I am coming back with a report from the National Championships. They were Sunday, but we went Friday to get used with the course and everything to be prepared really good. I got my dad's car and went for Izovru Muresului. Everything was fine until the car started to had some problems and couldn't go further. I was very angry but with the help from a truck driver and a hammer (the tool not the car) he fixed it and continued our journey. Finallllllly we got there and I was confident that I could win again a medal. Even if the problems with my finger persisted I knew that I could have a good run.
After a good warm up(because outside were 13 C) I was ready. I didn't had the best start but I've push it really hard to get back in the front group, but the mud was stoping me... another fustrating thing was that I was passing riders for the first 3 laps but they were in the same lap like me and they weren't passing me... The lack of course referees put me on thinking that they cheated the course... I was pushing hard and the fustration made me push even harder... all this weren't enough so in the last lap I had some chain problems and I've lost another 4-5 minutes so my chance for medal was blasted.
I had tears in my eyes, because I know that i was good enough to get in front and fight again for a medal but I've dissapointed everyone. After the 6th place at Medias, here I've finished 5th. I know that I a better than a freackin' 5th place.
A new hardtail from Cannondale. The aim was to product the lightest, but stiffest hardtail frame. The Flash is the first carbon frame to receive a stiffness to weight ration of over 100 (102 to be exact…). While winning the feather-weight title at 950 grams. And there is no rider weight limit. The Cannondale designers were giddy with excitement over this one.
The frame is built using high modulus carbon, as well as a very tough resin usually reserved for baseball bats - so stone chips shouldn’t be an issue. The slightly lower models are built using standard carbon, at 1100 grams, but the same stiffness.
Compliance in the rear triangle and seatpost give a very comfortable ride. The ‘SAVE’ seatpost has a flattened section to allow flex. Various figures around the 30-40mm mark were banded around - depending on rider weight. If this feels too much you could run a standard 27.2 post. Cannondale asked us to comment on the amount of flex in the seatpost as they’re still finalising its design, but the general view of all the journos was that it was right. We were riding some very rocky trails and it took the edge off nicely. They’re also considering offering the post aftermarket.
The bike felt very smooth over rough terrain, as hardtails go, it felt like riding a high quality steel frame compliance wise. But because of the stiffness around the (BB30 only) bottom bracket area pedaling drove you forward fast. Just what you need in a race frame.
The frame has a lot of attention to detail. Tire clearance is good, happily accepting the 2.4 Rocket Rons we were running. Cable routing runs along the down tube for happy shouldering. Rear disc mounts are designed for a 140 mm disc, again to save the weight, but an adapter will have you back up to 160 if you want it.
All in it’s a stunning bike. You won’t be able to blame the bike for any errors, they’ll be down to you alone.
The top end bike, featuring a Lefty Speed Carbon SL 110, DT Swiss carbon wheels, SI carbon cranks (BB30) and full SRAM XX groupset, and weighing only 7.5 kg will cost you a lot more than the 16.5 pounds this equates to. Try 7999 Euros! Luckily there are various price points, and even an alloy range, should this tickle your fancy.
Try the Flash Team, HiMod 1, HiMod 2, Carbon 3, Carbon 4.
Article got from Singletrack Magazine.
| SRAM XX | Shimano XTR | |
|---|---|---|
| Shifters | 183g | 255g |
| Cranks/BB | 754g1 | 770g |
| Cassette | 185g | 224g |
| Brakes | 576g | 762g |
| Rear mech | 181g | 182g |
| Front mech | 118g | 129g |
| Chain | 260g | 304g |
| Total | 2,257g | 2,626 (+16%) |
1 Weight for GXP BB - BB30 setup is 694g
2,257g is "about 2.3kg" in anyone's book. A direct swap from XTR to XX will save 396g. If you're in a position to use the BB30 crank, knock off another 60g . That's perilously close to a full pound - impressive stuff.
A lot of the weights are pretty similar, with mostly small margins over SRAM's Shimano rival. The brakes stand out as being startlingly light compared to XTR, though. The XX brakes use a new two-piece forged magnesium caliper, a two-piece aluminium/steel rotor, a forged magnesium lever body, carbon fibre lever blade and titanium bolts throughout. They share the TaperBore technology and tool-free pad contact adjustment with Avid's Elixir brakes. Rotor options are 185 or 160mm both ends, with an extra 140mm option for the rear.
