I do refer to their bikes, infact the quality of their bikes was one big reason I bought the FX400, not sure where you get your info from. Alluminum frames can crack and so can steel frames, so I'm not sure what your point is. Also it hasn't stopped Honda from putting alluminum frames on their CR250 has it, but Cannondale will get ridiculed for putting them on their atv's and bikes? Sounds like another case of C-dale envy.

I do hope you enjoy your Raptor though.

Moto24
'01 FX400
'98 Kawi ZX-9R
'90 Kawi ZX-7 (superbike)
'84 VF750R
'80 Kawi KZ650

 

Somebody said C'dale bicycles don't last very long?!!? Man, where are you getting your information? You obviously don't know too much about mountain bikes, do you?

It is common knowledge that Cannondale bicycles are some of the best in the world if not the best. The list of firsts on their bikes is second to none. There may be some new fly-by-night mountain bike out this week that is touted as better by the mags, but over the years those guys come and go - C'dale has been there from the very beginning of mountain biking and mountain bike racing. Their warranty is LEGENDARY in the sport. You break it - they fix it. It doesn't matter when you bought it, how you broke it, or whatever - if it says CANNONDALE on the side of it and it is broke, then they will fix it for free right now - no questions asked.

When I was in college (before I had the money for ATV's and MX bikes) I had a trusty Cannondale Delta-V 1500 that I rode every single day hard in the woods of southern Illinois. It lugged my 240 pound *** around then as well as it does now. I had only one problem in all that time and the way Cannondale took care of it was second to none. Yamaha could take a big lesson from C'dale about how to treat the people who have already bought one of their machines. (The whole story is in the "I've Had Enough" post on this forum).

The only place C'dale may not be able to hang (yet) is in the MX industry. The big four throw all they have at building state of the art MX bikes, while their ATV's are half-hearted efforts at best. Like moto24 said earlier, ATV's are/were the bottom feeders of tech for the Japs --- until now. I think C'dale caught the Japs with their pants down when they released their new ATV's. C'dales MX bike uses the same technology as their quad. Their MX bike is a semi-flop, but their ATV is kicking everyone else's *** - especially for a first attempt. That is because the Japs throw tons of R&D at new MX bikes, but their ATV's use ten+ year old motors. I think because of what Cannondale has done by releasing the FX is force the Japs to actually build a REAL performance ATV.

I bet we start seeing REAL performance quads from the Japs soon - all because they were FORCED into building them by an AMERICAN company!

 

well for the mountain bike i was goin by what my friend timmy said he told me that the suck a$$ and it was hard to get parts for them

 

Above all other things this is truely my greatest concern.... An aluminum frame can not be welded back together or gusted, or fabricated not easily anyways, and most machine shops wont touch them, because it takes a special facilility to heliarch weld aluminum. This is a vary bad thing. Here is a question for you what happens normally when you wreck a newer sport bike even a minor fender bender? Insurance company writes it off and if there is even a slight dent in the frame they don't bother messing with it. The real reason behind this is not only does it effect a two wheeled cycles stearing geometry and other could cause other problems such as counter stearing and off tire wear, you can't see alot of these problems in the beggining. Mostly its because you can't repair those frames easily. Aluminum is quite a different metal and its ductilty and malibility is vary different than any other metal. Now you guys mention that dirtbikes have been using aluminum alloy frames for the last couple of years, true.. but you don't see CR's weighing in at 350+lbs either without rider, and the same goes for the CR's and dirtbikes when they get hit hard thats it your done. Hope you got some serious money to buy an entire new frame because you can't repair those things easily, not like you can an ordinary metal steel frame. Now how many ATV's do you see that have been gusted in the past? rewelded? refabricated? Think about the after effects you have seen on ATV bumpers... Another problem with aluminum is that it torques rather than clean breaks. So you may have a bent off cambered stearing setup and not even no it or your frame may have been twisted from a long jump landing. In my opinion it is a bad thing, real bad thing to put aluminum frames on ATV's landing a 475lb -525lb machine with rider from a 30 foot stretched double or dune is going to hurt those frames. My guess is your going to see alot of waded Cans coming from MX tracks and dunes. Which also could mean bad resale if you own one. This will also make it harder to discover if your purchasing a used Can with a twisted frame, that you may only be able to tell at 60mph that the frame has been torqued. Sorry, but I will pass on the cannondale until it has proven its aluminum alloy frame over several years.

 

exactly

i never thought about welding the frame

 

cctman, you tried to sound like you know about metallurgy when you mentioned the ductility and malleability (even though you spelled it wrong) of aluminum. And I saw in another of your posts that you referred to the Cannondale's frame as "cast" aluminum.

1st of all, the frame on the Cannon is not cast aluminum, and I am curious where you came up with the idea that aluminum cannot be welded? I have had a few aluminum components on my quad welded and they have held up just fine since. Welding aluminum is a common occurance and no one should have any problems getting repairs if needed.

2nd of all, with the twin-spar design of the aluminum Cannon frame, it is actually STRONGER than a mild steel frame on Japanese quad. Do you have any idea how easy it is to bend the sub-frame on a 400EX or Raptor?

I find it rather hilarious that some people insist on finding faults with the Cannondale that are un-substantiated. Cannondale is answering the prayers of us serious quad enthusiasts. We have been waiting for a manufacturer to build a high performance quad instead of a trail machine designed for "all around" use. Cannondale has built these quads and they are very proactive about correcting and updating any deficiencies. The Cannondale may not be for everyone, but it's suprising that some can't recognize the innovation they have brought to the sport.

 

First of all BLodg500RX I'm sorry my spelling doesn't meet your specifications, I'm sure yours is perfect in everyway. Maybe if you weren't so busy thinking of a male model english teacher bent over picking up his dictionary with a pink bow tied around his head you would believe that I'm human and can mispell like everybody else. Second of all I didn't say that you couldn't weld aluminum I said quote "An aluminum frame can not be welded back together or gusted, or fabricated not easily anyways, and most machine shops wont touch them" <---- reread... Second of all you say that aluminum frames are stronger than metal frames? What are you smoking? Aluminum by definition is weaker then metal. And also lighter, but at an expense, this is why most ATV manfactures haven't gambled on them. I'm telling you right now... you are smoking something big time if you think a 400ex vs a cannondale on a 30 foot jump will react the same to the stress of the landing with the same size rider. I know a little more about aluminum and welding then you would probably believe. Aluminum has to be heliarched you can not just set up a regular shop and do your handy work. You have to use other different metals such as argon. If you have ever tried to weld aluminum and had the proper facilities you will notice how difficult it is and how easy it is to match the correct temperature, other wise the aluminum will warp. My step dad has been welding cars for years and I have helped many times. He won't even touch aluminum. Its to tempermental. So go ahead complain about others that are skeptical about buying a Can. And talk trash, whine like a baby. I'm sure Can meant well, and they have raised the bar. Hopefully they will motivate other manufatures to build better machines, but don't bet on those other manufactures going to all aluminum frames. They aren't trustworthy. And Can may have bit off more than they can chew. Only time will tell....But like I said watch the Cans coming back from the MX tracks and dunes carefully.

 

Just thought I would throw my 2 cents into the ring here about the aluminum frame.
First, aluminum is harder to weld than steel but certainly not impossible or even really difficult if you know how. Aluminum is in a sense weaker than steel, but because it is so much lighter than steel you can use much more of it (have you actually seen the size of the frame components on a C'dale) to where you actually end up with a stronger frame and lighter besides. The reason most manufacturers don't use aluminum is because of the extra time and expense required to fabricate these frames on a mass basis. Also, it's not really that specialized of a welding setup to weld aluminum. Heliarc was mentioned, but I believe that is nothing more than a brand name of a tig welder which any welding shop worth a crap would have at least one of.
Believe me folks, don't let the fact that the frames are made of aluminum scare you away. It is very possible to weld aluminum back to original strength or stronger. I have watched my Dad weld two pop cans together with a tig welder without burning through so I would think he could ace a frame.

 

I think you are a little off the mark. cannon has been a top bicycle builder for years and probably the best there is. If you don't think the mountain bike aluminum take major abuse you are wrong. I can't imagine a company would spend millions and forget to test the rigidness of their frame over and over and over,etc.

 

cctman, you said "aluminum is weaker than metal".Isn't aluminum a type of metal? You also said " you have to use other different metals such as argon". When did argon switch from being an inert gas to a metal? Also, aluminum when used like Cannondale does, will not torque,It will break. Steel will bend.

Now as to how strong aluminum is. Have you ever seen the movie Top Gun? It's really amazing, I have worked on the flight deck of a carrier for many a moon. I can say this with absolute certainty that just about 95% of all structural components of that 50 ton aircraft that smashes down on that steel deck at 200 MPH+ is made of aluminum. They can take it. Why can't a quad hitting at a much lower speed and and quite a bit lighter do the same thing? Your reasoning is beyond me.