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Once seen, never forgotten - the Cannondale Bad Boy range of hybrid bikes really stand out from the rest. But are they able to deliver on the claims, or is the matt black look just for display?
Hybrid bikes were born out of a desire to create a go-anywhere bike which would be suitable for grass and gravel as well as the open road, so road bikes were modified using mountain bike ideas.
By starting with a mountain bike and making it more road-friendly, Cannondale have produced the Bad Boy. To me the look is apparent from the 26" wheels, wide tyres and the disc brakes.
How then do the various versions compare?
There are some common features throughout. Hand built 6061 aluminium frames, finished in a sophisticated matt black are common to all. The front forks are in the same way all aluminium with lugs for disc brakes.
Both frame and forks are designed to take either 26" or 700mm wheels. It's one of Cannondale's design ideas that you can change the wheelsets on a Bad Boy to suit your riding needs.
The rims are all black, fitted with Bad Boy tyres specifically designed by Schwalbe. All carry the same flat hybrid handlebar. So all Bad Boy bikes have this great distinctive look.
The first model in the range is the Al V26. The bike has V-brakes, but the design will allow disc brakes to be retro-fitted later on on if you so decide. The drivetrain uses basic Shimano components, giving 27 gears. The 50mm wide tyres look like they are from a mountain bike, but are semi-slick to keep the rolling resistance low. A great hybrid bike.
Changes to the brake system are the only difference in the Bad Boy Al. It has Tektro disc brakes, resulting in added braking power and a more efficient off-road performance as grit and mud is kept away from the braking surfaces. This is a useful upgrade if you can afford it.
The Bad Boy Deore is the next model in the range and has improved Shimano Deore gear components. Smoother, more dependable changing but still 27 gears. The bike features narrower rims and tyres, at 35mm. Should be quicker on the road, but still able to deal with the grass and gravel. The rest of the specs are the same as the Al.
The R-SLX is the next up theCannondale Bad Boy range. A further upgrade to Shimano SLX gear mechs provides still superior performance. You only get 18 gears though as the chainset is a double rather than the triple fitted to the lower models. Additionally the 26" wheels are changed for 700mm, showing that the R-SLX is going to perform far improved on the road. Frame, fork, disc brakes etc are unchanged.
The Bad Boy Ultra is the top of the range. The only change from the R-SLX is in the front suspension. The Stealth SL Headshock from Cannondale is a less complicated and lighter choice to a conventional suspension fork in that it has just a single shocker element above the fork legs. The lockout control can be activated to give you greater stability at speed or when descending. Other than the fork, it's unchanged from the R-SLX. The Bad Boy Ultra must be the last thing in street riding.
So the Cannondale Bad Boy range has something for everybody. Even at the more modest end of the range, the quality is evident. However, the pricier models have features well worth finding the extra for.