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Aug 06, 2023

Cannondale Adventure Neo Allroad EQ electric bike review

The Cannondale Adventure Neo Allroad EQ is Cannondale’s latest entry into the under-$2,000 do-it-all e-bike market that had been dominated by direct-to-consumer brands like Aventon and Rad Power for

The Cannondale Adventure Neo Allroad EQ is Cannondale’s latest entry into the under-$2,000 do-it-all e-bike market that had been dominated by direct-to-consumer brands like Aventon and Rad Power for the past few seasons. Venerable industry names like Trek, Specialized and Cannondale initially concentrated on higher-end offerings, but as we’ve seen with Trek’s recent Electra Loft Go!, the big brands can deliver a competitive ride at a reasonable price, and with the Adventure Neo Allroad Cannondale has entered the fray in a big way.

Previous incarnations of this bike, the Adventure Neo, were more city-focused, while the new Allroad models — still city bikes at their core — come equipped for rougher stuff. The idea is that this is a bike that doubles as a daily driver and a weekend adventure vehicle. With its rigid fork and chunky build the EQ model we tested is certainly no mountain bike, but it’s a well-appointed trekking bike, with fat tires and sturdy wheels capable of handling gravel paths and broken pavement.

A capable all-rounder for those who like to take it slow and enjoy the scenery; the Allroad EQ will take you from daily commute to weekend rail-trail explorations.

With a relaxed, upright position, a hefty alloy frame and fork with Cannondale’s typically spot-on construction and and overbuilt pair of 36-hole wheels with fat tires, the Adventure Neo Allroad provides a comfortable luxury-car ride on smooth pavement; the laid-back geometry, beefy rack and solid build mean that loaded panniers don’t affect the handling noticeably (maybe not so adventurous, but the Adventure Neo Allroad makes a very nice grocery getter).

The Bafang drive uses a torque sensor (which we’ve been seeing more on recent sub-$2,000 e-bikes). Theoretically this provides better performance and quicker response to your pedaling input (since the motor is responding to how hard you pedal rather than how fast you pedal, it provides power more sensibly given conditions, assisting you whether you’re spinning or mashing up a hill rather than going AWOL just when you most need it).

While it’s common to see even big-brand e-bikes kitted out with primarily house-branded or generic components, it’s good to see a Bafang motor, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes and Kenda tires on the Adventure Neo Allroad EQ. It’s not so much that generic parts are bad — just that when it comes time to replace disposables like pads or chains or full-on worn-out stuff, it’s a lot more likely that you’ll be able to find direct replacements if what you’ve already got is familiar.

The motor is a 250 Watt model, and provides enough juice to handle forgiving terrain (more on this below, but challenging stuff terrain leaves some of the work to you or gives you a slower paced ride, which is in line with the bike’s design). The battery, with 416 Watt hours of capacity, is rated at 47 miles range. It is easy to detach for charging (it’s even got a handle), and the included power block juices it up in about 4 hours..

What the Adventure Neo Allroad is well suited for is a mix of everyday use — commuting, shopping, errand running — and recreational riding. The chunky tires and relaxed position are great for beach paths, rail-trails, bike paths with hardpack and gravel sectors, maybe some cobbles. You aren’t going to be flying over this sort of terrain at high speeds, but at a pace that allows you to sit back and enjoy the ride (which is likely what you bought this thing for) it is quite able.

It’s worth knowing that the Adventure Neo Allroad EQ is definitely meant for relaxed cruising rather than getting you anywhere in a hurry — as a Class 2 bike, it provides pedal-assist or throttle-assist up to 20 miles per hour, though the 250 Watt motor means this isn’t meant for winning any hill-climbing competitions. But let’s put that in context. It’s also heavy enough that it’s a little pokey to ride when you’re at the motor’s limit.

On our test loop we got maximum assist and were able to cruise with pedal or throttle assist at 20 mph on flat ground, but with or without loaded panniers (a typical grocery run) we didn’t see anywhere near top speed with either pedal assist or throttle assist on our local 12% climb — we made our way up slowly but surely. Basically once things get steep the motor kicks in enough wattage to ease the work of pushing extra weight of the bike, but you’ll be counting at least somewhat on your legs if you want to do maintain much speed (or you can sit back and enjoy making your way up inclines at a more relaxed pace, which is fine).

Now, this is a bike, so that’s to be expected, and frankly this is acceptable performance for the motor supplied with the Adventure Neo Allroad — but it helps to set expectations, and these rides clearly demonstrate the difference between 250 watt motors (which leave some of the work to you unless you want to go pretty slowly on throttle assist when the road turns up) and larger motors — in the 750 watt range you experience much more moped-like performance and can cruise up a hill like a pro cyclist, even though you’re riding a heavy utility bike.

While touring and adventure bikes aren’t typically lightweight, at just north of 52 pounds as tested, the Adventure Neo Allroad EQ is a hefty bike, and if you’re at the limits of the motor it feels a little pokey. My guess is that the average purchase is looking for a rugged recreational ride with more comfort on the pavement and is unlikely to take this out on gravel very often. That’s fine, but the 2.6-inch Kendas are chunky enough that they’re sluggish on the road — they’re cushy, but were I to devote this bike to pavement use I might put slicker rubber on it (since you’re likely to buy this through a shop, that should be easy enough at point of purchase).

The Swytch Kit lets you transform the bike you already own into an e-bike

Given the on/off road dual-purpose nature of the bike you also get sporty fenders rather than the full set you might expect on a town bike or long-distance touring rig. You’ll avoid some spray with these and your butt will stay dry, but you’ll have wet feet should you encounter any heavy weather.

With a 250W motor and 47 miles maximum range it’s not entirely clear that the Allroad is suited for long-distance outings unless you’re using the motor minimally on flat terrain. The substantial 418 Wh battery takes about 4 hours to charge fully. Given that, you aren’t likely to take the Adventure Neo Allroad off to points unknown (unless you know you’ve got opportunities to charge along the way, which is certainly possible).

If you’re really looking to get off-road regularly, you might want to look at the EQ’s big sibling, the Cannondale Adventure Neo Allroad Speed, which has a suspension fork and a 750 Watt motor with a bigger battery that gives you 71 miles of range. It’s a better bet for the long haul.

Though it’s a more capable overall bite, the Cannondale Adventure Neo Allroad EQ is similar in appeal to the Electra Loft Go! — meant for buyers who feel more confident picking up their new ride from a familiar brand at a well-known major retailer with brick-and-mortar shop support — and that’s totally legitimate. Build-it-yourself e-bikes aren’t for everyone. If you’re unlikely to venture onto rail-trails on the weekends, the Electra might suit you better, but if you’re looking to get a little dirty in the off hours and still want a bike that’ll get you dependably to work, school and the store all week, the Adventure Neo Allroad EQ is a fine choice.

The lightweight Velotric T1 e-bike looks and feels like a regular bike

If you are looking for something that’ll be spending more time off the beaten path, at this point you do get more — namely a bigger motor and a suspension fork — for your adventure-bike dollar from something like the Ride1 Up Turris. You’ll have to put the Turris together yourself, and the Cannondale comes better equipped and has more range, but the direct-to-consumer bike is more than $500 cheaper and more powerful for slogging up long climbs, worth considering for a bike that’ll see some abuse.

In a way, the strongest competition for this bike comes from Cannondale itself. The EQ’s bigger sibling, the Cannondale Adventure Neo Allroad Speed, gives you a lot more for only $200 extra — you get a suspension fork, a more capable 750 watt motor, and a bigger battery with 71 miles of range. It’s much more competitive versus similarly priced direct-to-consumer bikes as well, and definitely worth a test ride.

The Adventure Neo Allroad is best thought of as an SUV — an off road-capable bike that’s going to get dirty once in a while on vacation but is happy spending its time on the road as a daily commuter and fun bike. The Adventure Neo Allroad isn’t a town bike like a lot of the competition; rather it’s more of a hybrid (despite the rigid fork) and in character it’ something of an SUV — a robust design with some off-pavement capabilities but without suspension and with an upright riding position that is better suited for smoother stuff, utility use and just knocking around than it is for long climbs or tricky descents.

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