Cannondale Moterra SL - First Ride. First Look

The Cannondale Moterra NEO SL really does deliver on the brand’s aim to build ‘The lightest full-power mountain bike ever’.
Apparently the Cannondale Moterra NEO SL came about after an internal debate about what an eMTB should be.
Should it let you whizz up the hills without range anxiety (or ever having to utter the cursed words ‘I’ve got enough left for one more lap’)?
Should you be able to throw shapes and flick it around the trail like a mountain bike that uses leg power alone?
Does SL stand for Super Light, Slightly Lighter, or Slightly Less Good?
The folks at Cannondale thought they could have their cake and eat it, and set about making a bike that would deliver all the torque and battery capacity of a full fat ebike, but with the handling of traditional full suspension bike. The Moterra Neo SL is the result.
Cannondale Moterra NEO SL in a nutshell
150mm rear travel
160 fork travel
Mullet 29/27.5 wheels
Two carbon frame options
Moterra SL LAB7 - 19.5kg claimed weight (based on size Medium with 180ml of sealant)
Moterra SL 1 - 19.7kg claimed weight
Moterra SL 2 - 20.6kg claimend weight
Moterra SL Lab 71 - £12,500
Moterra SL 1 - £8,550
Moterra SL 2 - £6,550
All bikes in the range are 150mm rear/160mm front travel bikes, and come with a mullet wheel set up - although a flip chip allows you to run a 29er front and rear if you choose.
Weighing in around 20kg for a whole bike, it’s still up there near the weight of old alloy DH sleds - but that was fun even without a motor, right?
The Moterra Neo SL comes fitted with a Shimano EP801 motor, delivering 85Nm of torque. You get a 601Wh battery which is Cannondale’s own design of battery, complete with dense battery construction that packs more power into each cell, plus a lightweight liner to keep the weight down.
More details at singletrackwor...

[@johnackerlind4707]

What a bike. Excellent review and excellent reviewer. I started with the first Levo SL. I loved how you could shut down the motor and peddle as a normal bike. I slackened the front end to 64 degrees,this vastly improved its performance. I sold that bike and bought a regular heavy weight full power Levo for only $1000.00 more than I sold my SL for. I’ve missed my SL ever since. When peddle the big Levo with no assist,it’s like peddling against a 20 mph headwind. It’s the climbing on these bike’s that is the best. I only use 55% of the power of my big Levo regardless. I’m not into blowing up a hill in full power, it’s the crawl up difficult climbs that’s so satisfying.

[@singletrack]

Yay for some KZbin positivity there! Hope you're enjoying the ride, whatever bike you choose!

[@GomesMTBCoach]

My local trails in northern Portugal 😎. Best enduro spot around. And this bike is so awesome 🔥

[@christopherhunter3924]

Exciting!

[@Sarpale]

Always appreciate hearing a female-side review for a bike! 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🚴

[@tinman8888]

If you run the bike in the 63.5 head set what changes does it make to the reach, BB height and SA?

[@shadowsun33]

Beside my Haibike Nduro this is the only other bike I would consider. The head tube angle is amazing. I got mine to that w/ 190 fork and 29 wheel.

[@tomas2810]

Flex stays? Not sure about that on a bigger travel and heavier bike.

[@briangong007]

Is that battery removable? I haven't seen that in any media release..

[@singletrack]

Not for charging, no. It's a workshop job - dropping the motor - to change the battery.

[@mrsith1402]

Ebikes are motorbikes and have nothing to do with mountain biking

[@singletrack]

OK boomer :-)

[@andymtb3212]

Wrong, just pedal assist. Still have to find traction, move bike around and be a skilled mountain biker.

[@stevenschiff808]

Stop running from the future.

[@jeanmarc_in_Hudson]

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! Yes obviously! Don't you have somewhere else to be?

[@shadowsun33]

Need a tissue to wipe tears? You have nothing to do with humans.