benjabbi
Bontrager Fan
Yeah, I agree, used them for a couple of years, definitely made a worthwhile difference.
Innovations that weren't...
- Thread starter bikeworkshop
- Start date
grantoury
Kona Fan
That is a cracking bike.Yeah, I agree, used them for a couple of years, definitely made a worthwhile difference.
Got my coat.
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
Crack n fail
benjabbi
Bontrager Fan
It's long gone, it was a great bike though!
I kinda want another Cannondale. I know the reputation but also don't care!
grantoury
Kona Fan
It looks great, nice colour.It's long gone, it was a great bike though!
I kinda want another Cannondale. I know the reputation but also don't care!
Frankenorange
Orange 🍊 Fan
I am sure this was all blown well out of proportion though, by haters. My understanding was there was an issue, very early on with the aluminium frames, where a small number of frames cracked. Might have been one batch and I think it was a heat treatment post welding, or something not right with the supplied tubes. After that was understood they haven't had any more problems than any other manufacturer, but the shit stuck. I am sure i read this written by an ex employee, but it is the internet so it could just have been a fanboi.
Maybe i am wrong?
grantoury
Kona Fan
I wouldn't be surprised. I only ever heard it on this website.
bikeworkshop
Old School Grand Master
Cannondales (im thinking of from the early days right up to early 2000s) are extremely prone to cracking at the bottom of the seat collar slot.
Overextended or undersized seatposts, saddle far back, make it almost a certainty.
And larger riders increase the chance.
But a cared- for frame with a well- fitting, rigid post and plenty of insertion, ridden by a person of healthy weight range is almost certainly fine.
They were very light, stiff frames at the time - that's why.
A race quality construction is different to cargo!
Ask anyone professionally servicing bikes 20 years ago.
I image they are in the same ballpark as everyone else now their product is far east factory output.
Overextended or undersized seatposts, saddle far back, make it almost a certainty.
And larger riders increase the chance.
But a cared- for frame with a well- fitting, rigid post and plenty of insertion, ridden by a person of healthy weight range is almost certainly fine.
They were very light, stiff frames at the time - that's why.
A race quality construction is different to cargo!
Ask anyone professionally servicing bikes 20 years ago.
I image they are in the same ballpark as everyone else now their product is far east factory output.
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pwebb
Senior Retro Guru
I have used the Tektro brake booster/rocker things to simplify cable routing and especially when no front cable hanger is provided nor available via a hole in the stem...
...all the ones I have tried tend to direct all the force on just one side of the brakes (see below pic) - so, while they can simplify the cable run, reduce weight and get rid of ugly stem mounted cable hangers, they don't actually work very well and I think they also slightly reduce the braking force too - there is something about the taut vertical cable above the straddle wire in the conventional Canti arrangement that makes it pretty efficient and with good even distribution to both sides - once you take that out of the equation the cantis don't tend to work as originally intended - just my £0.02 - they do give a nice 45 degree angle though so its not all bad.
...all the ones I have tried tend to direct all the force on just one side of the brakes (see below pic) - so, while they can simplify the cable run, reduce weight and get rid of ugly stem mounted cable hangers, they don't actually work very well and I think they also slightly reduce the braking force too - there is something about the taut vertical cable above the straddle wire in the conventional Canti arrangement that makes it pretty efficient and with good even distribution to both sides - once you take that out of the equation the cantis don't tend to work as originally intended - just my £0.02 - they do give a nice 45 degree angle though so its not all bad.
novocaine
Retro Wizard
wasn't just one frame, it was a large percentage of them including their road bikes. as Tom says issues under the seat collar but also under the seat stay join and at the BB. they pushed to hard with aluminium and paid the price.
I'd still have one, especially with a leftie.
