CLC Concepts C-Dale Adapter
By Jon Sharp

There are many products that, because of marketing or other reasons, are everywhere. Products touted as the "next big thing" or products that will "revolutionize everything". Then there are products that are simple and may not attract a lot of hype, but to those who discover them: absolute bliss! At first glance, the CLC Concepts C-Dale adapter might not seem all that special or unique. Take a closer look, though, and you'll see what makes this product so great.

The C-Dale adapter is designed to adapt a 1 1/8" fork to the huge Cannondale head-tube. This, in and of itself, isn't so unique. But, what sets this adapter apart, is that it uses Cannondale's own headset. This means that instead of buying an adapter and a headset, now all you need is an adapter. The advantages of this are two-fold. First, you can save yourself some money by not purchasing a headset. Second, the Cannondale headset consists of two pressed in cartridge bearings, making it practically maintenance-free. In other words, the headset on your Cannondale is great, and you can continue to use it.

For most people, I'd recommend having your local bike shop install the C-Dale adapter. That being said, the directions are well laid out, and easy to follow, if you have the proper tools. The parts are designed to press-fit inside the Cannondale headset, similar to the way you install a normal headset. At the top, a slightly conical piece is fitted and pressed down to hold it all in place. With the stem clamped on, it's a solid fit. In fact, though we don't recommend it, you can actually forgo the usual star-fangled-nut and top-cap on your stem, because the press fit is solid.

Summary: The C-Dale Adapter does exactly what it's supposed to. Once installed, you can forget all about it. We really liked its simple, lightweight (50g) design. As an added benefit, Cannondale's Fatty forks, though only equipped with 70 - 80 mm of travel, are about as tall as a 100 mm standard fork. I was able to put the Manitou Black Elite 100/120 on my Cannondale without a noticeable change in geometry or height. The result: an extra 20 - 30 mm of travel for the same ride. Anyone who owns a Cannondale and wants to increase travel, or just swap out the fork for a different design, go for the C-Dale adapter. For me, it was bliss!

Jon Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com specializing in mountain biking.

For more information, contact:
CLC Concepts
520-751-7586
info@clcconcepts.com
www.clcconcepts.com