Cannondale Prophet? Or is there anything else in the 5″ travel market I should be looking at?

I’ve become increasingly obsessed with them over the last year, but have had other commitments to sort out, so sensibly didn’t buy one, even IA’s great offer the other month (it was hard not to…). Now I’ve got a bonus coming, and the other commitments are finished, I’m looking at splashing the cash.

Could go new for the Prophet 2, as I have a load of decent kit I could transfer from another bike. Could push the boat out and buy the Prophet 1, but I’m reluctant to, as I say I could just upgrade a 2 with the kit I already have and the extra money could go towards this years bikeing holiday.
Otherwise it’s down to ebay or my WTD ad in the classifieds, but there all 3year old bikes (I worry about them fatiguing).

Or what else is available in that price range? Must be round 5inch travel (no more, I have 6″ travel DH bike) and tough enough to take 16stone of muscle(ahem…) and another stone of kit in my bag (yes, all required).
Don’t even suggest an orange 5 though for £1900 and crap spec….

all cannondales have asthetic aids?

2ps worth? Trance X, cause I love giants (which are asthetically Beige)

A mate has just got a Cube Stereo – not as ‘trendy’ name but a blindingly good spec and seems very nice for the money.

Olly, click on me name which link to my fotopic site, I actually love the look of the Prophet/Gemin/old Marins & think the Trance looks gash… though I shouldn’t right it off purely for that reason.. though am still very tempt to…

lol, no offence intended z1ppy!

a agree trances are very boring to look at (hence the beige comment), but they work well. and giant geometry and sizing fits me very well.

couldnt provide a useful comment on the ‘dales, as i havent had one, but i wouldnt buy one because i dont like the look of them. perhaps not a good enough reason, but we all know that something might be top notch spec wise, but just not sit well in ones mind. if your not comfortable with it, its not for you, no point in forcing it cause the specs good.
if you like the ‘dales, go with the ‘dales

no offence taken Olly, I reckon most ppl, are purely sold or not on the asthetic’s not the performance/abilities.
I’ve never got the Trance shape but I know from here a lot of ppl don’t get the X frame of older marin and prophets… doesn’t mean either are rubbish, wish a few more ppl on here would realise that…

Just seen this on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/cannondale-prophet-2-cross-country-mountain-bike_W0QQitemZ160324271771QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Bikes_GL?hash=item160324271771&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1688|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

the similarity between the c’dale and the old Marin are striking

Because it doesn’t have Turner written on the downtube 😀

Just seen this on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/cannondale-prophet-2-cross-country-mountain-bike

That Prophet has been on eBay a couple of times at least now. There’s another which is exactly the same and has been on eBay 3 times now…no bidders at £650 iirc the last time it was on.

Been watching both but its pick up only: as one is Manchester and the other is Cumbria and I live in the South, I haven’t bid.

Also after a Prophet (medium) and have been for a while. Prefer the Prophet 2 as the Prophet 1 doesn’t come with U-Turn which I really use on my Revs plus, like z1ppy, I’ve got loads of bits to upgrade it with.

Its either the Prophet or the Hemlock for me…I’ll get either one eventually; patience is a virtue and all that. They’ve got to be easier to find than Sodas 🙂

I had it down to a choice of 2 – Prophet or Orange 5.

Prophet was a great bike for sure…felt perhaps a tad heavy…could be the stock tyres were a bit draggy. The prices for the lowest model (3?) made it look very tempting for stripping for the frame / selling the rest and doing a quality rebuild.

TBH I was concerned about the (admittedly old) stories of poor customer service on warranty stuff from both manufactures that I went looking elsewhere.

Yes I’ve been watching the ebay cannondale prophets come up several times, but there all mediums, I need a large.
There is a 2007 large on at the moment, but it really a 2006 (probably bought in 07), looks imaculate but has already been sold by the seller once & is now back up again with the same advert from the same seller…even though his only feedback is the purchaser of the bike!
Again if it was more local I’d be very tempted to meet the guy, if he wasn’t 3.5 hrs away, though I reckon a frame only is my best bet.
The one I was really annoyed about was an 07 MX (complete bike) that went for under £700.
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So no one has a bad word about the prophet, or other options?

The Moto zippy, the Moto.

Carbon version.

Jaw-dropping bike. Purchase may be contingent on size of bonus 🙂

I was also bent on a prophet. 3 different LBS’s told me their back up is up to sh..e. Bought a felt compulsion, had to fettle the set up a bit, i love it. Best £880 i have ever spent.(wiggle)

I’ll use this an excuse to post my prophet 😆

Prophets a 10 out of 10 bike, I was going to get one then I went and fell in love with a Spesh Pitch Pro!

G_L, much more bike than I need m8, I’ve made that mistake before and don’t want to repeat it, that and my bonus is nice but not that good. I know a guy who has a moto, though he loves it & doesn’t regret buying it, he does regret getting rid of his prophet
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A_H, your not helping 😉
.
avalanche.. that the kind of mention I want, yeah I know a couple of cannondale ‘dealers’, who are dialing back on there c’dale stock due to lack of backup, but as the prophet been around for ages without significant faults, I’m not that worried (and also think of 2nd hand, so no warrenty anyways).

Must be a difficult decision these days, what 5″ bike to buy. Tere are so many seemingly good bikes out there…
Prophet
Lappierre
Trance
Orange5
Guess its a case of trying each.
A tough call, but sounds like your drawn to the Prophet.
I don’t think you’d be disapointed.
I’ve always liked the Orange5.

Now I’ve got a bonus coming
You’re not a banker are you? 😉

If you want a Prophet get one. I nearly got a Commy 5.5 but ended up with a TranceX. I don’t agree that Trances look gash. Here’s mine in full matt-black ano finish:

They both look cack. Good enough reason not to buy any and save you money!. Cannondale is just an old Marin. Why not just buy a 5inch travel Marin.

oh another reason not to buy the dale is the stupid oversise headset fitting, looks nasty with even a few headset spacers fitted.

They both look cack 😆

Post a pic of your beautiful bike then seth?

Must be round 5inch travel (no more, I have 6″ travel DH bike)

You know prophets are 140mm (5.5″) right?
Maybe this sounds a little rude, but why have a 5.5″ and a 6″ travel bikes? What is the 6″ DH bike you ride?

I would post a pic of my bike, but I’m not really into that sort of thing buzz-lightyear. Me simply sayig they look cack is not a way of saying my bike looks better or anything. MY bike may look stupid as I ride a CX bike! Titanium hardtails are nice looking, Cannodales or Giants are not! An Orange 5 is a much nicer looking bike if thats your thing.

The Dh bike is a C’dale Gemini… and is heavy as buggery but a great ride, (I won’t be selling it), I’ve tried to make that lighter but it’s not working… I want something not too lightweigh, to be able to attack the trail with confidence, and able to support my weight..

Seth I can’t agree and the 1.5 headstock would fit my Carbon Lefty just nicely (hence why a frame only would be ideal). Again Seth, check out my fotopic link, I’ve had ‘that’ old marin and a gemini, I happen to love that look.
The Quad2 Marins are an option, but even though the common advise (I’ve given it myslef) is to do test ride, when I’m looking at ‘just’ spending 11-1200 spending £50 on a test ride, when I want to test at least 4 bikes is a bit gauling. I missed the demo day earlier in the year, trying to avoid the idea of spending money I didn’t have then

P.s the bonus, no not a banker, but my ‘exec’ position means no overtime payments, just a variable bonus. This is not meant to be a gloat about it, just the normal MTB-er prerogative to buy shiney toys when you have genuine spare cash! I haven’t had a new bike in 2 years, it’s time for one!!!!

takisawa2, only the prophet and marin fall into my price range from your list.

Uggg….Trance. Gopping.

An Orange 5 is a much nicer looking bike

Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. Tho I do generally prefer the clean looks of HTs to FS. You can’t get away from the fussyness of links and shocks. I think it’s the mix of oval and box tubes that puts me off the 5’s. Not everyone likes curvy hydroforming, it’s not really about function after all, but it is a “look” that Giant has 100% committed to and I think have pulled off better than anyone else. I just totally love the 100% ano finish and the embedded black-on-black decals – it swung it for me!

Try Marin’s Quad Trail 140 bikes from ’08. The base model in white shares the same frame with the Attack Trail which was getting rave reviews last season. You should be able to pick up a reduced price on t’interweb. Swap out the bits that are poo/you have and hey presto Bob is your Mother’s Brother.
I was going to do this until my other choice was presented to me as part of a fantastic deal/cyclescheme purchase from my LBS. Dawg Deeluxe, old school faux bar/linkage single pivot, I know. Up here in the Highlands though it eats the trails like it hasn’t been fed for a month.

I reckon the Marin 140 would weight too much, think the 120 quad 2 would be a better choice between those tow.

I like the look of the ‘X’ frame but really dont like Cannondales graphics. Like the look of that stealthy Giant.

How would one of those old Marins with the ‘X’ frame compare to a new Prophet (or other single pivot bikes)?? After all its only 1 pivot…

How can anyone say that isn’t a sexy bike??? Rides like a dream too….. same spec is now a different colour called the Trance X 1