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09-13-04, 02:07 PM
2004 Cannondale F600 Furio Review
I’ve had this bike for a few months now and have ridden it in enough conditions that I thought I could write a balanced review of it by now.
For those who don’t know this bike, it’s an all-aluminum hard tail built as a typical Cannondale MTB , with front head shock. The main distinguishing feature of this bike is the front suspension lockout, which is unusual for a bike in this price range. I paid ~$1000US. This replaced a Trek Y5 FS bike for me.
Size: XL
Colour: Sobe team yellow
Brakes Avid Mechanical disc brakes.
Shimano deaore/TruVativ components, some Cannondale unique. Hutchison tires.
I bought this bike for several reasons. My old 1999 FS bike was leaving me wishing for the old days of non-suspended MTBs a la Rocky Mountain vintage, I was simply losing too much on climbs and hated the vague surfing-on-a-sofa feeling on descents. It seemed like a good package at $1000 and my favourite LBS was the dealer. .
Frame:
At 6'4", the XL size was a must, while the large was just too small without extended seat post and stem, for my weight (210), the XL is damped better. The head shock uses an air spring and valve dampening. The shock is adjusted via a valve under the headset, which makes mounting a front fender difficult, if not impossible because a plug cannot be fitted in. Creative use of a Dremel tool and nylon straps resulted in a front fender that was usable, strong, flexible and cheap, and still allowed access to the headshock valve.
The frame finish is superb, especially the yellow Sobe team color, which is fluorescent yellow with fluorescent green accents and black graphics. This is no longer available in 2005, with the new options rather tacky. The frame is clear powder coated and very difficult to scratch, neoprene chain guard for the rear is standard. Aluminum work is very well done, with generous gussets and reinforcement. Cannondale has a lot of experience with ally at this point. All other parts are black powder coated, which has been mostly durable, with exception of cranks. The graphics are tasteful, with the exception of the words “Ultra” and “dual assault”on the frame. I hate meaningless terms stamped on bike parts, can make a nice bike look like a Walmart special fast, note to CD: knock it off. Frame is reinforced at disc brake mounting points in seat stay , and while the rear stays are recessed, they are wide enough for really fat tires.
Adjusting the headshock pressure (only done once so far) requires the use of a special high pressure pump, which is not included (boo!). I had issues with the cheap Fisik saddle, which was way to narrow for an XL size bike (LBS swapped at no cost), and the handlebars, these ridiculously wide riser bars which at first I cut, then I replaced for other reasons.
Brakes:
Avid mechs BB5. I chose this option because, well, it was cooler than V-brakes at the time. I have found these brakes to be roughly equivalent in feel and modulation to V-brakes, no better. There is a consistent ting! ting! As objects hit the discs, but I got used to it. They require some adjustment, monthly at the lever, bi-monthly at the pads. Performance exceeds v-brakes in the wet, especially mud. The Black Mavic rims are still holding true.
On the trails:
My area is surrounded by old railway lines that have been lifted and replaced with gravel trails, with off-shoot dirt single track trials that overlap parts of the Canadian Bruce trail. But, I ride to the trials on roads, as I really don’t get strapping a bike to a car to go riding. The ride is fast down the Niagara escarpment (this is the city of the 2003 World Road Race Championships), and steady climbs all the way back, some short steep hills. I find I needed all three front chainrings to cover the spread, especially some side-trials that allow bikes, but are designed for hikers. Shifting from the Shimano set (XT/Deore) is flawless and perfect, still haven’t needed adjustment. The stocks 2.0 Hutchison tires are squidgy, but they will do.
The ride is stiff, I mean really hello-is-that-Charlize-Theron-naked stiff. The aluminum frame transmits all vibration right to your bones, which in turn means all of your energy from your legs back to the back wheel. This took getting used to on descents, and was greatly helped by replacing that 25mm ally riser with a flat carbon bar and Serfas bar-ends to dampen vibration. I think a titanium or carbon seat post is next. The front fork works very well to handle bumps and is very stiff at the wheel-no bump-induced turning, no notable flex. The head shock seems ideal to provide compression and dampening in one middle leg (no innuendo jokes pleez), with a solid U-shape to support the blades. No dampening adjustment (at my level, this would just get me into trouble), I suspect people are worrying too much about that sort of thing. The rubber boot just insures longer life. Everything is sealed well, that’s another reason I bought from a manufacturer rather than an assembler, it’s obvious the bike has been tested and engineered to work. One point: placing water bottle lugs on the downtube just puts the bottle in the line of spray from the front wheel, there has to be a better place.
The lockout is brilliantly simple. One big-ass lever on the head turns 90 degrees for on or off. A label would be nice to tell which position is which, as I often forget and get a nice twack up my arms to remind me I’m locked out. This makes climbing notably more efficient, a real difference I can feel (which says a lot). It is very easy to lift the front wheel over bumps (even too easy on the small front chainring), a MTB for Dummies. It helps a lot in very slow technical areas, as the front feel is excellent and handling while standing on the pedals is very secure.
I don’t do big jumps or drops, although I once hit a section of unfamiliar trail in front of some kids who exclaimed “...cooool!!” and realized I was about to do a very big drop that I was sure would have damaged the frame, but so far, it’s still ok (can’t say the same for my butt).
In the end...
I very happy with the bike overall. It’s taking my riding time away from my road bike. I could have spent more, but I’m certain with diminishing returns. Front fork lockout is just a good idea, especially in a fork design that is light to begin with (otherwise, you’re carrying weight for no reason). For my riding, the hardtail is perfect, the frame is easy to ride, minimal fiddling, just-shut-up-and-ride kinda bike. I think the philosophy is to design the bike like a bicycle, not a motorcycle, with function over design. My LBS is very good at selling Cannondales, which means there are a lot of more expensive ones on the trails, especially with leftys, but other riders seem very impressed with the F600. I would recommend bargaining with your LBS for a better handlebar, seat, seat post to deal with the vibration issues.
I’ve had this bike for a few months now and have ridden it in enough conditions that I thought I could write a balanced review of it by now.
For those who don’t know this bike, it’s an all-aluminum hard tail built as a typical Cannondale MTB , with front head shock. The main distinguishing feature of this bike is the front suspension lockout, which is unusual for a bike in this price range. I paid ~$1000US. This replaced a Trek Y5 FS bike for me.
Size: XL
Colour: Sobe team yellow
Brakes Avid Mechanical disc brakes.
Shimano deaore/TruVativ components, some Cannondale unique. Hutchison tires.
I bought this bike for several reasons. My old 1999 FS bike was leaving me wishing for the old days of non-suspended MTBs a la Rocky Mountain vintage, I was simply losing too much on climbs and hated the vague surfing-on-a-sofa feeling on descents. It seemed like a good package at $1000 and my favourite LBS was the dealer. .
Frame:
At 6'4", the XL size was a must, while the large was just too small without extended seat post and stem, for my weight (210), the XL is damped better. The head shock uses an air spring and valve dampening. The shock is adjusted via a valve under the headset, which makes mounting a front fender difficult, if not impossible because a plug cannot be fitted in. Creative use of a Dremel tool and nylon straps resulted in a front fender that was usable, strong, flexible and cheap, and still allowed access to the headshock valve.
The frame finish is superb, especially the yellow Sobe team color, which is fluorescent yellow with fluorescent green accents and black graphics. This is no longer available in 2005, with the new options rather tacky. The frame is clear powder coated and very difficult to scratch, neoprene chain guard for the rear is standard. Aluminum work is very well done, with generous gussets and reinforcement. Cannondale has a lot of experience with ally at this point. All other parts are black powder coated, which has been mostly durable, with exception of cranks. The graphics are tasteful, with the exception of the words “Ultra” and “dual assault”on the frame. I hate meaningless terms stamped on bike parts, can make a nice bike look like a Walmart special fast, note to CD: knock it off. Frame is reinforced at disc brake mounting points in seat stay , and while the rear stays are recessed, they are wide enough for really fat tires.
Adjusting the headshock pressure (only done once so far) requires the use of a special high pressure pump, which is not included (boo!). I had issues with the cheap Fisik saddle, which was way to narrow for an XL size bike (LBS swapped at no cost), and the handlebars, these ridiculously wide riser bars which at first I cut, then I replaced for other reasons.
Brakes:
Avid mechs BB5. I chose this option because, well, it was cooler than V-brakes at the time. I have found these brakes to be roughly equivalent in feel and modulation to V-brakes, no better. There is a consistent ting! ting! As objects hit the discs, but I got used to it. They require some adjustment, monthly at the lever, bi-monthly at the pads. Performance exceeds v-brakes in the wet, especially mud. The Black Mavic rims are still holding true.
On the trails:
My area is surrounded by old railway lines that have been lifted and replaced with gravel trails, with off-shoot dirt single track trials that overlap parts of the Canadian Bruce trail. But, I ride to the trials on roads, as I really don’t get strapping a bike to a car to go riding. The ride is fast down the Niagara escarpment (this is the city of the 2003 World Road Race Championships), and steady climbs all the way back, some short steep hills. I find I needed all three front chainrings to cover the spread, especially some side-trials that allow bikes, but are designed for hikers. Shifting from the Shimano set (XT/Deore) is flawless and perfect, still haven’t needed adjustment. The stocks 2.0 Hutchison tires are squidgy, but they will do.
The ride is stiff, I mean really hello-is-that-Charlize-Theron-naked stiff. The aluminum frame transmits all vibration right to your bones, which in turn means all of your energy from your legs back to the back wheel. This took getting used to on descents, and was greatly helped by replacing that 25mm ally riser with a flat carbon bar and Serfas bar-ends to dampen vibration. I think a titanium or carbon seat post is next. The front fork works very well to handle bumps and is very stiff at the wheel-no bump-induced turning, no notable flex. The head shock seems ideal to provide compression and dampening in one middle leg (no innuendo jokes pleez), with a solid U-shape to support the blades. No dampening adjustment (at my level, this would just get me into trouble), I suspect people are worrying too much about that sort of thing. The rubber boot just insures longer life. Everything is sealed well, that’s another reason I bought from a manufacturer rather than an assembler, it’s obvious the bike has been tested and engineered to work. One point: placing water bottle lugs on the downtube just puts the bottle in the line of spray from the front wheel, there has to be a better place.
The lockout is brilliantly simple. One big-ass lever on the head turns 90 degrees for on or off. A label would be nice to tell which position is which, as I often forget and get a nice twack up my arms to remind me I’m locked out. This makes climbing notably more efficient, a real difference I can feel (which says a lot). It is very easy to lift the front wheel over bumps (even too easy on the small front chainring), a MTB for Dummies. It helps a lot in very slow technical areas, as the front feel is excellent and handling while standing on the pedals is very secure.
I don’t do big jumps or drops, although I once hit a section of unfamiliar trail in front of some kids who exclaimed “...cooool!!” and realized I was about to do a very big drop that I was sure would have damaged the frame, but so far, it’s still ok (can’t say the same for my butt).
In the end...
I very happy with the bike overall. It’s taking my riding time away from my road bike. I could have spent more, but I’m certain with diminishing returns. Front fork lockout is just a good idea, especially in a fork design that is light to begin with (otherwise, you’re carrying weight for no reason). For my riding, the hardtail is perfect, the frame is easy to ride, minimal fiddling, just-shut-up-and-ride kinda bike. I think the philosophy is to design the bike like a bicycle, not a motorcycle, with function over design. My LBS is very good at selling Cannondales, which means there are a lot of more expensive ones on the trails, especially with leftys, but other riders seem very impressed with the F600. I would recommend bargaining with your LBS for a better handlebar, seat, seat post to deal with the vibration issues.