Mitch Ropelato & Kera Linn Sign With Cannondale For 2021

Jan 15, 2021
by Sarah Moore  
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Last week, Cannondale announced the signing of Alan Hatherly and Simon Andreassen on the Cannondale Factory Racing cross-country team, and today we find out that top 20 EWS and 2-time King of Crankworx Mitch Ropelato and Pro GRT breakout star and National Enduro contender Kera Linn are also joining Cannondale.

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bigquotesI’m super excited to be a part of Cannondale as its heritage runs deep in the mountain bike world, and a lot of great athletes I looked up to rode for Cannondale. My goal for this year is to suck less than I sucked the year before.—Mitch Ropelato

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Kera Linn is a former collegiate athlete making her way into elite racing in enduro with her eyes set on the EWS for 2021. She was third at the 2020 USA National DH Series #1 and finished in the top 10 at 2020 Big Mountain Enduro #1.

bigquotesI’m excited to be a part of a brand that makes amazing bikes and has so many of the top athletes, in different disciplines. I look forward to rep’ing Cannondale in 2021 and kitting up to race the global enduro scene.—Kera Linn

bigquotesIf it ain’t fun, it’s probably not worth doing it. So, naturally we felt if we are going to elevate Cannondale in the enduro scene we should add two riders who are going to have as much fun as we do. We could say so many great things about Kera and Mitch joining the Cannondale family, but we’ll just let their smiles share their good times approach to the sport and let their riding do the talking.—Travis Tomczak, Cannondale Global Marketing Manager, Mountain



Posted In:
Racing and Events Racing Rumours Cannondale Kera Linn Mitch Ropelato


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69 Comments
  • 126 0
 Tell me we're gonna have a Ropelato-Ratboy game of BIKE edit!!
  • 10 1
 Don't they still have Aaron Chase too? Get the whole trio together.
  • 10 1
 @adrennan: way behind. chase has been on commencal
  • 2 1
 @adrennan: No... he's repping Commencal up in the Granite State.
  • 2 1
 @adrennan: I don't think he's been on Cannondale for three or four years at least. He went to Pivot after Cannondale, and now he's on Commencal
  • 13 1
 Hey guys I think read somewhere that Chase went to Commencal. I could be wrong though.
  • 6 0
 Always funny when a rider is so iconic on a brand that you don't even notice they left.
  • 2 0
 @cuban-b: No dude, pretty sure he's on Commen- Oh.. yes what you said.
  • 5 0
 @leon-forfar: did you hear he is on commencal? think I heard it somewhere
  • 2 0
 @adrennan: can you get your shit together please gosh
  • 1 0
 @thook: lol Beer
  • 3 0
 The suck less comment is gold.
  • 3 0
 @thook: no I can't. Have you tried adulting? It sucks.
  • 3 0
 @adrennan: I remember the days of knowing the drummers name of the band I adored. Now I worry about my client telling my boss I f*cked up, and TPS reports obviously.
  • 1 0
 I immediately thought of a R&R edit being very fun!
  • 51 0
 My goal for this year is to suck less than I sucked the year before.—Mitch Ropelato

One of my favourites ! So cool Mitch ! great job
  • 24 0
 Does anybody here remember Kera Linn?
Remember how she said that
We would meet again
Some sunny day?…
  • 2 1
 She’s only been riding bikes for a couple years, killing it!!!
  • 8 0
 Kera! Kera!!! What has become of you????
  • 4 0
 @Arnoodles:
"Backflip the Wall..."
"Backflip the Wall..."
  • 1 0
 Wasn't she just dating Jubal?
  • 18 0
 Show at least a video of the ropo rippin
  • 7 0
 They'll have to release that new jekyll that Mitch is riding in one of the photos first. The one with the rainbow paint and the zeb
  • 2 0
 Check his or Cannondale's Instagram. www.instagram.com/p/CKEYXJPnVjF
  • 2 0
 Check his Instagram
  • 2 0
 @PTyliszczak: Could they just leave an extra 2s per cut so we can see the riding...
  • 1 0
 @Mugen: I think these are the best shots that do not capture the suspension design of the bike. It is not yet released publicly. On the day I was there they were both shooting a lot of footage on way more trails and cooler features than this, I'm sure we will get it all when the bike is publicly released.
  • 13 0
 On Cannondale's new high pivot enduro bike. I saw Mitch shooting at Kanuga and was wondering was that bike with the high pivot and sick paint job was.
  • 1 0
 Yep, riding photo of Kera you can see the idler. Weren't there spy shots of it like 5 months or more ago?
  • 2 0
 @kcy4130: Yeah I think some people have been seeing them at Mountain Creek in New York. It's the closest bike park to Cannondale's HQ in Connecticut.
  • 1 0
 Cannondale just seems like a good brand to move to the high pivot. Even their Super V was a pretty high single pivot for the days of 3x cranks back in the day.
  • 1 0
 @whambat: Yeah. If I had to guess, this will be a horst with a rearward path and an idler. Like the norco shore. Not a real high single pivot w/ linkage driven shock.
  • 1 0
 They even have pictures of it in their 2021 catalogue, not sure what their plan is...
  • 3 0
 p.vitalmtb.com/photos/forums/2021/01/10/10372/s1600_Screenshot_2021_01_11_09_13_24_44.jpg
  • 6 0
 @kcy4130: with the pics in the link by hamncheez, I was off on what I was expecting, I was thinking more like a Druid. But, leave it to Cannondale to try something different. Quite a bit of irony to see C-dale embracing a Horst link while Spesh has gone flex pivot.
  • 3 0
 @whambat: well, S has only gone flex on the short travel stuff, which Cdale is still doing too. They both have horsts on longer travel offerings.
  • 2 0
 So there's this, the shore, and the GT dh bike, any other horst idler bikes out there? The review of the shore seemed pretty negative regarding the rear suspension. Harsh and poor traction, the exact opposite of things said about actual high pivot bikes like the p train, druid, and supreme dh. What little I've heard about the gt has been more negative than positive. Makes me wonder.
  • 1 1
 @hamncheez: uh moots and yeti did it first
  • 1 0
 @hamncheez: and maybe that’s where it should all work out on the evolution of it all, flex stays for short travel and Horst for bigger travel. But, as someone who’s watched their marketing department’s duke it out for over the last 20 years on which is better, I find it funny to see that they are pretty much on the same concepts now.

I am pretty excited to see more high pivot designs, I think there is some real merit there.
  • 1 0
 @kcy4130: It's not out yet but the Norco Range is using a high pivot horst with an idler too. It's the same bike the dh team used during crankworx too
  • 9 0
 Wonder if Cannondale will bring back a DJ Frame then? Call it the Ropo like they did with the Chase?
Or maybe sister company GT will just supply la bombas?
  • 3 0
 As long as it comes back in the Van Halen paint job like the Chase was! Wish I never sold that bike...
  • 3 0
 @stormracing:

Of the dozens of bikes I’ve had over the years my Chase is one that has never been sold. My kids rode it now and my grandkids will ride it after that! Haha
  • 2 0
 They do have a DJ frame coming. But like the Jekyll that hasn't been released, they will be fully sold out before PB and others publish their reviews/press releases.
  • 2 0
 @meathooker: that is so awesome!! Way pumped to hear that!
  • 7 0
 New contenders for the top power couple in MTB
  • 6 0
 Crazy! Didn't realize he was off Santa Cruz. He was with them for so long!
  • 2 1
 he technically wasn't on Santa Cruz. He was on the TLD team that used their frames.
  • 6 0
 @hamncheez: getting free santa cruz frames counts as being on santa cruz in my eyes.
  • 2 0
 @hamncheez: Santa Cruz/Sram/Rockshox
  • 4 0
 The new Jekyll That Mitch has been riding: p.vitalmtb.com/photos/forums/2021/01/10/10372/s1600_Screenshot_2021_01_11_09_13_24_44.jpg
  • 1 0
 Also about time. I’ve seen this thing so many times it’s crazy how long it takes them to get this out
  • 7 1
 Mitch on 50:01 edits please.
  • 1 0
 Return of the - what was the name of the Cannondale Super V in raw aluminum with teleleverfork, where the Cannondale boss back in the days ate his hat, since it didn’t made it into production- bike.

Does anyone remember?
  • 2 0
 Yep. An early co rotating link bike. Shame they didn’t get it right and Outland did.
  • 5 0
 Cannondale really going for all the cool kids. Mitch is siiiiiick.
  • 2 0
 Do they produce a dirt jumper? What is going to use for pumptrack?
  • 2 0
 Usually if a company doesn't have a specific bike they'll allow that person to use one of their own, or the company would make a one-off for them. I've seen both happen.
  • 1 2
 Crack and fail (dorel) makes the gt labomba. I’m sure he’ll just ride a raw one
  • 1 0
 Looks like Mitch needs to work on his game....hopefully he will improve to keep his new job...
  • 1 0
 This makes a hell of a lot more sense than Rat Boy. I remember Steve Pete mocking RB when he signed.
  • 1 0
 Mitch is my favorite rider to watch and follow ... excited to see what he can do and what he’ll be riding
  • 1 0
 Noooooo! Not Ropo off SC!
  • 1 0
 Where is Ratboy? He seemed to have fazed out after joining Cannondale.
  • 1 2
 Really!! Cannondale out of all bikes ????‍♂️
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