thanks for posting the project
i really like to follow those processes, when people rebuild their own bike from scratch. when i was rebuilding the R500 Caad5 i was thinking about too to use SRAM-components, coz i think it fits better on a US produced bike, than the japanese or italian brands
Well technically this particular Cannondale is a Taiwanese produced bike, but hey it is a Cannondale. Being named the "Habit" is fitting too, since I happen to have made a habit out of buying Cannondales!
I used SRAM mostly because I knew that I could find the parts to fit the bike since they came equipped with SRAM components on some of the models. Of course it wouldn't be a a true Cannondale if something "quirky" didn't occur with the bike. Like the Cannondale Ai offset wheels, the BSA 83mm threaded bottom bracket, etc.... or trying to find the info as to which shock mounting hardware the bike needed since Cannondale likes to keep EVERYTHING a mystery and not put the sizes in the damn owner manual! I had to do a bunch of research just to get the right parts and even THEN things still don't match up to what it is SUPPOSED to be.
For example. The bottom bracket is supposed to be the DUB BSA 83 Cannondale Ai version. guess what it's not. SRAM says it is supposed to have a 5.5mm spacer on the drive side and the 6mm offset chainring for everything to line up to get the correct 55mm chainline. Well that is WRONG on my frame. The crankset will not install with the spacer installed as per SRAM instructions and the 6mm offset chainring hits the frame. Remove the spacer and put on the "Boost" 3mm offset chainring BINGO we have a winner. A
55mm chainline!
If someone without a lot of experience or confidence in building up bikes were to attempt to build a bike with these kinds of quirks and lack of proper documentation by all the parties involved. I can pretty much guarantee that they would give up in about 10 minutes. Thankfully, Cannondalespares.com has a pretty good parts list/exploded diagram that has a ton of information that is NOT in the the owners manual for the Habit. Things like the owners manual saying the headset an integrated tapered 1 1/8 to 1 1/2 in. and no other info.(same thing for the shock hardware needed too) It's really an IS42 top and IS52 lower . It's insanity that a modern company has such horrific support for their products. The "take it to you local Cannondale service center" tech support is BS.. That mechanic had no idea what parts were needed because I ASKED him first. He didn't even know that the Habit came in alloy frames(just the Carbon models) or that this particular generation of Habit has been in production since 2019!
On a good news front. The 203mm Magura rotors look freaking awesome on the bike! I should have NO issues stopping this beast. I am going to confess that I am kind of second guessing myself on the Marzocchi Bomber z2 fork and Bomber Air shock.. The bike nerd in me really wants a Öhlins fork and shock...my wallet just can't justify them when I know the parts I chose are more than adequate for the bike and how I intend on riding it.
