Tuesday 13 November 2012

2013 Cannondale Trail 29ER review

After an accident with a car exhaust which wasted most of my morning, I managed to get out for an hour on my new 2013 Cannondale Trail 29er.

Riding conditions were fair. It had recently rained and the ground was wet, but there was no standing water. The ride took me over roads, farm fields and fire-roads. No single-track and nothing particularly taxing.

The only highlights were a particularly enjoyable descent half way round and then also avoiding the curses and walking stick of an old man enraged that I was riding along his pathway. Here's the Garmin data.

First ride impressions

I'll keep this simple and just fire out what came to mind.
  • Front end is massively stiff!
  • Bigger wheels really do help you roll along better and keep your speed
  • Mountain King 2 tires clog up with mud way too quickly (a poor upgrade choice?) ...
  • ... 2.2 tires are also slightly too wide for general XC work
  • The gear is pretty easy for most flat work, but proved pretty good for the hills
  • Going downhill on this thing is a hoot
  • Like all bikes, it should be set-up for it's rider before you ride
  • Saddle is alright, but there's a lot better out there
  • Brakes work and rarely squeak, but they're not as powerful as hydraulics (obviously)
  • My wrists hurt a little bit after going over some rough ground ...
  • ... but that could be to do with 50psi tire pressures
  • Looking forward to getting out on it again
More feedback to come as I ride her more, but so far it looks promising, although I can't help but wait for summer hardpack - this thing will fly!

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