Well, it looks as though the rumor mill for '08 product has wound up already. And why not? It's cold, snowy, and there isn't much racing or riding going on. What else is there to do?
It seems as though the rumor of a single speed F-29 model isn't going to happen. Instead, Cannondale is rumored to be considering two differently spec'ed F-29 hardtails for '08. One is to be similar to the '07 offering and the other is to be a more "race" level spec. I take that to mean lighter and more expensive. Hopefully they will take the opportunity to lighten up the lower priced F-29 too. It wouldn't be that hard to do. A switch in rear wheel components and tires could yeild an easy two pound weight reduction right there!
And while I'm on the subject of Cannondale, here's a rant on their website. What do you suppose would be the number one focus of Cannondale's website? Selling bikes, right? You need to see their 2007 bikes before you jump up and run madly to the local bike shop with your magnetic striped plastic rectangle in your sweaty palm. But.......you get to the website, and you can't seem to find a link to the 2007 product. (???) Here's a hint: look in the upper left side, just above the bold horizontal line that runs across the page for the word, "BIKES", and click on it. How obscure is that? I mean, it doesn't even say "2007 Bikes" or "The Bikes" , or "click HERE for 2007 Bikes". Cripes.....it's on the upper left side! Every good advertising person will tell you that your most effective placement is on the upper right side! Wanna sell more bikes and make your web page easier to navigate? Then cater to the less web savy folks out there and quit being so shy about linking to your 2007 product. Sheesh! It's as if your bikes are secondary to.....well, all the other crap on there!
All righty then! On to other things. I posted about the Haro last night and indeed I did get the Switchblade fork swapped over to it. The stock Haro fork weighs in at 1380 grams. The switch to the Switchblade, ( Hey, that's kinda catchy......isn't it? ) netted out a weight savings of 460 grams! So yeah.....a lighter weight front end for sure! Also, the axle to crown was a smidgen shorter on the Switchblade, so I steepened the head angle a wee bit in the process. Should be a fun, quick bike to ride. Now for some dry dirt to ride on!
I messed around with the Tubeless Ready wheels a bit. I'm not ready to throw in some sealant on tires that might be sketchy run tubeless. I'll wait on the real deal to show up. Until then, I'm going with some tubes. I'm going to get some extra rotors and cassette before I mount them up to a bike. That'll be just a bit yet, so no news for awhile on that front.
Besides, we're going back into the deep freeze for a bit again this week, so no real riding will be taking place anyway. Looks as though this should be it, as temps are forecast to start getting above freezing next week, and March is right around the corner. I can't wait!
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