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JET BLACK MATTE

Cannondale Trail SL 29er 4 Bike - 2013

$899.00

(3)

Item # 844742

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The responsive Cannondale Trail SL 29er 4 hardtail mountain bike delivers a smooth, agile ride at a great value for shredding singletrack instead of your budget.

Light 6061 aluminum Trail SL 29er frame features a relaxed geometry for a stable, predictable ride; oversize 1.5 in. headtube improves strength, stiffness and handling
Rear stays are shaped to enhance comfort by damping vibration and lessening the impacts of bumps
SR Suntour XCR-LO 29 suspension fork supplies 80mm of smooth, responsive travel and features easy lockout and rebound adjustment for customizing the ride
Shimano components deliver snappy shifts through the 27 gears
Cannondale Helix 6 hydraulic disc brakes offer superb speed management, be it tiny finesses or big, outright stops
Burly Maddux DC3.0 rims are wrapped with WTB Nine Line tires with a small block tread for speedy cross-country performance
Specs on the Cannondale Trail SL 29er 4 hardtail mountain bike are subject to change

rei:whyToBuy>All bicycles sold at REI include a free warranty tune-up. New bikes go through a normal break-in period, after which readjustment is important for longevity and performance. Bring your new bike in to your local REI for its free tune-up within 20 hours of use or 6 months from purchase, whichever comes first. Contact your nearest REI bike shop to schedule this important service.

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Item 844742

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Cannondale Trail SL 29er 4 Bike - 2013 Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Cannondale Trail SL 29er 4 Bike - 2012

3.7

(based on 3 reviews)

67%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

- Was this a gift?:
- No (3)

Reviewed by 3 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-3

Jun

2013

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Giving up after four trips back to REI

By Superbrain

from MD

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Lightweight

Cons

Flimsy Construction

Best Uses

Casual Trails

Comments about Cannondale Trail SL 29er 4 Bike - 2012:

First off, I am a big REI fan and have been since my childhood. I will buy my next bike from an REI. But it will not be another Cannondale SL4 29er. I am so disappointed in this purchase. This is by far the most beautiful mountain bike I've ever seen. It turns heads. Unfortunately, what's below the aesthetics is barely enough for a semi-enjoyable ride down paved paths without breaking. For the money, it should do more than just look good.

The first day I had the bike, I road for about 20 miles on paved trails with a smile on my face. No dirt trails yet but I thought for sure this was the best bike in the world for me. The second day the chained popped off while shifting gears, bent a tooth on a front gear and bent the front derailer. Yes, I shifted while going up a mild incline, but that shouldn't be enough to do what it did. My low end GT 26" never did that in 500 miles of riding. I took the Cannondale back to REI, they straightened the tooth and put the derailer back in place. I picked it up later that day, took it for a ride, same thing happened. This time on a flat stretch of paved path. Took it back, they fixed it up again, took it home, took it for a ride, things were better but now I couldn't shift into about 1/4 of the gears. AND by this time the back brake was becoming quite loud and thumped like crazy while stopping. Both the front and rear wheels were rubbing on the brakes quite a bit, creating unneeded resistance.

Took it back the next day, told them about the shifting and the brakes. Picked it up that afternoon. They replaced the front derailer with a much better component (thank you REI in Rockville, MD) Brakes still rough but the shifting was somewhat better. I finally had the chance to take it out on some intermediate mountain bike trails this afternoon and road for a few hours. That's when I realized how truly unimpressive this bike is. It does not instill confidence. It will not shift smoothly under any kind of added tension whatsoever and often doesn't shift at all. And, yes, I try to pause after shifting to reduce tension. The problem is now in the rear derailer not the front. Also, Cannondale's "Thinline Technology" makes for a very wobbly back end on trails. This is what kills it for me. I read a review about broken spokes on the rear wheel and now I understand how that could happen so easily. Clearly, with enough adjusting/part replacing, I'd be able to get the thing to shift correctly. However, give me a break. Quite simply, in my opinion, this thing is like a chevette dressed up like a ferrari.

I tried and tried to like the way this bike rides because I really wanted to keep it. Alas, for this much money, I don't think I should have to spend extra to replace the terrible components and there's nothing I can do about the flimsy rear end of the frame. My sincere advice would be, if you want to buy this bike, get it from REI so that you can return it in month when/if you realize it's half the bike it should be for the cash. Until a few days ago, REI had the GT Karakoram 1.0 29er for less. Now it's a little more. Nonetheless, I'll be going with that. The front shocks alone justify the extra money. Don't get sucked in by the beauty of this thing.

Happy trails!

Comment on this review

May

2013

(0 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great Bike.

By Mj69

from King of Prussia, PA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Great Components
Handles Well
Rugged
Smooth Ride
Versatile

Cons

Best Uses

Casual Trails
Cross Country

Comments about Cannondale Trail SL 29er 4 Bike - 2012:

This is a great bike for the trails in my area. Both paved and un-paved rides are nice with this 29er.

Comment on this review

Mar

2013

(9 of 10 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Solid Hard Tail

By WillJo

from Atlanta, GA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Handles Well
Lightweight
Smooth Ride
Versatile

Cons

Durability

Best Uses

Cross Country
Free Riding
Single Track

Comments about Cannondale Trail SL 29er 4 Bike - 2012:

I ride mostly cross country, single track, double track and some smaller jumps drop offs etc. This bike has been great for me. I had an issue with the hydraulic brake system failing but it was under warranty and Cannondale replaced them for free (REI Atlanta installed). The bike is super light weight and easy to control. I have put about 100 miles on it since I bought it 2.5 months ago and it has worked great.

Service and delivery comments:

I bought the bike at REI Atlanta. They were very helpful with picking out which bike I wanted. I gave them my price range and rode a few around the parking lot and immediately fell in love with the feel of the Trail SL-4. When my rear break system broke, I took it right in and they replaced it no questions asked (turns out it had been a manufacturing issue), I also got them to do a 50 mile tune up as recommended by Cannondale and the REI Atlanta Staff. The next weekend I went and rode Bull Mountain outside of Dawsonville, GA and my rear derailer came off on a flat section of the trail. I did not hit anything to knock it off. I took it to the REI in Kennesaw because it was much closer to my work and the trails that I usually ride. They questioned me about the maintenance of my bike and even told me that I didn't good enough care of it (they had no idea that I had just taken it in for a tune up at the other REI not a week before). I had to really argue with several employees in the service department before they would believe me that I hadn't ripped off my derailer. Eventually they fixed it and admitted that during the service the technician found that my chain had come apart causing it to get hung in the derailer and essentially pull it off the bike when I pedaled. Bottom line is that I am not impressed with the way the Kennesaw staff handled the situation or the way they treated me as a customer who had just bought (1.5 months prior) a $1000 bike and countless other gear from REI. I will not go back to that REI for service again but will go to the Atlanta one although I have honestly considered finding another local bike shop. The main reason that I bought the bike from REI in the first place was their service agreement and customer service in general and I feel that the Kennesaw REI did not meet my or any customers expectations in that department.