Matt Simmonds Teases New Cannondale Downhill Bike & More Social Media Spots

Feb 26, 2019
by James Smurthwaite  

For those of you who thought team rumour season was over, think again. Matt Simmonds has boarded the tease train and is posting some very intriguing pictures on Instagram. Over the past few days, he has been in Lousa, a famous downhill winter testing ground and future World Cup venue, testing something that looks suspiciously like a new downhill bike.

Pictures over the past month have shown a Saint brake and Schwalbe tyres and today we can see a Fox 40 hidden behind a Jekyll frame on the back of an uplift Jeep. Matt is keeping it coy with the caption for now though, simply saying "#CannondaleComeback". The only other photo on that caption is below:


Atherton Bikes moves on to Prototype 2

We saw Gee testing the first prototype of the Atherton bike in Spain at the start of the week and in no time at all the team has moved on to Prototype 2. Here's Rach taking it toe-to-toe with some Welsh mud. Apparently, the next stage is on the way too.


MS Mondraker testing

The MS Mondraker team are out in New Zealand testing the new Michelin set ups. We've also seen the new Michelin tires at the Andes Pacifico earlier this week.


Cedric Gracia's new bike sponsor

Marine Cabirou has done a pretty good sticker job on Cedric's new frame here, any guesses?


Marcelo Gutierrez's new lid


(Translation: "It has been several years that I've been dreaming of a chrome helmet. This year that dream came true.")

Phil Atwill testing his XXL Cube Two15


New bike day for Yoann Barelli

Barelli isn't on the factory team this year but will still be riding for Commencal. We look forward to hearing what his plans will be aboard this beauty soon.



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Member since Nov 14, 2018
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76 Comments
  • 103 0
 So it is ''hidden'' behind a Jekyll..... So it needs to be called ''Hyde'' then surely.
  • 88 2
 all we need now is VOLVO team bike, yellow /blue - Ratboy with Simmonds , doing few UCI world cups.
  • 35 1
 And Missy....
  • 5 1
 It should be the red ones, then. The blue and yellow remind me more of their XC bikes.
  • 5 1
 I’ve been saying the same thing and leaving some comments on certain people’s Instagram pages #makecannondalegreatagain

I even got so bored on the weekend I photoshopped ratboys Habit in blue with yellow decals but sadly I can’t upload it on here but did send it to cannondale and the riders on Instagram haha
  • 7 1
 @bigtim: missy...supplying the greens
  • 1 0
 @heavyp: I wish I was so productive on my boredom
  • 1 0
 @bigtim: Not forgetting ACC and CG!
  • 54 3
 Cant wait for a lefty dh fork
  • 42 1
 Fox 20 coming soon
  • 2 0
 I’m wondering if it’s more because of his new little family and doesn’t want to travel to all the EWS rounds this year?? Do more local races and edits. He’s always been on fire with social media so probably doesn’t have to do a full EWS calendar to gain just as much exposure for sponsors. Perhaps that equates to a bit of a different contractual arrangement that doesn’t include “factory” which I’m assuming is reserved only for those commuting to a full race seaon?

This is all pure speculation on my part... I could be totally wrong.
  • 15 0
 Yoann Barelli Isn’t on the factory team this year Eek why not??? Frown
  • 6 4
 Commondale Factory Racing?
  • 11 2
 Cannondale returning to DH? It better not just be a clone of the GT Fury. I doubt it but we will see. I'd bet that it will be called either the Fulcrum or the Judge. They've brought back a few old model names like Jekyll and Gemini. I'm waiting for a new bike called the Prophet. Love my 05. Many upgrades on it and many plans for more. They've got an interesting team line up too.
  • 6 2
 The Prophet was such a good single pivot. I preferred it to the more expensive overpriced Orange 5. It won a test shoot out in MBR between the two. Would love it if they revamped it for 27.5 wheels. Smile
  • 1 3
 "Hidden behind a Jekyll frame" is the clue because it might be a Jekyll in a DH frame to be called another name.
  • 1 0
 They need to revive the "Beast of the East" name for the new DH bike! Sure, the original was a woodsy, trailsy teeth-rattler of a hardtail, but since they'll never bring that back might as well make use of the name.

And a new dual-leg, dual-crown Lefty to revive the Pepperoni fork model name, too.
  • 1 0
 @TyPierce: they revived it for a bit in 2015-2016ish
  • 16 7
 Am i the only one who could who couldn't care less about the new Atherton bikes? for some reason they just don't excite me at all.
  • 3 0
 I'm excited to see them develop them. Be cool if they can produce carbon bikes for less using their additive manufacturing approach.
  • 10 1
 It's just too leftys. Nothing to see here.
  • 10 2
 CG on Cannondale downhill team please!!!!
  • 1 0
 I don't think they'd touch him with a bargepole after last time. Also: age.
  • 9 1
 CG chez Production privée? mais c'est pas nouveau.
  • 9 0
 I think you are spot on! Would fit well
  • 6 0
 @sewer-rat: The thing is that he already work with PP for 7 years. So that would not really be a surprise.
  • 1 0
 You’d think so but I’ve got a feeling it’s not but who knows
  • 1 0
 Looks like he's riding a Production Privee Shan in the photo
  • 8 1
 Gentlemen, things are getting interesting.
  • 1 0
 I think this great
  • 3 1
 www.instagram.com/p/BuV556qj-3f/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=dg6pvolla49g

I don’t really this the new Cannondale, but I’m curious aaa to what it is. New Pivot, new IH Sunday, new Turner, new Banshee?? Any ideas?
  • 3 1
 Wow sorry for all the typos in that last post lol
  • 1 0
 Not the same bike, Cannondale has Schwalbe, that o e is running Maxxis
  • 1 0
 Yea good call.. I’m curious what that one is tho @knightB27:
  • 1 0
 Whatever that is is running Fox, CushCore, Maxxis, Renthal, SDG....
  • 2 1
 Looks like a Mondraker update based on the link set up, but who knows could be a one off garage test. Everyone has a CNC machine now a days
  • 1 0
 Yeti?
  • 1 0
 @adventuresbycole: honestly it has a striking resemblance to the Iron Horse Sunday. The links, straight tubing, seat post support, shock mounting, pivot locations and bottom bracket area atleast.
  • 2 0
 Why would Banshee make another 29er when they just made the Legend, which still is a best looking DH bike ever made.
  • 2 0
 @mtbikeaddict: I was able to get a response from the owner of the bike, and it turns out it’s some new frame company entirely. Maybe we’ll see a PB article on it one day
  • 5 0
 Where's the Lefty DH Version?
  • 2 0
 SuperboostMaxplus
  • 2 1
 Okay everyone who was eagerly hoping Cannondale would build a DH bike, the line forms here !!
Um, yeah, right here. You can get in line behind me. Anyone ?? Yeah well the line is here if you change your mind.
  • 3 0
 CG on YT. They want to focus on young riders...
  • 12 10
 So who here is willing to risk buying a cannondale downhill bike?
  • 24 3
 Risk? You must be new?
  • 9 5
 Crack n fail is ancient history for the most part. My 05 Prophet is just fine tyvm.
  • 3 4
 @thenotoriousmic: I think he's referring to it breaking.
  • 28 5
 Nobody is buying DH bikes anymore. We just look at them online and complain about them. It's like F1 cars. Cool to look at and discuss, but nobody is driving them.
  • 2 0
 @vikb: F1 cars are so f*cking cool. Those "what changed last year to this year videos" and how aerodynamicists f with stuff to screw the car behind them on drag and slipstream. pretty much only topped by motogp tech videos. many hours wasted.
  • 18 0
 @vikb: I know plenty of people still buying and riding DH bikes. Myself included.
  • 5 6
 @vikb: Speak for yourself... about the F1 cars.
But seriously I agree.. I haven't seen a DH bike in or outside of a bikepark in as long as I can remember.
  • 10 1
 @vikb: 3 of the guys from our riding group bought DH bikes last season. They all showed up on day 1 of a weekend trip on their enduro bikes and they all rented a DH bike for day 2. Within a month they had all bought DH bikes (2 new and 1 used) and did a bunch of trips for the rest of the season. I think there is 9 or 10 of us now, all with DH bikes and mtbparks passes waiting for the season to start. Not a dentist in the bunch. We aren't the fastest bunch around, a few solid rippers though, but we have the most fun!
  • 5 1
 @yzedf: spot on. Very similar in my group. We live nearby multiple lift-assisted bike parks (I know, fortunate/first world problems). Most of us have our trail/enduro bikes as well as DH bikes. Yes, modern Enduro bikes are amazing. That said, IF you can have a DH bike for the endless park laps, saves you from beating the sh*t out of your trail/enduro machine.
  • 2 4
 There's no way Cannondale expects to compete in the DH bike market. They would either have to sell it at commencal, nukeproof prices or pay a big name to win races, neither of which they will do.
  • 5 0
 Unless they had a stylish world champion racer who quit to make edits?
  • 3 0
 how about sheer brand loyalty, those of us aged 30 plus who grew up wanting nothing more than the latest cannonade grew up and can now afford them... especially if they do something lightly differently like they often do.
  • 1 0
 Phil Atwill's XXL Cube still looks small for him...maybe a XXXL is needed?
  • 1 0
 trust me... it is freakin' big & long !
  • 1 0
 @dangerousjohnie: Really? Because the stock XL has a reach of 455mm which is most brands M so a XXL would be about 475mm and Phil is over 180cm. Still too small for him. A XXXL would be close to 500mm reach and I bet he could go longer still.
  • 1 1
 CG's bike has no cables on his bars... Unno?
  • 3 3
 rumour has it that its going to have a pull shock
  • 2 1
 No it'll have a non oil displacement double barrel trunion shock (through rod without piggyback)...

$3k Andreani shock bleeder only option to service the shock.
  • 3 1
 @FCX250: Nope they are going to use a couple hooks and you stack 100-200 elastic bands depending on your body weight. No goofy shock bleeder required.
  • 1 0
 @theredbike: Might not be a surprise but the trough shaft/rod really exists, not in double barrel/twin tube.
www.pinkbike.com/news/trek-fox-thru-shaft-shock-review.html

And most service centres use the bleeder I wrote.
www.andreanigroup.com/shop/car/1001%7CSP4110/?lng=en

There you have it...
  • 1 0
 @theredbike: Yeah those shocks are more of a problem than a solution, if they are putting something with doubtful fatigue resistance why not use this:
www.abssac.co.uk/p/Wound+Springs/Carbon+Composite+Springs/141/#.XHXcBDXkCUk

Oh wait the trend now is aluminium, sad.
  • 1 2
 CG on UNNO?
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