Cannondale Rush Mountain Bike?

Question

Is the Cannondale Rush Leftie a good bike for mountain bike riding and on fire trails?

Would a Mongoose be a better bike for mountain bike riding on fire trails with obviously multi suspension.

I was going to cap my spending on a bike at Aus$1500 but if the Cannondale Rush is worth it I can have seen one for $2400 brand new Cannondale Rush leftie.

I need advise.

Is Gitane any good for mountain bikes.

Mongoose has always been known for top of the line BMX bikes as been of strong build is it also the case for their mountain bikes.

The Cannondale Rush leftie looks like a great bike but is at good as what it seems with a single fork?

Answer 1

Cannondale is OK, but stay away from Mongoose, Raleigh, and Diamondback...

I also like KHS, Giant, Trek, and Specialized...

Answer 2

I got my first off road bike at 18 and it was 20 years later before I upgraded. I think you should use it as a teachable moment let him earn half if not more of the money himself. If you think he will still want a car push the car back a year or two. Let him make the sacrifice it may surprise you. If he is a serious biker then it won't. By the way a bike is a lot cheaper than a car, and insurance, and gas. In college no one ever asked to borrow my bike. And it is almost impossible to get a DWI on a bike. My one regret 20 years ago is that I didn't have more money to buy a better bike but $700 was a lot for a bike back then.

Answer 3

I think that the Cannondale Rush is a very good option for general mountain biking, and it's, in my opinion, way better than Mongoose. The Lefty is a very rigid fork that steers very sharp, it only looks weird, but it rides very good.

The only think to mind on the Lefty is if you need to remove your front wheel for any reason. You don't have to do it when you get a flat, you just remove the tire and replace the tube. But if you want to put your bike in the car trunk it's a concern. It's not impossible, but just harder than a standard fork with a quick release.

Giant also has some very good bikes, and probably better value for the money than Cannondale. Check for the Trance, which is what I would look forward to compare with the Rush.

I really don't know how to feel about Mongoose, when I was a kid (I believe it has rained since then) it was very popular, but then it seems to have gone cheaper. I think that lately they are starting to deliver good bikes, but I wouldn't buy one yet.

Answer 4

I've heard that the Lefty isn't such a great shock.
I was in love with it for awhile - was even looking into fitting my Commencal with a Lefty, but decided that it's not everything it's cracked up to be.

That said, I still love the Rush. That's my dream bike. But since I'm not a pro, how is it worth it to me to spend all of that money?

Also, are you sure that you don't want a hardtail? I think a lot of riders go for broke on a full suspension without knowing why. Also keep in mind that full-suspension bikes require more maintenance.

I think that if your budget is $1500, you should try to spend $1000 on a hardtail with good components.

Answer 5

the cannondale rush is a nice bike for what it is..I think it might be a bit overkill just for fire roads , but a good bike none the less
as to Mongoose..they used to be a good bike ..now a days it is bottom of the barrel, please save yourself a problem and stay away from mongoose..as to the brand Gitane...never heard of it, unless you mean Giant..giant is a good bike
if your looking to just ride fire roads there are a ton of good bikes out there for $1500 or less, just look for them I say try the brand Giant