Cannondale Perp 2
by: Pharoah Bolding
Posted on: Friday, January 4th, 2008 at 2:34 pm by: Pharoah Bolding
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Cannondale, founded in a crowded loft above a pickle factory in 1971, is the leading manufacturer of high-end bicycles for the casual to serious biking enthusiast. With that said their latest offering, the Perpetrator 2, upholds that tradition only in a downhill sort of way. What does that mean? The Cannondale Perp 2 is a great for biking… downhill biking, that is.
The Perp 2 has a chassis based on the designs of the Downhill World Cup-caliber Judge chassis, and the way it handles while biking downhill is extraordinary because of it. A strong swingarm and 12mm rear thru-axle design can handle sticking any difficult landings with relative ease. The steering is top-notch thanks to the 1.5-inch steerer RockShox Domain fork, hard-biting Maxxis Minion tires and Hayes HFX-9 disc brakes. The Perp 2 also has TruVativ cranks and a SRAM/Shimano drivetrain, making descending or nailing that perfect line while biking a hassle-free affair.
Ascending is a different story. Climbing is something of a shortcoming, mainly due to the near forty-two pounds of mass the Perp 2 clocks in at. A slack 70-degree seat angle does little to decrease ascent difficulty. The Perpetrator 2 does have the ability to climb, though; fire-road climbing is not much of a hassle but single-track biking can be trying.
The Cannonball Perp 2 is not a nimble trail bike in any way but compensates for subpar line choices with a DH-like 180 or 200mm rear-wheel travel. This bike’s bread and butter lies in its supremely technical descents; on smoother trails the Perp 2’s high bottom bracket can make the bike feel disjointed. This feeling is very apparent on high-speed leaners. By tuning the sag there is some compensation but the otherwise-excellent suspension lacks detailed adjustment capabilities. But on rocky, root-laden terrain or drops the Cannonball Perp 2 is a biking dream come true, especially for smaller biking enthusiasts who want a slightly lighter bike than most.
Specifications
Price: $2,700
Weight: 41.88 lb. (M)
Frame: Cannondale Perp 180-200mm
Fork: RockShox Domain 318, 180mm-travel, 1.5-inch steerer
Rear Shock: Fox Van R Coil
Rims/Wheels: Mavic EX325 Disc, 36 hole
Hubs Front: 20mm through-axle;
Rear: Sun Ringle Abbah 12mm through-axle
Spokes: DT Swiss Champion
Tires: Maxxis Minion, 26 x 2.5”
Crankset: TruVativ Ruktion
Chainwheel: 36/24 w/bash guard
Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore LX
Rear Derailleur: SRAM X-9
Rear Cogs: SRAM PG-950, 9-speed: 11-34
Shifters: SRAM X-7 Trigger
Handlebars: FSA FR-330BOS
Stem: Cannondale Freeride, 1.5-inch
Brake Levers: Hayes HFX-9
Brakes: Hayes HFX-9 hydraulic discs, 8-inch rotors
Pedals: Cannondale Grind EX Platform
Saddle: Velo 2051 FR
Seat Post: Cannondale C4330BOS
