Tested: 2006 Cannondale Rush 2000

The Cannondale Rush 2000 is a versatile performer

Cannondale Rush 2000 / / / $3,500
800-245-3872; cannondale.com

At passing glance, the all-new Rush—with its singlepivot design, raised chainstays and toptube-mounted shock—looks like a scaled-down version of Cannondale’s 5.5-inch-travel Prophet. The folks at Cannondale didn’t take the easy way out and simply scale this thing down, though. They went through a barrage of frame designs before deciding again on the single pivot. With the right placement, a single pivot can do just about anything you want it to, Cannondale argues. Why muck things up with virtual pivots or complex linkages?

In this case, combined with a Fox Float RP3 shock, the single pivot worked quite well. The RP3’s three settings allowed easy and rapid adjustment; with the flip of a switch, the 4.3-inch travel Rush could pedal like a standard XC race bike, or—flick—suck up big hits like, well, a longer-travel XC bike. The shock is the main reason why the Rush has such a brutally efficient ride. The Lefty Speed Carbon DLR2 fork, with handy lockout lever and Manitou’s SPV pedal-platform damping system, matched the frame’s efficiency. And it’s an incredibly stiff fork, regardless of that missing leg.

The parts on our 27.5-pound Rush 2000 test bike were ideal for an aspiring adventure racer. From the XT and XTR bits to the tubeless, 24-spoke Mavic X819 rims to the DT Swiss 340 disc rear hub and Crank Brothers’ Egg Beater pedals, the kit didn’t have an over-the-top bling factor, but proved lightweight, reliable and race worthy.

I beat on our test bike for half a year. It performed flawlessly on everything from accidental five-foot drops to all-day epics and it became my primary machine. The Rush’s versatility stemmed partly from its seemingly contradictory geometry. The 24.7-inch toptube (on our size large) created a very stretched-out cockpit, and the slack 69- degree head angle kept the bike in line on fast, steep, sketchy descents. And while the long 44.5-inch wheelbase provided stability, the low 12.6-inch bottom bracket height kept handling fairly nimble. The long and low machine performed reliably, but there were some flaws. When muscling around corners or blasting through fields of loose, fist-sized stones, the butted 6061 aluminum frame showed some lateral flex. Not problematic, but worth mentioning. And with a low bottom bracket, the pedals made frequent contact with the ground. Also, the Lefty’s lockout lever (which is long, and points straight back in the open position) is quite a knee catcher. The Lefty itself also takes some getting used to. It’s light, stiff and plush, but requires a specific hub, the brake caliper must be swiveled to take the wheel off and an adaptor is needed to mount the fork on your roof rack.

The Rush isn’t perfect. But for weekend racers looking for a do-it-all bike, trail riders logging big miles on rugged terrain, and of course, adventure/ 24-hour racers, it could be ideal. Once I became accustomed to the many intricacies of the Lefty, the Rush became one of my favorite rides.—Dain Zaffke