Cannondale MTB - What Model???

Yes, there can always be cased cited where such and such a bike broke and folks tend to then make a generalisation. Unless such events have a recoded history of happening frequently, it's heresay.

Many cyclists I've come across dislike Treks - I've been told my Madone is "the commodore of the peloton" by a fellow club member riding a Pegoretti...it is personal preference, but I personally know of quite a few Colnago, Pinnarello and other so called "exotic frames" failing in less than 10 years, and what happens then? You buy a new one. Trek on the other hand provide a new frame.

I'd be interested to hear why anyone might dislike a Trek 9.9 SSL if they ride one!

I've always seen Trek and Giant like Ford vs Holden. It depends on which side of the tracks you're from, which side you dress to, and/or whether you wipe back to front or front to back :cool:.

James.

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Originally Posted by rainman

I've always seen Trek and Giant like Ford vs Holden. It depends on which side of the tracks you're from, which side you dress to, and/or whether you wipe back to front or front to back :cool:.

James.

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Yeah - that's my point, many cyclists do...but the mystique of Santa Cruz frames may be less solidly felt if your frame breaks and you get no warranty!

Riding is believing, and to ride an OCLV MTB may change your mind. As I said to my Pegoretti riding friend, might be the commodore of the peloton, but when was the last time an Alpha won Bathurst? :D

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Originally Posted by rainman

I've always seen Trek and Giant like Ford vs Holden. It depends on which side of the tracks you're from, which side you dress to, and/or whether you wipe back to front or front to back :cool:.

James.

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Never looked at it like that...but i suppose your right, i've never been interested in Treks at all, but have 2 Giants ( Reign 0, Anthem 29er ), but then again i'm not brand loyal, i also have a Cannondale Gemini, Voodoo Canzo 29er, and a KHS Solo One 29er...

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Originally Posted by Scallops

Yeah - that's my point, many cyclists do...but the mystique of Santa Cruz frames may be less solidly felt if your frame breaks and you get no warranty!

Riding is believing, and to ride an OCLV MTB may change your mind. As I said to my Pegoretti riding friend, might be the commodore of the peloton, but when was the last time an Alpha won Bathurst? :D

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If my Chameleon breaks now, after 6 years of being seriously spanked (I'm talking road-gaps-on-a-hard-tail-spanked), it will be framed and mounted above my bed, and I will buy a brand new one. That thing has put up with way more than it should have.

Without getting into an argument specifically about OCLV, I'm with you all the way on the carbon thing though. I ride a Scott Scale 30 as my XC bike and a Scott CR-1 as my road bike. I would use nothing but carbon for these purposes, but for trail trashing and downhill, I don't believe carbon is an option (unless you're talking Lahar or Santa Cruz V-10 Carbon, but that's just silly dollars).


James.

I went down to the local Cannondale dealer and have come up with two options;

1. Hardtail - Cannondale Flash Carbon 2 29'er (Carbon frame and lefty, Sram X9 groupset etc.)
2. Dually - Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 2 29'er (Same as above but XT groupset)

I would prefer SRAM over Shimano though. Going to take both for a ride as wll as a 26 Scalpel to get a feel for them.

Right now I am leaning more towards the hardtail 29'er.

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Originally Posted by rainman

If my Chameleon breaks now, after 6 years of being seriously spanked (I'm talking road-gaps-on-a-hard-tail-spanked), it will be framed and mounted above my bed, and I will buy a brand new one....
James.

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That is my point - you will have to. A very good friend of mine, you may know him, is a multi time Elite XC Qld Champion, and his Cannondale hardtail has been abused for more than 10 years without failure. But if and when it does, he'll get a new one at no charge. ;)

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Originally Posted by rainman

That's good to know. CJT, it sounds like you shouldn't have too many worries then if you go down the Lefty path. The reviews on MTBR seem to be very favourable as well.

There you go - personal opinions should be taken with a grain of salt ;).


James.

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Looking over the bikes the frame and forks will easily take the punishment, especially seeing as at the most I have weighed 80kg when I was racing all the time.

Slightly lighter now but with less muscle and a bit more fat...:p

The only issue on these style of bikes is the rims, they are built for XC and obviously will not take the same beating.

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Originally Posted by CJT

I went down to the local Cannondale dealer and have come up with two options;

1. Hardtail - Cannondale Flash Carbon 2 29'er (Carbon frame and lefty, Sram X9 groupset etc.)
2. Dually - Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 2 29'er (Same as above but XT groupset)

I would prefer SRAM over Shimano though. Going to take both for a ride as wll as a 26 Scalpel to get a feel for them.

Right now I am leaning more towards the hardtail 29'er.

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Sounds like a good choice to me. I have never used SRAM - is there any functional advantage over Shimano XTR other than price?

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Originally Posted by Rayngie

Never looked at it like that...but i suppose your right, i've never been interested in Treks at all, but have 2 Giants ( Reign 0, Anthem 29er ), but then again i'm not brand loyal, i also have a Cannondale Gemini, Voodoo Canzo 29er, and a KHS Solo One 29er...

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Just too throw my 2 cents in, obviously all personal preferance, however for road I would prefer an Eddy Merckx frame (if you can still find the handbuilt carbon laid ones) with SRAM Red groupset.