Cannondale Joins Price Battle

BETHEL, USA – Cannondale’s 2008 range shows new entry level F bikes with, for this brand, unusual low specs at very competitive prices. Moreover the bikes are not made in the USA, but in Taiwan. With this strategy Cannondale joins the entry level.

Every year we see more brands sending their early models in the middle of the summer to customers, long before the fall trade shows. This practice is committed by, among others, Cannondale. Although the new F series are not the first one’s made in Taiwan, they are all suited with the CAAD (Cannondale Advanced Aluminum Design) technology. Until now, this was Cannondale’s most emphasized usp.

Apparently Cannondale is looking for bigger market share, but that would be hard to realize adhering to the ‘Handmade in USA’ philosophy. So they will produce the new models in Taiwan by same standards as in the United States and with the CAAD technology. There should be no doubt that the new frames of Asian origin do comply with any quality requirement. It only raises the question what this means for Cannondale’s image. Buyers of these entry level bikes who fancy a real brand name will appreciate the fact that they can now buy a Cannondale for a couple of hundred of euros. It will surely raise questions with true Cannondale fans that are proud of Cannondale’s effort to remain the only volume manufacturer with production in the USA.

Taiwan produced a range that will include models F4, 5, 6 and 7 with some differences between the US and Europe models. F6 in F7 will also in a ladies’ version. The F6 features Alivio/Acera gears and aRock Shox Dart lock-out fork and is sold for € 550. The F5 with the same suspension and Deore/LX drivetrain is available for € 700.