Cannondale Gemini??? your experiences...

Hi, after some info/ advice. I've been on the lookout for a kind of freeride/downhill bike, not an out-and-out dh bike but one that I can at least ride uphill instead of pushing up all the time.
A friend has offered me a Cannondale Gemini frame along with a Manitou Sherman fork and tbh I know nothing about these bikes (or the fork), he says it's adjustable from 150-170mm travel which sounds fine for what I would be using it for.
My web search has thrown up a few good rider reviews of the bike, but has anyone on here got any more info/ a different view on this frame and also the fork?

Cheers.

I've got one, see my signature. The frame is superb, the fork is only OK, so i've replaced mine for a slightly shorter (160mm Domain). It's no lightweight but it doesn't weigh a ton either, you'll be able to ride it up stuff and it will reward you on the downs. Being a single pivot the shock is important if you don't want to waste too much effort pedaling but set it up well and you'll be fine.

If there's anything specific you want to know just give me a shout.

Thanks for the reply, apparently the rear shock is a Manitou Swinger 4-way??
I'll dig a bit deeper and ask some more questions, but from what I've heard/read so far the Gemini bikes seem to have a good reputation.
Are there any issues/ problems I should look for with the frame?

I'm not aware of any issues, mine has been trouble-free. It's a tough frame, I think you'd have to give it a really hard life to do any big damage to it. Having said that, it is classed as a DH frame by Cannondale, so it doesn't get the lifetime warranty.

Gemini 001 by Pablo's Feet, on Flickr

I owned this one for a while - Gemini 2000 which had the Manitou forks too. It ain't an XC whippet, but it's perfectly ridable as a general purpose bike, but obviously with a balance in favour of gravity assisted trails. The build quality is top notch, one of Cannondales better bikes in my opinion - I never heard of any frame failures on these. Simple, oversized single pivot is reliable, and the frame as a whole is well over built. The fork is ok, bolt through, stiff, if a bit heavy.
If it's the kind of bike you're after, I can't think of much not to like

ps, if you go for your friends frame n fork, make sure you get the headset and stem too, as they might be hard to source elsewhere. And maybe front mech too, I think it needs e-type.