How to Choose Mountain Bikes

With a beautifully crafted aluminum frame and fully integrated e-bike technology, the Cannondale Moterra Neo 5 electric mountain bike tackles anything from the steep and nasty to the fast and flowy.
Imported.
Best Use | Mountain Biking |
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E-Bike Classification | Class 1: pedal assist up to 20 mph |
Motor | Shimano STEPS DU-E7000 250W |
Motor Type | Mid-Drive |
Motor Torque (Nm) | 60 Newton meters |
Battery Type | Lithium Ion |
Battery Capacity (Wh) | 504 watt hours |
Battery Removable | Yes |
Charge Time (hrs) | 6.5 hours |
Pedal Assist Range | 60 miles |
Frame | 150mm travel, SmartForm C2 Alloy, Cannondale Tuned Suspension, removable downtube battery, internal cable routing, 148x12mm thru-axle, post mount brake, tapered headtube |
Step-Through | No |
Bike Suspension | Full Suspension |
Fork | SR Suntour XCR LO Boost 29, 140 mm travel, 15mm thru axle, Tapered Alloy Steerer |
Fork Travel | 140 millimeters |
Rear Shock | X-Fusion O2 Pro RL with rebound and lockout |
Crankset | FSA Shimano E-Bike, 165mm, FSA Megatooth, 34T |
Shifters | 10-speed |
Rear Derailleur | Shimano Deore |
Rear Cogs | Shimano HG500, 11-42, 10-speed |
Number of Gears | 10 gear(s) |
Brake Type | Hydraulic Disc Brake |
Brakes | Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc, 180/180 mm RT10 rotors |
Brake Levers | Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc |
Rims | WTB STX i25 TCS, 32 h, tubeless ready |
Front Hub | Shimano MT400, 15x110mm thru axle |
Rear Hub | Shimano MT400 12 x148 |
Wheel Size | 29 inches |
Tires | WTB Breakout, 29 x 2.3 in., DNA Compound, Comp Level, 30TPI |
Tire Width | 2.3 inches |
Handlebar Shape | Riser Bar |
Handlebar | Cannondale 3 Riser, 6061 Alloy, 15 mm rise, 8° sweep, 4° rise, 780mm |
Stem | 3D Forged 6061 Alloy, 1-1/8 in., 31.8, 7° |
Seat Post | S: TranzX dropper, internal routing, 31.6, 100mm |
Dropper Post | Yes |
Saddle | Cannondale Ergo XC |
Pedals | Not included |
Headset | Integrated Sealed Bearing, Tapered |
Chain | 10-speed |
Weight | 52 lbs. 8 oz. |
Bike Weight | Bike weight is based on median size, as sold, or the average of two median sizes. |
Gender | Unisex |
S | M | L | XL | |
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Height Range | 5'2" - 5'5" | 5'6" - 5'9" | 5'8" -6'0" | 6'1" - 6'5" |
Reach | 42.5 | 45.0 | 47.5 | 50.0 |
Stack | 61.7 | 61.7 | 61.7 | 62.6 |
Effective Top Tube | 57.9 | 60.4 | 62.9 | 65.6 |
Seat Tube Center-Top | 43.0 | 45.0 | 48.0 | 51.0 |
Standover Height | 72.7 | 73.5 | 74.5 | 77.0 |
Head Tube Length | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 12.4 |
Head Tube Angle (degrees) | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
Seat Tube Angle (degrees) | 76 | 76 | 76 | 76 |
Bottom Bracket Height | 35.0 | 35.0 | 35.0 | 35.0 |
Wheelbase | 120.9 | 123.4 | 125.9 | 128.8 |
Chainstay | 45.5 | 45.5 | 45.5 | 45.5 |
Fork Offset | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 | v |
Measurements are stated in centimeters unless otherwise indicated.
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According to Cannondale's official website, my height is 5'10", which is between the borderline of M and L sizes. REI offers a 1-year return policy which is a good perk to let me try different sizes without risk, I finally returned L and replaced it with M size because the reach is bitter longer than other brands (47.5cm in L). This bike drops at the sweet price spot without sacrificing performance, the best deal you can find in the current market. The riding experience is awesome, I can finally climb multiple steep hills without stops which I can only imagine before. Now I ride more often, longer than before, and the most important thing is that it helps me stay healthy and fun.
My previous review gave the bike a 4 because of the tires and wheelset. REI replaced both with upgraded tires and wheels, under warranty. I now have over 400 mountain miles on the bike and it is FANTASTIC!!. I just went 17 miles in 90 minutes with steep up hills. That's an 11mph average. Pre-ebike took me over two hours to do the same route.
Goodness, this eMTB hits the nail on the head! I am in my 70s, and have had some difficulty embracing hills on single-track trails over the past 4 years - but I still want to stay active and love the single-track trails in the mountains where I live. The two issues that I was concerned about on my first ride, have become non-issues: the bike weighs 52.8 pounds which initially seems daunting - but once underway is no issue at all. It did take several rides to absorb the difference in wheel size, spent my entire life on 27.5" - then the 29" react a bit differently in single-track - but a real improvement in stability and they roll over rocks and tree roots much more easily which is a huge plus. There are three levels of pedal assistance: Eco, Trail, and Boost. On the level, Eco gets the job done. With the ups and downs of single-track, I use Trail. I only you Boost for the short or long steep hills that used to have me off my bike walking - so nice now to pedal all the way up! If you are a Senior that is having some issues with hills, this bike will fix that in a snap. I am set to keep cycling now into my 80s with the assistance of this wonderful eMTB.
This bike is a beast! It is amazing! I physically cannot ride it without smiling! The combination of full suspension and electric assist make it a very fun ride. It tears up the mountain trails and makes work commute easier.
This bike is fantastic. I purchased a e-MTB to help me up climbs so I could go further and ride longer. This bike does exactly that. I am a big guy and was missing out on long rides and longer descents because I struggles to get to the top. This bike gets me there so I ride longer and ride more often.
I truly enjoying this bike. It has change the whole experience of biking for me and opened for me roads and areas that were "off limits" to me before. I am NOT using it for mountain biking, I basically use it as a luxury touring bike. - It is a heavy (50lb with the battery) bike but lighter comparing to other e-bikes -Drive-train is amazing - even without electric assist it drives much easier than my old bike. Electric assist experience is like being feeling 20 years younger and riding very light bike. -Electric assist is AMAZING. It is unobtrusive and smooth. I can now climb hills that I could never do before. - Suspension is awesome - it absorb all road bump superbly. I do not have numb wrists anymore from a road jitters. It was a long road to making a decision to spend that much money on a bicycle, but I am glad that I did and it worth every penny for me. Here is how I 've arrived at the decision to buy it: I am turning 59 soon and have lower back disk issue since I was 22. ===First decision point: dual suspension bike I have been using for last 15 years a $350 dual suspension bike ( Mongoose D70) and even that bike made a big difference for me for protecting my back. Every time I tried to ride a hard tail - within 30 min I felt stress on my lower back because of a road jitter. So for me a dual suspension was a must. ===Second decision point: electric bike I am in OK shape for 59 years old, but climbing a steep inclines is getting more and more challenging since my strength slowly declines and I have to watch my pulse not going through the roof during uphill climbs. So certain roads for me on a dual suspension bike ( which is heavier and saps some pedaling energy) were of limits to me because they had short but steep downhills that I would not be able to climb back on. Plus I like to carry lot of stuff with me ( emergency stuff, food, water, clothes) in my Topeak MTX rack bag. So heavy bike and getting older got me thinking that electric bike would be a good option for me ===Third decision point: Buying from REI. That was easy decision because of REI 1 year return policy. That makes easy buying expensive stuff that you are not certain about. Other shops had 2 weeks return policy in unused condition. I did not want to get stuck with $4k item id I did not like it. And form me it could take me more than 2 weeks to learn that. Since I was not sure how it would all work for me ( i.e. electric bike, frame size, etc.) - thanks God we have the REI with its smart policy. Plus I trust REI for carrying only quality stuff. ===Forth decision point: Cannondale Moterra Neo 5 It was a cheapest electric dual suspension bike that REI had.
I purchased the small, which said fit 5'2" to 5'4". I'm just a little under 5'2" and it's too big. The 29" wheels and the dropper post throws it off. I think it would have fit fine with 27.5" wheels and no dropper. Given that it was already an expensive bike, I wasn't going to spend more to change it out. It was a very nice bike, though, so I'll give it a 3 star and it probably is fine for the 5'4" range. I returned it and purchased a Trek model with 27.5" wheels, and it does fit 5'2" comfortably. If you're a smaller person, I would recommend looking at another model as this one runs large.
I have had this bike for a couple months now and have put about 260 miles on it in varying conditions -- Intermediate and technical single track, unpaved roads, and paved roads and trails. I had grown to dislike mountain biking - -tired of being at the rear and having younger riders wait for me and finding myself needing to walk more and more features as I couldn't generate the bursts of power to get me up and over. This bike has allowed me to do a complete turnaround and has renewed my passion for the sport. Rides are fun now and I look forward to getting out at least several times a week. Some other random points: I've ridden the bike 95% in Eco mode and find it gives enough power to easily keep up with one of my 29-year old kids who is a powerhouse. On single track and climbing you can't realistically expect the stated range of 62 miles but 40 or 50 miles seems realistic and is more than I really want to do in a day. I sold my conventional mountain bike and gave away my road cyclocross bike to one of my kids. The ebike is the one arrow in my quiver. On road rides I can keep up with the roadies on the flats and going uphill; not so on the downhills. I'm still working on a cargo rack and carrier so I can use the bike to run errands in town and maybe for longer double track day rides. It's a work in progress -- hoping that the Topeak beam rack and trunk bag are the answer Disappointing that the wheels, although tubeless capable, come with a tube installed and are not set-up for tubeless. Be advised and be ready with an extra tube and patch kit! One of the connectors to the display has an annoying habit of disconnecting which shuts down the pedal assist. This bike was significantly less expensive than other full suspension ebikes -- by more than $1000 -- which made it very appealing. I haven't done the comparisons but I assume this is because at least some of the components, e.g. front fork and derailleur, are lower-end. Time will tell how these fare but thus far all is good. For me and my level of riding, I was happy for the savings. I had the bike shipped to the REI store in Grand Junction and they assembled. I think that is a good way to go. It took less than a week for the bike to arrive and be assembled. And it was very helpful to get emails letting me know when the bike arrived and when it was available. Ebikes weigh a ton. I would not plan on putting them on a roof rack. Mine goes in the back of my pick up and in my van. I would not want to have to lift it higher than that. Also not looking forward to the day when ("if" hopefully!) I go down and bike comes down on top of me!
Loved it when I tried it out in the REI parking lot-using "boost" level of the motor gave it a kick I could actually feel. Took it home and rode it up a hill near my home, or at least tried to. Nope. This is one heavy bike so I needed the motor to actually do something. I tried each level (eco, trail, boost) and trying to get this bike up a small, not steep, hill was much worse than using my non-motorized Trek Excaliber 7. Stopped, turned motor off, then on again and tried again-nope. Either the motor just stopped working or it just isn't enough for the weight of this bike. I really wanted this bike so I am quite disappointed. I am at an age and have had several surgeries so I need an e-bike to continue bike riding. Might have to try another brand of bike.
Good bike for a Good price with a good return policy