Cannondale Drops an Urban Rider With a Lefty Fork for a Little Over $2K

Aside from getting a few comments like, “Where’s the rest of your bike?” or “How the hell did you make it here with just half a fork?”, the Bad Boy 1 urban bike from Cannondale will soon change some opinions.

Folks, this Bad Boy 1 is one of the newest urban bikes from Cannondale, a major player in the bicycle industry. Besides carrying a price tag of just over $2,000 (depending on your dealer), the Bad Boy also brings with it some very up to date hardware.

Before you carry on reading, have a look at the images to really get a feel for what comes next. Whenever you check out any bike, one important component to analyze is the frame. Cannondale decided to use SmartForm C1 alloy for the building material and included internal cable routing, a standard solution these days.

An added feature in place for the health of your frame is Urban Armor. Never heard of this stuff? To keep it simple, the team integrated a set of bumpers alongside the down tube, helping protect the frame from dents and damage when leaning or locking your bike.

Up next is that controversial lefty fork. A Lefty LightPipe with integrated SuperNova LED light strip should be just the thing you need to tackle the urban jungle. After all, you won’t be dropping off anything bigger than a curb. To help add some suspension to your ride, a pair of WTB Byway tires will do just that and a whole lot more, like sticking to the road at every possible angle.

For a drivetrain, the Bad Boy features a very modern Gates Carbon Drive. CDX rear cogs, CDX Centertrack chain, and cranks, all work together with an eight-speed Shimano Alfine Rapidfire to give you one heck of a smooth ride through town. Giving you the necessary power to stop on a dime is a set of Shimano MT400 hydraulic disc brakes with 160 mm (6.29 in) rotors on both the front and rear of the bike.

Helping you steer everything safely and without falling apart is an integrated sandwich stem that clamps down on a Cannondale Riser handlebar made from 6061 aluminum. If you don’t like the Fabric Silicone Cell grips that come standard, just throw on your favorite pair. Keeping your butt nice and comfy is a Fabric Scoop Radius Elite saddle sitting on a LightSkin seat post with integrated LED lights. If you feel this feature isn’t necessary, you should try a night ride until you can’t take the adrenaline of almost being run over multiple times any longer.

The geometry on the bike is also geared towards urban riding. A seat tube angle of 73.5 degrees and a BB drop of 5.3 cm (2.08 in) on 27.5-inch wheels offer a stable ride, albeit likely a little sluggish in your cornering. A BB height of 28 cm (11 in) offers enough leg extension to maximize power without worrying about snagging your cranks on any curbs. Then again, that can be solved with a slight adjustment in riding style.

Personally, I feel Cannondale did a great job here. The bike looks good and it includes all the features necessary for urban riding, and then some. What else could you want?