Spontaneously you say, "great idea!" Because it sounds tempting to design your own frame and bring individuality into play. Cannondale supplies a plain white frame and a sticker set with snakes, ladies in fishnet stockings and colourful clouds with eyes. In practice, however, the idea flopped just like the Playmobil figures you could paint yourself. After being steamed a few times, the stickers look scruffy. And the stickers generally have an adolescent touch. You long for a classy painted frame. What you don't have to long for is riding fun, because the "Perp" is bursting with it. The bottom bracket seems high when you sit on it, but this is not noticeable in a negative way when riding. The rear suspension works dynamically without bottoming out and harmonises so well with the "Domain" fork that you want to ride at full throttle all the time. The "Perp" thus achieves a good mix: the American jumps and tricks, can be pushed from one turn to the next with ease and is able to sprint off in such a way that many other test bikes are left behind - despite the short top tube and compact riding position.
CONCLUSIONMission accomplished: Cannondale sends a good all-rounder to the test - a freerider!
RemarkNo plug and play: If you want to hang the shock in the other hole for more suspension travel, you have to mcgyvern - preferably with four hands. Annoying!
