Carkar7

This is supposedly a "Road bike meant to be fun"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROsE7dT6PgQ

Not sure if it's a gimmick or if those tires are actually capable of producing road-bike-speeds. I have to admit, I'm a little intrigued...

Homebrew01

Essentially a cyclocross bike. Put on whatever tires are appropriate for your riding. Those bigger tires will be a tiny bit slower than 23-25. Probably a good compromise if you are riding mixed roads & trails.

Carkar7

Found these specs online for their top model: Slate Force CX1

PepeM

Why wouldn't it reach 'road bike speeds?'

rms13

The guys in the video are clearly riding on the road at "road bike speeds", unless that's all CG and fancy special effects to fool us into buying one

Hypno Toad

It is a gimmick and I'm sure it can reach "road-bike-speeds". It won't be the same aero advantages as a pure road bike, but it's more about the engine than the gimmicky-lefty fork.

My 2009 Kona Dew Drop is capable of every thing in the video and it cost a lot less. Here's my Kona set up for the Westside Dirty Benjamin (gravel century):



Lastly, I don't like suspension forks for anything less that downhill.

Stucky

I couldn't watch more than a few seconds of the vid- the music was too annoying- but just judging by the fact that they are showing a lot of images designed to create certain emotions, without actually getting to the point and actually saying anything, I'd say that it seems to be the typical scenario to sell an image or "lifestyle" rathyer than any substance.

Do people in this day and age still fall for this crap?

You want to sell me something....get to the point, FAST; and state the facts- what makes your product different and/or better. You have a few seconds to get my attention....don't waste those seconds with music o "positive image association".

therhodeo

We're you also needing someone to get off your lawn?

UnfilteredDregs

I'm thinking if that fork is tuned right it'll go a long ways to dampening a lot of chatter on rather fast descents over very loose stuff...

grolby

They're just a little on the wide side, that's all. Exactly what you want on an "all-road" bike. Bit of an aero penalty, yes. As to how well the bike actually handles, how on earth are we supposed to know? Presumably it handles like a bicycle.

The benefits of suspension are real and no gimmick. The problem for suspension on road bikes historically has been that the technology hasn't been satisfactory. But times have changed and it has improved a lot, which is part of why we're seeing suspension systems on some road bikes now. Like the Trek Domane, for example. The other reason is the current trend toward road bikes intended for use on more varied terrain than perfectly paved streets. So we'll be seeing more bikes like this coming out, for sure. Time will tell if it sticks.

LOL. Stucky, superior human being, certainly never has feeble FEELINGS associated with the things he chooses to buy and use. His preferences are determined only by cold, hard facts, not by emotional responses or prejudices calcified by decades of believing that he's smarter than everyone surrounding him.

Dan333SP

Big companies spend millions and millions on market research and focus groups so that they can sell to this specific personality. Sadly, they obviously still don't get it, and are losing .0000001% market share as a result.

UnfilteredDregs

This is essentially it. Current road bikes as they stand are rather specialized beasts. Race/Endurance/Gravel, etc..If anything something like the Slate is more deserving of the road-bike name simply because you can take it on virtually any road. Cannondale is kind of smartly rounding things together here with a jack of all trades 650/700 bike and special iteration of the Lefty, which is a rather mature design at this point.

I can't count how many times I've pointed to a dirt, or loose paved turnoff, and the roadies I ride with all hem & haw shaking their heads looking at their 23 & 25 mm's completely not sure of themselves...Sucks to be them IMO.

Hypno Toad

Possibly, as somebody that sucks on fast gravel descents, I'm not the best one to talk... However, I'm more likely go rigid fork and use the tire (tire size & pressure) to tune the ride.

Hypno Toad

Yeppers!

UnfilteredDregs

I find the "torpedo" method of steering works well... Aim it straight, light on the bars and saddle, and your arms kinda act like a wishbone suspension in the hooks...lol

but yeah...Tires absolutely, nevertheless dampening via both is a winning combination...and you can lock the Lefty out. I hope they offer this version of the fork aftermarket, I'm designing a bike here with a well known NYC guy, who's an offroad racer, motorcyclist, mountain biker, skater, etc..I'm seriously considering designing it to have a geometry thatr caters to both 650 & 700 and the possibility of that fork.

rms13

all I can say is I was intrigued and now I really want one

mawashi

Looks like a fun bike and uses 650 wheels. Looks like a cross between a MTB and a road bike but more mtb than even a cyclocross bike so I guess it'll handle like a cyclocross bike with suspension.

Don't think it will ever be as fast as a road bike nor will it handle as well as a mtb on technical trails but it looks like a capable cross for a lot more intermediate terrains, roads, gravel roads and light trail riding.

It might be a good setup from where I come from cos there's no really gnarly trails, mostly roads, gravel roads and some trials however, if I'm going to do trails I'll use a proper mtb, on roads and unpaved roads, I'll just use larger tires on my road bike.

woodcraft

According to the Bicycle Quarterly team,

This wheel/tire size is the bomb.

They pity those of us stuck on harsh, skittish & slow skinny tires.

They also market high quality tires in that size. https://www.compasscycle.com/product...ts/tires/650b/

rms13

For what it's worth I've been regularly riding a fire road with some friends full of hard pack dirt and loose sand/gravel and we all have road bikes with 23s and rim brakes and none of us have crashed yet. It is a little un-nerving over loose sand sometimes but I generally just coast through without pedaling or hitting brakes

LesterOfPuppets

When will they release the full squish version?

RJM

Cannondale getting into old tech now....my 5 year old Rivendell Sam Hillborne is set up with 38 wide 650b wheels...that bike rides great. It's nice to see other riders seeing the benefit.

I really don't think suspension is needed with wider tires like this.

TobinH

I used to be quite skeptical, but I tried a friend's bike and really liked it. I ordered a long-distance bike in the BQ mold and it really is fantastic.

billyymc

Why do you think the lefty fork is gimmicky? It's not exactly new.

Plus imagine how fast you can fix a flat - don't even have to remove the wheel

Hmmm

I want one.

badger1

Took 18 years or so, but it's back.