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This week, for our Fast Bike Friday feature we’re looking at Cannondale’s versatile hardtail E-MTB – the Trail Neo 4. Most of our FBF features tend to focus on high-end super-bikes including Road, Gravel, Mountain and E-MTBs which we can’t help being seduced by, but sometimes may come at the expense of looking at more obtainable all-rounders that offer great value for money. The Cannondale Trail Neo 4 fits this description well; if you’re considering buying your fist E-Bike and are looking for a versatile bike that you can use for your daily commute during the week, before heading off further afield at the weekend to explore your local tracks and trails then this fun, fast E-MTB from Cannondale could be the bike for you; let’s run through some of the Trail Neo 4’s key features…
As with any e-bike, most people’s first concern is the motor that the bike has been spec’d with, but before we do that let’s take a look at the alloy frame which benefits from years of design and engineering experience from the Cannondale team. The Trail Neo 4 frame is produced using their premium SmartForm C1 Alloy construction technique, allowing them to create a frame that is incredibly light, stiff and durable. This light, stiff frame gives a light and lively feel and excels on everything from the city streets to tight, technical off-road singletrack; when it comes to the geometry of the Trail Neo 4 everything is well thought out with short chainstays providing good rear-wheel traction and agile handling. Upfront a slack head angle provides good stability and a confidence-inspiring feel even on steep downhills. Cannondale have positioned the bike’s motor and battery nice and low for centred, balanced handling regardless of the terrain you’re negotiating.
The Cannondale Trail Neo 4 is a great-looking, versatile E-MTB…
The Cannondale Trail Neo 4 looks great thanks in no small part to its clever integration; e-bike technology has moved on quickly from its early beginnings, with motors and batteries becoming more compact and easier to build into the frame for a clean, uncluttered look. The internal Bosch Powertube 500Wh battery sits neatly within the frame’s downtube with a convenient charging port located near the headtube so you won’t need to remove the battery every time you need to charge the bike; the battery has a range of up to 75 miles on one charge.
A fully-integrated Bosch Powertube 500Wh battery is stowed neatly in the downtube…
The Trail Neo 4 comes spec’d with a very versatile Bosch Performance Line Cruise motor which is perfectly suited to both the demands of the urban environment as well as more intrepid off-road adventures. This motor gives a maximum torque of 65Nm which gives a sporty feel and quick acceleration even when you’re pedaling at a high cadence. The Performance Line Cruise motor is almost completely silent too and there’s minimal pedal resistance even when the motor is not assisting you so it’s a very natural-feeling setup. One of the most significant improvements for this motor over its predecessors is just how compact and light it is, helping to make the bike feel more agile and responsive than previous-generation e-bikes.
The compact Bosch Performance Line Cruise motor is quiet and efficient…
Robust, durable, compact and fully-integrated Bosch Performance Line Cruise e-bike motor…
The Trail Neo 4 features an e-bike-specific FSA Bosch crank with a 34T chainring…
To control the motor and determine the preferred mode depending on the terrain you are riding Cannondale have spec’d the Bosch Purion E-Sytem display unit. This minimalist on-board computer gives you all the control and information you’ll need at the touch of a button and is easy to use during your ride, allowing you to operate it with both of your hands always remaining on the handlebars. The unit displays the bike’s charging status, speed, riding mode, range, trip distance and total distance; the screen is backlit with a non-glare display so it’s easy to read even if you’re only able to quickly glance at it while riding in a busy city environment or during fast, technical off-road rides.
When you’re riding the Cannondale Trail Neo 4 the Purion control unit makes it really easy to toggle between the four motor modes to help make your e-bike ride as fast, efficient AND enjoyable as possible. Eco mode provides maximum efficiency to help you achieve the greatest range possible; Tour mode provides uniform support for long range rides while Sport/eMTB mode gives a more powerful level of support for sporty rides and fast commuting. Finally there’s Turbo mode, the least efficient but most powerful mode, making it ideal for high-cadence sporty riding off-road.
Bosch’s Purion display gives you all the information and control you’ll need…
The Trail Neo 4 is going to get you up to speed quickly and will inevitably push you to ride faster and harder than you may have done previously. To help you keep in control and stay comfortable on harsher off-road terrain Cannondale have fitted the bike with a durable pair of SR Suntour XCM suspension forks providing 100mm of travel; with roads the way they are, peppered with pot-holes you’ll also feel the benefit of these forks on your daily commute!
The capable SR Suntour XCM suspension fork will help keep you in control…
The Cannondale Trail Neo 4 E-MTB features a 9-speed Shimano Alivio drivetrain to give you all the gears you’ll need to be able to take on anything from fast urban road rides to technically-demanding off-road rides that include steep climbs composed of loose gravel surfaces. That single 34T chainring upfront at the motor is matched with a 9-speed cassette which provides a wide range of gear ratios – 11T being your smallest sprocket and 36T being your largest sprocket.
The Shimano Alivio rear derailleur takes care of gear-changing duties…
An easy to use Shimano Alivio trigger shifter gives a really light gear-shifting action; every gear change is crisp and precise and there’s even a small window included in the shifter to indicate which gear you’re in – a useful addition if you’re fairly new to cycling. With regular riding you’ll quickly learn what’s best for you with regard to what gear and motor mode combination is best for you, your riding style and the terrain you are riding on.
The 9-speed Shimano Alivio trigger shifter is easy and intuitive to use…
A fast, agile E-MTB that’s built for fast commutes and fun off-road rides needs a good pair of brakes to help you scrub speed quickly and keep you in control. Cannondale have spec’d a pair of powerful hydraulic Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brakes to provide consistent braking in all weathers and on all terrains, the hydraulic brake levers and calipers have been matched up with large 180mm RT10 rotors so there’s plenty of surface area to give loads of bite and control without the risk of the braking system overheating; this is a great setup that matches the extra braking demands brought on by an e-mountain bike.
Shimano MT200 hydraulic brakes provide plenty of stopping power…
The Shimano MT200 brake calipers combined with large 180mm rotors help keep you in control, the rear of the frame also features a thru-axle for extra rear wheel security and perfect alignment between the disc brake rotor and the hydraulic brake caliper; also note the addition of the KickFlip mount making it easy to add a kickstand for around-town convenience. There’s also bolt-on mounts on the frame allowing you to fit a rear pannier rack and / or mudguards making the Trail Neo 4 even more versatile – the perfect bike for commuting duties or even light bicycle touring as well as mountain biking.
The Thru-axle is extra secure and provides perfect alignment between brake caliper and rotor…
To help you hold your speed, regardless of whether you’re riding on the road or on the trails Cannondale have very sensibly spec’d the Trail Neo 4 with large 29” wheels and tyres. 29er wheels have become the most popular wheel-size choice on mountain bikes over recent years for a number of really good reasons – they’re fast-rolling and hold their momentum well on all types of terrain and with the addition of the extra power-input of the Bosch motor you’ll benefit from the enhanced traction and control gained from a larger circumference 29” tyres which provide a larger surface contact area with the ground and keep you in control on tight, loose turns.
Fast-rolling 29″ wheels with durable Shimano hubs will stand up well to the rigors of E-MTBing…
Tough Maxxis Ardent 2.4″ tyres features a versatile tyre tread that bite well for enhanced traction and control…
Tyre clearance is good at the rear of the frame so muddy rides won’t bog you down; note the additional bolt-on bosses for mudguards and a pannier rack…
Finishing kit on the Cannondale Trail Neo 4 includes some nice light but strong Alloy components badged up with Cannondale logos. There’s a 780mm wide handlebar made from 6061 Alloy and featuring a 15mm rise to keep you in control, particularly when you’re riding off-and need that extra leverage of a wide bar. The Cannondale handlebars are neatly matched with a compact stem which helps to provide quick, precise steering. Handlebar grips by top parts brand Fabric are lock-on for extra security and are nice and comfortable regardless of whether or not you’re wearing gloves. A Cannondale Ergo XC saddle is light but durable with a profile that is nice and comfortable even during prolonged sessions in the saddle; an Alloy Cannondale 4 seatpost with a 31.6mm diameter is tough but light.
The Cannondale bar and stem helps to make the Trail Neo 4 a responsive, sharp-steering E-MTB…
The Cannondale Trail Neo 4 E-MTB is a great choice of bike if you’re looking for your first e-bike and aren’t completely sure at this stage where your cycling is going to take you. You may be looking for an e-bike that can get you to and from work everyday and are making an effort to use the car less to cut some of your monthly fuel costs. Or you may be more focused on escaping the city and exploring the tracks and trails nearby; this rugged E-MTB is built to handle the rough stuff too. The Bosch Performance Line Cruise e-bike motor is compact and powerful, providing lots of pedaling assistance in each of the four user-friendly modes. With a lightweight alloy frame, a capable suspension fork, powerful disc brakes and a durable groupset featuring a generous range of gears the Cannondale Trail Neo 4 is a confidence-inspiring E-MTB that will encourage you to ride further and faster than ever before.
The Cannondale Trail Neo 4 is perfect for mid-week commuting duties AND off-road weekend adventures…
The Cannondale Trail Neo 4 is available in-store and online now.
Written by Johnny Dodgin
Photos by James Vincent
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