What it is: This do-it-all, five-inch-travel Cannondale Rize trailbike is a midyear release (Cannondale calls it an early 2009) that comes in five models priced from $5600 for the top-of-the-line Rize Carbon 1 (our test bike) to $1900 for the aluminum-framed Rize 5. All five (two carbon and three aluminum models) share the same rear suspension design, plenty of Cannondale's System Integration (SI) technology and what Cannondale is calling their BackBone Technology.

Test quote: "The Rize's BackBone will be more noticeable to conditioned riders who have developed a good amount of useable wattage in their legs. In other words, "Hammer, dude!" The Rize doesn't care if you push giant gears or spin your brains out. It responds with a laterally rock-solid bottom bracket (heart?) and drivetrain that never brushes the front derailleur or comes close to the chainstay during hard efforts."

Stoked:
Cannondale's System Integration/No-compromise build kit
Lightweight for the amount of travel
Great climber

Bummed:
Cannondale's System Integration/Upgrading can be tough or impossible
Braking slightly firms the rear suspension
The fork's rock-solid lockout

Bottom Line: The American-made Rize feels too light to be taken seriously as a trailbike. It has to be fragile, right? Cannondale anticipated this concern and bestowed a lifetime frame warranty with no rider weight limit on this rocket of a trailbike. That's a lot of peace of mind for the trail rider ready to drop some serious dough.
    The Rize is a trailbike that thinks it is a cross-country racer. It is light, responsive, slim and just as effective (and fun) on the forty-minute lunch loop as it is on a six-hour, I-can't-believe-I-rode-the-whole-thing epic excursion. The Rise is a trailbike with a lot of heart.
(See specs below photo)

CANNONDALE RIZE
Price...$5600
Country of origin...U.S.A.
Weight...24.4 pounds
Website...www.cannondale.com/bikes/
Frame tested...18" (medium)
Bottom bracket height...13.25"
Chainstay length...16.5"
Top tube length...23.5"
Head angle...68.5°
Seat angle...72.5°
Standover height...31.25"
Wheelbase...43"
Suspension travel...(front) 5.1"
Suspension travel...(rear) 5.1"
Frame material...Carbon fiber
Fork...Cannondale Lefty Max Carbon
Shock...Fox Float RP23
Rims...Mavic Crossmax ST UST
Tires... Maxxis Rendez (2.1")
Hub... Mavic Crossmax ST
Brakes...Shimano XTR hydraulic disc
Brake levers...Shimano XTR
Crankset... Cannondale Hollowgram BB30 SL
Shifters...Shimano XT
Front derailleur...Shimano XT
Rear derailleur...Shimano XTR
Chainrings...Cannondale SL (44/32/22)
Cassette...Shimano XT (11-34)
Pedals...Crankbrothers Smarty
The complete test appears in our September 2008 issue.