Review: Who doesn't remember the video starring Marco Aurelio Fontana and Peter Sagan that Cannondale released a few months ago? The two racers were in it on the F-Si 29 team on road.
We were allowed to take the bike equipped by the Cannondale Factory Racing Team on our home trails.
The F-Si 29 team has been completely redesigned for the 2015 model year. The engineers attached particular importance to system integration. So the bike isn't just for Shimanos XTR Di2-Group prepared, but also for Srams 11-speed groups.
This is particularly evident from the holes in the carbon frame. The lug for attaching the front derailleur can be unscrewed - a visual highlight with regard to cranks with only one blade. Only the shift cable routed on the outside of the down tube is a bit inferior.
The carbon frame is much stiffer and lighter than the known one F29. Also, he's more agile. This is due to the optimized geometry, which at 429 millimeters has extremely short struts and a low head tube. The rear end is asymmetrical, and the bottom bracket is kept relatively low. The new Lefty and the Save 2-seat post underline this Race ready-Concept which Cannondale dem F-Si 29 team incorporated.
Our test bike was also equipped with carbon components from Enve and FSA as well as a complete Sram XX1 .
From the first turn of the pedals, the bike shows itself to be a true racing machine. Thanks to the short stays, the bike is agile and accelerates like no other 29er. In general, one forgets on that F-Si 29 team fast that one on a bike with great wheels is on the way. It feels as sleek as a 650B in corners, but it shows the strengths of a 29er on rough sections.
Thanks to the fork that can be operated from the handlebars, the bike is easy to control even on steep ramps. The forward thrust is simply impressive - no wonder with a live weight of little more than eight kilograms.
The components also seem well chosen. The seat post offers a comfortable flex. srams XX1 once again shows itself from its best side and proves why it is currently one of the best trail groupsets: crisp shifting behavior, despite the wide cassette spread, and hardly any chain slap. The wheels are in no way inferior to the frame in terms of weight and rigidity and are therefore not only visually appealing. In combination with Schwalbes RacingRalph you get a handy and fast package here.
Conclusion
If you have the wherewithal and are looking for an XC bike that lets you feel like a World Cup racer on the home trails, the Cannondale will do the trick F-Si 29 team definitely be happy. The bike is light, stiff, agile and also has some clever details in terms of system integration.
product Highlights
high quality frame
excellent driving characteristics
price and web
6.999,00 Euros
www.cannondale.com