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cannondale help/tips

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
I want to get a used cannondale gemini 900 complete bike. '04

I would use it for DHR/FR (dh jumps, drops, rockgardens, fast trails, etc..) and not alot of climbs. RIght now I only have a hardtail. My biggest drop on a rental dh bike at whistler was about 7'.

Wheels
It comes with mavic xm 321 rims. Right away I would buy a set of D321s and sell these.

Rear axle
It has a quick release rear. It would be easier to put it in a car if I had to. ALso I could just buy a d321 wheelset instead of buying one complete and building the rear with a 12mm hub If I had a '05. Is the QR, still pretty stiff? It would be better for me.

Shock
Is the shock okay?

Fork
It has a manitou breakout. Is this okay for what I do? Or would I be better off buying a used 7" super-t or Jr.-t w/ super-t cartridges. I heard the manitous are not the most durable or dependable.

Size
I am 5'4 & 125lbs. and i'm pretty sure a small (15.9') would fit me? Is that right?
 

ThePriceSeliger

Mushhead
Mar 31, 2004
4,860
0
Denver, Colorado
be carful, the CS is a big concern for me when buying a bike, and C-dale caough caough crack-n-fail caough caough CS is not to good with my experiences. The build on the bike loooks awesome, but I feel like an ass now.

Goodbye.
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
When I was 7 I bent my fork on my ridgid Gary fisher tyro 24" (I don't understand how, I jumped little things, pushed up the local fireroad and rode singletrack and fireroads downhill kind of fast, and also did xc with climbs.) Should I look for something burlier, like a stinky 7" or a bullit.
 

Banshee Rider

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2003
1,452
10
priceseliger14 said:
be carful, the CS is a big concern for me when buying a bike, and C-dale caough caough crack-n-fail caough caough CS is not to good with my experiences. The build on the bike loooks awesome, but I feel like an ass now.

Goodbye.
Cannondale has one of the best warentee/customer service departments of anyone. To say its any different is rediculos. If by poor customer service you mean they dont warentee a cracked 3rd hand frame, then yeah, they suck. :rolleyes: I like the cracknfail statement by the way :nopity:
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
One thing you can do is upgrade the rear triangle to thru-12 axle. It will be stiffer than the QR rear triangle. Taking off a rear wheel only requires an allen key, so I think the extra time is worth the stiffness.

As for the rest of it, you can definitely upgrade the entire bike, but I would deal with the problems after you ride it for a while.

P.S. I think the Cannondale warranties is good, but you get nothing with a used bike...

mtnbrider said:
I want to get a used cannondale gemini 900 complete bike. '04

I would use it for DHR/FR (dh jumps, drops, rockgardens, fast trails, etc..) and not alot of climbs. RIght now I only have a hardtail. My biggest drop on a rental dh bike at whistler was about 7'.

Wheels
It comes with mavic xm 321 rims. Right away I would buy a set of D321s and sell these.

Rear axle
It has a quick release rear. It would be easier to put it in a car if I had to. ALso I could just buy a d321 wheelset instead of buying one complete and building the rear with a 12mm hub If I had a '05. Is the QR, still pretty stiff? It would be better for me.

Shock
Is the shock okay?

Fork
It has a manitou breakout. Is this okay for what I do? Or would I be better off buying a used 7" super-t or Jr.-t w/ super-t cartridges. I heard the manitous are not the most durable or dependable.

Size
I am 5'4 & 125lbs. and i'm pretty sure a small (15.9') would fit me? Is that right?
 

rpk1988

90210
Dec 6, 2004
2,789
0
Maryland
Cannondale's warrenty stuff is awesome. My frame came cocked from the factory for some reason. The paint was starting to where off. So I did something about it. I work at a bike shop so we called C'dale and they sent a brand new swingarm to see if that would help. It didnt so it must be the front triangle. So we call em back and they say okay, we will send you the front triangle. So about a week goes by and a whole new frame shows up. I mean the front triangle, rear swingarm, headset cups, set collar, and new shock bolts. I am very pleased. Specialized and Cannondale have awesome customer service.
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
Well is it a weak frame or is it durable. I will ride allaround fr and do some dh racing (alot of tight, techncial stuff. I need a frame that is durable and dependable.
 
May 12, 2005
977
0
roanoke va
priceseliger14 said:
Mine was an 04 Gemini, and it wansn't the fact that theyt didn't warenty it, it was that the woman I talked to was a bitch and wanted nothing to do with me.
that sucks man, but the 05 have a hefty gussit where your's cracked. i'ld go with the 05 if i where you, not only for that but also for the 12 mm axle. it's a bitch to get off, but it makes the rear end soooo much stiffer. and also my C-dale rep, Miz Macintire(sp), is one of the nicest people i know, and is very helpful with tech questions or warrenty stuff.