That Cannondale is able to create fast bikes shouldn't be anything new. With the F29 and the Jekyll you have two mountain bikes in your portfolio that are second to none and have already racked up a number of victories. Now the new race bullet for XC use was presented in Albstadt, on which Marco Fontana and Manuel Fumic will take a seat in the future, the Cannondale F-SI.
The big innovation of this project is called system integration. As chief developer Peter Denk says, it is not important to construct the lightest frame with the highest stiffness values, it is more important that all installed components are optimally matched to one another and thus the perfect bike is created. Probably the biggest innovation is the AI drivetrain, which brings with it asymmetrical chainstays. The basis for this is a drive that is shifted to the right. By shifting the chainrings six millimeters, you can achieve a much shorter rear triangle. According to Cannondale, at 429 millimeters they have created what is currently the shortest rear end of a 29er. This design is intended to provide another important service benefit. Because to compensate for the asymmetry, instead of two spoke lengths, as is usual, only one length is used. Thus, the rim is loaded more evenly and the rear wheel is much stiffer due to the same angle on both sides.
The geometry has been visibly adapted to the short chainstays. The steering angle is only 69,5 degrees and is therefore a full 1,5 degrees flatter than on the previous model.
Another special feature is the new Lefty, which has a larger offset. With an offset of 55 millimeters, the wheel is another ten millimeters longer, which should primarily benefit the smooth running of the bike. In order to prepare the bike even better for races and to make it easier to maintain, a conscious decision was made to use external cables. This means that repairs can be carried out much faster and valuable time can be saved.
In order to be able to continue to offer the driver enough comfort, flexing pressure struts were installed, which, in combination with the very short and stiff chainstays, should still give enough feedback from the ground. This is nothing new in itself, if you already know this way of thinking from the predecessor or the racing bike classic, the Cannondale Synapse. You also have the new one Save 2-Seat post designed for an even greater deflection, which should offer even more comfort.
When the Cannondale F-SI will be available is currently unknown. But the bike will be available in a total of four different variants, which will differ only in terms of equipment. The new Lefty 2.0 is used on all models. For more information, visit www.cannondale.com
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