|
|
Average Rating
|
4.67/5
|
|
# of Reviews
|
24
|
|
MSRP
|
$
|
|
Weight
|
|
|
More Products from Cannondale
Submit a Review
|
|
Description:Frame: Rush, 110 mm
Fork: Lefty Speed Bonded DLR2, 110 mm
Rear Shock: FOX Float
Rims: Mavic XM117 Disc, 32 hole
Hubs: Cannondale Lefty front, Shimano M475 rear
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from Rockland County NY
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | new in 06 @ Bikeway | | Strengths: | Made in USA, lifetime waranty on frame, stock components can take abuse, in love with the lefty, manuverability on trails. wide array of colors for the Rush series. For the $$$ its a great foundation | | Weaknesses: | yes, the rear stock shock has some pogo uphill
back tire has a tough time tracking uphill(possibly bc of stock shock?)
stock tires cant hold corners are well as others that i have used in the past
the seat blows - too hard and narrow - oooowwww!
| | Similar Products Used: | Dawg Dee-lux, Y-5, raven . . | | Bike Setup: | stock . . . completely. | | Bottom Line: | overall I am happy with this purchase. I'm hypocritical bc IMO the tires, rear shock and seat are horrible but I havent replaced any of them. Dont ride as much as I use to, so it is perfect for what i need. I can hang with the pack pretty much wherever we go riding and dont have to worry about having a hardtail, freeride and downhill in the garage. If I wasnt so impulsive and could do it over again. . . this would not be my choice, it would be more along the lines of the rocky mountain element 70. Just my thoughts on the bike. Bought it new in 06, still have it for 08 (actually just took a nice ride with it this morning), hopefully ill have some extra cash so it will be gone for 09. Great bike for the cash, could be better. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gregory
a Racer
from Lafayette Colorado
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | elk meadows | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | golden bear | | Strengths: | excellent suspension (love the lefty) good components overall perfect bike | | Weaknesses: | grips and the length of handle bars | | Similar Products Used: | iron horse maverick 4.5 | | Bike Setup: | Stock ( not for long ) except for grips. Changed those to good n evil grips. | | Bottom Line: | Excellent bike for the money absolutely love it. It handles like a champ on the trail very maneuverable. Its an awesome bike and i after one ride i cant wait for the next. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a Racer
from Emory, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Iron Mountain Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | Adventure Damascus | | Strengths: | Great suspension on both ends, decent component spec, great price. | | Weaknesses: | Crankset and BB, uncomfortable seat, not all that light, grips are weird. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Epic, Enduro, Gary Fisher Cake 1 DLX, Giant Iguana | | Bike Setup: | Pushed Float shock, Race Face cranks, XT 11-32 casset, Ritchey WCS flat bars, Formula Oro K18 brakes, Maxxis Ignitor tires, old C'dale OEM saddle, Crank Brothers Smarty pedals, Lizard Skin grips. | | Bottom Line: | This is an update on a previous review. I have found this bike to be loads better once I tuned it to my riding style (after I wrote my first review.) This bike is absolutely phenomenal! Everything works exactly as it should one you have it fitting and tuned right. That is the key, take your time getting everything right. I ride my Rush every week and have begun to race it over the past year. Love every minute on it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Barcelona, Spain
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | It is a great overall bike for the mountans. It does every thing well. I like climbing everything and it has a way with tough tecnical single track. I goes down hugging the ground. The lefty is a supper fork, no incredible! | | Weaknesses: | inishal component set. | | Similar Products Used: | just hardtails. | | Bike Setup: | crank br cranks and pedals, I made the back wheel hope pro11 arrowlight and mavic 717, crossmark tiers, sella anatomica seat thomson post, some crbn handle bar. the rest is as it came. | | Bottom Line: | I use this bike every day to get to work and every thing else we do here. Lots of trail rideing. Our rides start with a 1500 ft asent, and this bike is always a pleasure to ride. It is a bunch of fun. The mech brakes are double ajustable and are realy great. We have xt hidro on the other bike and they work comparably well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Pinsky
a Cross Country Rider
from Ganutanamo Bay, Cuba
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Ridgeline, Cuba | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | NEX | | Strengths: | The lefty fork is something that has to be experienced to be appreciated. Although there's no lockout on my rear shock, climbing the steep hills here is GITMO is not an issue for the bike. I however have quite a bit of conditioning to do to really put this bike to good use. I ride a small and the power transfer is hardtail like. Smooth, fast bike. This is my first disc brake bike. How did I ever live without them? Im not sure what it weighs but the balance of the bike makes it seem light.
This bike breeds confidence in its owners. | | Weaknesses: | The shifters seem long-winded and tightly grouped with the brakes. Maybe its more of my small hands than anything else.You can have a normal bike computer of the lefty but you have to throw a piece of rubber or some other spacer under the sensor to close the gap in spacing. Mine works fine.
| | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Hardrock Comp. Gary Fisher Joshua. Jamis Dakar. | | Bike Setup: | Stock. | | Bottom Line: | Cannondales are solid bikes. This is my first and I can feel the difference in everything from the frame to the ride. You can just tell the engineers built it for people who ride, and that matters. Excellent ergonomics. I know there are cheaper bikes, and Lord knows theres more expensive bikes but the Rush seems like the perfect compromise between pricey dream bike and bottom-dollar utilitarian. Even on the road this bike gets the heart rate going with a solid cadence and little to any pedal bob.I love and respect this machine and will own it for years to come. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Pennsylvania
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | American Standard | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1450.00 | | Purchased At: | Spokes bike shop in Hamburg | | Strengths: | Suspension works superbly. Both high and low speed handling are excellent. The bike is lightweight, especially considering the amount of travel and price point. Components work very well and are durable. Took a couple good hits to the SRAM x7 derailleur and it's still in line. Avid mechanical brakes very powerful after break-in period. | | Weaknesses: | The bike came with a FSA handlebar which was, if I remember correctly, around 29 inches wide. Too wide in my opinion for a cross-country bike. Also, the bottom bracket is on the low side. While this does lower the center of gravity and help handling, I've hit a lot more rocks/roots with the chainring than on other bikes. Cannondale levers and Avid BB7 brake combo doesn't provide the modulation I'm used to. Will be switching out levers to Avid speed dial. | | Similar Products Used: | This bike replaces a Cannondale Super V 2000. Have some experience on a Cannondale Jekyll. | | Bike Setup: | Cross-country. Narrow, flat bar. Swapped 11-34t cassette for 11-32. | | Bottom Line: | Great bike at a reasonable price. Suspension and handling are terrific. As a plus Made-in-U.S.A. Needs a few parts swapped to tailor to preferred fit and riding style, but then most bikes do, in my opinion. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Manchester, NH USA
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | FOMBA Trails | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Goodale's of Hooksett | | Strengths: | Decent components, style, stability is incredible (it will smooth out anything), Lefty stands out in a crowd, The black on black design with the reflective stickers makes the bike really stand out | | Weaknesses: | Low bottom bracket- the ends on my crank arms are pretty beat, the stock pedals from cannondale smashed apart inside of a month- went to shimano spd's, stock handlebars are way too wide- great for stability- but tough to use on the tight trails in New England | | Similar Products Used: | GT LTS 2, GT Zaskar LE | | Bike Setup: | Swapped out pedals for shimano spd's, FSA carbon handlebar, FSA carbon seatpost, Specialized Avatar 155 saddle (the stock fizik made my legs numb), Panaracer Fire XC Pro's (fried the Serac's that came stock in about 2 months) | | Bottom Line: | I got some money last spring from a stock option deal so figured time to retire my LTS 2- it served me well for 10 years. I tested out the rush, the scalpel, and the prophet. All 3 were incredible bikes, but the geometry and body position just felt comfortable on the rush. Once the shock and lefty were setup, the bike rides like a dream. Some of the cheaper parts started going- (chainring bolts had to all be replaced- snapped 2 of them, stock wellgo knock off pedals smashed after a couple of good hits) The SRAM X.7 components are nice and work in anything- we had some serious mud last spring and the bike never skipped a beat. The bars were a little wide- I kept smacking trees on a couple of tight sections. I went to a smaller FSA K-Force carbon bar and took care of that. Next upgrade will be the rear shock. The stock float has no controls or pro-pedal and it does tend to have a bounce to it under hard cranking. The lefty surprised me, I really like it- very active and smooth.
Overall though, great bike and everyone that has borrowed it off me to try it out always gives me a hard time about getting it back... I have a feeling there may be a couple of new ones in the mix of riders I ride with next spring. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
marsupial
a Racer
from Arizona
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Lefty Fork
Less suspension bearings to cause problems
Stand over
Stable Geometry, low bottom bracket
Reasonable spec for the price
Flat black anno with reflective decals is cool. | | Weaknesses: | Stock shock bobs going uphill
low bottom bracket
No rebound on stock shock
Stock bike is heavy
Pedal feedback in middle and small ring
Stock tires not great for our local trails
Lefty fork makes getting bike onto roof rack harder | | Similar Products Used: | Have owned in past:
Titus Loco Moto
Titus Racer X
Orange Sub 5
Turner 5 Spot | | Bike Setup: | Modified from original with:
Fox RP23
Salsa wide flat bar
Syncros Post and Flite saddle
Mavic tubeless rims with DT rear hub
Formula Oro K24 discs
Race Face cranks
eggbeater pedals
Python Light UST tires
26.8lb | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike for marathon/endurace racing. It was cheaper for me to buy the complete bike and sell off most of the parts than to get a frame/fork???? even with a team deal from my LBS. The bike rides quite well, but the climbing and descending really improved when I changed out the stock shock for the RP23. The pro pedal setting really helps the bike climb better and I think the stock shock was packing down on the descents as when open the bike descends a lot better on rocky terrain. I noticed that Cannodale now has the Rush 4 with rebound.
The bike was 30lb on an Ultimate hanging scale out the door at the LBS. My mods saved over 3lb on the bike. The rest of the components were serviceable and if not racing I probably would just have upgraded the rear shock and run a tubeless conversion and changed the tires on the stock wheels and called it a day.
I do occasionally notice some pedal feedback in the middle ring when climbing if the shock compresses, but it is not a big deal overall. I have owned quite a few horst link bikes, they climbed better seated and had a little more traction on tech climbs, but the Rush makes it a little easier to accellerate out of the saddle, especially with pro pedal engaged. The low bottom bracket is a good and bad thing. I do get more pedal strikes than with other bikes but it is more stable at speed. I still think another 1/4 inch would not hurt the handling but might stop the pedal strikes a little.
I was dubious about the Lefty, but have to say I am impressed. I was riding a hardtail single speed with a SID and initially I was all over the trail because I wasnt used to the rigidity and kept overcorrecting. It is harder to get onto a rack, but I usually carry it inside so its not a big deal. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy Vanderwolf
a Weekend Warrior
from Rapid City, SD, USA
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | Two Wheeler Dealer | | Strengths: | Very solid components for the price. I had considered the Rush 1000 model, particularly because of the hydraulic discs and upgraded rear shock, but read in reviews that the upgraded shock didn't allow for full lock-out and had been a minor disappointment to some. Also, I have the general impression that hydraulic brakes are more finicky than mechanical, but this may be less true than in the past. The Avids have been fantastic--easy to adjust, and provide powerful stopping. I can't imagine what you'd do with a leaky hydraulic setup miles away from a set of tools.
The Lefty is fantastic, with excellent tracking, ability to smooth out the extremely rocky terrain where I ride, and on-the-fly adjustment for lock-out and rebound. I've found that I rarely lock it out, though, because the compression curve is great without it. The rebound adjustment is not that dramatic, but maybe heavier riders will notice--I'm 150 pounds.
I was drawn to the rear suspension setup because of its single-pivot simplicity. Although I was nervous, there is simply not a lot of bob, so I am glad that I didn't spend the extra money for the 1000 model. In fact, in the rocky terrain I ride--not necessarily by choice, but the Black Hills ARE giant rocks jutting from the plains--the rear tire tracks the ground going uphill better than my hardtail. Although the bike is heavier than a hardtail, it's actually more comfortable going uphill with a little bit of suspension.
Again, though, trails here are generally solid rock with a little bit of dirt thrown on top, so keep that in mind when thinking about this bike.
I've always had nice shifter-derailleur setups (Shimano and SRAM), so was a bit reluctant about non-top-o-the-line. But this shifts whenever I tell it to, under load or not. | | Weaknesses: | The seat is narrow and uncomfortable, but I think all bike seats are too narrow. (I built my own out of aluminum plate for my hardtail. It's hard on the sit-bones, but never crushes the perineal area like factory seats. And it is still small enough to not look like a granny seat.)
I just angled the nose of the seat way down, and will make another seat when I have time.
The BB is lower than you might expect, but this is a design element, not a weakness. Just keep it in mind if you intend to go over lots of tall stuff like logs and rocks. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized 2004 with "brain" rear shock and hydraulic discs. (Rented it for a couple of days in Tahoe.) Not enough riding to make a detailed comparison, but I did notice that the rear of the specialized seemed very heavy, unlike the Rush. | | Bike Setup: | Completely stock. | | Bottom Line: | Don't be nervous if you are making the transition from a hardtail. Unless you have nicely manicured singletrack--I often dream about that--this bike will make a big difference in how you ride, and how much you enjoy it.
For really technical stuff, I still ride my hardtail, simply because it has fewer places to flex and a higher BB. (I'm also being protective of my new bike, to be quite honest, because it is so damn rocky around here.) But stuff that would be pretty hairy on a hardtail turns out to be nothing on this bike. You know those moments when you grit your teeth and prepare to bite it? This bike makes up for your bad decisions, sucks up the hit, keeps you upright and tracking, and makes you wonder why you thought it was going to be so bad.
Again, if you have rugged terrain, this bike will make it more fun--either up or downhill. Even though I am a weenie about scratching it, it does extremely well on highly technical stuff. For smoother stuff, pay more attention to the other reviews (but I bet you'll like it anyway.) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Northern VA
Date Reviewed: October 1, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Pisah, Fountainhead around DC | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | REI | | Strengths: | Pretty much everything on this frame is a strength. Part Spec is pretty good for the $ (compared to other bikes at this price range). Climbing ability and downhill ability is definitely a huge strength of this bike. It's a very quick bike all-around. | | Weaknesses: | If I would say anything, I'd say relatively low BB height; although, it doesn't bother me much at all. The saddle was absolutely the worst thing I've ever sat upon. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSR S-Works 2002, GT Zaskar hardtail | | Bike Setup: | Stock setup with WTB Rocket saddle, Avid Ti levers, ODI Rouge lock-on grips, Shimano 520 pedals. | | Bottom Line: | The bike is an excellent value. The frame, lefty, rear shock combo is sweet. The Lefty just tracks and soaks up the bumps. Very nice front shock, better than I had hoped. Going up bumpy hills, the bike just soaks them up, and it feels like you're just spinning up a flat hill. Going downhill the bike feels rock solid.
The drivetrain is pretty good... I'm liking the SRAM components. I've only used XT / XTR in the past, and have been suprised at the ease of dialing the X7 rear Der in, and it staying true. The BB7's are great. I did have to get rid of the generic Cannondale fire levers, for some very nice Avid Ti's, and have been very happy.
I will be slowly upgrading this bike. My next purchase is probably a Tubeless rear wheel (probably a Mavic 819 Tubeless with a good hub, a SRAM 990 Cassette, and a SRAM 991 chain). The rear end needs to be lighter, and that might help out. I think the front wheel is OK for now... the Lefty and front wheel isn't too heavy at all. Next upgrade will be a new crankset... probably the XT crank, or the FSA V-Drive or Afterburner MegaExo. The stock FSA is pretty generic, but it is ISIS, so it's ok for now.
Overall, I'm very happy with this bike all-around. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steven Jones
a Cross Country Rider
from Emory, Virginia, USA
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Iron Mountain Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | Adventure Damascus | | Strengths: | Increadibly fast descender, doesn't lag on climbs, handles well, descent weight, great parts spec, Lefty | | Weaknesses: | Low bottom bracket height, bottoms out easily, doesn't work with standard fork mounts, handlebars are too wide, stock Lefty spring designed for heavier riders, rear shifting imposible to adjust to perfection | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Enduro, Gary Fisher Cake 1 DLX, Giant Iguana, | | Bike Setup: | Stock, except with trimmed handlebars (1" each side) | | Bottom Line: | This bike is an increadible deal. All of the components are top notch and the matt black finish rocks. On the rough trails the Rush rocks, the faster you go the smother the ride is. My main complaint with the bike is the top-out spring in the Lefty fork. The large bike comes stock sith a spring designed for riders around 200 lbs. I am 145 lbs and can't adjust the fork enough to suit my riding style. Other issues are the Sram X-7 rear derailuer (can't adjust to have perfect shifting), Lefty hub not working with standard fork mounts (trade off for amazing Lefty fork), and the low bottom bracket height. The low bottom bracket sucks in rock garden descents, with the pedals bottoming while pedalling. This last problem is slowly going away as I learn when I need to level the pedals. This bike is a great bike for a first time full suspension user. I have ridden a hard tail for the past 4 years and realy love the smoothness of the Rush. My main suggestion for this bike, don't ride it like a hard tail - trust the suspension and the brakes and let the bike flow. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew Stannard
a Cross Country Rider
from Derby, UK
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Cannock Chase Red route | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Strengths: | Weight, climbs, decents | | Weaknesses: | Crank and BB are not the best. Low crank position means you need to make sure you dont catch the pedles on bumps. | | Similar Products Used: | Orange sub 5 | | Bike Setup: | Standard but with an XT crank and integrated BB. Also replaced pedles with egg beaters. | | Bottom Line: | Great bike and excellent value for money. I use to use an Orange Sub 5 which I loved. Since getting the Rush my hill climbs are so much better with a lighter bike and a better rear shock with the pro pedal system. The Lefty is great and is easily locked out for climbs. Very stable and well balanced bike.
I like the supplied saddle which a lot of people complain about.
Plus its got a lefty which just looks so damn good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joseph Blowseth
a Weekend Warrior
from Ann ARbor
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Poto | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Grouseland | | Strengths: | Climbing and descending and just overall riding. | | Weaknesses: | Seat, pedals | | Similar Products Used: | some junk here and there | | Bike Setup: | pretty much stock. switched out the seat with my Specialized Hardrock, switched out the pedals to caged platforms--but am going to remove the straps. Just don't like the clipless pedals in the dirt-- | | Bottom Line: | Love the bike. I chopped the bars down to 25", put the saddle from my Hardrock on, and put a Catseye cadence computer on since I couldn't get my old computer to work on the single front fork. Haven't made up my mind on the grips yet--gonna give em another week or so. Maybe I am just too old school, but hate the clipless pedals esp. on the technical stuff--they are great for road riding--but i'm much more confortable in platforms with toe clips and no straps. The Rush rides well every where. I ride a lot of roads and trails and sidewalks--I just ride it everywhere. So far, it has been snappy. Shifts nice, ride is plush. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pete
a Cross Country Rider
from Raleigh, NC
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Legend Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1440.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | All the major components: fox float rear shock; Lefty fork (same one that comes on the 1000); solid drivetrain; BB7 mechanical brakes. | | Weaknesses: | All the minor components: tires, grips, saddle (keep it if you want to save money on your vasectomy). | | Similar Products Used: | Test rode most of the similar products in this price range (FSR, Fuel, etc). | | Bike Setup: | Stock except for Rogue lock-on grips, WTB saddle, Panaracer Fire XC Pro tires (these make a big difference in the corners). | | Bottom Line: | Exceptional bike for this price point. Great at both in climbing and descending. This bike just feels fast.
This bike really excels in the tight, twisty, root-infested singletrack found in the Southeast. The bike does have a low bottom bracket, which makes it feel tight and fast in the corners. But it also means you need to be more careful going over logs or through rock gardens.
Cannondale lists this as a marathon bike, and it does excel on long-rides. But I think a better positioning of the bike would be a great all-around trail/XC bike with a little extra travel (4+ inches) and slacker angles to make the ride more enjoyable. In other words, this bike will appeal to the mass market more so than it's other mountain bikes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Robbins
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque NM
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Foothills North (365) | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | NE Cyclery | | Strengths: | Light weight, no pedal bob (that I've been able to notice at least), hauls balls downhill, flat black is the sickest looking paint scheme on the trail, Lefty rules all!!! | | Weaknesses: | Stock seat is wicked uncomfortable (swapped it out with a WTB Laser V Team and it's all good now), handlebars are a little wide (gonna swap 'em for the 630mm FSA K-Force Carbon bars that comes on the Team model), stock tires are a little weak (maybe gonna swap 'em for some Kenda Nevegals), kinda disappointed with the $50 FSA crank on a $1500 bike but oh well | | Similar Products Used: | Test rode a Giant Trance 4 with the Maestro and was pretty un-impressed, Trek Fuel 90 was just OK, nothing like this baby! | | Bike Setup: | Stock except the WTB saddle I mentioned above | | Bottom Line: | This is my first dual suspension bike, and I'm coming from a $400 Raleigh M50 that I've had for 2 years. As a result, my opinion may be a little different than a lot of guys, but I absolutely LOVE this bike. It is the best $1500 I have ever spent, and I can't believe I waited this long to go dual suspension.
I use it for straight up cross country riding and it just owns the trail. It floats over rocks and bumps, flies downhill, climbs like a billygoat, and gets looks from EVERYONE!!!
My front hub did squeak a bit when I first got it, so I took it to the shop, and they put literally 2 or 3 drops of oil on it and it hasn't made a sound since.
Bottom line is that this bike is a tremendous value compared to what's out there for $1400 - $1600 bucks. If you are looking to convert from hardtail to dual suspension, this is a great bike to start with! I couldn't be happier! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joseph Bloeseph
a Weekend Warrior
from CloudNine
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Potowatami | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Can't Tell you | | Strengths: | Ride-ability | | Weaknesses: | I guess I am just not a good enough rider yet to detect any significant defects for this bike at that price. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Hardrock Pro Disc--not really that similar | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | Took the Hardrock to mountain biking school in Penn. and broke the second derailler hanger in two weeks--on a flat--at low speeds 3 to 5 mph -- just cruisin. Had to rent a Rush 600 to do the weekend. Wuz climbin mountains, Cuz, an dat Rush jumped up dem dar hills, and charged back down em like a revenuer chasin a moonshiner. So, I ordered one from the guy teachin the school who is also an authorized Canondale dealer-gave me monster break on the price. His school is like 20 miles from the Canondale factory. If this bike is in your budget--buy it. If not, steal one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony Moscatello
a Cross Country Rider
from State College
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything @ Rothrock | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1700.00 | | Purchased At: | The Bicycle Shop | | Strengths: | Very nice frame and Lefty shock. Performs very, very well on technical rides. It is truly amazing going downhill on any terrain. I feel I can go down almost anything that my brain and nerves will let me. Components are decent for the price. | | Weaknesses: | May be a bit heavy for some people. I really disliked the performance of the stock pedals. Grips are also kind of nasty. Rear shock is OK (I just like the adjustability factor of the better ones). Like said above…you get what you pay for. | | Similar Products Used: | Transitioning from a F800 Cannondale Hard Tail. Tested Scalpel in addition to the Rush 1000 and 600. | | Bike Setup: | Replaced grips with Oury Grips. Replaced pedals with Eggbeaters. Rest is stock. | | Bottom Line: | As said so many times above, the Lefty truly is amazing. It took me a few rides to get used to it and the way it performed. Once you figure out where you like the dial for specific ride types, it is truly awesome and very responsive.
The rest of the bike is pretty darn nice. Yea, it may be a bit heavy for some people, but for the amount spent, it is just awesome. Personally, I don’t notice the weight all that much. Maybe on the steep, long uphills. Then again...maybe that is my conditioning. I figure I will upgrade as I have the money to lessen the weight. The bike and components perform very well on any ride type. For bomber downhills it performs utterly amazing. I still can’t get over it. It is also amazing on technical XC rides. It is also not too shabby on the uphills either. Plus, the fact that a full suspension can perform this well make me feel good about the move over.
The components aren’t too shabby. I love the Avid brakes. Very easy to maintain and adjust. The rear shock isn’t bad. I just don’t like the inability to adjust on the fly. Otherwise though, it performs pretty darn well. I haven’t experienced pedal bob on uphills with it either. The SRAM products I am still trying to formulate an opinion on. I am coming from Shimano XT components and these perform in a slightly different manner. So far, so good though. Personally, I absolutely hated the pedals and the grips that came with the bike. The pedals seemed to perform like crap for me. So, I swapped out with eggbeaters and have had no issues since. The grips just seemed worthless to me. They seemed too small for my hands, even with my gloves on. So, I had to switch those too.
Overall, for the price, this is an amazing bike. I was very nervous about moving from my hardtail to a full suspension. But, the Rush 600 makes me very grateful that I finally did. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pat
a Weekend Warrior
from Philadelphia
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | wissahickon | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Strengths: | Super fast on downhills. Climbs all but the steepest hills with ease-some loss of traction when standing, but miminal. This is a bike for people who ride trails-you do not have to be a pro to ride this thing. I am an old fart and I love it. | | Weaknesses: | Shifting can be a challenge. I am not in love with the SRAM rear derailler, but I will live with it for now. Tough to remount on pedals sometimes. Take the seat off the bike and sell it on Ebay as soon as you get it unless you are used to something that narrow. THe stock seat will kill you.
The lockout on the lefty is excellent-within easy reach and when the fork is locked out, the bike is very fast on street and fire trail. Some people complain about the front hub. Mine did start to make noise after the third ride. My bike shop tookit of and repacked it-no problem since then. | | Bottom Line: | Great bike, needs some initial work but I look forward to riding it every day. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Instante Instante
a Weekend Warrior
from PA - USA
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Love em all | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1599.00 | | Purchased At: | Adventure Bike shop | | Strengths: | Lefty is awesome, Same frame as the team replica, Fast! Screams downhill and I didnt have problems on climbing, slight bobbing though. Black with the reflective decals look hot! Not heavy, not light. I think it is just right. | | Weaknesses: | Rear Suspension (set and forget type), No rear lockout, front hub squels like a fat kid in a headlock, took it to the bike shop they greased it up and now it is quiet for now. Rear dics sounds like crap when applying moderate pressure. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Stunt Jumper | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | I really wanted the Scapel 1000 but @ $2999.99 it was a little too much for me to afford. I test rode the scapel 1000 and then immediately rode the Rush 600. For $1500.00-$1600.00 range (depends where you get it) it is a good buy. I didnt notice too much difference as far as "feel" between the two but my pocket sure noticed the $1500.00 savings. The scapel has awesome components but the Rush 600 came with decent components as well. There is a couple of pounds difference as far a weight goes but are you really going to notice a 1-3lb difference on the trails? I can see if you race but for a weekend warrior like myself the Rush 600 is the best buy out there. I plan on upgrading when money allows or when parts break, the frame is the same as the Team replica so you can upgrade a few parts and have a kickass bike and still be way under the $3000.00 mark. I already dumped my bike several times and went over the handle bars once (bike fliped approx 6-8 times down a steep rocky section) It took all of the beating without a problem. I highly recommend this bike for someone who doesnt have the cash flow of a pimp and dont want to settle for a bike from Dick's. Have fun! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd Hayes
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | big laguna | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Zumwalt bikes | | Strengths: | Great all around bike great climber(with new tires!)Very little pedal bob, and screams downhill. Awesome bike to ride everyday. | | Weaknesses: | Front hub squeals alittle, kinda heavy, and when will cannondale make a good stem? X-7 shifters suck!
| | Similar Products Used: | none first d/s bike | | Bike Setup: | easton monkey light risers, x-9 shift, avid speed dial ti brake levers, fsa carbon seat post, fsa 05' team issue carbon crank, fsa fr200 90mm stem, crank brothers 50/50 xx pedals. panaracer fire xc pro tires. | | Bottom Line: | if you have a little cash and you want to go full suspention this is your bike, it great to ride everyday and I have gone from riding 5-10 miles a week to 25-30. A little heavy but switch out some componenents(rear end) and it will lighten up. Well worth the price paid!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Bloomington, IN USA
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Southern Indiana | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Madison, WI | | Strengths: | Good climber for a FS; very little peddle bob. FAST, FAST, FAST on the downhills! Big fan so far of the Lefty shock. | | Weaknesses: | stock tires are weak. Front hub sqeels like a banshee. I think it's a defect; tried greasing the hell out of it to no avail, peddles are poor, difficult to clip. | | Similar Products Used: | First FS bike, rode a Gary Fisher Ziggaraut prior. | | Bike Setup: | Stock except switched to Panaracer Fire XC pro tires, X9 derailer, and Shimano PD-M545 pedals. I plan on pulling the XT cranks off my old GF and putting them on too. | | Bottom Line: | A very fun bike so far that has been able to do everything my lightweight hardtail could do and more. This is my 1st FS bike so I can't compare to anything else but I would definately recommend it so far. This thing absolutely screams downhill and is almost butter smooth on the bumps. Avid BB disk have done great so far. Initially had some issues climbing steep hills but switched tires and climbs like a goat now (as well as my hardtail).
Really the only major issue I've had with this bike is that the front hub has squeeled like a banshee since purchased. I bought it while out of town on business so did not have time to deal with bike shop to get it replaced, etc. Bike shop did do a quick switch of tires with another Rush 600; still squeeled. Recommended over phone to give it "awhile" to see if it would go away. 4 weeks later, it's still whines; probably need to take it LBS and get it fixed, I just don't want to quit riding it, much easier to turn up MP3 player and ignore it. A $1500 bike really shouldn't starting sqeeling so soon though.
Overall good fun bike.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Randall
a Cross Country Rider
from Adelaide, Australia
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Fox Creek, Prospect Hill | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1970.00 | | Purchased At: | local bike shop | | Strengths: | Traction, traction, traction. so much grip in all situations. good climber. light, well made frame (lifetime warranty). Good Parts list, excellent value. | | Weaknesses: | a little heavy for my liking, especially in the rear end, but its just a matter of changing the crank and rear wheel assembly for lighter items. no biggy. needs a full length cable on the rear derail. cable on the down tube | | Similar Products Used: | not many companies use single pivot dual-sus designs for xc/marathon bikes, a trek fuel feels almost the same, but you cant compare another bike without a lefty. it changes everything | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | This is my first dual sus bike, comming from having an old xtc. I have to say that i absoloutly love this bike. i bought it for use in xc races and marathons and its performed flawlessly in the past six months.
the suspension set up (linear spring rate, as compared to rising rate in most shocks) takes a little getting used to, but it definetly works well. the lefty with a steepish steering angle feels extremely light and stiff in the turns. the fox shock with no rebound or lockout feels good from the factory (i weigh 74kg), but some may want more adjsutment. there is still very little bob when climbing though.
i like the avid bb7s because of there adjustability and modualtion, some of my fiends with hydros dont like that, i guess its up to the user really, but they work very well.
there are only two things i would ever change on this bike. 1- the rear wheel (especially the hub) parts to make them lighter. looking at a complete sealed bearing mavic
setup. change the casette to lighter one and the wheel aswell.
2- the cranks, probably to an xt with external bb (much lighter)
3-the pedals are not the best, will be replacing soon with eggbeaters.
otherwise the rush 600 is one hell of a bike. you cant go wrong with a lefty, and the feel of the bike is insane. try it | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Killer Quads
a Downhiller
from Greenville SC
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | RUKidding? Just one? | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1512.00 | | Purchased At: | BikeWorx | | Strengths: | Handles like a dream | | Weaknesses: | A little bit of rear shock bob climbing, not enough to bother me though, I can see it more than I can feel it. | | Similar Products Used: | First full suspension so no real comparison, have always ridden hardtail and fully rigid. | | Bike Setup: | Stock, except I replaced the crankset with a RaceFace Evolve XC | | Bottom Line: | Three words, Lefty, Lefty, Lefty.
I absolutely love the Lefty! It is the best feeling, most precise, controlable suspension I have ever tried. It could be the best in the world, but since I have not tried everything I can't honestly claim that.
The steering will take some practice if you are new to the Lefty, but after you learn it, you may never want another front suspension.
Ok, now for the rest of the bike, the Rush is exactly what I had hoped for, a perfect mix of downhill and XC. It has excellent control when climbing the rough stuff. Coming down the rough stuff, just point and shoot, it holds it's line incredibly well. It's a good mix of both stability, and flickability. (yeah I know that's not a real word but if the president can make up words then so can I)
I decided on the 600 due mostly to price, but also because that model comes in a wicked looking matte black.
It has a low center of gravity, so you may have to ratchet step some logs and rocks to keep from hitting the pedals. The handlebars are really wide, which I like, but some don't because of clearance issues between trees, I can get through everything I used to with a shorter bar though and it has a great feel.
If you are a poser, this is a good bike, because it gets lot's of attention and questions.
If you want to go up, over, and down just about anything out there, then this is a good bike.
The single best attribute of this ride for me has to be coming down fast and curvy singletrack. It's like riding a rocket!
For anyone looking to get a bike that can do it all, try the Rush series. The 400 does not come with the Lefty though, and that is what makes this bike, so 600 or up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
titusfool
a Cross Country Rider
from MS/Southeast USA
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Womble and Oak Mtn | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Rack | | Strengths: | Frame is really solid, good low center of gravity, lefty speed DLR2 is very rigid. Bike hauls a$$ downhill. | | Weaknesses: | Bobbing in the rear on climbs. The 600 only has the Float on the rear so you get what you pay for. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Enduro and Epic, Titus Racer X, Trek Fuel EX8 | | Bike Setup: | Same as Cannondale Website. Except for the tires, I put a set of Nevegals on it (2.1) Tangerine color is real kewl. | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike as a back up/trainer to my Racer X. I've got a couple of buddies that are big on Cannondales and swear by the lefty so I figured I'd buy it to shut them up! :)
Anyhow, back to the bike, I mainly picked this bike because I needed something solid, spec'd reasonably, and reliable for the money I wanted to spend. This bike is all of that for well under $2k and still comes out at 30lbs even.
Always remember that the frames in any bike line like the Rush from a major company (mass production) like Cannondale, Specialized, Kona, etc are the same. Your prices vary from the specs. A Rush 600 frame is just as/same as the Team Replica. You just have to choose different colors. So, if you want to stay under $2k and want a good frame that is very easy to upgrade later then get the 600 it is one of the best for the price. It has the same lefty as the 1000. If money is no object then look at the higher models. The way those are spec'd, I'm sure you won't see any bobbing in the rear (they have RP3 shocks) and I'm sure they get down in the mid 20's on the weight. Bottom line is to remember that it all comes down to the wallet.
In final, the Rush is a good solid design, great handler, ok climber. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
| |
|
