Cannondale 2009: Sneak Peek!
July 11th, 2008 by Guitar TedOur roving spying eye has captured some more surreptitious photos out of Park City, Utah this time. Check out these photos, obviously taken on the sly, thus the odd angles. Still, much to see here….
Here we have the odd shot showing a few very interesting things. First, note the bottom bracket. That’s a BB-30 folks. Cannondale’s idea is spreading with FSA, Specialized, Jamis, and others on board with the bottom bracket. Putting it on a 29″er makes sense. Next, although not Cannondale specific, we have our first look at a Continental Race King in 29″er size. (To be honest, I thought it was a Vapor at first!) Finally, clearances around that Continental look pretty healthy. This frame should accept some pretty big meats if so desired.
Here’s a shot of some more Race King action sandwiching the newly redesigned chassis of the Lefty. It is now a “one piece Lefty lower”, as it was described to me.
Here’s a great shot showing the new graphics, which look to be a take on 40’s era Schwinn bike decoration replete with “refrigerator style” lettering. New colors showing here appear to be on the retro side of things, as well.
In the foreground we have the “29er 1″, which appears to have a healthy dose of XT along with the aforementioned BB-30 bottom bracket. The bike next to that appears to be using a Deore level Octalink crank, suggesting that it might be one of the more “entry level” offerings. Then beyond that we see a single speed. A single speed 29″er, perhaps? Most likely.
No word on whether or not these are the only 29″er offerings or if the elusive, much rumored Scalpel 29″er will finally make a public appearance. Stay tuned for more as we get new information.
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those look very nice - I like the direction they are going.
Any reason to believe they wouldnt just use the BB30 shell on all the frames and use the adapter for the models with lower level component spec? Thats what they do on their other bikes, incl. the Rush, Scalpel, and road frames as well.
Also, those graphics look better than the flames they currently have.
I like the Frigidaire type font myself. I think others should try that., I think the old Raleigh font was a cool one too and would love to see it return.
I like the retro colours and logos. Any idea if they’ve still left travel at 80mm?
I test rode a 2007 F29 and got hooked on big wheels, since then I’ve been holding out for a 100mm 29″ lefty for a dedicated XC race bike.
Any word on Non-Lefty 29ers?
I like the idea of that BB. I’ve sort of had it with outboard bearings. I mean really. They’re ok for a road bike, but I’ve had to have several cups replaced do to mud, water damage. I hope the BB-30 can help. In then end more than anything I miss my old Race Face square taper BB and crank.
man, i must be fortunate. i don’t trash out bottom brackets much at all. but i also don’t make a habit of frequenting muddy trails, because ’round these parts, to ride a muddy trail is to wreck a trail. and i don’t play that. i build, fix and ride trails, not wreck trails. i understand however, if you live in the pacific northwest, or somewhere like that, where the geographic conditions demand regular mud runs, and the conditions allow it. in the front range of colorado, if you didn’t regularly ride in the rain, you’d never ride in the afternoon! i learned that living out there in the late 90s and got awfully comfortable with it. replaced a lot of drivetrain parts too… lots more than i do now in nebraska.
oh yeah, those new cannondales look sweet. if you’re into that sort of thing… they should make a woodie version with those graphics — totally throwback.
what sort of internals is that fork runnin’ these days? how about travel? do tell…
travel safely. lookin’ forward to ridin’ with ya’ next week. you gonna’ be on a single? if so, i might be as well…
cheers,
mg
mg: Hey man! Thanks for the comments. I don’t have any details yet on the components and the performance specs. I will update the story here if and when that all becomes available.
I’ll e-mail you off-line about the bike choice issues!
lefty…*shudder*
Little known fact here, folks.
Cannondale = no longer owned by Lebron James.
Now owned by Dorel Inc.
Makers of crappy office furniture worldwide…
But better known as the parent company of a small independent frame builder named Pacific Cycle….
Just puttin that out there..
Have a fine afternoon!
Dirt, that news is a little old, but I agree about the Lefty,
I have also wondered about the Scapel 29 since Dorel/Pacific bought Cannondale
I didn’t say it was new. I just have never seen it anywhere but industry rags. And seeing as people in the industry don’t usually whine about gear ratios on message boards, I figured this might be news to most folks in here.
nung.
Get over the Dorel thing…
Cannodales are just wierd…
Lefty…sigh.
Word.
Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the earth 2600 years ago, no-one believed the earth was round until Magellan’s crew circumnavigated the globe 2000 years later. Dirt and BunE’s ancestors may get it eventually.
Ok…. Not really sure what the good G.D. that has to do with Crackenfails…
Are you trying to say that Cdales are the wave of the future?
Or Lefty’s for that matter??!?!
GOOD GRAVY!!!
The apocalypse really is around the corner…
May Jah save us….
BTW, is there still time for my ancestors to “get it”? I was under the assumption that they had all since passed. I guess that’s what I get for assuming….
My house will always be a lefty-free zone.
And I’m done, son
Quite right, descendants….
Ahhh.. there we go…
obviously none of you have spent much time on the lefty, i raced on fox terra logic, rlc 80 and lefty carbon 80 and lefty wins
Obviously you ride a Cervelo…
Also, Lefty shocks look silly
All BS aside, I just discovered the top-level 29er will roll with Stans Wheels. Sweet combo with the BB30 and Carbon Lefty. Bike should be in the sub 24 pound range.
cervelo- I’ve spent enough time fixing them after they’ve blown up. I’ve also seen my fare share of …. you know what? They suck, sorry.
I have ridden the lefty for a full race season and have been happy with it on my 07 caffeine. I am even going to upgrade to the Carbon this winter. I think the leftys used to suck in their early stages but they hold my fat ass up now just fine. Plus, I see so many of them now that they don’t seem like a token thing anymore when I am out on the trails.
Now, if they only had the scalpel out.
I used to ride a Cannondale Super V-500 and the bottom bracket tunnel cracked and began creaking so I pulled everything off of that frame and went with a ‘98 Specialized StumpJumper frame, size 19. Old Specialized are the catz azz, highly recommended. Peace onout y’all! P.L.
Anyone interested in some additional real world experieces with a Lefty? I had a 2005 Cannodale Scalpel that I beat the hell out of for more than three years with a Lefty. I used it for mountain bike racing and adventure racing.
Adventure racing, if you aren’t familiar, can be brutal on bikes. Riding them through every type of terrain and many more times than I can remember through mud, rain, and the bike fully submerged in water in river crossings. Never once had a problem with the shock.
I went to sell it and being the good seller, I brought it to a shop to take apart the shock (who had previously told me don’t bring it in unless there is a problem) and he said that it was in great condition, lubed the seals and reassembled it.
Looking forward to a Cannondale 29er 1 or 2 after a year with a Turner Flux w/ a Reba Race.