all this reading about the niner air 9 carbon got me jonesing for a superlight hardtail, and I couldn't wait, so picked up this little baby at my lbs.
size large - 19
lol, yes i know......however, it came with a phenom saddle, and on the test ride my butt said not no but hell no.........it is a cool looking saddle, esp with red accents...........i have blown an easy thousand bucks on saddles, and i always come back to wtb.........their saddle engineer must have a butt like mine or something...........if i'm feeling frisky i might try the phenom again, but it doesn't look good..........the look of the wtb on this bike does bother me, but not yet enough to have a really sore ass...........
good point the seat is not that big of a deal..........however one wqith some red and white would look alot cooler, and who doesn't like a cool looking bike.....i used ot ride the rocket v , actually it might be a better sadle for this bike, since it is narrower, it is easier to get on and off the saddle, which i tend to do alot more on a hardtail as compared to a full suspension........
as for the aspen tires they are great, been running them a little while on my one 9..........all of mine have weight right at 500g, i rode stans 2.2 raven before thre aspens, the raven is bigger and more supple than the aspen, but the smaller knobs don't provide as good of traction as the aspens, this is a bit more noticeable on downhill breaking, and steeper and bit more loose climbs......and my ravens were all hovering around 550g, it does roll pretty fast though, but still comparable to aspen in this regard.........I have liked the aspens soo much I have basically forgetten about the ravens.......tried a s-works fast trak and captain, and tore the sidewall in a hurry on the captain as a back tire......the aspen as a 29er race tire is very very hard to beat.....
LMAO and Niner looses another sale but from the fire into the frying pan.
lmao.......i wondered if you would have a comment.........I think the only company you like less than niner is specialized....btw i love my specialized roubaix road bike and have had no problems.....my main decision for bike purchase is not the brand, but who has something that seems to fit my specific needs the best.......for me this bike more than any other reason is prob the lightest currently available 29er hardtail from any bike company, and it was in stock at my lbs, whom i have a very good relationship with..............i probably would have gotten an air 9 carbon but, won't be available in my size until june or july, which i take to mean august or september, and having only the rip while fun to ride is a bit heavier than even my jet and really creates the desire for something lighter and faster, the redesigned jet just isn't different enough from my rip to justify.........i would really like a superlight carbon full suspension running sram xx, but needs to be atleast 4 lbs lighter than my rip (27.3) to justify the difference but not even the tallboy can do this right now......i predict an s-works carbon epic will come in lighter than the tallboy or sf 100......sf 100 would be a lot more tempting if you could get frame/fork only or get it with a xx build..........so i will just ride what i've got until someone shows me i can build a sub 23 lb 29er full suspension without having to super weight weenie the contact points.......
Damn you, suvowner!
First the DT fork last year...now this!
I had a Sworks Stumpy 29 on order...but the delivery was April-ish, so I canceled.
But now I'm rethinking it...again
Nice bike...congrats.
Damn you, suvowner!
First the DT fork last year...now this!
I had a Sworks Stumpy 29 on order...but the delivery was April-ish, so I canceled.
But now I'm rethinking it...again
Nice bike...congrats.
you should get one, this bike is bad ass..........it just screams speed...........my lbs usually gets first dibs on specialized 29er stuff, and this their second one, the first one was damaged in shipping.......get it and put some stans 29er race wheels and you will think you are climbing on your road bike......
i was waiting for someone to challenge that statement, the air 9 carbon geared is still 22lbs, i knew the flash was light, but didn't think it is currently available...the niner obviously isn't available.......i don't think the flash will ride as comfortable or transfer power as well as the specialized........flash has thinner chainstays and bb area, I am sure this is debatable...........but i am totally not a lefty kind of guy, just looks to weird to me......
also i don't like the looks of the flash at all, the niner looks awesome......I also have a niner one 9 with 100mm dt swiss fork that is 19.7ish pounds.......
i knew the flash was light, but didn't think it is currently available...the niner obviously isn't available
got mine last month...just gotta know where to go.
Originally Posted by suvowner
.......i don't think the flash will ride as comfortable or transfer power as well as the specialized........flash has thinner chainstays and bb area,
this isn't cannondale's first carbon hardtail and they did hire the carbon fiber guru guy from scott usa therfore i feel confident that the flash is stiff enough and forgiving enough to squash your thinner chainstay bb area doubts.
Originally Posted by suvowner
I am sure this is debatable...........but i am totally not a lefty kind of guy, just looks to weird to me......
I too was once a lefty doubter one ride will change that forever you will not find a smoother, lighter, stiffer fork ANYWHERE period end of story.
Originally Posted by suvowner
also i don't like the looks of the flash at all, the niner looks awesome......I also have a niner one 9 with 100mm dt swiss fork that is 19.7ish pounds.......
looks are a personal issue some folks don't dig the nascar graphics of the specialized some do i somewhat like the black with white look of the cannondale.
Actually the specialized s-works along with the new carbon fiber jamis 29er were on my radar but you can't beat the system integration of the lefty and the Si one piece stem/steerer and of course the hollowgram sl crank set it was an easy decision over anything else.
When the FACTS are all laid out the Cannondale Flash 29er is a better package than the Niner carbon, Gary Fisher superfly, orbea alma world cup 29er, specialized s-works 29er, jamis Dakota d29 team and the felt nine team. I looked at all the options out there did my homework and the Cannondale just was a bigger bang for the buck in terms of innovation performance design for XC racing and riding.
different strokes for different folks............we all want to believe what we bought and paid good money for is the best......what matters is that it is the best for you.........those are all damn damn good bikes you listed, and the differences between them are realistically relatively small.......
for me i know and ride and race with all the guys as well as the owner at the specialized dealer, i still prefer a regular fork, but i hear your arguments, i got a great deal on this bike b/c of the above and i like the ride quality and feel of specialized carbon stuff, i have used it and have confidence in it.........i think they are the best out there at designing bikes with good vertical compliance and minimal horizontal and torsional compliance.....again this could be debated..............scott bikes are known to be very stiff but also quiet harsh......again could be debated......
i know for my personal preferences the s-works is the best bike currently available........I don't expect you to agree, as there is no way you could....and thats cool with me....I am loving the shitake out of mine and that is all that matters to me..........
i know for my personal preferences the s-works is the best bike currently available.
I realize you are terribly biased to the specialized product however what are your facts to back up your claim that the sworks 29er is the best bike available out there?
Your trying to tell me some reworked rock shox reba is going to be lighter, smoother and stiffer than the cannondale lefty? Along with the specialized BB30 (a cannondale innovation by the way...) crank set is going to be stiffer and lighter than the benchmark cannondale hollogram sl? And finally your trying to tell me that the sworks frame is going to be stiffer than the cannondale flash?
If you actually believe this then please prove it with some facts to back it up otherwise I'm happy for you that you got the local bike shop team deal on your new toy just don't fool yourself that because you got the homeboy hook up that somehow your now riding the wunder bike you think it is. It's a nice bike just don't let it cloud your judgment.
the good thing about not being affiliated with any bike shop you don't have to buy into their hype.
I realize you are terribly biased to the specialized product however what are your facts to back up your claim that the sworks 29er is the best bike available out there?
Your trying to tell me some reworked rock shox reba is going to be lighter, smoother and stiffer than the cannondale lefty? Along with the specialized BB30 (a cannondale innovation by the way...) crank set is going to be stiffer and lighter than the benchmark cannondale hollogram sl? And finally your trying to tell me that the sworks frame is going to be stiffer than the cannondale flash?
If you actually believe this then please prove it with some facts to back it up otherwise I'm happy for you that you got the local bike shop team deal on your new toy just don't fool yourself that because you got the homeboy hook up that somehow your now riding the wunder bike you think it is. It's a nice bike just don't let it cloud your judgment.
the good thing about not being affiliated with any bike shop you don't have to buy into their hype.
He said for him the Sworks was the best bike. not for everyone.
I realize you are terribly biased to the specialized product however what are your facts to back up your claim that the sworks 29er is the best bike available out there?
Your trying to tell me some reworked rock shox reba is going to be lighter, smoother and stiffer than the cannondale lefty? Along with the specialized BB30 (a cannondale innovation by the way...) crank set is going to be stiffer and lighter than the benchmark cannondale hollogram sl? And finally your trying to tell me that the sworks frame is going to be stiffer than the cannondale flash?
If you actually believe this then please prove it with some facts to back it up otherwise I'm happy for you that you got the local bike shop team deal on your new toy just don't fool yourself that because you got the homeboy hook up that somehow your now riding the wunder bike you think it is. It's a nice bike just don't let it cloud your judgment.
the good thing about not being affiliated with any bike shop you don't have to buy into their hype.
lmao, I am no more biased for my bike than you are for your bike....i have 2 treks, 2 niners, and now 2 specialized, I am no slave to any brand.....I have no desire nor do I think it is possible no matter the facts to convince you my bike is better than your bike.........and what is the point........I don't have to buy a bike from anybody in particular, my homeboys would still be my homeboys if i bought a cannondale or santa cruz or whatever........but there is no denying having a good relationship with a shop and its staff goes a long way in the long run to being happy with a bike purchase.....there was no bike shop hype, certainly no more hype than a cannondale dealer hypeing up there flash.............
as I said this is the best bike for me, looks, ride quality, price, customer service.....maybe not for you , but it is for me, and it is after all my bike not yours.......
are you gonna try and beat me up if I don't concede your bike is better or something.....you better not or i might tattle and you will have to go to study hall or detention or whatever they call it.........geez dude, chill out and have a beer and go enjoy your ride........
hey I’m not ragging on his choice of bike just trying to weed out the opinion from fact.
ok cool, but I certainly haven't seen any engineering specs of weight, and torsional rigidity, and frame deflection specs and all the other engineering jargon.......i do know that any pro mtb'er can put out alot more watts than me, and any good stiff high end mtb bike today is plenty stiff for my watts........
dude these bike are all so damn good, you are making mountains out of mole hills..........100-200 grams here, a few newton meters stiffness there, irelevant for us mere amateurs.....
hey I’m not ragging on his choice of bike just trying to weed out the opinion from fact.
I respect what you did with your flash. It is a quality build and I like Cannondales.
I do have to say though, he in no way said his bike was better than yours, mine, or the easter bunnies. You are all up on his nuts over nothing. He said it was the best bike for HIM. He never belittled any brand. He in no way has to prove any part of his bike his superior to yours. He is happy with his purchase and it works for him.
That’s basically your whole argument on this whole bike thing and you have ZERO factual evidence to back up your opinion...
Thats fine and dandy if it's just your opinion just don't come on to some forum and claim something unless you can prove it.
you have stated no facts, only opinion yourself............and I will state my opinion anytime I like.....
what is your problem dude, don't you know anything about forums, they are all about stating opinions, this is not a court of law, and I am not under oath and this is not a deposition........but I have given a number of depositions, and "within a reasonable degree of medical certainty or in my professional opinion , is a legally acceptable standard of proof....
unless you are an engineer for cannondale, anything you have to state regarding the pros/cons of a cannondale design is also inadmissible, as you have no credentials to justify the validity of your opinion......and/or your lay person interpretation of engineering specs.....
"for me this bike more than any other reason is prob the lightest currently available 29er hardtail from any bike company" - for clarification, I qualified my opinion with for me.........thats all, is that really such a crime ???
I do have to say though, he in no way said his bike was better than yours, mine, or the easter bunnies.
Please point out where I’ve said anything negative about his choice of bikes? Hell there were more negative remarks about his choice of saddle than anything I’ve said on this thread. I guess my methodology on picking equipment differs from most and I seem to go with facts not feelings. When you get to this price level of bikes all the bolt on components are going to be about the same the differences are going to be in the innovation and design since I didn’t see anyone on the near horizon that is even close to what cannondale is doing my personal choice was quite easy when all the facts were laid out. This could all change in twelve months when Scott USA could come out with some scott scale 29er ltd bike that would blow everyone outta the water.
I too was once a lefty doubter one ride will change that forever you will not find a smoother, lighter, stiffer fork ANYWHERE period end of story.
.
Hal900 wrote - "anyone have a link on a step by step how to on this lefty reset?
my BRAND NEW lefty feels rough and i've bottomed it out a few times on pretty mellow stuff and the biggest thing that is pissing me off is that the schrader valve is seated so deep that when i try to put air in it i get no psi readings therefore i have to just guess on how much air i have in the damn thing.
there is no excuse that a brand new bike should have these issues."
Please point out where I’ve said anything negative about his choice of bikes? Hell there were more negative remarks about his choice of saddle than anything I’ve said on this thread. I guess my methodology on picking equipment differs from most and I seem to go with facts not feelings. When you get to this price level of bikes all the bolt on components are going to be about the same the differences are going to be in the innovation and design since I didn’t see anyone on the near horizon that is even close to what cannondale is doing my personal choice was quite easy when all the facts were laid out. This could all change in twelve months when Scott USA could come out with some scott scale 29er ltd bike that would blow everyone outta the water.
ok, no problem................peace man...........
I guess we can all agree that they a re both kick ass bikes.
So damn you again suvowner.
And damn you Hal for making think about the Cannonball.
And who ever brought the Easter Bunny into all this...damn you too.
lol, ok that looks and sounds really cool........but also in my line of work, you are not allowed to claim superiority of one product over another unless ther are 2 independent peer reviewed studies and the authors have no direct financial relationship wit hthe product being evaluated, otherwise it is felt that their professional opinion might be biased by their potential fincancial gain that could result from their potentially biased conclusions............
so yea man it is a cool fork, I agree.........you have a cool bike I agree.....you present great facts from a youtube video I agree.....
I guess we can all agree that they a re both kick ass bikes.
So damn you again suvowner.
And damn you Hal for making think about the Cannonball.
And who ever brought the Easter Bunny into all this...damn you too.
lol, your welcome..............upgradeitis is a chronic incureable disease, with definitive intermittent exacerbations.......
And seriously? Your source for "facts" is a marketing manager for Cannondale. OF F***IN COURSE he's gonna make his sh*t sound like the sh*t... it's his JOB.
Who peed in your cheerio's?
And suvowner... i don't say this very much but: Nice Specialized.
And seriously? Your source for "facts" is a marketing manager for Cannondale. OF F***IN COURSE he's gonna make his sh*t sound like the sh*t... it's his JOB.
So exactly what part of that cannondale information is not truthful?
Please bring some evidence and examples to the table if your want to dispute the facts presented.
•Custom Specialized/RockShock Reba S29 is the lightest, stiffest performance XC fork, featuring tapered carbon crown/steerer and Reba Team lower with titanium motion control damper, FloodGate adjust and lockout
•Specialized FACT OSBB carbon crankset with ceramic bearings and 26/39-tooth SRAM spider and rings boasts market-leading stiffness-to-weight for the ultimate power transfer
from an equally credible source, specialized website.............
•Custom Specialized/RockShock Reba S29 is the lightest, stiffest performance XC fork, featuring tapered carbon crown/steerer and Reba Team lower with titanium motion control damper, FloodGate adjust and lockout
•Specialized FACT OSBB carbon crankset with ceramic bearings and 26/39-tooth SRAM spider and rings boasts market-leading stiffness-to-weight for the ultimate power transfer
from an equally credible source, specialized website.............
What ?
you forgot the WEIGHTS to back up their "claim" shame on you.
come on man...
First, Lefty forks are light. When compared to the competition, Lefty forks can be as much as two pounds lighter than leading forks from other manufacturers. Those two pounds can be useful for Tour Divide racers, allowing them to carry more water and food, extra tubes, or rare creature comforts.
Two, Lefty forks perform better. Lefty forks use needle bearings instead of bushings to help ensure premium suspension performance, even thousands of miles into the Tour Divide race in all kinds of conditions. The single strut can account for some of that weight loss, but it also is credited for the super-strong, super-stiff steering response that wastes none of a rider's energy.
Hollowgram SI SL
In 2008, Cannondale's engineers revised the Hollowgram crank design, enlarging the core pocket, trimming weight and retaining the cranks' trademark stiffness.
At a total system weight of 580 grams, the Hollowgram Si SL and BB30 system is the lightest production crankset on the planet.
Moreover, no other production crank can claim the stiffness-to-weight ratio of Cannondale's Hollowgram.
Key points include:
Crankarms are constructed from a 2000-series aluminum that has twice the fatigue life of 7000-series aluminum.
Crankarms are mated to a thin-walled, hollow, oversized 30mm aluminum bottom bracket axle for superior balance of strength, weight and stiffness.
The two-piece, hollow crankarms are CNC-machined for optimum strength and light weight.
MOUNTAIN SI
With proven integration and 130 mm of travel, Cannondale can lay claim to the lightest long-travel forks in the industry. Lefty technology is stiffer and lighter than traditional forks. With BB30/Hollowgram technology, the explosive power transfer that’s long been a staple of our road offerings can now propel you down the trail.
LEFTY FORGINGS REDUCE PARTS & WEIGHT
The use of integration via three-dimensional forgings on the Lefty have reduced parts by half and resulted in stiffer, stronger, more integrated suspension system.
LEFTY AXLE/HUB INTEGRATION
We have shaved 70 grams from the weight of the hub and spindle assembly by switching to a 3D forging that combines two parts into one. Stiffness and strength are improved as well.
LEFTY STEM/STEERER
A one-piece stem-and-steerer combination uses fewer parts and reduces weight – all while boosting stiffness and steering precision.
OVERVIEW
Cannondale's Flash raises the bar.
In February 2009, Cannondale submitted the new carbon Flash to Germany for independent testing.
Zedler Fahrradtechnik, an engineer and independent tester for Germany's prestigious TOUR magazine had never received a mountain bike hardtail that weighed less than 1000g.
Nor had he ever received a frame (at any weight) that scored more than 100 points on tester's stiffness-to-weight comparison.
Never, that is, until he received our bike. The new carbon Cannondale Flash achieved both.
Hey HAL seriously, WHAT THE FVCK is your problem? At no point did he say anything about he had the best bike, he only stated "Best for HIM" and he felt it was stiff enough "for him". If you've got some kind of buyer remorse deal with it I hate SpecialED, but I respect him shoosing it, he did so for good reasons IMHO and even though i despise their business model and practices I respect his choice, you should too.
Oh and Cdales suck arse! There something more for you to ***** about that's an actual statement made to your beloved bike maker.
Originally Posted by Harold
You're doing mtbr wrong, you're supposed to get increasingly offended by the implications that you're doing ANYTHING wrong.
Ok guys enough bashing. Unless you guys own and tried both please don't bash it. Even if you have both what's the point bashing others' stuff, so you can feel superior?
I've tried every fork out there and the lefty is a GREAT fork. It is very very stiff and performance very well. Down side of it is taking front wheel off is a PAIN! I keep my bike inside my car so I do need to take off the front wheel.
I can safely say it is way lighter and stiffer than anything in it's class but there really isn't anything that can touch it's price tag either.
I've also been very tempted at the spec frame/fork combo........so far my self control is still holding up(barely).
"Didn't your doctor tell you to stop smoking and drinking?" George Burns "Yes but they all died"
Oh and Cdales suck arse! There something more for you to ***** about that's an actual statement made to your beloved bike maker.
Sheesh it never stops first I had to enlighten suvowner this afternoon not to say silly things that he can't back up with some truth to it and now I get another self appointed know-it-all with a blog and a opinion getting in on the mix.
Tell us LyNx what exactly makes cannondales suck arse? and before you come back with another angry witless reply remember this opinions that can’t be back up with hard facts are just baseless assumptions.
one of you hooligans stated that the lefty was the lightest suspension fork, im here to end these shinanigans drum roll please......
GERMAN A KILO- 1080g, i think im done here
Your reading comprehension is not to be desired...
Go back and RE-READ where I stated factually that the lefty is the lightest, stiffest and smoothest front suspension on the market today.
I highly doubt some modern version of a AMP Research clone that some German tinkerer made in his back yard workshop is going to pass the same tests as the Cannondale lefty or any other modern front suspension design.
HAL, why are you so defensive about your choice of bike. OK, you're right, its the stiffest, sickest rig out there. I have an idea, maybe we should all ride c-dale's, wear the same clothes, watch FOX news and think a like. That would solve a ton of issues. Do you enjoy the flash when you ride it? If so.....Great. I hope you ride the crap out of that bike.
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Originally Posted by johnny the boy
LMAO 
but from the fire into the frying pan.
