First ride is complete. Everything works well. The disc brakes are good. They aren't as firm as the full hydraulic ones on my other bikes. I'd place them above V-brakes in terms of power but not as powerful as the Magura HS 33's hydraulic rim brakes on the M700.
Having a "low normal/ rapid rise" LX M581 rear mech is definitely interesting and will take some getting used too. Setup for the rear wasn't too difficult, just a little fun making sure the cable tension is perfect. The front (as usual) gave me some trouble, but in the end I got it dialed in. One thing is for certain, you CAN NOT cross chain from big to big..I typically don't do it, but when setting up a 3x system I check to see if it will do it. If you attempt it with this derailleur it binds up pretty quickly. Funny thing is that you can do it on the M580 derailleur that is on the M700.
One this I did quickly figure out is that I am SUPER spoiled by using Ergon grips on my other bikes. The Cannondale one's I used on this bike are kind of thin and not as comfy as the GP1 and GA3 grips I use on the other bikes. This price you pay for color coordinating I guess.
I will have to decide on a permanent wheel set for this bike. Until I do the M700 is on the bike stand, since I borrowed the wheelset from it to get everything up and running. Not a huge deal, since the M700 need a good cleaning and lube on everything anyways..
Oh yeah on last thing. This bike is noticeable lighter than the M700, I am thinking it feels under 27lbs, which is what the M700 weighed a while ago when it still had the original brakes and drivetrain on in. It has me puzzled since hey are pretty much the same frame. Most of the components are the same as well.(brakes and fork being the really major difference) Does a Headshok weigh less than a Pepperoni fork???? I really need to get off my behind and just buy a good scale to see what all of my bikes weigh.