Cannondale DHF

[Rik]

This is an extension from another topic, I thought it'd be best to start a new thread:

I am under the impression that the forks are computer controlled, but that has nothing to do with the rear shock. Pretty techy stuff otherwise though.
Oh and, Ronning was sponsored by Fisher at the time, I'd assume they just asked for his comments when they were writing up the snippet.

Anyway, discuss.

 

[CHEWY]

am i supposed to be able to enlarge that pic?

 

[Rik]

Should be vieable now. Oh, and the magazine was 1997...

 

[Commander Dilsnikk]

cheers rik

i have a feeling there were some better pics of it in that mag too...

is there anything (i think it was on the same page) about some bizarre looking fork?? an "e-fork" or something?? coz from memory that was very err.. "interesting"

 

[Rik]

Yeh, the Sherpa E-Fork... I'd take pics but can't be arsed as the camera needs charging.
I'll dig through my magazine pile tomorrow and find a pull-page pic of the DHF. It's not in this mag, but I know it gets more publicity in the next few issues.

 

[looseunit]

Canondale even had a patent on that computer adjustable suspension system. From what i have read the suspension would be able to change dampening in relation to position on the course, this was great in race situation but not so good in the real world.

 

[tyno]

Canondale even had a patent on that computer adjustable suspension system. From what i have read the suspension would be able to change dampening in relation to position on the course, this was great in race situation but not so good in the real world.

Yep, the rider changed the damping curves by hitting a switch on the bars. If you go the US patent office site and search for all the patents that Cannondale have lodged, you can see some really cool shit... And some really dodgy shit. But you get that.

 

[Ryan]

After the untold thousands of dollars Cannondale spent on the suspension design they gave up on perfecting it and instead flogged the license off to KHS who used it to build one of the most craptacular DH rigs of modern times.

I'm pretty sure the 'F' stood for Fulcrum too. The computer also took telemetry data during each run that was used to program the different suspension curve setups. That's about all I can remember.

In a video I can't remember the name of (Plush maybe?) theres footage of Missy Giove riding one of these million-dollar beasts in her race run only to be stopped dead by a stick that jams first in her rear wheel and then in her disc caliper. The irony is delicious.

 

[luckyphil]

the more shit you have on your bike, the more shit there is to break.
SINGLESPEEDS RULE!

 

[j5ive]

From what I understand- the fork recorded useage of travel, compression, dampning etc in the fork for a particular track. This data was then sent to a laptop via infa red. A programe then determaned the best average settings for that track and recorded it in a file that could then be sent back to the small chip mounted on the downtube. 7 or so tracks could be stored and the rider just selected the setting for the track they were useing.

 

[LTR]

From what I understand- the fork recorded useage of travel, compression, dampning etc in the fork for a particular track. This data was then sent to a laptop via infa red. A programe then determaned the best average settings for that track and recorded it in a file that could then be sent back to the small chip mounted on the downtube. 7 or so tracks could be stored and the rider just selected the setting for the track they were useing.

what happened to that??

too expencive??

 

[Rik]

I'm pretty sure the 'F' stood for Fulcrum too.

According to Giove it stood for "fucken fast", but we all know that's 2 words.

As far as I can tell all this stuff is just for the fork, isn't it? Shame they didn't expand and take on the rear shock... And you're right about KHS too, man they made a mess of their bike.

It's interesting to see all this old stuff, to see where we've come from and where we're going. I think this bike was only running about 6" travel too, shows you how things have progressed.

 

[monkeymagic]

sounds pretty ummm technical sounds like itd suck too, if you broke it!

 

[luckyphil]

take a while to service, say 3 months?? every mechanic would need an I.T. degree...

 

[®ider]

hmm, i remeber these cannondales with this electronic lockout. I used to go in the store sit on the bike and keep pressing the button, lock-out,on,off,on,off., made a mad sounds when it locked and unlocked

 

[toodles]

From what I understand- the fork recorded useage of travel, compression, dampning etc in the fork for a particular track. This data was then sent to a laptop via infa red. A programe then determaned the best average settings for that track and recorded it in a file that could then be sent back to the small chip mounted on the downtube. 7 or so tracks could be stored and the rider just selected the setting for the track they were useing.

what happened to that??

too expencive??

The UCI banned computer control on bikes. Meaning, you can have a computer mounted for say a speedo or for recording telemetry but not for actually controlling gears or suspension.

 

[Cúl-Báire]

Mmmm! I remember this, vaugly!

It's a sounded a good idea in theroy, but I't didnt work all that well in practice... Now if someone did the same thing now, it would work majicly... Technological Advancement has paved the way for shit like this...

...Watch and Wait....

 

[luckyphil]

From what I understand- the fork recorded useage of travel, compression, dampning etc in the fork for a particular track. This data was then sent to a laptop via infa red. A programe then determaned the best average settings for that track and recorded it in a file that could then be sent back to the small chip mounted on the downtube. 7 or so tracks could be stored and the rider just selected the setting for the track they were useing.

what happened to that??

too expencive??

The UCI banned computer control on bikes. Meaning, you can have a computer mounted for say a speedo or for recording telemetry but not for actually controlling gears or suspension.

do u think if it becomes cheaper to manafacture the computer controlled bits and it is widely available the UCI will allow them to be used?
although, it could kinda ruin the whole uncertainty of mtbing, which can be fun...

 

[Rik]

Can't imagine the UCI allowing them again... sorta like FAI banning computer driving aids. It doesn't really offer a whole lot to anyone other than the rider. Look at what they've done with road bikes, I think UCI will have to start thinking about that sort of thing for MTB's in the near future... limiting top end technology to make the sport more accessible to the general public.

 

[looseunit]

The KHS fulcrum bike was originally made by pacific and was orignailly going to be a craftworks. The bike was made at the request of crafworks, and was shown at the tiapa (SP) bike show. At the show it was badged as a pacific who makes the frame allong with craftworks, the bike was selected by KHS for their next frame and craftworks kept with the four bar.