Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale) raced this ultralight Cannondale Flash 29er hardtail at the US MTB Nationals. How light? Try 8.23kg (18.14lb).(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Not surprisingly, Cannondale fits its top-end Flash 29er carbon hardtail with its trademark BB30 bottom bracket.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale) normally runs bar ends but decided to go without on the US Nationals course at Sun Valley. Rather than cut off the glued-on ESI silicone foam rubber grips, though, Bishop told team mechanic Troy Laffey to just leave them as is.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Lefty fork may only have one leg but the dual crowns, trademark square-profile lower tube and needle bearings provide exceptional stiffness and small bump sensitivity.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Crankbrothers' latest Eggbeater 11 pedals have interchangeable collars to minimize slop between the shoe and pedal.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
SRAM's XX group is a big reason why Jeremiah Bishop's (Cannondale) Cannondale Flash 29er is so incredibly light.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
NoTubes uses its own house-brand hub for Jeremiah Bishop's (Cannondale) Cannondale Flash 29er.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Strategically flattened sections on the chain stays, seat stays, seat tube, and seatpost are said to provide an unusually soft ride on Cannondale's Flash 29er.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Despite the availability of carbon fiber wheels, Stan's NoTubes ZTR aluminum rims remain an extremely popular choice among top pros for their light weight, easy serviceability, and instant tubeless compatibility.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The stays are mostly straight on Jeremiah Bishop's Cannondale Flash 29er.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
According to Cannondale, the flattened stays on Jeremiah Bishop's Flash 29er act as a sort of micro-suspension for improved rider comfort and tire traction.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The NoTubes 29er Race Gold wheelset is one of the lightest options available for the bigger format.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Jeremiah Bishop's (Cannondale) NoTubes 29er Race Gold front wheel is built around a Cannondale Lefty front hub.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
A direct-mount front derailleur saves weight by allowing for a thinner seat tube.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Cannondale's Immex cage blends a carbon fiber base with titanium wings.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
A strip of Velcro helps deaden the noise of chainslap on Jeremiah Bishop's Cannondale Flash 29er.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Cannondale OPI integrated stem and steerer clamp on to a Syntace Duraflite 31.8 Carbon handlebar.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale) uses SRM's Power Control 7 computer to go along with his SRM power meter.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Avid XX World Cup brake levers lack pad contact adjustment but are slightly lighter because of it.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Roadies have been racing and training with their power meters for years but we're now seeing the trend carry over into the mountain bike realm. (Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The sandwich-style rear derailleur hanger is stiffer and should provide slightly better shifting than ones that merely bolt to one side of the dropout.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Aluminum post mount rear brake caliper tabs are sized for 140mm rotors.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale) gets the personal treatment on his Cannondale Lefty XLR fork.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The ultralight Cannondale Lefty fork uses a carbon fiber upper assembly and a forged aluminum lower leg.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Cannondale's clever OPI stem is forged as one piece with the steerer for an ultralight setup.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lightweight bikes are nothing new at the top ranks of the sport but Jeremiah Bishop's (Cannondale Factory Team) Cannondale Flash Carbon 29er surprised even us, weighing in at an astounding 8.23kg (18.14lb) – lighter than some Paris-Roubaix machines we've profiled in the past and just the thing for the US cross-country national championship's climbing-intensive course in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Bishop's feathery steed is built around Cannondale's ultralight Flash Carbon 29er hardtail, which boasts a claimed weight of around 1,050g thanks in part to the refined lay-up schedule and tube shapes, svelte alloy dropouts, bare carbon BB30 bottom bracket shell, and minimalist direct-mount front derailleur tabs. Even so, strategically flattened sections on the chain stays, seat stays, and even the special carbon fiber seatpost – all part of Cannondale's SAVE concept – supposedly yield an unusually comfortable ride for a bike with no proper rear suspension.
Naturally, the build kit puts an emphasis on saving weight, too, with Cannondale's own fork and component divisions contributing key pieces to the lightweight puzzle such as Bishop's custom etched Lefty XLR carbon fiber fork, the slick OPI one-piece forged aluminum stem and steerer assembly, and Hollowgram SL 2x10 crankset.
The ultralight Cannondale Lefty fork uses a carbon fiber upper assembly and a forged aluminum lower leg
Other bits include the Stan's NoTubes ZTR 29er Race Gold wheelset, SRAM XX group (with lighter 160/140mm front/rear rotors and less adjustable World Cup brake lever option), tubeless-converted Schwalbe Furious Fred and Racing Ralph tires, Crankbrothers' latest Eggbeater 11 pedals, Syntace Duraflite 31.8 Carbon flat bar, and comfy ESI Racer's Edge silicone foam rubber grips.
Despite the lack of mass, Bishop's bike makes little – if any – compromises in performance. The Lefty fork offers superb torsional and fore-aft rigidity plus a handy hydraulic remote lockout while only weighing about 1.3kg (2.9lb), the crank was fitted with an SRM power meter, and Bishop even went with fi'zi:k's k:ium-railed Arione CX saddle instead of the lighter carbon-railed version. That impressive 8.23kg actual weight even includes the SRM Power Control 7 computer head.
Roadies have been racing and training with power meters for years but we're now seeing the trend carry over into the mountain bike realm
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Bishop normally rides his Flash 29er with bar ends but decided to go without for the Sun Valley course. Team mechanic Troy Laffey glues Bishop's grips on for extra security, however, and given the option of cutting them off and installing new ones or just leaving the setup as is, Bishop opted for the latter.
According to Laffey, Bishop ran 28/30psi front/rear tire pressure for Sun Valley plus 115psi in his Lefty fork – bumped up to 125psi for the next day's short track event.
Bishop unfortunately wasn't able to put his impressive machine on to the top step of the podium in either event, finishing fourth in the cross country and fifth in short track.
Frame: Cannondale Flash 29er, size L Fork: Cannondale Lefty 29er Carbon XLR, 90mm (125psi for STXC, 115psi for XC) Headset: Cannondale Headshok Stem: Cannondale OPI, 11cm x -5° Handlebars: Syntace Duraflite 31.8 Carbon, 630mm Tape/grips: ESI Racer's Edge Front brake: Avid XX, 160mm rotor Rear brake: Avid XX, 140mm rotor Brake levers: Avid XX World Cup Front derailleur: SRAM XX Rear derailleur: SRAM XX Shift levers: SRAM XX Cassette: SRAM PG-1090, 11-36T Chain: SRAM PC-1091R Crankset: SRM MTB PowerMeter Cannondale 2x10, 175mm, 39/26T Bottom bracket: Cannondale BB30 Pedals: Crankbrothers Eggbeater 11 Wheelset: Stan's NoTubes ZTR 29er Race Gold Front tire: Schwalbe Racing Ralph, 28psi Rear tire: Schwalbe Furious Fred, 30psi Saddle: fi'zi:k Arione CX k:ium Seat post: Cannondale Flash Carbon Bottle cages: Cannondale Immex (1) Computer: SRM Power Control 7
Critical measurements
Rider's height: 1.80m (5' 11") Rider's weight: 68.5kg (151lb) Saddle height, from BB (c-t): 794mm Saddle setback: 53mm Seat tube length, c-t: 480mm Seat tube length, c-c: 420mm Tip of saddle nose to C of bars (next to stem): 602mm Saddle-to-bar drop (vertical): 63mm Head tube length: 134mm Top tube length: 622mm (horizontal) Total bicycle weight: 8.23kg (18.14lb)
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