About this episode

Chris Dodman discusses his extensive experience in bike design and the evolution of Cannondale's products.

This week, James and Will are joined by Cannondale’s Advanced Projects Engineer, Chris Dodman. Chris has been working for Cannondale for the last three decades, and though he might not exactly be a household name, you’ll know who he is if you’re Mario Cipolloini or Peter Sagan – Chris is the brains behind those glorious red Saeco CAAD bikes of the 1990s that saw Cipo dominate sprints, and the radioactive-green cobble-bashing Synapse in the 2010s that gave Sagan countless podiums. Or put it another way, Chris was a pioneer who made aluminium race bikes look viable amid a sea of steel, and who all but invented the endurance bike category (who said all-road?). Chris also holds countless patents in cycling; helped invent the first press-fit bottom bracket, the BB30; and led the charge on Cannondale’s latest CAAD bike, the CAAD 14 – living metal proof aluminium still has its place on the road, and we’d wager one of the cleanest looking road bikes released in years. Who doesn’t love a horizontal top tube? In this episode, Chris talks us through the potted history of Cannondale, from private jets to failed motorcycle projects to the fabled Volvo-Cannondale mountain bike team. We also…

People in this episode

Hosts: James, Will

Guest: Chris Dodman

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cannondale, Volvo-Cannondale

Products: Saeco CAAD bikes, Synapse, CAAD 14

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