Pro bike: Jeremiah Bishop's Cannondale Flash Carbon 29er
There's light, and then there's LIGHT
Lightweight bikes are nothing new at the top ranks of the sport but Jeremiah Bishop's (Cannondale Factory Team) Cannondale Flash Carbon 29er surprised even us, weighing in at an astounding 8.23kg (18.14lb) – lighter than some Paris-Roubaix machines we've profiled in the past and just the thing for the US cross-country national championship's climbing-intensive course in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Bishop's feathery steed is built around Cannondale's ultralight Flash Carbon 29er hardtail, which boasts a claimed weight of around 1,050g thanks in part to the refined lay-up schedule and tube shapes, svelte alloy dropouts, bare carbon BB30 bottom bracket shell, and minimalist direct-mount front derailleur tabs. Even so, strategically flattened sections on the chain stays, seat stays, and even the special carbon fiber seatpost – all part of Cannondale's SAVE concept – supposedly yield an unusually comfortable ride for a bike with no proper rear suspension.
Naturally, the build kit puts an emphasis on saving weight, too, with Cannondale's own fork and component divisions contributing key pieces to the lightweight puzzle such as Bishop's custom etched Lefty XLR carbon fiber fork, the slick OPI one-piece forged aluminum stem and steerer assembly, and Hollowgram SL 2x10 crankset.
The ultralight Cannondale Lefty fork uses a carbon fiber upper assembly and a forged aluminum lower leg
Other bits include the Stan's NoTubes ZTR 29er Race Gold wheelset, SRAM XX group (with lighter 160/140mm front/rear rotors and less adjustable World Cup brake lever option), tubeless-converted Schwalbe Furious Fred and Racing Ralph tires, Crankbrothers' latest Eggbeater 11 pedals, Syntace Duraflite 31.8 Carbon flat bar, and comfy ESI Racer's Edge silicone foam rubber grips.
Despite the lack of mass, Bishop's bike makes little – if any – compromises in performance. The Lefty fork offers superb torsional and fore-aft rigidity plus a handy hydraulic remote lockout while only weighing about 1.3kg (2.9lb), the crank was fitted with an SRM power meter, and Bishop even went with fi'zi:k's k:ium-railed Arione CX saddle instead of the lighter carbon-railed version. That impressive 8.23kg actual weight even includes the SRM Power Control 7 computer head.
Roadies have been racing and training with power meters for years but we're now seeing the trend carry over into the mountain bike realm
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Bishop normally rides his Flash 29er with bar ends but decided to go without for the Sun Valley course. Team mechanic Troy Laffey glues Bishop's grips on for extra security, however, and given the option of cutting them off and installing new ones or just leaving the setup as is, Bishop opted for the latter.
According to Laffey, Bishop ran 28/30psi front/rear tire pressure for Sun Valley plus 115psi in his Lefty fork – bumped up to 125psi for the next day's short track event.
Bishop unfortunately wasn't able to put his impressive machine on to the top step of the podium in either event, finishing fourth in the cross country and fifth in short track.
This article originally appeared on BikeRadar
Complete bike specifications
Frame: Cannondale Flash 29er, size L
Fork: Cannondale Lefty 29er Carbon XLR, 90mm (125psi for STXC, 115psi for XC)
Headset: Cannondale Headshok
Stem: Cannondale OPI, 11cm x -5°
Handlebars: Syntace Duraflite 31.8 Carbon, 630mm
Tape/grips: ESI Racer's Edge
Front brake: Avid XX, 160mm rotor
Rear brake: Avid XX, 140mm rotor
Brake levers: Avid XX World Cup
Front derailleur: SRAM XX
Rear derailleur: SRAM XX
Shift levers: SRAM XX
Cassette: SRAM PG-1090, 11-36T
Chain: SRAM PC-1091R
Crankset: SRM MTB PowerMeter Cannondale 2x10, 175mm, 39/26T
Bottom bracket: Cannondale BB30
Pedals: Crankbrothers Eggbeater 11
Wheelset: Stan's NoTubes ZTR 29er Race Gold
Front tire: Schwalbe Racing Ralph, 28psi
Rear tire: Schwalbe Furious Fred, 30psi
Saddle: fi'zi:k Arione CX k:ium
Seat post: Cannondale Flash Carbon
Bottle cages: Cannondale Immex (1)
Computer: SRM Power Control 7
Critical measurements
Rider's height: 1.80m (5' 11")
Rider's weight: 68.5kg (151lb)
Saddle height, from BB (c-t): 794mm
Saddle setback: 53mm
Seat tube length, c-t: 480mm
Seat tube length, c-c: 420mm
Tip of saddle nose to C of bars (next to stem): 602mm
Saddle-to-bar drop (vertical): 63mm
Head tube length: 134mm
Top tube length: 622mm (horizontal)
Total bicycle weight: 8.23kg (18.14lb)