Cannondale’s proprietary 3D forging process allows us to take structures that would ordinarily consist of multiple pieces that would be bolted, bonded, welded or otherwise joined together and turn them into single-piece forged parts. A single block of aluminum is run through a series of different forging steps that can shape the material into complex forms, which are then machined into the final shape. By forging the pieces from a single block of aluminum, we end up with exceptionally good grain alignment, which makes the parts stronger, and we eliminate excess, overlapping or redundant material, which makes them lighter. This technology makes parts like the Lefty OPI outer tube/clamp structure, the Lefty OPI inner leg/axle, the HollowGram Si cranks and the SpideRing chainrings possible.