Core77

Cannondale's Quantum Leap project, headed by Director of Industrial Design, Torgny Fjeldskaar, is responsible for bringing concept-driven, visually impacting bikes to the Urban segment. The foldable "ON" model, with rear chaincase/hub and single fork front, is the latest in developments from the group--now in the rideable prototype phase and recently launched at Eurobike. The project has been in the works for a couple years, originally stemming from a futuristic bicycle project with students at Elisava Design School in Barcelona in 2004.

The front half of this new bike is carbon fiber, as are the straight sections of the tube from the "pivot" to the bottom bracket. Cut in the Bethel facility, the aluminum molds where then layed-up with the actual molding completed in Cannondale's Bedford PA factory. In fact, the carbon tubes on the seat mast are sections of stock tubes from an upcoming road bike currently being produced in Bedford.

...Dubbed the Cannondale "ON", these first rideable prototypes certainly lives up to the project goals. What makes it so advanced? A co-molded carbon and aluminum main frame houses internal cable routing and provides fixing points for a custom "Righty" single sided HeadShok Lefty suspension fork. The drive train is also a revolutionary figure head for the overall design, and one of the most challenging aspects of the project.

thanks lee!