E-Bike Overview
This series of electric bikes all sport great 27.5″ road wheels, 2.2″ tires, integrated front and rear lights, and comfortable seating positions.
The Bosch electric powertrain and Shimano (on the 1 and 2) and Tektro (on the 3 and 4) brakes and gears make for best-in-class riding. Even with only 50 Newton meters (Nm) of torque, the three cheaper models will make sweating up a hill a thing of the past.
Groundbreaking technology aside, the Adventure Neo range is all about comfort and style. All models are pedal assist, so you won’t have a throttle, but this does mean added range.
Reasons to Buy
All four models come with great saddles and are step-through bikes — if you are less mobile or older, this means you can get out on your electric bike with your friends and family.
The Neo 1 has a 625Wh battery, making it ideal for long days in the saddle. However, even the Neo 4 has a 400Wh battery that still offers 40 miles of realistic range.
The SmartSense technology is reliable and simple to use. It gives a green light on the control screen for vehicles that are far away. Should one come up quickly, you get a red flashing line on your screen. The sensor also alters your rear light to flash urgently to catch the sight of the vehicle driver — hopefully giving you both enough warning to prevent a crash.
Things to Consider
While the SmartSense technology can be useful, it only works if drivers are alert. It won’t stop a vehicle from hitting you if the driver isn’t paying attention.
Across the models of the range, we’re disappointed in there being too great a step between each model. There’s nearly a $900 leap between the Neo 1 EQ and Neo 2 EQ and only a $650 difference between the Neo 2 EQ and Neo 4 EQ.
The bottom end Neo 4 EQ bears little resemblance to the Neo 1 EQ. Though the Neo 1 EQ has the SmartSense tech, it also has by far the best battery and motor. Could Cannondale have offered a better battery and motor for the Neo 2 EQ and evened out the range?
