Cannondale Moterra 1 in Review

The Moterra 1 is Cannondale’s flagship model, featuring a completely redesigned carbon frame and the new Bosch motor. Smart details promise performance on the trail and in everyday life.

Click here for an overview of the best eMTB 2020 group test.

With the launch of the new Bosch Performance CX motor, Cannondale completely redesigned the Moterra for 2020 to accommodate the new system. The times of the “pot-bellied pig” with the battery attached under the down tube are over. The € 7,999 Cannondale Moterra 1 comes equipped with a 625 Wh battery and the Bosch Performance Line CX 2020 motor, both neatly integrated into the carbon frame. Cannondale rely on an aluminium skid plate to protect the motor, which also covers up the distinctive kink in the motor’s housing.

Components, weight and technical details of the Cannondale Moterra 1

A unique feature of the Cannondale Moterra is the size-specific suspension kinematics and wheel size. In size S, the Moterra 1 rolls on smaller 27.5″ wheels. For all other sizes, Cannondale have specced large 29×2.6″ MAXXIS Minion tires, though unfortunately with the more puncture-prone EXO+ carcass. Regardless of the size, the FOX Factory suspension offers 160 mm travel front and rear. MAGURA MT7 brakes with the new MDR-P rotors (220 mm up front) take care of braking. For the cockpit and seat post, Cannondale have specced more basic in-house aluminium components. What Cannondale have saved there, they’ve invested in the Supernova M99 MINI PRO light mounted in front of the stem: an ultra-bright headlamp featuring low and high-beam, powered by the Moterra’s internal battery. Thus, the bike is ready for night rides or commuting, right off the shelf!

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Geometry and size of the Cannondale

Cannondale are of the opinion that besides the geometry, the kinematics of eMTBs have to be adjusted to suit the various frame and respective rider sizes. Not stopping there, Cannondale spec the frame size S with 27.5″ wheels to give smaller riders more freedom of movement.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	410 mm	440 mm	470 mm	515 mm
Top tube	587 mm	614 mm	638 mm	666 mm
Head tube	100 mm	110 mm	120 mm	130 mm
Head angle	66.0°	66.0°	66.0°	66.0°
Seat angle	75.0°	75.0°	75.0°	75.0°
Chainstays	450 mm	450 mm	450 mm	450 mm
BB Height	351 mm	362 mm	362 mm	362 mm
BB Drop	10 mm	18 mm	18 mm	18 mm
Wheelbase	1,184 mm	1,221 mm	1,247 mm	1,276 mm
Reach	430 mm	448 mm	470 mm	495 mm
Stack	585 mm	619 mm	629 mm	638 mm

The Cannondale Moterra 1 on the trail

The pedalling position on the Cannondale Moterra 1 is central, upright and very comfortable, making it excellent for long days in the saddle. The slack seat tube angle positions the rider far over the rear wheel on steep climbs, unweighting the front tire and sagging into the rear travel. Nevertheless, the front wheel remains on the ground the moment you shift your weight forward slightly, though it isn’t very precise in tight turns. Thanks to the traction offered by the rear wheel and the excellent eMTB mode of the Bosch motor, the Cannondale Moterra 1 makes easy work of steep climbs.

The Cannondale Moterra 1 is the Volkswagen of this group test: you’ll immediately feel comfortable and at home.

Going downhill, you feel like you’re sitting in the Cannondale Moterra 1 rather than on top of it. We didn’t once feel like we might go over the bars on steep descents or over drops. The Moterra 1 instils you with confidence on the descents, which is only amplified by the extremely powerful and easy to modulate MAGURA MT7 brakes and large rotors. Cornering, the Moterra 1 handles with predictable precision. Once you’ve decided where you want to go, it will hold its line no matter how imperfect your posture or riding technique. The FOX suspension absorbs all bumps, though it could offer the rider a little more feedback from the trail. Active riders will want a little more support from the suspension to pop off roots and ledges but once in the air, the Moterra 1 feels stable.

The suspension of the Moterra 1 is plush and easy to set up but it lacks the mid-stroke support required for very active and aggressive riders.

Tuning tip: alternative mount for the Kiox to put it in a more protected position behind the bars | rear tire with a thicker casing

Conclusion

The balanced geometry of the Cannondale Moterra 1 offers very composed and predictable handling, which makes it a particularly attractive option for beginners and hobbyists. In sum, it is a true everyman eMTB that performs flawlessly in every situation and day-to-day use. However, very aggressive riders will quickly reach the limits of both the suspension and tires.

You can find out more about the Cannondale Moterra 1 at cannondale.com.

The test field

You can find everything you need to know about our test for the best eMTB of 2020 right here!

All bikes in test: BULLS SONIC EVO AM 6 | Cannondale Moterra 1 | Canyon Spectral:ON 9.0 | COMMENCAL META POWER 29 TEAM 2020 | CONWAY XYRON 927 Carbon | CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC | FANTIC XF1 180 Race | FOCUS JAM² 9.9 DRIFTER | Giant Reign E+ 0 Pro | Haibike XDURO Nduro 10.0 | Liteville 301 CE MK1 | MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 10K | Moustache Samedi 27 Trail | Norco Range VLT C1 | NOX Hybrid Enduro 7.1 | Orbea WILD FS M-LTD | Pivot Shuttle 29 | Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 90 Rally Edition | ROTWILD R.X750 ULTRA | SIMPLON Rapcon Pmax | Specialized Turbo Kenevo Expert | Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo | Trek Rail 9.9 | Whyte E-180 RS V1 | YT DECOY CF Pro Race

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Words: Felix Stix, Robin Schmitt, Jonas Müssig Photos: Finlay Anderson, Robin Schmitt, Felix Stix, Markus Frühmann