The Cannondale Factory
#1
The Cannondale Factory
Does anyone have shots they can share with everyone of the Cannondale factory back in the day? It would be nice to see the place where all these older bikes were made.
#2
Steel is real
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Not far from Paris
Posts: 2,428
Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1998KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon,1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam,1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
Liked 1,256 Times
in
834 Posts
This is what happens when a company like Dorel outsourced a production to Taiwan resulting in unemployment and lower quality in my own opinion. I will never buy a modern Cannondale, I would rather buy a vintage one roadbike model the last year of the made in USA Cannondale. In 2004, Dorel acquired Pacific Cycle, a company that designs, markets, and distributes branded bicycles and other recreational products. In February 2008, Dorel purchased the Cannondale Bicycle Corporation and SUGOI Performance Apparel. In July 2009, Dorel announced its acquisition of Iron Horse Bicyles. In August 2013, Dorel announced its acquisition of Brazil-based Bicicletas Caloi S/A.
Dorel marketed its sports products under the brand names of Cannondale, Schwinn, GT Bicycles, Moongoose, Caloi, Ironhorse,Roadmadter, SUGOI (sold to Garneau June 2018), and Fabric. In October 2021, Dorel Sports was sold to Dutch Pon Holdings. Who is Pon Holdings? Pon Holdings BV is a Dutch conglomerate in the transport sector. It was founded in 1980 by Ben Pon, Jr., a former racing car driver and son of Ben Pon, Sr., who became the importer of Volkswagen in the Netherlands in 1947. As of 2021 it is still owned by the Pon family.
It is one of the five largest bicycle manufacturers in the world, and owns bicycle brands Caloi, Cannondale, Cervélo, Derby Cycle (owner of Focus), GT, Gazelle, Iron Horse, Kahlkoff, Mongoose, Santacruz, Veloretti and Schwinn, among others.
Dorel marketed its sports products under the brand names of Cannondale, Schwinn, GT Bicycles, Moongoose, Caloi, Ironhorse,Roadmadter, SUGOI (sold to Garneau June 2018), and Fabric. In October 2021, Dorel Sports was sold to Dutch Pon Holdings. Who is Pon Holdings? Pon Holdings BV is a Dutch conglomerate in the transport sector. It was founded in 1980 by Ben Pon, Jr., a former racing car driver and son of Ben Pon, Sr., who became the importer of Volkswagen in the Netherlands in 1947. As of 2021 it is still owned by the Pon family.
It is one of the five largest bicycle manufacturers in the world, and owns bicycle brands Caloi, Cannondale, Cervélo, Derby Cycle (owner of Focus), GT, Gazelle, Iron Horse, Kahlkoff, Mongoose, Santacruz, Veloretti and Schwinn, among others.
Likes For georges1:
#4
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 17,036
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Liked 8,064 Times
in
4,472 Posts
This is what happens when a company like Dorel outsourced a production to Taiwan resulting in unemployment and lower quality in my own opinion. I will never buy a modern Cannondale, I would rather buy a vintage one roadbike model the last year of the made in USA Cannondale.
2 - We own a Taiwan produced Synapse from 2015. It's perfectly fine. The fit and finish are great.
I ride with 3 people that have Cannondale road bikes from the last 7 years- they are all perfectly fine and are loved.
I own a Cannondale CAAD3 which is a MUSA frame and the frame is nothing magical compared to any random Aluminum frame with carbon fork from the 00s or 10s.
One guy had a Synapse from 2017 that clicked and gave him fits. That was a press fit bb issue and was no different from countless road frames from various brands.
MUSA Cannondale frames have no magic. They are not more reliable or better finished than Taiwan made Cannondale frames from the last decade. And again, MUSA Cannondale bikes gave the brand the nickname 'crack n fail'.
Likes For mstateglfr:
#5
Steel is real
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Not far from Paris
Posts: 2,428
Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1998KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon,1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam,1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
Liked 1,256 Times
in
834 Posts
1- MUSA Cannondale bikes were how the brand got the nickname 'crack n fail'. Keep that in mind while waxing poetically about the better days.
2 - We own a Taiwan produced Synapse from 2015. It's perfectly fine. The fit and finish are great.
I ride with 3 people that have Cannondale road bikes from the last 7 years- they are all perfectly fine and are loved.
I own a Cannondale CAAD3 which is a MUSA frame and the frame is nothing magical compared to any random Aluminum frame with carbon fork from the 00s or 10s.
One guy had a Synapse from 2017 that clicked and gave him fits. That was a press fit bb issue and was no different from countless road frames from various brands.
MUSA Cannondale frames have no magic. They are not more reliable or better finished than Taiwan made Cannondale frames from the last decade. And again, MUSA Cannondale bikes gave the brand the nickname 'crack n fail'.
2 - We own a Taiwan produced Synapse from 2015. It's perfectly fine. The fit and finish are great.
I ride with 3 people that have Cannondale road bikes from the last 7 years- they are all perfectly fine and are loved.
I own a Cannondale CAAD3 which is a MUSA frame and the frame is nothing magical compared to any random Aluminum frame with carbon fork from the 00s or 10s.
One guy had a Synapse from 2017 that clicked and gave him fits. That was a press fit bb issue and was no different from countless road frames from various brands.
MUSA Cannondale frames have no magic. They are not more reliable or better finished than Taiwan made Cannondale frames from the last decade. And again, MUSA Cannondale bikes gave the brand the nickname 'crack n fail'.
Last edited by georges1; 09-18-23 at 02:48 PM.
Likes For georges1:
#6
Le Crocodile
Here is a MUSA Cannondale. Flawless welds, and an incredible ride quality. Top 2 bikes (ride-wise) in my collection are the 2000's SOMEC and this Cannondale.
Note- These are wind turbine blades stockpiled to complete a wind farm above Lompoc, California. The blades are larger/longer than you would think! I did not count the number of flange bolts, but I could from this picture I suppose. Naw, I will just say that there are a lot!
#7
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ffld Cnty Connecticut
Posts: 21,889
Bikes: Old Steelies I made, Old Cannondales
Liked 1,013 Times
in
648 Posts
Unjustified, IMO. There were paint problems early on, and some tube warping during heat treating. I would have heard about any significant frame failures.
__________________
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
#8
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,872
Liked 4,042 Times
in
2,753 Posts
I have one of their Diacro tubing benders. Wish I had gone to the auction, it wasn't that far from here.
#9
Senior Member
"Crack-n-fail," like "Cramp-n-go-slow" and "Shi*mano," tells you nothing about the products and everything about how boring it can be working in bike stores in the winter. (I suspect that the arguably belittling term "wrench," meaning "mechanic," was coined by a bored bike store guy one winter.)
I worked in a shop in the late '80s or early '90s with a couple of guys who were vehement in stating that aluminum frames were far more unreliable than steel bikes and that titanium frames were well-nigh invulnerable.
I said to one, you had a Lightspeed titanium bike, right? What happened to it? "The chain stay cracked near the dropout." I then said to the other, "Where's your Giant titanium bike?" "It cracked through a weld." One of those guys had owned a steel Serotta that failed, too.
Neither saw any problem with maintaining their opinions on the durability of different frame materials. As far as they were concerned, aluminum frames failed because they were aluminum; steel and titanium frames failed despite being steel and titanium. Human nature.
Last edited by Trakhak; 09-18-23 at 07:12 PM.
#10
SE Wis
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,811
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
Liked 3,655 Times
in
2,201 Posts
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Back in Lincoln Sq, Chicago...🙄
Posts: 1,612
Bikes: '84 Miyata 610 ‘91 Cannondale ST600,'83 Trek 720 ‘84 Trek 520, 620, ‘91 Miyata 1000LT, '79 Trek 514, '78 Trek 706, '73 Raleigh Int. frame.
Liked 372 Times
in
221 Posts
Somewhere around here is an article where 80's frames were put into the tarrantula cyclic tester. Cannondales tested significantly better than several well made steel frames of the day.
Likes For Chr0m0ly:
#12
Senior Member
12 High-End Frames in the EFBe Fatigue Test
#13
Newbie
Anybody remember that they actually dove into the motorcycle market? They tried their hands at dirt bikes. I know a few people that worked for them and loved it. They said you could actually ride some of the bikes on the company's test track. I think their main issue was attempting to do EFI before the ECM's were fast enough to work properly on a high-revving dirt bike engine.
#14
Forum Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kalamazoo MI
Posts: 21,154
Bikes: Fuji SL2.1 Carbon Di2 Cannondale Synapse Alloy Viscount Aerospace Pro Raleigh C50 Cromoly Hybrid Legnano Tipo Roma Pista
Liked 7,490 Times
in
4,189 Posts
I have owned an MUSA 2006 Cannondale Synapse since it was new. The welds on it are beautifully smooth and I have had no issues in 25,000 miles. I have friends that have modern Cannondales that were made in Asia, and while their welds aren't sanded smooth, the quality of the welds is just as good as the ones on my bike.
__________________
Likes For cb400bill:
Likes For Headpost:
#16
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 17,036
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Liked 8,064 Times
in
4,472 Posts
The cantilevered dropout was, in part, what helped make the nickname stick.
So MUSA frames had paint issues, warped tubes,and a dropout design that no longer exists for good reason.
Let's not get into their suspension designs over the last 30 years.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Back in Lincoln Sq, Chicago...🙄
Posts: 1,612
Bikes: '84 Miyata 610 ‘91 Cannondale ST600,'83 Trek 720 ‘84 Trek 520, 620, ‘91 Miyata 1000LT, '79 Trek 514, '78 Trek 706, '73 Raleigh Int. frame.
Liked 372 Times
in
221 Posts
Article was from 1997. Cannondale and Principia aluminum frames and a Trek OCLV frame passed the tests; all the steel and titanium frames failed.
12 High-End Frames in the EFBe Fatigue Test
12 High-End Frames in the EFBe Fatigue Test
#18
Steel is real
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Not far from Paris
Posts: 2,428
Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1998KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon,1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam,1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
Liked 1,256 Times
in
834 Posts
I have owned an MUSA 2006 Cannondale Synapse since it was new. The welds on it are beautifully smooth and I have had no issues in 25,000 miles. I have friends that have modern Cannondales that were made in Asia, and while their welds aren't sanded smooth, the quality of the welds is just as good as the ones on my bike.
#19
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 17,036
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Liked 8,064 Times
in
4,472 Posts
Funny enough, I own a CAAD3 frame and it's been my main road bike this year since Ive been too lazy to rebuild my actual main road bike.
I repainted the CAAD3, added a carbon fork, and slapped on 11sp Ultegra/105 components. Love the bike- it's a blast to ride.
My posts here aren't crapping on Cannondale. I really like my MUSA Cannondale frame. It just isn't inherently higher quality in finish or reliability simply due to having been made in the US.
Likes For mstateglfr:
#20
Senior Member
This is what happens when a company like Dorel outsourced a production to Taiwan resulting in unemployment and lower quality in my own opinion. I will never buy a modern Cannondale, I would rather buy a vintage one roadbike model the last year of the made in USA Cannondale. In 2004, Dorel acquired Pacific Cycle, a company that designs, markets, and distributes branded bicycles and other recreational products. In February 2008, Dorel purchased the Cannondale Bicycle Corporation and SUGOI Performance Apparel. In July 2009, Dorel announced its acquisition of Iron Horse Bicyles. In August 2013, Dorel announced its acquisition of Brazil-based Bicicletas Caloi S/A.
Dorel marketed its sports products under the brand names of Cannondale, Schwinn, GT Bicycles, Moongoose, Caloi, Ironhorse,Roadmadter, SUGOI (sold to Garneau June 2018), and Fabric. In October 2021, Dorel Sports was sold to Dutch Pon Holdings. Who is Pon Holdings? Pon Holdings BV is a Dutch conglomerate in the transport sector. It was founded in 1980 by Ben Pon, Jr., a former racing car driver and son of Ben Pon, Sr., who became the importer of Volkswagen in the Netherlands in 1947. As of 2021 it is still owned by the Pon family.
It is one of the five largest bicycle manufacturers in the world, and owns bicycle brands Caloi, Cannondale, Cervélo, Derby Cycle (owner of Focus), GT, Gazelle, Iron Horse, Kahlkoff, Mongoose, Santacruz, Veloretti and Schwinn, among others.
Dorel marketed its sports products under the brand names of Cannondale, Schwinn, GT Bicycles, Moongoose, Caloi, Ironhorse,Roadmadter, SUGOI (sold to Garneau June 2018), and Fabric. In October 2021, Dorel Sports was sold to Dutch Pon Holdings. Who is Pon Holdings? Pon Holdings BV is a Dutch conglomerate in the transport sector. It was founded in 1980 by Ben Pon, Jr., a former racing car driver and son of Ben Pon, Sr., who became the importer of Volkswagen in the Netherlands in 1947. As of 2021 it is still owned by the Pon family.
It is one of the five largest bicycle manufacturers in the world, and owns bicycle brands Caloi, Cannondale, Cervélo, Derby Cycle (owner of Focus), GT, Gazelle, Iron Horse, Kahlkoff, Mongoose, Santacruz, Veloretti and Schwinn, among others.
#21
Steel is real
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Not far from Paris
Posts: 2,428
Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1998KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon,1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam,1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
Liked 1,256 Times
in
834 Posts
I find amusing those who wax poetically about made in USA yet wouldn’t want their children or other loved ones working on a production line in a factory monotonously welding, painting or finishing frames 8 hours a day for a decade or more. If you feel better buying a vintage bike made by a laborer in France, England or Italy in the 80’s enjoy there is plenty to choose from, however don’t kid yourself these were bastions of quality workmanship compared to what is being made in Taiwan today.
#22
A few years ago Cannondale tried to redefine lifetime warranty as the frames having a finite lifespan, so the warranty on an alloy frame was 5 years and a carbon frame had a ten year lifespan, hence a ten year warranty. That was slapped down, really quickly, because they tried to retroactively apply it to customers who had bought their bikes before they tried this on (this was in the Dorel days) who had the expectation of an actual lifetime warranty on the frame they purchased at the time. I don't know what the current warranty looks like, but I do recall they had to backtrack from this position otherwise they would be on a hiding to nothing with the consumer commission.
#23
Senior Member
A few years ago Cannondale tried to redefine lifetime warranty as the frames having a finite lifespan, so the warranty on an alloy frame was 5 years and a carbon frame had a ten year lifespan, hence a ten year warranty. That was slapped down, really quickly, because they tried to retroactively apply it to customers who had bought their bikes before they tried this on (this was in the Dorel days) who had the expectation of an actual lifetime warranty on the frame they purchased at the time. I don't know what the current warranty looks like, but I do recall they had to backtrack from this position otherwise they would be on a hiding to nothing with the consumer commission.
If Schwinn had never introduced the idea of a lifetime warranty to (I think) promote sales of their electroforged frames, a lot of bike manufacturers the world over would have been much happier in the decades to come.
Last edited by Trakhak; 09-19-23 at 05:49 AM.
#24
I don't know.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: South Meriden, CT
Posts: 2,210
Bikes: '90 B'stone RB-1, '92 B'stone RB-2, '89 SuperGo Access Comp, '03 Access 69er, '23 Trek 520, '14 Ritchey Road Logic, '09 Kestrel Evoke, '08 Windsor Tourist, '17 Surly Wednesday, '89 Centurion Accordo, '15 CruX, '17 Ridley X-Night, '89 Marinoni
Liked 1,036 Times
in
529 Posts
having been given C'dale frames to race every year in the mid to late eighties to race, I have a mixed opinion of them. They were great crit axes. The quality was not great. The powder coating would bubble and then flake off in huge patches. The rear derailleur hangers creaked and required constant greasing. The ride was really harsh, especially the 3.0 with its huge downtube and super short chain stays. Back then the peloton referred to them as "Crack'n'fails". I'm not sure where that came from. None of the five I had cracked. Regardless, I've never wanted a C'dale since.
#25
Senior Member
I stopped by to see the factory on my way up to the Altoona area to train for a couple of days in the mountains. It was in Bedford, Pa. It was a pretty generic looking warehouse style building in a small industrial park type area, but did have the name “Cannondale” on the building in the familiar script.
The Saeco sponsorship was very good for Cannondale. Without the team telling them that their bikes rode like crap at the beginning of the sponsorship, there is no way that the product would have improved as it did. You could observe the input from the team over the years…very stiff frames when Cipollini was the only star and a bit more forgiving during the period when they had winning GC riders like Gotti, Salvoldelli, and Simoni. They had a section on their website where they sold team bikes. I bought a new CAAD 5 that had been built for a team rider whose name I can’t recall at the moment. It had never been built as the team was getting CAAD 6 s starting halfway through the season, and apparently the frame I bought was no longer needed and had been intended as a mid season replacement. In any event, I bought on a bit of a whim as it was perfect for my needs with a top tube 1 cm longer than the stock number for my frame size and a low bottom bracket height as well. Interestingly, it is also not particularly light and about a half pound heavier than a standard frame (clearly heavier tubing) and the fork had an aluminum steerer. Even the team frames had the “warning” sticker at the bottom of the downtube telling the owner to always wear a helmet, etc. Before leaving the factory, they had affixed a sticker of a cartoon caricature Saeco rider over top of the warning label. The bike also came with the CODA/Magic Motorcycle crankset and a Campagnolo integrated headset (I think the bikes for general sale had FSA). Nice bike, beautifully welded, machined and aligned…..but very stiff and not the bike that you would pick for a century.
The Saeco sponsorship was very good for Cannondale. Without the team telling them that their bikes rode like crap at the beginning of the sponsorship, there is no way that the product would have improved as it did. You could observe the input from the team over the years…very stiff frames when Cipollini was the only star and a bit more forgiving during the period when they had winning GC riders like Gotti, Salvoldelli, and Simoni. They had a section on their website where they sold team bikes. I bought a new CAAD 5 that had been built for a team rider whose name I can’t recall at the moment. It had never been built as the team was getting CAAD 6 s starting halfway through the season, and apparently the frame I bought was no longer needed and had been intended as a mid season replacement. In any event, I bought on a bit of a whim as it was perfect for my needs with a top tube 1 cm longer than the stock number for my frame size and a low bottom bracket height as well. Interestingly, it is also not particularly light and about a half pound heavier than a standard frame (clearly heavier tubing) and the fork had an aluminum steerer. Even the team frames had the “warning” sticker at the bottom of the downtube telling the owner to always wear a helmet, etc. Before leaving the factory, they had affixed a sticker of a cartoon caricature Saeco rider over top of the warning label. The bike also came with the CODA/Magic Motorcycle crankset and a Campagnolo integrated headset (I think the bikes for general sale had FSA). Nice bike, beautifully welded, machined and aligned…..but very stiff and not the bike that you would pick for a century.
Likes For El Chaba: