I saw a Cannondale BMX frame on ebay; never seen one before. Anyone know anything about this bike. I'm thinking that a company, which makes elite road bikes can do a good job on a BMX bike. Lining up at the race gate with one of these would draw some attention. The link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/cannondale-F-F-techniq...1QQcmdZViewItem

Don't be fooled...

Definitely one of the worst BMX frames ever - extremely poor geometry is probably the most noticeable deficiency, they were notorious from breaking as well.

I watched one break at the Seacacus track in NJ in 97, definitely junk!!!

Those first came on scene, about 1995 time frame.

Cannondale = Crack-and-fail. Handling is reminiscent of a pig on moonshine, too. Fight. The. Urge.

Regardless, I have nothing but respect for Cannondale. Also, was great to see a respected road and mountain bike company atleast attempt a try at the BMX market back then.

I ride a Cannondale mountain bike, albeit a cheap one, and I swear by them. I don't think I'd go for the BMX bike though. They're just not a BMX company---it's like "Oh yeah and we make a BMX frame too". Trying for more sales base. mmmm, no.

My respect for the Cannondale bikes is almost non-existent. I was given a CAAD frame to race one season, hardtaill with a headshock. The geometry of the frame was almost as bad as those bmx frames, designed for the under 5'6" factory riders of the time, one of the sketchiest bikes I've ever ridden. To top things off, the short travel headshock was almost impossible to tune to a useful setting. It was stiff, quick, and rode like a hay wagon. The only good thing I can say is that it climbed very well.

Now I've been one to suck things up and not say anything bad about a sponsors products, but I was looking for an out with the Cannondale. I gave up the frame when the chain fell off the front sprocket and promptly sliced a chain shaped opening in the downtube (which was as thin as a pop can). It was replaced with a 853 steel frame that served me very well.

Their attempt to enter the bmx market in the mid to late '90's was pretty much a joke. The designer responsible for the bike later came to work for a local parts distributor with the same kind of clueless approach to the bmx line of products.

The BMX frames suffered from the same issue as the American frames (mentioned on other posts) - in that it was using aluminum in a high-tech method that didn't take into account the extra stresses that require gussetting and tube thicknesses to address. They were bound to break, but like American - they refused to add gussetting that may detract from the design and make it harder to market against similar steel frames.

Ironically, at that same time there was a big move to aluminum in bmx - but those in the know (those who had been building bmx and DH frames) created tighter, stronger geometries and added exterior gussets where needed - or used monocoque construction.

I've never understood the appeal by so many to the Cannondale bikes - although I respect all opinions, they've always lead with a "our technology rules the market" attitude. But everything they've made - from the headshock to the CODA brakes have proven to be inferior to products made by product specific companies like Fox shocks and Hope brakes.

You won't see any serious freeride/downhhiller using their bikes - and for good reason.

If you're hot to buy one for whatever reason - I know there is a complete bike (w/ off the shelf parts) sitting at Now Bikes in Arden Hills, MN.

btw- I do own a Cannondale bike (as a rare collectable) it's a Hyena, the 26/24 they made in the late '80s.

Very interesting write up Shawn. I have always looked at those frames with interest. I had no idea they were THAT bad. My local shop in the 90s was a huge Cannondale dealer and they always tried to push at me but at the time I was content with my Schwinn ENF.

I think the frame certainly "looks" good, what is it about the geometry? Kicked out head angle? High BB? What? Were they light frames since they were so thin walled?

Pig on moonshine? That was too funny!!

I've never owned a Cannondale, but they looked like nice bikes. I always thought the Delta-V (91-92) double suspension bikes were neat. I had a 91 Trek 8000 I raced and then up'd it to a Klein "attitude" and I really liked that bike. It just fit me. Now days I have a Schwinn Mesa (17"). Its a nice bike for the cash and the frame looks like about 400 other aluminum frames... Not a real Schwinn I know..LOL!

Interesting to hear that. How Cheesy. Big time.


This is interesting to note, as I worked at Now Bikes PT about 5 years ago for a summer. Never saw this, but I was at the Snelling ave location.
-Bill

The were light, and one of the best anodizing jobs I've seen on a bike frame too.

If I remember right the geometry problems were long chain stays, high BB, slack seat and head angles, tall head tube ... Most everything was out of whack. If you held it up to a new school bike and an old school bike it wouldn't look like either. It's just a weird bike.

I've aways questioned the sanding of the seams on Cannondale bikes - but when the do crack it's usually not the seam, but just behind the weld - which is probably a heat issue with the thin tubes (all the better reason for placing a flush gusset).

Their bikes in general have gotten better as far as strength goes - I believe they're using a bit heavier tubing - at least in the butts. the strenght, quality and formability of aluminum has gotten much better in the last 10 years as well.

Cannondale has been great about replacing any frame that cracks. This was a problem with their early bikes - more a testament to the quality of aluminum in those early days, and the fatigue life of aluminum in general.

I remember 'ol JB had alot to say about Cannondale back in the day, and none of it was good!

If bmxbasics is still up you can read some of it there.

Very interesting opinions of Cannondale...but, I'll stick to my own positive outlook. "To Each His Own"

On the Mtb scene Connondale has always been very much on cutting egde technology for a mass producer. However they often make their products brand specifc so they can often only used on their bikes and if you have their frame you have to use their stuff. This was mostly due to tyhe headshock and the erayl use of a 1.5 headtube. The early headshocks were very bad and all of the sponsored riders were forced to ride them. Aaron Chase was one of if not the first Freestyle Mtb rider to start no using a lefty shock and now it seems few of the riders outside of cross country ride with Cannondale Forks.

Nbl 49a