BIGGGG difference between the ride of the M2 and the ride of the M5 aluminum or a Caad 8 or 9.

 

[heythorp]

yes i agree the m5 stuff is much much better

 

[scalpel6]

System Six

I rode the caad 9 and I was very impressed...I also raced the System 6 with Force, and the ride was awsome, but the problem was, it was my first time on the Sram stuff, so shifting was a bit interesting....
If I was buying another road bike now, it would probably by a system 6. I think the carbon and aluminum delivers an amazing ride. I had a Bianchi Lugged Carbon bike to demo over the summer and I just couldnt get used to the ride, but when I ride the Six13 or the System 6 I fall in love with the ride...

I have been riding my System Six with the Scram Force group for a couple of months and I am very impressed. Spot on shifting with no problems to date. I would highly recommend the Six with Scram to any one. Take it for a ride you will love it. The only people that may have a problem are guys that have been racing Shimano for years and don't want to take a chance.