Cannondale Trail SE 1 on test: Innovative and comfortable trail hardtail

Test: With the Trail SE 1, Cannondale has really hit the jackpot. At a really attractive price you get a very versatile hardtail with a well thought-out frame and solid equipment without any major blunders.

Cannondale Trail SE 1: The Facts

Frame material: Aluminium
Suspension travel: 120 mm
wheel size: 29 inch

Weight 14,04 kg

Price: € 1.499

The Trail SE from US manufacturer Cannondale has been given a completely revised aluminum frame for this season and thus fully lives up to the name "Trail". The hardtail equipped with 29-inch wheels "only" comes with 120 mm of travel at the front, but combines this with a modern geometry and a really versatile frame concept that covers a huge range from trail banging to everyday use.

Versatile frame, even for everyday use

The seat stays of the frame, which are positioned far below, are visually and technically interesting. Cannondale says that this way you can noticeably improve the flex in the area of ​​the rear triangle and thus increase comfort. This is definitely an important factor with trail hardtails, especially since aluminum frames (compared to steel and carbon) are usually a little more stubborn. The designers hit the mark with the "Straight-Shot" cable and cable routing: The outer casing for the rear derailleur and the dropper post run in a channel on the underside of the down tube, are very easily accessible and easy to route, but at the same time invisible and well protected. Cannondale has managed to combine the advantages of external and internal cable routing. Incidentally, the line for the brakes is consistently attached to the outside of the frame: This means you don't have to open (and bleed) the system every time you do maintenance.

As already mentioned, the Trail SE is primarily a piece of sports equipment, but everyday bikers were also considered when redesigning the frame: the frame not only has eyelets for mudguards and a luggage rack, even a side stand could be attached if desired. Sure, many bikers will hardly use these options, but having is always better than needing? Especially since it doesn't damage the optics at all. Even apart from the attachments, the frame is versatile: It offers space for mounting two bottle cages and a front derailleur can also be mounted.

Balanced geometry meets a solid equipment package

When it comes to geometry, Cannondale finds what appears at first glance to be a successful balance between versatility and sportiness on the Trail SE. The steering angle is rather flat at 66.5°, but not so extreme that it requires an overly active driving style from the driver. On the one hand, the reach is long enough to offer freedom of movement on the trail, but if you ride a lot sitting down, you will still get along well.

Honestly? With the equipment package that Cannondale offers the Trail SE 1 for just 1.500 Euro, the Americans have hit the nail on the head. Even if you do have to make a few compromises here and there, all the components are suited to the intended use and are reasonable for the price. This starts with the fork, where the RockShox 35 Gold is a very good, stiff and not particularly heavy air suspension fork, with which you can quickly find a good setup. The gear system, with a mix of SX Eagle and NX Eagle parts from Sram, offers sufficient range and impressive performance. The same applies to the brakes: The Shimano MT420 is a 4-piston brake that, while not offering brute power, still has plenty of reserves and is easy to modulate. At the rear, however, we would have preferred a 180 mm rotor.

When it comes to the wheels, you get solid fare with reliable Shimano MT400 hubs and WTB ST i29 rims, which can also be quickly and easily converted to tubeless. With an inner width of 29 mm, they are also wide enough to accommodate the Maxxis tires that are given to the Trail SE. At the front there is the DHF with a width of 2,5″, at the rear the High Roller II with a width of 2,3″. Both come with the slightly lighter Exo carcass - it offers a little less puncture protection, but the rolling resistance is reduced. An inconspicuous highlight (especially for this price range) is on the front wheel hub, where Cannondale's in-house sensor is located: it can be connected to Garmin or Wahoo bike computers, for example, and provides information about the speed. In addition, you can use the Cannondale smartphone app to keep an eye on the route driven and, for example, be reminded of maintenance intervals. Nice thing!

While the cockpit is impressive with the 760 mm wide FSA handlebars and the pleasantly short in-house stem, we have to criticize the seat post as the only component on the Trail SE. Yes, it's nice that Cannondale has installed a dropper post that can be lowered from the handlebars, but with a maximum travel of 120 mm it's unfortunately no longer up to date.

Cannondale Trail SE 1: On the trail

Visually, the Cannondale Trail SE 1 was immediately a winner among our testers! It is dynamic and timelessly pleasing – even though you can expect that for just 1.500 Euro, which isn't exactly what you'd expect. First impression: Great! So, off to the trail!

The Cannondale welcomed us without any major surprises: the geometry and the seating position are modern but not too extreme (yes, we repeat ourselves a lot here). In view of "only" 120 mm of spring travel at the front, the steering angle is nice and flat at 66,5 degrees and promises lively and agile handling.

The Trail SE 1 handles the climbs calmly and well. The seating position enables efficient pedaling and the front wheel only begins to rise slightly on really steep terrain. We really liked the performance of the Sram SX Eagle circuit. The gears are changed crisply and precisely and the range is completely sufficient. The 760 mm wide cockpit is well chosen and suits the universal character of the bike like a glove.

The driving behavior downhill is also universal. Nimble but not nervous, the rather short-stroke Cannondale is great fun to drive. The handling is intuitive and predictable and should fit everyone "out of the box". The 29er Maxxis tires represent a good compromise between acceptable rolling characteristics and excellent grip. Only at high speeds do they occasionally reach their limits due to a lack of adequate puncture protection and self-damping. The high speed is also not the main discipline of the RockShox 35 Gold fork; Although it can be adjusted very easily and quickly and responds sensitively, the damping reaches its limits with fast and hard hits. Shimano's MT420 brakes with 4-piston calipers fit the concept very well given the attractive price. We were only able to push it to the limit on long, steep descents, which was noticeable in the increased hand strength. As always, heavy riders should definitely consider upgrading to larger brake discs. Last but not least, the Dropper Post: function? Top! hub? Actually too short at 120mm.

The Cannondale Trail SE 1 is a trail hardtail as it should be. Nimble, fun, versatile and tough. Since it also looks damn good and is priced competitively, small weaknesses in the fork and dropper post can easily be overcome. Well done Cannondale!