Update: Cannondale “Caffeine” 29″er
July 18th, 2006 by Guitar TedI recieved confirmation today that Cannondale is going to introduce the much anticipated 29″er hardtail bike we all have seen and heard rumors about in mid September. Originally the working name for the project was “F-29″, but in an effort to distance the model from the traditional 26″ offerings, Cannondale has chose the name “Caffeine” to grace the top tube of its first 29 inch wheeled bike.
Some of the spec highlights include a Lefty Speed Bonded DLR2 with 80mm of travel, a SRAM X-7 trigger shifter set, SRAM X-7 rear derailluer, an LX front derailluer, FSA crank, Avid BB-5 brakes, and Exi Wolf 2.3″ tires. The approximate price for the new hard tail is $1599.99. Color choices will be the white/ orange/ blue Cannondale Team Bear Naked livery, or Raw aluminum.
We applaud an introduction of a new geared only 29″er, and especially one with a new suspension choice, (albeit a proprietary one). This should prove to be a popular interoduction. The word is that production numbers will be small at first, because Cannondale is testing the waters with this new introduction. If they see big numbers and quick turn arounds on the 29″er Caffeine, who knows? Maybe we’ll see other offerings out of Pennsylvania.
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They should have called it “Beer” instead.
Should be a good one!
I may even have to get one =)
Great news!
I bet they’ll sell out before the first bikes hit shops. So have the LBS order your copy asap!
Caffeine…………..that could be the WORST name EVER for a bike model…and I though Fat Possum was bad ICK!!!
There is a local C-Dale dealer just down the road from my office. I used to hate going in there under old ownership, but it is now under new ownership and management and is much better. I hope they get one in so I can have a look at it.
I wish I could afford something in that price range, but that’s not the case for the time being and the forseeable future. Crap.
A bit of a correction on my information has been sent to me from Cannondale. It seems that they are dropping ALL the “F” designations for the entire hardtail line. They ALL will become “Caffeine” models, it appears. The difference here, of course, is that this one will be called the “Caffeine 29″er”
The name is stupid, but inconsequential.
Why do they keep spec-ing sram everything and shimano FDs?
1500 does seem like a lot for that spec. But I guess the lefty is kind of a moneybomber. They could probably bring the price down if they opened it up for individual sales. But then they’d probably sell less bikes.
-M
C-Dale just can’t seem to get the mtb thing figured out, can they? Their exsiting singlespeed (the “1FG”) would do the trick nicely if built around the 29er platform. I imagine a light and snappy C-dale hardtail, EBB, and a nice stiff-low hassle 80mm headshock. Now this is a 29er I would get excited about! Why “test the market” with an over-priced model featuring a shimmed-down proprietary suspension mechanism? Don’t get me wrong, I own and LOVE the Lefty.. But don’t those nice stiff aluminum legs of the traditional Headshock fork seem perfectly suited to compensate for the additional flex that a 29-inch fork leg encounters? Then we could use our current hubs as well. You want gears? Put a der-hanger on that thing, but keep the entry-level price reasonable by making it an OPTION. I love Cannondale, and that’s why I’m angry enough to care.
Oh.. and while I’m on a roll. CANNONDALE! YOUR HARDTAIL BOTTOM BRACKET HEIGHTS ARE COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, EH. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD- PLEASE FIGURE IT OUT SOON!
sinnerspinner: First of all, I am sooo glad that Cannondale DID NOT make a 1 FG, as the ss/ do-it-all 29″er market is choked with choices already. The market needed a major player, geared only, hard tail, front suspended choice besides Fisher.
Secondly: You long for a head shok and criticize the use of the Lefty as being a “proprietary mechanism”? Last time I checked, the Head Shok was one of those “proprietary mechanisms” also. The inherent problem with the Head Shok for 29″ers is head tube height, which the Lefty solves elegantly. The Lefty was the obvious choice for a 29″er fork. You mention flex, but it isn’t going to be any different than the 26″er version, as they are the same structure and overall length. Actually, since the angle of attack of the front wheel is better on a 29″er, it could be argued that there will be LESS flex than on the 26 inch wheeled bike.
Thirdly: The higher bottom bracket is a welcome thing for your techy, rough terrain, I agree. Perhaps Cannondale will be convinced to revive it’s Beast of the East hardtail for that need someday. Otherwise, a dual suspension model would really be preferrable for that sort of thing, wouldn’t it?
Finally: Your opening statement: “C-Dale just can’t seem to get the mtb thing figured out….” and your final statement that you love Cannondale are rather curious. It would seem that you find something appealing about their mountainbikes, no? I would also suggest that they have a different take on mountain bikes that is refreshing and not “me too”. It seems that in their own unique way, they have indeed figured out “the mtb thing”.
Why didn’t they include an EBB or sliding dropouts and a D hanger to give us some options? That would have been great!
1. C-dale has used the Headshock with a 700c wheel before.
2. The Headshock is no more propietary than an aftermarket fork. ..think about it. -just the headset bearings.
3. I agree with KonaSS: The OPTION of gear/ss would not only be more affordable, but also a more accurate plaform with which to “test the 29er market.”
4. C-dales hardtail bb heights are LOW. Over and inch lower than some. If they could even just meet somewhere in the middle it would be a big improvement. I really don’t want to get into the full-suspension vs. hardtail discussion.
I love Cannondale for their innovation and “outside the box” approach to things. The Lefty and Headshock are superior in terms of their performance. However, issues like bb height/drop do not require such a renegade style of thinking. That is all.
SINNERSPINNER; You cannot put a Head Shok on anything other than a frame made specifically for it, therefore it is proprietary. Yes, they have used the Head Shok on 700c before but NOT with the clearances needed for a 2.1 inch or bigger tire. That’s where you get into tropuble with the excessive height.
It would seem that a Headshok on a 29er would be pretty d@mn tall. The could go back to the old super v method of getting standover, i.e. -20 degree stem and a funky top tube. I’d opt for the Lefty, myself.
My vote would be for a flipped Mary handlebar. Brings height on almost the same level as 26″ + flat bar. Stem is still high though, some padding might be in order.
Hmmm….. this could start looking like my first BMX bike. Gooseneck knuckle pad and all!
: )
Wow, my LBS carries yet another brand offering, or soon to be offering, a 29er (so far it’s Redline, Bianchi, Fisher, Raleigh, Salsa, Surly and now C Dale) - guess how many 29ers you’ll see in their huge shop??
Still working on them…… at least some of the guys there are putting pressure on the owners. The Cannondale should be cool, hope to see one around these parts (RI).
So, I’ve been watching that BBQ-showdown deal on OLN, and I think I’m really starting to enjoy it. Any support here would be appreciated…
The “Caffeine” .. I first heard about this model via word-of-mouth (verbally) and miss-understood it to be “Calf-Fiend”, which I thought was quite clever and appropriate name for a singlespeed. Now I’m just a little dissappointed, twice. They definitely should have gone with the EBB. And as for the name.. there’s a Starbucks lawyer somewhere out there trying to figure out how to make a buck off that one…
Proprietary?
I have seen Lefty’s on traditional mtb frames…
A Headshock 29er would place the bars sky high (Crack-and-Fail 26ers already run stems flipped over, how much lower can a stem get?)
The only thing Cannondale has done right was going with 2×9 setups for a time…
Being a former Jeckel and F-800 owner, I used to really like C dales, the problem with them is they seem to be very over priced for the components you get. Other then that I think they are pretty cool, It would be neat to see a lefty REAR shock!!! BTW I like SRAM, C-Dale needs to put XO GRIP shifters on this bike. some XT cranks, Sram front & rear deralers and it would rock. they could call this model the “expresso!!
My LBS was hyping it up but I couldn’t wait any longer so I am going rigid, single speed with Scott Quering’s Q Ball!
29 front // 26 rear is the way to go
29 rolls and the 26 rear for efficient pedaling
they need to make a frame with the right geometry to do this right
Sorry fran, but both wheel are touching the ground. A 26″ rear wheel add more resistance than a 29″ front wheel can drop. There’s usually more weight on the rear, you see. See how efficient you “pedal” with an even smaller rear wheel and adjusted geometry…
Both wheels need to be pedaled regardless which one has a chain attached, and both wheels need to overcome rolling resistance from the weight pressing down on it.
The way laws of physics work, the effect of rolling resistance due to wheelsize is far greater than the added or reduced weight associated with that change. wheels are realtively tiny and light, but affect the whole 150-250lb rider+bike. This makes the biggest possible wheels the best/most efficient.
If you MUST have inequal wheels for some irrational reason, but still want it to make some sort of sense from a technical standpoint, you want a 26″ front and a 29″ rear. Starting out with a plain short travel 29″ bike, you can swap to a long travel 26″ front end.
Just wanted to say I got an 07 Caffeine and love it. Minus replacing the brakes with hydraulic ones and fixing the recall with the fork, it is the best bike I have ever ridden. Cannondale hit a homerun in my books. As a consumer almost two years out from this announcement, good job Cannondale.
You appealed to a new customer who never cared for your product line until now.
Maybe it’s just the caffeine in me speaking. lol