Showing posts with label mountain biking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mountain biking. Show all posts

Thursday, 6 March 2014

My bike: The Cannondale M800 Beast of the East

Back in 93 I bought a brand new M600 Cannondale, I chose this model after I had a Delta V 2000... This was a great bike but in those days FS bikes were not that good, so much so I went back to rigid. The M600 model was a cross between the conservative M1000/2000 and the radical M800 and featured a normal height BB like the 2000 and a sloping top tube like the 800. It was a great bike, however I guess I always wanted the more radical 'Beast of the East'.

One Friday night, maybe after one to many glasses of France's finest I hit buy it now on a bit of a shed of a M800 and this is what turned up....


Painted grey and a real mix and match parts build, a bit of a mess really... Using the website www.vintagecannondale.com I at least dated the frame to 1993...

So the first decision was how to build it, hardcore retro style as per brochure or hot rod style... It had to be hot rod, the same way we rode them back in the 90's.


The bike was stripped and the frame shot blasted and powder coated in the closest red I could match to Cannondale red. Decals were bought of the ebay and are not great, there is a guy that now does better ones so I may swap these out.

The build currently features XT thumbies with XT short cage mech running 8 speed, American Classic hubs on Mavic 217 SUP rims, FSA Ti b/b with Cook Bros crank and Pace chainrings, Club Roost riser bar, NOS headset, Zoom Stem and DX V brakes.



As a footnote I met Martyn Ashton at the Goodwood Orbital Festival last year and took a liking to the M800 and signed the frame for me. He mentioned that he had fond memories of the bike as when he signed to ride for Cannondale they sent him a Beast of the East and a week later he was World Champion!





Friday, 22 November 2013

Top 10 mountain biking moments

Here are my personal top 10 mountain biking moments, not in any particular order...

The 90's... We had a massive group of friends, we rode every day and everywhere... good times
 Afan 2006: My friend Paul and I went to Wales for a days riding and discovered 'Whites Level'...
2007 Cortina: This was a Marzocchi press trip to Cortina, lots of great riding in the Dolomites. I'll always remember getting technique tips from 'Dangerous Momo'... legend! 
 2009 Suisse Normade: Riding all day in and around the river Orne in glorious weather.
2010 Les Duex Alpes: Our road trip to the Pass Portes was extended to Les Duex Alpes. Riding in the Alpes is very special and Les Deux Alpes was just amazing.
2011 Suisse Normande: Riding with your friends is the best and my friends are the best.
2012 Les Gets: Ripping for fun, clear sky's and dusty trails. 
 2012 Pass Portes: probably the best I have ever ridden, technically and fitness wise. The feeling of completing it well ahead of schedule was utterly euphoric.
 2013 QECP: Riding enduro trails with my 11 year old son was a special day, proper mountainbiking.
 Bikes: Above it all I just love bikes and the Mountain Cycle San Andreas is just a bit special