Press Release: Cannondale OverMountain Team Moves to SuperMax For the EWS Series

Mar 20, 2014
by Pinkbike Staff  
Cannondale is excited to announce that its North American OverMountain team will be racing and adventuring on the all-new SuperMax suspension fork for the 2014 season and beyond. The SuperMax will debut in the Enduro World Series under OverMountain team riders Mark Weir, Ben Cruz, Jason Moeschler and team newcomer Marco Osborne.




The team riders were instrumental in the development of the SuperMax’s new internal components, most of all its new Wide Mouth Piston, which increases the small bump sensitivity and high-speed suppleness of the fork. The SuperMax’s dual crown structure makes it radically stiffer than the competition, yet the minimalist single-leg design makes it as light as some of its competitors lightest cross country race forks.

photo


“Going into the SuperMax testing I was a bit apprehensive,” said mountain bike legend Mark Weir. “After I got on it and started riding, it is a difference you would have to ride to believe. I’ve been riding the same corners for 15 years, and I try to carry my speed through every time. On the SuperMax, I’ve never been faster.”

Weir’s teammate, Jason Moeschler, says “After riding and testing the SuperMax, I never want to let my fork go.” while Cannondale’s newest OverMountain rider, Marco Osborne, comments “The new SuperMax fork is perfect for my style of riding. I am pretty hard on my equipment and so far it has taken everything I could throw at it.”

photo


Check out the OverMountain line of bikes at www.cannondale.com, and be sure to follow the team’s exploits on Facebook and Twitter. See and hear more of the guys riding and testing the new SuperMax here.

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Press Releases Cannondale Enduro World Series


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71 Comments
  • 55 5
 Breaking News: Sponsored riders gush over the amazing performance of their employer's new products.
  • 10 2
 Yeah they gonna say the product sucks???
  • 3 2
 I know right, WTF do people expect sponsored riders to say about their sponsors. Every one on Pinkbike would be exactly the same if they were good enough to be sponsored too. And theres only one thing better than riding bikes and that bird doggin mother fucker oh yeah!
  • 2 1
 saw this bike in a local bike shop yesterday, hate if you want, (ive never been into the leftys) but id be lying if i said i didnt want to at least try it. the rear shock is the most impressive to me.
  • 20 2
 The Lefty is smoother than the smoothest of (insert brand here) forks currently available. Rather than sliding two tubes in and out of bushings, the Lefty uses roller bearings on a square shaft - upping its reliability, durability, and ride feel. One thing immediately noticeable is how "active" the Lefty is over even the smallest of bumps. Incredible really.
  • 8 1
 Couldn't agree more. As far as the chassis goes, it is the best out there with no qualifiers. However, the criticisms of the damping are legitimate. There are better dampers out there.
  • 3 2
 We are picking up a new Trigger 29er, and have been undecided as which to go with. The Trigger 2 comes with Fox Float Evo, Trigger 1 comes with Lefty Max. Both have pros and cons, and I think the deciding factor is going to be the test ride. As current Lefty PBR 120mm owners, we are impressed.
  • 4 2
 I run a cannondale dealer in cda ID, I rode the trigger 1 and 2 for the last 4 monthes and have to say hands down the lefty is the best out of the 2, plus the build out on the 1 is much better (xt brakes)
  • 2 2
 I really appreciate this comment. I notice that the "rake" on the 1 is different than the 2. This has alot to do with the Fork.. Did you notice that it changed the handling of the bike much at all? Sorry, both bikes we are looking at are 2013's - closeout specials.
  • 3 0
 Not much, just really noticed how much stiffer and smoother the lefty is. I was very impressed. Get a narrow wide front ring and a one up 42 the and you can drop some weight as well.
  • 2 0
 @twocircles. I finally had a chance to ride a 14' Trigger 1 Carbon 29 w/130mm Lefty Max.

Game Changing, Ride changing, Life changing.

I took my Claymore in for a trade appraisal - it was that good. Descent - nearly as well.. Ascent - rocketbackpackforthewin.

Thanks for the recommendation.
  • 20 3
 I have no idea why folks worry about riding a lefty. Your car/van/truck has two leftys and two rightys and when was the last time you worried about that?
  • 1 1
 didn't fucking know that, and you didn't have to let us know. haha jk, but seriously i just can't trust lefty for no reason, maybe it's also a visual reason.
  • 16 11
 The trouble with lefty is that it is fighting a losing battle with my mind. No matter how many times they assert that it is strong and tough and light, all I can see is there is something missing to hold your front wheel on properly. It just looks like it is going to break.
  • 4 2
 That's the problem with them right there: the mind. It looks weird, it looks fragile, it looks totally not right at all. BUT...the first time you ride one of the damn things it completely changes everything you think about 'em. Sure the internals of my 7-year-old, lowest-rung Lefty Max may be quite up to par with the abilities of my '11 Marzo 55 RC3 Ti, but the chassis of the damn thing is just completely out of this world. Gonna be putting in a modern solo-air cartridge in it this summer!
  • 7 1
 I'm with Patrick9-32…. My brain likes symmetry, it doesn't like this fork despite seeing plenty of assertions that they're great.
  • 7 2
 So people wont ride them because they don't like the looks? Just plain dumb. I've been MTB'ing for 20 years, and got my first lefty a few years back (lefty max 140) and i admit I was skeptical. Hands down the best fork I've ever had. The design is superior. So stiff, plush, and light for what it is.
  • 5 1
 Lefty's also have a special hub you have to run, so there's that...
  • 2 0
 People don't ride certain bike or drive certain cars because they don't like the way they look. what's the difference? they are all capable. I agree, I'm sure they are the bomb on the trail and people love them, but they just don't look right to me either.
  • 3 0
 Fair enough, but for me - performance first. Looks are second.
  • 2 0
 Been riding Lefty's since they came out and I cannot find anything that is more trouble free and just plain works well....so bottom line is they just work well and are reliable compared to my freeride bike with a Lyrik and trailbike with a Marz. 55!
  • 5 0
 Ive run a few lefties on various Cannondales and they were and still remain my favorite fork, theres nothing that comes close IMO. They are super smooth, stiff, light and unbelievably plush, you really need to try one before you can make any comment. I know they look odd etc etc etc, but when your on the bike they are just a super good fork and dont feel any different at all to any other "normal" fork except that it will more often than not feel much better.
  • 7 0
 How do you like your boobs? Two As or one D? XD
  • 2 0
 The lefty is for people who are happy not to stick with convention. I've never ridden one, due to them tending to be a bit pricey in the uk, but it's probably the coolest thing about cannondale- they do their own thing, and in my opinion do a good job of inovating. I'd like to see a return of the fatty headshok for shorter travel Xc machines. I have an old one and it works a treat still.
  • 2 0
 Not one person who has ridden a lefty has complained in this forum. That should tell you skeptics something. They are by far the most superior fork on the market. You can take a 6 year old PBO and place a brand new dampner in it, and voila, new fork. You can also change the fork from 26, to 27.5, to 29. Try that with any other fork on the market. Not to mention 120 mm of travel easily feels like 140mm because of the stiffness. If you still think there such shit, get on e-bay and find a lefty even ten years old, for less than what you can get last years other brands for.
  • 1 0
 The 2015 Jekyll will be a 140mm 27.5 platform. As far as the looks. I work for a c-dale dealership and I hear the comments all day long about the fork. All i can say is.... If you are looking at your fork when you ride then you aren't riding very well. I don't know about you but Im looking at least 10 feet down traill at all times.
  • 1 0
 I don't understand why it's to the left. If the dropouts on standard forks are being pushed forward away from the frame to give a slacker angle. Then why not put the fork at the front instead of the side. I don't get it. Am I missing something?
  • 2 0
 Please tell me this is sarcasm!
  • 1 0
 It's okay, i understood the question, I think. The trail on the fork would be crap and it would handle horribly. Try taking your stem off, turn your fork and wheel around the wrong way and then re-fit your stem. Now go for a ride and see what you reckon.
  • 1 0
 if it was righty your bike wouldnt have a front brake, they would be rubbish
  • 3 0
 Anyone know what travel it has? Looks like they're riding the Trigger rather than the Jekyll and I can't find the Jekyll on their website.
  • 1 1
 130mm... Jekyll is still up there.
  • 1 0
 No way its 130mm. Its on a Jekyl. At 1:24 i think I see 140 on the side graphics, but 2 seconds later it deff says 27.5.
  • 1 0
 I thought that the latest iteration of the Supermax was supposed to be a 160mm 26er fork? Maybe that one is still in the works, but there was talk of it a year or two ago.
  • 5 0
 The 2015 Jekyll will be a 140mm 27.5 platform. As far as the looks. I work for a c-dale dealership and I hear the comments all day long about the fork. All i can say is.... If you are looking at your fork when you ride then you aren't riding very well. I don't know about you but Im looking at least 10 feet down traill at all times.
  • 1 0
 I was hoping for more travel. The 29er has almost the same amount.
  • 3 0
 Bike’s article mentions it being a 160, “The new fork, a redesigned 160-millimeter-travel Lefty, has been put through the ringer over the past several months by all members of Cannondale’s OverMountain team, including Weir and enduro standout Jerome Clementz.”

article:
www.ridemonkey.com/forums/f140/cannondale-overmountain-team-race-new-supermax-lefty-fork-266568
  • 2 0
 I think the main reason the lefty hasn't caught on is its need for a 1.5 head tube usually only found on DH bikes that aren't catered to with sub 160mm travel chopsticks. That and they have the spring and damper together making them harder to service (not that I service my forks anywho). Proprietary parts like the hub don't help and being dual crown you won't be doing any xups, bars or tail whips. That said I like them BECAUSE they are different and if they made one for a tapered internal head tube I'd give them a go.
  • 2 0
 Just get the adaptor from project 321.
www.project321.com/products_bike-lefty-adapter-tapered.php
  • 3 0
 No shit that is news to me. Thanks for that. I swear I get more new tech stuff from the posts than the articles.
  • 1 0
 I've never seen a Lefty in the Lower Mainland. I don't know if that's a failure of the brand to really properly market itself, or if the products just don't hold up. The Lefty seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I would love to try one to see for myself.
  • 1 0
 I've been riding my lefty max 140 on the trails in port moody and I can assure you the lefty is awesome. Especially for BC where chassis stiffness is important as well as small bump compliance. And I've owned alot of single crown forks by fox & RS. The leftys are not well represented here in BC because of all the proprietary parts -- Cannondale frame, 1.56" headset, lefty specific stem. That's where cannondale went wrong. I love my lefty but the prophet frame is just 'meh'.
  • 1 0
 Project321 make a conversion kit to put the lefty onto just about any bike... Im puting A super max on a Rip 9 carbon on the 26th of this month. I can,t wait!
  • 4 0
 Shouldn't it be called a stick? It's clearly not a fork. Love to try one though...
  • 3 0
 Should be the knife
  • 1 0
 Do lefties have weight ratings? I don't know of any clydes running one...and despite all the reports on stiffness, I gotta believe the axle wouldn't hold up to me even if the one legged fork did.
  • 1 2
 I admit I do not own a lefty, have never tried a lefty and have no real desire to either. The problem I see is that if it was truly the best design out there then other manufacturers would have found a way around Cannondales IP and experimented with other similar designs. The fact that all other forks out there, old and new, are of the classic design speaks volumes. How many MX bikes do you see with a single suspension leg?
  • 2 0
 Lefty is ideal for small to mid travel category. A 10 inch travel lefty on a MX bike makes no sense, which is why u dont see any.
  • 4 1
 It looks so wrong but it feel so right
  • 2 1
 DIY lefty...take boxxer/fox 40/ DH fork of choice, chop in half, go ride enduro. Use DVO for a DIY inverted lefty for bonus enduro points
  • 1 0
 Makes sense to me that those guys are into it. Everyone who's tried a SuperMax is...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WlRqcAQr2w
  • 1 0
 Lefty Supermax will be 160mm. 2015 Jekyll will be 27.5 with 160 mm in flow mode and 110 in elevate back.
  • 1 0
 Oh and that as 27.5 Trigger as well...
  • 1 1
 Isnt that the 2015 27.5 Jekyll they are riding?
  • 1 0
 In the picture, its the new trigger
  • 1 0
 Are you on about the bike in the pictures, im talking about the bikes in the video which look exactly like this bike to me. vimeo.com/89364313
  • 2 0
 Rad, ripping it at Skyline!
  • 1 0
 NAPA VALLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Soooooo tight seeing these guy's come up to my neck of the Woods! Cheer's!!!
  • 1 0
 Did you ask mechanic what he think about lefty? Good fork is good as long as is working perfect
  • 1 0
 your grammar maimed my eyes
  • 2 1
 I'd ride the hell out of it, too. Looks great!
  • 1 0
 Overmountain . . . wtf does Overmountain mean?????

Is this a new RC term?
  • 1 0
 Over mountain is a term cannondale coined in 2011 to describe the ability of their dual travel bikes (jekyll n trigger). Rinde up like cross country bikes w short travel and blast down like trail bikes with long travel. If you race in that fashion, it's enduro! ;-)
  • 1 0
 how is that any different than "All Mountain?"
  • 1 0
 Over mountain is the new Enduro - didnt ja know????
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