Cannondale MOTO: The basics so far

[Hairy]

Ok, I have had my Cannondale MOTO frame for a little while now and I think I have enough feedback to give a little basic insight into this frame.

 

It all started with the lovely Shova frame being sold and in the sale my Revelation and the Bontranger Wheelset also ended up in the deal, so I had to do a little shopping and bartering along the way.

 

New/used items to the build: new FUNN handlebar, new Gravity 50mm stem, new 9spd XO rear der with right hand shifter, a set of hardly used Stans Arch EX rims laced to a set of Superstar hubs (Superstar Trizoid rear hub), 2010 Fox Vanilla 36 RC2 fork, set of Kenda Excavator 2.5" DH tyres (Eventually set this up as Tjoobless on the front), lightly used Reverb Dropper Post and finally a set of Avid Code brakes (Rotors: 205mm front, 180mm rear). Then the new MOTO 1 Carbon frame in a size mendium (2009 model) with a Fox DHX 5 Air can.

 

Existing kit used on the build: grips, Fizik Tundra saddle, Shimano's indestructible 520 pedals, SLX crankset, Spaz 2.3" ground control set up as Tjoobless on the rear

 

Building up the frame was a bit of a frustrating matter as the bike never came with the gable guides required to fit in the frame fittings and I had to get creative with how I would be securing the housings ... I am still not 100% happy, but 80% happy for now will have to do. The chain guide I intended using was also not compatible and thankfully Myles came along to the rescue with the old one he was running on his Reign.

 

So the bike got built up and her first few rides were more of a "finding your feet" type of affairs.

 

A couple of rides under the belt now and I really love this bike. She is a bit of a porky build (15.5kg's) and the rear end is a little flexy, but nothing that is to the detriment of ride feel. The DHX can is a great shock and the ability to adjust the pro-pedal platform by the air setting in the piggy back and then also to control the bottom out and spring curve with the dial below the main chamber allows one to get the bike feeling the way you want it to.

 

What did happen through the last few weeks was that I ended up fiddling with the Vans coil sag settings and then continuously increased the compression and buggering around with the RC2 and rebound to the point where the fork was not feeling so great anymore. The same time I also messed about with the DHX and also managed to get the feel out of tune, so a afternoon spent starting from scratch again getting the basics set up right has been a great investment of time, she really does feel so good at the moment and for a 160mm travel bike with weight issues and a big fat sticky 2.5" front tyre has started to feel far better on the climbs again and simple phenomenal on the descents!

 

Mondays ride was on a fast flowy and rather rocky trail with a couple of off camber sections and "surprise" drops thrown in, the faster I let her go (i.e laying off the brakes ) the better she would feel, good feedback when shifting your weight around and using your hips and holding her line well. The current DHX settings felt bottomless and seems to have virtually continuous contact and feel with the terrain throughout the entire shock stroke....something the Shova was not doing very well mid stroke and bottoming out too easily.

 

Finding little lips and trail odds and ends to get a little air off is also a real "fun factor smile inducing giggling affair".

 

Couple of notes on the parts spec:

 

MOTO frame, the paint finish and the overall build finish is extremely good, you page through the manuals and you also see that the Cannondale boys and girls go through alot of effort and thought into all their products (except the stupid cable guide system). This frame has made me into a huge Cannondale fan and the real lifetime warranty on the frame is something that sets my mind at ease. Well done Cannondale

 

Riding the VAN 36 RC2 coil fork with a 20mm thru axel is also so much of a eye opener, all forks should feel like this....just maybe a bit lighter!

 

That Excavator rolls like a pig, but feels so good when coming down again.

 

Avid Codes are something really special.

 

A dropper post is an absolute must as it just opens up a huge can of "flow" on the trail.

 

 

So in short, this is a introduction into my Cannondale MOTO.... after a few more months I will try and give a proper review on the bike.

 

 

Hairy

Edited September 25, 2013 by Hairy

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Nice, hairy! Glad you like the guide I gave you!

[Hairy]

Not the best pics, but you get the idea for now ... will make an effort of getting decent ones!

 

The front tyre in the second and last "office" pics has been replaced with the 2.5" Kenda.

[MoreTrails]

Very nice, looks like a beast!

Now please take the lights and bottle cage off.....tisk tisk

[Hairy]

Very nice, looks like a beast!

Now please take the lights and bottle cage off.....tisk tisk

Lights get me to the trails in the mornings and the bottle cage is a "frame protector"

[nickc]

Not the best pics, but you get the idea for now ... will make an effort of getting decent ones!

 

The front tyre in the second and last "office" pics has been replaced with the 2.5" Kenda.

 

Stunning bike - please keep us updated to your progress.

 

BTW - seeing its is in team colours can you wheelie like Peter Sagan.

[Guest Omega Man]

Lights get me to the trails in the mornings and the bottle cage is a "frame protector"

Bring her to France for a dirty fortnight. She'll enjoy it.

[Hairy]

Stunning bike - please keep us updated to your progress.

 

BTW - seeing its is in team colours can you wheelie like Peter Sagan.

I can wheelie, but nobody can wheelie like Sagan

 

Bring her to France for a dirty fortnight. She'll enjoy it.

As dirty as that sounds the wife would not approve

[rock]

very nice, about the cable guides, are their simply none, or juts that the frame didnt ship with them wnd ccs doesnt have spare??

[Hairy]

very nice, about the cable guides, are their simply none, or juts that the frame didnt ship with them wnd ccs doesnt have spare??

No guides adpators magafta's came in the bow with the frame

The distributors don't have any and have not come back to me again to see if they can find or can get any

A friend is going up to the UK and he recons there is a place he bought adaptors for his Prophet and they should work on my bike, so lets see .....

[rock]

found a german shop with all spares for MOTO but no cable guides, only the one under the BB, head badge bolts etc.

[Hairy]

A brief update:

• had to rework the rear cable housing and routing .... new setup is far better and shifting is far smoother
  
• been fiddling with rear can, ended up reducing the volume a bit more and the bike is far more responsive / playful and somehow just gets better the harder and tougher the trail becomes
  
• fitted the MRP chain guide .... took some doing to get her fitted and working to 98% perfection (Next 2% to follow this weekend), but this guide just really works so well that I am glad I went through the effort of mounting it
  
• Fox Van ... also played with the set up, using more sag now and also tampered with the RC2 slow speed setting which really has shown this fork to be even better than I thought possible.
  
• slapped a set of orange ESI chunky grips on, they are really nice and comfy with a good secure feel to them
  

This morning she went her down two rather rocky and dodgy single track sections that I have not done on Table Mountain before and she just tracked exceptionally well and really really felt so good on the trail..... the rear tyre must wear down now so that I can get a proper rear tyre and she will be even better

 

All in all I am really loving this bike and it is very evident that this bike will be able to take more and do more than I would ever be able to test it with .... in my mind this is perfect as I would hopefully improve my skills and stop riding like a girly girl.

 

That is that for now.