Cannondale Moto2 2008
Review by Sharon Bader
The Cannondale Moto replaces the Prophet MX bike for 2008 as their foray into the 160mm "Big Mountain" class. This lighter, stronger all mountain bike is built to climb with no compromise in descending. With their new Hatchet Drive and carbon frame this bike is stiff, plush and light. First impressions of this bike suggests a big heavy and unresponsive ride. The oversized carbon tubes, busy main triangle and burly rear triangle follows Cannondale's legacy of innovation. Once on this bike the great standover and nice settling of the suspension puts you in control. A capable if not snappy climber, the suspension falls into its world when you start heading downhill.
![Image]()
Non Drive side view of the red accented Moto2.
The Bike
Currently available only in carbon, the Medium Moto2 was tested. The weight and stiffness of this svelte 30lb freeride machine is achieved using a carbon monocoque design, alloy linkage plates, and asymmetric carbon rear triangle. Using seven bladders to create the frame rather then the traditional four is a testament to Cannondale's innovation. A 12mm Maxle rear dropout also aids in stiffening the rear end of this single pivot bike.
While some may gasp at the use of carbon for a freeride bike, suspension stresses on the frame are mitigated by the "Hatchet Drive". Attaching the shock via the "Hatchet" at the dual pronged downtube disperses stress between the 1.5inch headtube and the extra carbon fiber sheet that runs along the length of the downtube to the bottom bracket. Dubbed Cannondale's Force Dispersion Technology as the bike travels through its suspension, shock forces move through the links into the down tube in a dispersed manner. The Hatchet Drive design also reduces stiction in the shock creating smoother suspension performance.
![Image]()
The headtube boasts a 66.6mm outer diameter dubbed the DIABLO which stiffens the front end to facilitate steering precision. Additionally two carbon sheets sandwich Cannondale's unified HOT BOX bottom bracket laterally to absorb the torsional pedaling stresses in this area. The shock attached directly to the rear triangle allows for further weight reduction. The lower shock placement on the frame also adds to the stability of this platform. The main pivot location above and ahead of the bottom bracket creates an ideal pedaling platform by neutralizing the pedaling forces on the suspension and allows the suspension to absorb the terrain more efficiently.
![Image]()
![Image]()
Hotbox design and carbon brackets aid in the stiffness of the Bottom Bracket area. - Images courtesy of Cannondale
The Moto has a falling rate of suspension allowing the suspension to get softer as it goes through its travel thus utilizing the full 160mm of suspension. The final few inches of suspension are countered by the air in the shock to prevent harsh bottoming out.
The low standover (30in), higher bottom bracket height (14.2in), shorter chain stays (16.5in) creates a nimble bike on technical terrain.
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
![Image]()
Huge Carbon tubes are light and stiff. The rear Maxle helps stiffen the ride.
Front end
The Moto2 comes with the Fox TALAS 36R. This 4.99lb, 160-130-100mm adjustable fork worked well on this bike. The left fork leg contains the air chamber and travel adjustment knob which can be accessed while riding. No compression adjustment is available on this fork. Rebound is adjusted via the red knob on the right fork. For 2008 Fox introduced a quick release feature on the 20QR forks.
![Image]()
![Image]()
Note the clean lines and burly tubes on this bike
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
Rear end
The 0.94lb Fox DHX4 Air is valved for this bike. Not the Moto1, not the Moto3, but the Moto2. Cannondale's ability to ask Fox to tune shocks specifically to each of their models creates the best pairing when you first buy this bike. This would make switching out shocks an issue since it will not feel the same as the shock tuned to this suspension. The boost valve pressure is recommended to be between 125 - 200 psi, the boost valve pressure was set to 125psi for a plush ride for this review. The shock pressure was set to 140psi. The 2008 Fox shocks have a nifty blue lever on the boost valve to adjust the pro-pedal between 'min' and 'max'. While I did find the suspension less active with the pro-pedal on 'max' the bike climbed well in both settings. The air valve on the boost valve was tough to access with this shock placement, as well the air shock valve was slightly hindered by the upper linkage plate overtop of the valve.
![Image]()
![Image]()
Low shock placement aids in stability. Shock valves are a bit cumbersome to access.
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
Component Spec
The saddle is a very important part of a bike. Most bikes are equipped with a male specific saddle and this bike is no exception.The Fizi'k Gobi XM saddle on this bike was not comfortable for me. Its rounded shape and hard surface would make a longer ride uncomfortable. The Thompson seat post allowed me to easily adjust the seat. The website has this bike spec'd with the Crank Brothers Joplin adjustable seat post. People who have tried this seatpost love the feature of raising and lowering the saddle with the switch of a lever.
Avid Juicy 7 brakes have a reputation of gobbling like a Turkey the day before Thanksgiving with every squeeze of the lever. This brake was quiet. It had very good power but low modulation. The 160mm/6in rotors provided ample braking on the trails that were ridden. The dial to adjust the brake pads are nice on the top of the reservoir. The white brakes provided nice contrast to the gray of this bike.,/p>
![Image]()
Flashy Juicy 7's!
The SRAM X-9 shifter and rear derailleur combined Shimano XT cranks, rear cog set and LX front derailleur worked well together. I did have issues that have also been reported by other riders that the chain would drop from the middle ring to the granny ring on extended bumpy downhills. This made pedaling out of corners a concern since you couldn't always be sure that your chain was where you left it. This bike came with a 44T big ring which I didn't find necessary.
Cannondale's XC3 1.5", 31.8mm Stem and FSA XC-190AOS, 25 mm rise bar worked well on this bike. These proprietary components allow Cannondale to keep costs low and provide a good match for their bikes. This created a nice riding cockpit that worked well when climbing and descending.
The DT Swiss E2200 red rims and hubs look sharp on this bike. While fashion is not always wanted, when it is tied to function it's nice to have. These enduro wheels come in at 980 and 1170 g. After being ridden by another tester on the rough terrain around Whistler, they still hold true. They are considered durable and affordable wheels light enough to not weigh you down on the up hills, but tough enough to take on most freeride applications.
While the website had this bike spec'd with Continental Mountain King Supersonic 26 x 2.4" tires, the tires that were on this bike were the Kenda Nevegal 2.35. This is a great tire for the riding in this area and were nice to have on this bike since these are the tires of choice on my personal all mountain bike. They work great in all but the most loose dusty conditions.
![Image]()
Red accents show up nicely on the gray bike and our dark green background.
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
The Ride
Unfortunately I was only able to have three days of riding on this bike since it had to get down to Inter Bike. The four rides I did were on a classic North Shore XC loop, a more technical old school North Shore trail, a few runs in the Whistler Bike Park and a classic Whistler XC loop. As mentioned the bike looks big and my first thought was that it would be cumbersome. These thoughts were removed once I sat on the bike and I settled into the cockpit. It almost felt small but it wasn't. I found the bike climbed very well. Not an active climber since the bike would only go as far as I pushed it, rather then accelerating ahead like a snappy climber. Tires, weight and plush suspension all contribute to its steady climbing ability. Even on rocky technical climbs the bike would easily push over rocks and roots. On smooth trails or the road with the pro pedal on max or min it was comfortable to climb and pedal with minimal bob.
Descending on the technical trails of the North Shore I felt this bike in its element. These trails are slow and technical and it rewards a bike that can slow down to almost a stop then accelerate over and down obstacles and hope the front tire doesn't suddenly stop. This bike responded well to these technical trails since it remained balanced when you had to quickly change speed and direction.
The intermediate trails in the Whistler Bike Park allowed assessment on fast smooth and technical trails. This bike corners well. I was confident diving into the corners on this bike knowing that it would hook up and rail, then when the trail changed to a roll or a drop it would charge down and soak it up. The suspension was truly tested on the more technical rocky trails where it would soak up the bumps on all but the biggest rocks when it was near the bottom of the suspension. Even when the trail got rough the shock didn't bottom out. Riding down a smooth rock face while braking to see how the suspension responded the bike acted predictably. Pumping the bike resulted in easy acceleration around corners and over rolling terrain.
The only issues I had with the bike were the uncomfortable seat and on the fast descents the chain would fall from the middle to the granny ring no matter how much it was adjusted.
![Image]()
![Image]()
North Shore Tech Gnar was handled with Verve!
![Image]()
Steeper then it looks! Sections like this you stop, look then go!
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
![Image]()
No issues on the lofting and rocky landings!
Overall Impression:
The Moto does what it is built to do. It will get you to the top of the hill without tiring you out so you are ready to start ripping down. It is a solid climber that rolls over technical terrain. It is plush on the descents, inspires confidence in the corners and chunder and responds predictably in all terrain tested. The fork is a great match for this bike and the specific tuning of the shock to the suspension creates a predictable plush ride. The parts keep the bike light and dependable.
About me:
I am 5'9", weigh 154lbs. I have been riding for 17 years. As mentioned above I come from an XC hard tail background but have moved with technology and ride a Titus RacerX for XC, a Turner 6 pack for DH and Shore riding and a Norco Team Ti set up for more freeriding/shore/technical XC riding. I also volunteer bike patrol in the Whistler Bike Park where I ride a Norco Atomik. My Bikes!
Summary
Specs: 5/5
Price:4/5
Ride:4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Pros:-
Stiffness translates to great handling
Great standover
Uncompromised descender, solid climber
Plush suspension
Cons:-
Big chainring
Tough to get onto most traditional car racks
Uncomfortable saddle
Tough to reach valve stems on the DHX4 Air
Rating Guide:
5.0 Outstanding
4.0 Very Good
3.0 Above Average
2.0 Fair
1.0 Poor
Detailed Specifications
The source for this information is Cannondale Suggested Retail of this bike is $4,999US.
Specifications are as follows:
Frame Set - Moto Carbon, 160 mm
Fork - FOX 36 Talas R, 160-130-100 mm
Shock - FOX DHX 4.0 Air
Sizes - S, M, L, XL
Color - Charcoal Gray
Wheelset - DT Swiss E2200
Tires - Kenda Nevegal 2.35
Stem - Cannondale XC3 1.5", 31.8 mm
Bar - FSA XC-190AOS, 25 mm rise
Post - Thompson
Saddle - Fizi'k Gobi XM w/MG Rails
Headset - Moto 1.5" Integrated
BrakeSet - Avid Juicy 7 160/160mm
Crankset - Shimano XT, 22/32/44
Rear Cogs - Shimano XT, 11-34
Pedals - Crank Bros. Smarty
Front Derailleur - Shimano LX
Rear Derailleur - Sram X-9
Shifters - Sram X-9 Trigger
Geometry for a Medium Cannondale is as follows:
Standover - 764mm/30in
Head Tube Angle - 67.5
Seat Tube Angle - 72.5
Effective Top Tube Length - 603mm/23.7in
Wheel Base - 1124mm/44in
Bottom Bracket Height - 363mm/14.2in
Chainstay Length - 420mm/16.5in
Weight - Carbon frame with Fox DHX air with alloy links without Maxle weighs approximately 3561g (7.85 lb)
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
Review by Sharon Bader
The Cannondale Moto replaces the Prophet MX bike for 2008 as their foray into the 160mm "Big Mountain" class. This lighter, stronger all mountain bike is built to climb with no compromise in descending. With their new Hatchet Drive and carbon frame this bike is stiff, plush and light. First impressions of this bike suggests a big heavy and unresponsive ride. The oversized carbon tubes, busy main triangle and burly rear triangle follows Cannondale's legacy of innovation. Once on this bike the great standover and nice settling of the suspension puts you in control. A capable if not snappy climber, the suspension falls into its world when you start heading downhill.
Non Drive side view of the red accented Moto2.
The Bike
Currently available only in carbon, the Medium Moto2 was tested. The weight and stiffness of this svelte 30lb freeride machine is achieved using a carbon monocoque design, alloy linkage plates, and asymmetric carbon rear triangle. Using seven bladders to create the frame rather then the traditional four is a testament to Cannondale's innovation. A 12mm Maxle rear dropout also aids in stiffening the rear end of this single pivot bike.
While some may gasp at the use of carbon for a freeride bike, suspension stresses on the frame are mitigated by the "Hatchet Drive". Attaching the shock via the "Hatchet" at the dual pronged downtube disperses stress between the 1.5inch headtube and the extra carbon fiber sheet that runs along the length of the downtube to the bottom bracket. Dubbed Cannondale's Force Dispersion Technology as the bike travels through its suspension, shock forces move through the links into the down tube in a dispersed manner. The Hatchet Drive design also reduces stiction in the shock creating smoother suspension performance.
The headtube boasts a 66.6mm outer diameter dubbed the DIABLO which stiffens the front end to facilitate steering precision. Additionally two carbon sheets sandwich Cannondale's unified HOT BOX bottom bracket laterally to absorb the torsional pedaling stresses in this area. The shock attached directly to the rear triangle allows for further weight reduction. The lower shock placement on the frame also adds to the stability of this platform. The main pivot location above and ahead of the bottom bracket creates an ideal pedaling platform by neutralizing the pedaling forces on the suspension and allows the suspension to absorb the terrain more efficiently.
Hotbox design and carbon brackets aid in the stiffness of the Bottom Bracket area. - Images courtesy of Cannondale
The Moto has a falling rate of suspension allowing the suspension to get softer as it goes through its travel thus utilizing the full 160mm of suspension. The final few inches of suspension are countered by the air in the shock to prevent harsh bottoming out.
The low standover (30in), higher bottom bracket height (14.2in), shorter chain stays (16.5in) creates a nimble bike on technical terrain.
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
Huge Carbon tubes are light and stiff. The rear Maxle helps stiffen the ride.
Front end
The Moto2 comes with the Fox TALAS 36R. This 4.99lb, 160-130-100mm adjustable fork worked well on this bike. The left fork leg contains the air chamber and travel adjustment knob which can be accessed while riding. No compression adjustment is available on this fork. Rebound is adjusted via the red knob on the right fork. For 2008 Fox introduced a quick release feature on the 20QR forks.
Note the clean lines and burly tubes on this bike
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
Rear end
The 0.94lb Fox DHX4 Air is valved for this bike. Not the Moto1, not the Moto3, but the Moto2. Cannondale's ability to ask Fox to tune shocks specifically to each of their models creates the best pairing when you first buy this bike. This would make switching out shocks an issue since it will not feel the same as the shock tuned to this suspension. The boost valve pressure is recommended to be between 125 - 200 psi, the boost valve pressure was set to 125psi for a plush ride for this review. The shock pressure was set to 140psi. The 2008 Fox shocks have a nifty blue lever on the boost valve to adjust the pro-pedal between 'min' and 'max'. While I did find the suspension less active with the pro-pedal on 'max' the bike climbed well in both settings. The air valve on the boost valve was tough to access with this shock placement, as well the air shock valve was slightly hindered by the upper linkage plate overtop of the valve.
Low shock placement aids in stability. Shock valves are a bit cumbersome to access.
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
Component Spec
The saddle is a very important part of a bike. Most bikes are equipped with a male specific saddle and this bike is no exception.The Fizi'k Gobi XM saddle on this bike was not comfortable for me. Its rounded shape and hard surface would make a longer ride uncomfortable. The Thompson seat post allowed me to easily adjust the seat. The website has this bike spec'd with the Crank Brothers Joplin adjustable seat post. People who have tried this seatpost love the feature of raising and lowering the saddle with the switch of a lever.
Avid Juicy 7 brakes have a reputation of gobbling like a Turkey the day before Thanksgiving with every squeeze of the lever. This brake was quiet. It had very good power but low modulation. The 160mm/6in rotors provided ample braking on the trails that were ridden. The dial to adjust the brake pads are nice on the top of the reservoir. The white brakes provided nice contrast to the gray of this bike.,/p>
Flashy Juicy 7's!
The SRAM X-9 shifter and rear derailleur combined Shimano XT cranks, rear cog set and LX front derailleur worked well together. I did have issues that have also been reported by other riders that the chain would drop from the middle ring to the granny ring on extended bumpy downhills. This made pedaling out of corners a concern since you couldn't always be sure that your chain was where you left it. This bike came with a 44T big ring which I didn't find necessary.
Cannondale's XC3 1.5", 31.8mm Stem and FSA XC-190AOS, 25 mm rise bar worked well on this bike. These proprietary components allow Cannondale to keep costs low and provide a good match for their bikes. This created a nice riding cockpit that worked well when climbing and descending.
The DT Swiss E2200 red rims and hubs look sharp on this bike. While fashion is not always wanted, when it is tied to function it's nice to have. These enduro wheels come in at 980 and 1170 g. After being ridden by another tester on the rough terrain around Whistler, they still hold true. They are considered durable and affordable wheels light enough to not weigh you down on the up hills, but tough enough to take on most freeride applications.
While the website had this bike spec'd with Continental Mountain King Supersonic 26 x 2.4" tires, the tires that were on this bike were the Kenda Nevegal 2.35. This is a great tire for the riding in this area and were nice to have on this bike since these are the tires of choice on my personal all mountain bike. They work great in all but the most loose dusty conditions.
Red accents show up nicely on the gray bike and our dark green background.
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
The Ride
Unfortunately I was only able to have three days of riding on this bike since it had to get down to Inter Bike. The four rides I did were on a classic North Shore XC loop, a more technical old school North Shore trail, a few runs in the Whistler Bike Park and a classic Whistler XC loop. As mentioned the bike looks big and my first thought was that it would be cumbersome. These thoughts were removed once I sat on the bike and I settled into the cockpit. It almost felt small but it wasn't. I found the bike climbed very well. Not an active climber since the bike would only go as far as I pushed it, rather then accelerating ahead like a snappy climber. Tires, weight and plush suspension all contribute to its steady climbing ability. Even on rocky technical climbs the bike would easily push over rocks and roots. On smooth trails or the road with the pro pedal on max or min it was comfortable to climb and pedal with minimal bob.
Descending on the technical trails of the North Shore I felt this bike in its element. These trails are slow and technical and it rewards a bike that can slow down to almost a stop then accelerate over and down obstacles and hope the front tire doesn't suddenly stop. This bike responded well to these technical trails since it remained balanced when you had to quickly change speed and direction.
The intermediate trails in the Whistler Bike Park allowed assessment on fast smooth and technical trails. This bike corners well. I was confident diving into the corners on this bike knowing that it would hook up and rail, then when the trail changed to a roll or a drop it would charge down and soak it up. The suspension was truly tested on the more technical rocky trails where it would soak up the bumps on all but the biggest rocks when it was near the bottom of the suspension. Even when the trail got rough the shock didn't bottom out. Riding down a smooth rock face while braking to see how the suspension responded the bike acted predictably. Pumping the bike resulted in easy acceleration around corners and over rolling terrain.
The only issues I had with the bike were the uncomfortable seat and on the fast descents the chain would fall from the middle to the granny ring no matter how much it was adjusted.
North Shore Tech Gnar was handled with Verve!
Steeper then it looks! Sections like this you stop, look then go!
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
No issues on the lofting and rocky landings!
Overall Impression:
The Moto does what it is built to do. It will get you to the top of the hill without tiring you out so you are ready to start ripping down. It is a solid climber that rolls over technical terrain. It is plush on the descents, inspires confidence in the corners and chunder and responds predictably in all terrain tested. The fork is a great match for this bike and the specific tuning of the shock to the suspension creates a predictable plush ride. The parts keep the bike light and dependable.
About me:
I am 5'9", weigh 154lbs. I have been riding for 17 years. As mentioned above I come from an XC hard tail background but have moved with technology and ride a Titus RacerX for XC, a Turner 6 pack for DH and Shore riding and a Norco Team Ti set up for more freeriding/shore/technical XC riding. I also volunteer bike patrol in the Whistler Bike Park where I ride a Norco Atomik. My Bikes!
Summary
Specs: 5/5
Price:4/5
Ride:4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Pros:-
Stiffness translates to great handling
Great standover
Uncompromised descender, solid climber
Plush suspension
Cons:-
Big chainring
Tough to get onto most traditional car racks
Uncomfortable saddle
Tough to reach valve stems on the DHX4 Air
Rating Guide:
5.0 Outstanding
4.0 Very Good
3.0 Above Average
2.0 Fair
1.0 Poor
Detailed Specifications
The source for this information is Cannondale Suggested Retail of this bike is $4,999US.
Specifications are as follows:
Frame Set - Moto Carbon, 160 mm
Fork - FOX 36 Talas R, 160-130-100 mm
Shock - FOX DHX 4.0 Air
Sizes - S, M, L, XL
Color - Charcoal Gray
Wheelset - DT Swiss E2200
Tires - Kenda Nevegal 2.35
Stem - Cannondale XC3 1.5", 31.8 mm
Bar - FSA XC-190AOS, 25 mm rise
Post - Thompson
Saddle - Fizi'k Gobi XM w/MG Rails
Headset - Moto 1.5" Integrated
BrakeSet - Avid Juicy 7 160/160mm
Crankset - Shimano XT, 22/32/44
Rear Cogs - Shimano XT, 11-34
Pedals - Crank Bros. Smarty
Front Derailleur - Shimano LX
Rear Derailleur - Sram X-9
Shifters - Sram X-9 Trigger
Geometry for a Medium Cannondale is as follows:
Standover - 764mm/30in
Head Tube Angle - 67.5
Seat Tube Angle - 72.5
Effective Top Tube Length - 603mm/23.7in
Wheel Base - 1124mm/44in
Bottom Bracket Height - 363mm/14.2in
Chainstay Length - 420mm/16.5in
Weight - Carbon frame with Fox DHX air with alloy links without Maxle weighs approximately 3561g (7.85 lb)
The Bike
The Front
The Rear
The Components
The Ride
Overall
