Cannondale Trail Neo Review

Cannondale are well known for crafting high quality aluminium alloy frames. The Trail Neo 2 is made from the very highest quality SmartForm C1 alloy. The Trail Neo 3 is made from the same C2 alloy as the regular Trail bikes. These frames look a little different as they are made to fit different motors, but the geometry is the same. This means that both bikes offer the same great handling characteristics. The battery and drive unit are positioned centrally, low down in the frame which gives the bikes a steady feel. The slack head tube angle improves stability at speed, so you can ride with more confidence. The chainstays are short for an e bike and this means that the bike is easy to manoeuvre through tight turns.

Both frames have Cannondale’s SAVE compliance built into the rear stays. This designed in flexibility helps to take the sting out of rough surfaces for a smoother ride. The battery pack is neatly integrated into the frame which, alongside the internal cable routing, gives the bikes a clean look. Boost hub spacing and 12mm through axles means that the rear wheels are nice and stiff.

Both bikes in the Trail Neo range are fitted with a 100mm travel suspension fork. This is the standard for cross-country and recreational mountain bikes alike. Offering just enough travel to smooth the bumps on gravel tracks and singletrack trails 100mm is good for general off-roading but won’t feel like too much when you are riding on smooth cycle tracks. Lockout levers on the forks allow you to firm up the suspension for more efficient cycling on smooth surfaces.

As you move up through the range the performance of the forks improves. The Suntour XCM fork on the Trail Neo 3 is coil sprung with minimal adjustment. This is fine for riding on gravel tracks, but the action isn’t so confident when the going gets rough. The RockShox Judy Silver fork on the Trail Neo 2 offers improved performance and copes with rough terrain better. Being air sprung this fork is also easier to adjust for different rider weights. This fork also features boost hub spacing and a bolt through axle for more assured performance on challenging terrain.

The Bosch crank drive motors give you a powerful boost to your natural pedalling power. As soon as you start pedalling the motor adds to your natural power to make cycling much easier. The power delivery is seamless, and you will feel like your legs are much stronger as you ride. The effect is most noticeable on the climbs and when setting off. As with all road-legal e bikes you only get assistance up to 15.5mph. You can ride faster than this of course by relying on your natural pedalling power alone, but this is ample for off-roading bike as you will have gravity to help you when riding faster than this.

There are two motors to choose from in the range. The Trail Neo 3 has the Bosch Active Line Plus motor with a 400Wh battery pack. This motor delivers up to 50Nm of torque and is ideal for recreational off-roading giving you enough power for all the ups and downs on your route. The other two bikes in the Range get the more powerful and recently updated Bosch Performance Line CX motor. This is the most powerful Bosch drive unit putting out up to 75Nm torque and is enough power to get you up the very steepest climbs with ease. The Trail Neo 2 also gets a larger 500Wh battery pack to increase your range.

Both bikes in the Cannondale Trail Neo range have a one-by drivetrain with the gear range increasing as you move up through the range. The Trail Neo 3 has a Shimano Alivio 9 speed drivetrain with an 11-36t cassette. Combined with a 34t chainring this is enough to get you up most hills with ease. The Trail Neo 2 offers extra low speed gears with the 11-42t cassette fitted to the Shimano Deore 10 speed drivetrain.

Both bikes also get Shimano hydraulic disc brakes for confident stopping power in all weather conditions. The Trail Neo 3 has MT200 brakes while the Trail Neo 2 has the slightly better performing MT400 units. Wide handlebars and short stems on both bikes add to the confident ride feel. Subtle rack and mudguard mounts add to the versatility of this hardtail e bike.

Most of the Trail Neo models roll on 29” wheels which are fast rolling over both smooth and rough terrain. These larger wheels are ideal for a hardtail mountain bike as they offer a smoother ride thanks to their ability to roll easily over bumps in the trail. The size small Trail Neo 2s have slightly smaller 27.5” wheels which offer a better fit for smaller riders. The WTB ST i-25 rims are strong and with a 25mm internal width offer good support for the wide tyres. These rims are all tubeless compatible making it easy to take advantage of this puncture reducing technology.

All the Trail Neo bikes are fitted with fast rolling Schwalbe Smart Sam tyres. These have low profile tyre tread and are perfect for cross-country adventures.