Submitted by
Chuck
a Cross Country Rider
from New Hampshire Date Reviewed: April 29, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Porcipine Rim
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Goodales
Strengths:
Smooth bottomless travel, good pedaling platform with the RP-23, some set-up time with the fox inertial valve/rebound on the Lefty but once dialed in forget about it and ride it.
Weaknesses:
NONE, other than release of the Carbon and SL frames with updated swing arm.
Similar Products Used:
Jekyll 3000
Bike Setup:
Rush alloy Large frame; Carbon Speed Lefty with Fox internals, RP-23, XTR drivetrain/pedals, Marta SL brakes, CrossMax SL wheels, Easton post and bars, Swable Racing Ralph 2.3 UST tires, WTB pure V saddle.
Bottom Line:
This bike basically can do it all, literally, climb, decend, singletrack, XC race. I think the simplicity of the single pivot coupled with the RP-23 and the Lefty makes for a very well rounded trail bike which can be raced very effectively. If you are looking for a bike to do most everything XC/all mountiain, except freeriding/jumping/DH then you should look no further. Cannondale offers many variants of the basic Rush so pick you price point and have fun.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mat
a Weekend Warrior
from italy Date Reviewed: January 25, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
light , fast on uphills, but also stable and confortable on downhills
Weaknesses:
i would like to have 5 inches travel (not more)
Similar Products Used:
heckler, cannondale jeckyl , sc blur (1 year)
Bike Setup:
very light 25.1 lb
Bottom Line:
i found this bike awesome till the beginning. it was faster than the blur and with more traction going up on the rocks, expecially standing up. for downhilling is very good because is very stable and the lefty works very good. is the only race bike with 69 steering degrees and a quite long wheelbase. every time mountain bike action test this bike (also feb 2007)they say that is not very stable and it has a too fast steering, but in my opinion they are wrong!! maybe cannondale don't pay them for the review.............
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Synapse
a Cross Country Rider
from Bend, OR USA Date Reviewed: August 7, 2006
Stock 3000 set-up with Maxxis Crossmark tires. Nothing needs changing except tires for various conditions. Oh, I also changed the stem to a 110mm.
Bottom Line:
This bike has definitely delivered more than I expected. After riding it for a couple months I've decided to go ahead and race it in place of my Scalpel, at least for a season. I have ridden a 6 hour marathon and found it to be very comfortable and I was very pleased with my lap times. A number of other racer's have complimented me on how much smoother I'm riding. They are actually amazed! This bike was designed for marathon's etc...,but I highly recommend it to the world of CX racing. It's faster than it looks:)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim B
a Cross Country Rider
from Cape Town, South Africa Date Reviewed: June 20, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Anythng with lots of singletrack
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3700.00
Strengths:
Stable, predictable handling. Active suspension Lefty DLR2 fork
Weaknesses:
None found yet, oh hold, front derailleur is hard to reach but soon to be sorted when Shimano M970 Xtr arrives so not really a weakness
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Scalple 3000 for 3 years, Cannondale Prophet for a weekend, Cannondale F3000Sl hardtail for 5 yrs. Titus Racer-X 100 for a few hours.
Bike Setup:
Frame is the BTC colour with a Carbon Lefty DLR2, not the Fox inertia (Prefer the DLR2), XTR M060 Cranks, low normal rear derailleur, low clamp front deraileur, M965 XTR rear hub and disc brake calipers, M756 XT brake levers and M952 XTR Trigger shifters. ( i use Dual control on the Scalpel and I think both work exceptionally well) Wheels are NoTubes Olympic and the Rush runs on Specialized Fast Track 2Bliss tyres.
Bottom Line:
Ok Where do I start. I could sum the whole review with a word - BRILLIANT!!! - But that would not do this bike justice.
Firstly, it's a thing of great beauty. The lines, the proportion just ooze the kind of desirability a fit curvaceous lady cross country mountbiker is likely to have. Lithe tight curves, distracting and functional. The BTC colour is stunning, and when the Rush hangs beneath my Litespeed road bike it looks like a titanium machine too.
Handling: WOW, hey what else can i say to describe something that steers as if by thought control, actually i'd say theres artificial intelligence built into the frames material cos every molecule seems to know where to go. The suspension is so controlled yet active that the bike just seems to ride level at all times. The Lefty Carbon DLR2 still needs to break in but already the familiar tracking and smooth tlescoping at the front is evident. Theres loads of traction without much weight shift required.
Climbing: Traction is never in short supply and with the easy tracking front riding over any obstacle on a XC trail is a joke. I'm thinking it can be done no hands but that just may be overconfidence creeping in.
I tried a few machine before selecting the Rush and I know i chose the right bike for me. None of those tried could match the steering, handling and suspension responce of the Rush.
Gets my vote for trail / marathon bike of the year and it should be allowed to keep the trophy too. I cannot see anything beating this bike for quite a while.....but never say never, Cannondale may be hatching something else already
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Maratom
a Cross Country Rider
from Lichtaart, Antwerp, Belgium Date Reviewed: April 26, 2006
Favorite Trail:
German marathons
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
* Very stable machine, but also allows fast cornering * the RP3 rear shock realy works increadible, and is easy to find a good set-up. Through its possition on the bike, its well protected from mud, and easy to reach to change the propedal setting. * Lefty fox XTT works realy well. Stiff fork, lots of tuning possible with the threshold and rebound settings. Bob free, and always stabelises. * traction on this bike is never an issue.
Weaknesses:
* very wide swingarms. My foot often makes contact with it, so lots of scratches if you don't protect it well. * paint is very thin * the front derailleur is difficult to reach, which makes cleaning and maintenance difficult.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Scalpel
Bike Setup:
Collor BTC, Full XTR, X-max SL, carbon Lefty Fox XTT, FSA carbon flat, FSA seatpost 0 SB, Egg beater C, Terry MR2 grips, Gobi
Bottom Line:
This is the real deal. Fact : Cannondale has designed a real marathon machine with the Rush. I just finished my first marathon on this bike (120 km, 3000 altimeters +), and I'm realy convinced it's worth it. Improved my best time of last year on my hardtail, so ... OK, it's heavier then my Optimo hardtail but it wont make a difference. This bike makes you go on, without the need for stopping or resting. I was surprised that the bike climbs so easily, and it's damned fast down hill. This bike suits XC riders, perhaps racers, but it's realy worth it for longer rides such as marathons, endurance races, or even mountain trips. Great job Cannondale !
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Juth
a Cross Country Rider
from Evergreen, CO, USA Date Reviewed: April 21, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
The Rush has excellent balance. The suspension works very well. With the Propedal I can eliminate almost all bob, yet in the softest setting is soaks up bumps. The traction is superb in the small ring The geometry is quick enough to zip around, yet is is very stable on steep technical descents. Lefty! Good looking...
Weaknesses:
The cable routing to the front der can lead to some shifting difficulties if not cleaned up often. (Not everyone has had this problem) A little heavy compared to XC rivals ~6 lbs Low bottom bracket will lead to pedal strikes if you are used to a taller bike. = good cornering.... Chainstay protector is installed in the wrong place?
Similar Products Used:
Fisher Cake, Specialized Epic, Cannondale Scalpel
Bike Setup:
Full XTR, Xmax, Standard DLR2 (no TL), Michelin XCR mud w/ Stans, Shim 959's Basically a 3000...
Bottom Line:
This is a great product for all around XC trail riding and Racing if a 25+lb bike isn't too heavy for you. It appears to be very durable and yet feels like a very quick machine. I think it is a fantastic bike if you want to move quick, yet want a comfortable FS bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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