And so it begins again. For the 2007 racing season I will have another weapon to choose from in my Cannondale lineup. I am hopping on the 29 inch wheel bandwagon and building a Caffeine 29'er from the frame up. I rode the stock version at the Iceman race and liked the way the 29" wheel bikes handled the sand and the singletrack. In stock form as a complete bike it is a little heavy for serious racing so I will add my own parts to suit my preferences.
I will be using some parts from the hardtail it replaces such as Marta brakes and XT cranks but I will have to get a new Lefty for this one, the old bike used a Headshok that will not work with the larger wheels. I will stick with SRAM XO shifters and rear derailleur with an XTR front.
The wheels are the second largest investment and will be using the new Stans Arch rims with the Hope Pro II hub in the back and Lefty hub in the front. Not the lightest build available but I want these to last as I plan on using the bike in several of the 100 mile races. No place to stop and swap wheels in these races.
Cannondale has been great to our team, and they build some outstanding bikes. Now I can choose from the new 29'er, the Scalpel for a little rougher trail and the Rush for all out comfort. All three bikes have their advantages and disadvantages depending on the type of race and terrain. I am lucky to be able to pick from multiple bikes.
No doubts that this is a 29'er frame
Made in the USA
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