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ABOUT FREERIDING
WARNING
FREERIDING AND OTHER FORMS OF "EXTREME RIDING" ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. YOU CAN BE
SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
Freeriding, jumping, hucking, dirt jumping, mountaincross, downhill, slalom, urban or street riding or
other evolving forms of extreme or hard core mountain biking are inherently dangerous and can lead
to serious accidents. Wear all safety gear and be sure your bike is in excellent condition. Follow all the
instructions and warnings below. These steps will reduce, but not eliminate, the inherent risks. Even
with state of the art protective safety gear you could be seriously injured, paralyzed or killed. If you do
not want to take these risks, do not engage in this type of riding.
Fundamental Risk
Freeriding, jumping, hucking, dirt jumping, mountaincross, downhill, slalom, urban or street riding.
It seems that everywhere you look, from Mountain Dew
®
commercials to the X-Games
®
, riders are
grabbing big air and sticking sick drops. And it sure looks fun.
But what the videos and bike magazines and ads don't always tell you is that extreme riding takes an
amazing amount of skill. Some of the riders you see are well-paid pros who have gradually built up their
skills through endless hours of practice, and who have also had their share of stitches, concussions and
busted bones (and bikes). Others are daredevils who have chosen to accept or ignore the risks. Would
you allow anyone to say that you are so weak in the head, and have such poor judgment that you copy
those you see in the media without thought of the serious risks?
Product Limitations
Problems of pilot error aside, hard-core riding also beats the heck out of your equipment. Although we
build and test our bikes to make them tough, there's no way that we can guarantee they'll survive your
umpteenth six-foot drop. For starters, there is no industry "jumping" standard. The many circumstances
of takeoff, landing, speed, rider technique, etc. are unique. The judgment, lack of judgment or insanity
of a rider who may ride a Cannondale bicycle cannot be completely predicted, so it's flat-out impossible
to predict how anyone's equipment is going to hold up.
Let's get another thing straight. Buying a Freeride bike does not make you any better. Do not confuse
the built-in capabilities of equipment with your own capabilities, which must be learned.
Keeping your bike and all its components in good working order is critical, and it's up to you to maintain
and inspect it. Even so, your sweet rig isn't going to last forever. Nothing does, particularly bikes
and parts that are built to minimize weight and then are subjected to abuse. Cannondale frames
carry a warranty, but that's to cover issues with workmanship and/or materials. (See the Cannondale
Warranties section of the Owner's Manual.) It doesn't mean that they're going to last forever. They're
not. It certainly doesn't mean that the bicycle will last forever or can in any way protect you from injury.
In Conclusion
If you're going hard-core, be smart about it. Always wear a full face helmet, body armor, full-finger
gloves and protective clothing. Choose a bike that's right for you, your riding and terrain, and check
it often for signs of fatigue or other trouble. (Your dealer can help you on both fronts.) Read the
Mountain Bike Riding section of this Cannondale Owner's Manual. And most importantly, know your
limitations. Practice. Stay in control, and carefully, gradually expand your limits but ride within them.
