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We stopped selling them in '98 because they tried to bend us over the shop counter with pre-orders to get decent stock levels. This was back when they were the 3rd most expensive bike on our shop floor and everyone else was offering us 90 days credit as a minimum (even on the new year lines) yet Cannondale wanted payment in full before the bikes were in store and if we wouldn't give them a 150 bike pre-order they were going to restrict our stock access.
We didn't miss them from a warranty point of view.
Funnily enough Marin tried the same thing the next year insisting we gave them a £50k pre-order [i](having only seen the brochure!)[/i]. How we laughed.
I thought it was the Raven that earned C'dale the Crack'n'Fail nickname...
I thought it was the Raven that earned C'dale the Crack'n'Fail nickname...
I think it was the 3.0 frames with the 1" head tubes. I remember head tubes lying around at races circa 1991....
I think it's great news that they've outsourced their building.
OK, American here to give you the scoop. It's been a while since Cdale has been any kind of player in the MTBike scene. Many of us thought they spent way too much time drawing up really clever things, and not enough time asking if they were really good marketable ideas. The issue really is that another dedicated bicycle maker has wound up in the hands of business man who have no love of bicycles. When we heard they had been picked up by Doral ( Who had owned Schwinn) it was understood that, no matter what was said about preserving the nature and identity of the brand, the Cdale we all knew was finished. Not long before we see the Cdale name on toy bikes sold at big box department stores.
I think it's a shame they have gone that down route, It went tits up when they did that silly motorbike imo. While some of their concept bikes were truly ****ed up they also produced some good bikes. I love my Prophet MX it does everything from xc, all day rides and downhill. I've owned quite a few Cannondales and have enjoyed them all i've always regret selling my Gemini DH.