Saddling a Rocket
I took the new mountain bike out for it’s maiden voyage yesterday – she’s darn fast. I road with Josh Kahney at Rosaryville, where conditions were already dry and fast. The first lap Josh was pushing the pace and I was hanging on. The bike was twitchy and I felt awkward with my position. Second thoughts about the bike were creeping to mind. I had to switch my bike purchase from the Scalpel to the Taurine because the former was back-ordered until at least May due to production complications at Cannondale. This wouldn’t work with several big races coming up in April. The switch was OK with me because my original idea was to purchase a hardtail, but riding it for the first time I was thinking I had made a terrible mistake.
Lap 2, and after dropping the pressure in the tires and getting more comfortable with my position and the feel of the bike, I realized the bike was doing what it was intended to do – rip. Like trying to hold back a 3 year old from candy – I was battling the bike the first lap and uncomfortable with how nimble, light (23lbs), and quick it was. So once we had an agreement I really began to enjoy the ride.
The bike has bells and whistles: Carbon frame. Oversized headtube and BB shell. Carbon cranks. Juicy 7 discs, etc. But I can never discern these attributes in terms of feel on the bike. What I mean is, some will say, “oh yeah, the BB is super stiff”. I guess so. What I noticed was that the bike just responds to everything with quickness. I suppose that can be attributed to the aforementioned bells and whistles. Get out the saddle and crank and it takes off. Climbing, cornering, what-have-you, it takes it fast. So much so that even when I tried to take it easy on the last lap I couldn’t. She wouldn’t allow it.
As you can tell, I am pretty stoked. The bike isn’t going to bomb descents or take big drops. But it is going to do what I purchased it for – to rip through single track and climb like a goat on speed.
kook alert: wheel reflectors still on. In my defense, I was itching to just ride and forgot to remove them.
Indy's Small World 
Went with the Head shock, interesting choice, I will make it steer real fast though.
Looks most uncomfortable! Is that what you will be using in the NOVA?
Any chance you might run that baby 2×9? Just a though…
Darren: Yes – I wasn’t too pysched about the Head Shock, but other than me not pumping it up enough it works well – stiff front end and rides on rails. No major complaints yet.
Mom: Yes, looks uncomfortable, but most bikes do. It isn’t though. And yes, this is the bike coming to AZ. Woo hoo.
Pete: I’d like to go 2×9, but $ is prohibitive. It would mean replacing stuff that, thus far, works fine. I think your idea is on the right track though – it would help increase shifting performance and ditch some useless (if minor) granny gear weight.
word. you just can’t beat a C’dale mtb. i had one until some f-tard stole it at UMD. may he roast in hell.