# My new mountain bike



## Pale Rider (16 Feb 2015)

Here it is, fresh from the shop earlier today:










It's a 2014 Cannondale Trail SL1 29er, medium frame.

The year is important because it was on clearance at £850 from my local bike shop, as opposed to the 2015 model, which is £1,399.

As ever the specs have been tinkered with for the new year, but 2015 loses the granny ring which I need, and adds through axles and tubeless ready, which I don't.

In this case the advice about looking out for last year's model has worked well.

Evans has my bike on clearance at £935, so my local bike shop has looked after me nicely at £850.

The bike was properly prepared and everything works, which is always a relief.

Speaking of prepared, it seems a shame to load the naked bike with accessories, but it was bought to do a job.

That job is half day or day rides, mostly on cycle tracks and bridle paths.

I've tried a hybrid, but some of the tracks are a bit ropey - and muddy at this time of year - which meant the narrower tyres and lack of mud clearance on a hybrid caused me handling and clogging problems.

Speed is neither here nor there, I spend too much time sitting around drinking coffee and shooting the breeze for that, and in any case early indications are the 29er tyres roll a treat.

I should be able to bowl along at about 10mph, which is enough on the paths when there are lots of other users about.

My trunk bag will hold my flask and sandwiches, and the carrier has a solid base so should double up as a mud deflector.

The Mucky Nutz short front mudguard is as much to keep the mud out of the steerer as anything else, the down tube Flinger will deal with the rest.

Multi-tool and puncture stuff is in the wedge pack, pump on the seat tube bottle holder, basic trip computer on the stem.

No plans to add anything else, although I do like prop stands.

The frame is Cannondale's Super Light, so the total weight of the rig is still reasonable.

I can't give an in-depth review from one ride, but I genuinely enjoyed myself on it earlier and I can't see why that shouldn't continue.

Particularly impressed with the comfort, which I'm told is in part due to the frame, which is a unique Cannondale design, as opposed to their cheaper bikes which now come with generic frames.

Here's the Evans links for the two bikes:

Mine: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/trail-sl-1-29er-2014-mountain-bike-ec053949

This year's model: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/trail-sl-1-29er-2015-mountain-bike-ec071444


----------



## outlash (16 Feb 2015)

Looks lush , I've been looking at MTB's recently and being a fan of Cannondale this looks like a likely contender.


Tony.


----------



## Pale Rider (16 Feb 2015)

outlash said:


> Looks lush , I've been looking at MTB's recently and being a fan of Cannondale this looks like a likely contender.
> 
> 
> Tony.



Thanks.

It is worth looking out for an SL - Super Light - for the frame.

It has the trademark large diameter Cannondale steerer, which does improve stiffness and lightness.

Also has what Cannondale call SAVE, which involves thinner chain and seat stays, and clever welding which partly isolates the seat tube from vibration.

One could dismiss all that as marketing puff, but my mate Chris the Mechanic assured me I would notice the difference, even just on cycle tracks.

Some of the non-SL bikes have similar branding, so it's worth double checking the bike is an SL - assuming that's what you want.


----------



## Hugh Manatee (16 Feb 2015)

I remember when Canondales came with different sized wheels. They always made a mighty fine frame. Nice colour too.


----------



## razer17 (16 Feb 2015)

Really nice looking bike, quite like the baby blue colour of it.

Not a fan of the mirror, but then it's there for practical purposes rather than aesthetics.


----------



## Pale Rider (16 Feb 2015)

User28511 said:


> Really nice looking bike, quite like the baby blue colour of it.
> 
> Not a fan of the mirror, but then it's there for practical purposes rather than aesthetics.



I think the bike wears its accessories quite well, but I agree the mirror does look a bit clonky.

It was going to be a smaller, circular one, which I already had in stock.

But that one only gave a view of my right sleeve.


----------



## Nytsom (17 Feb 2015)

Like what you've done with the new bike; particularly the rack! What make is the rack? Wouldn't mind fitting one on here >


----------



## Jody (17 Feb 2015)

Great looking bike as above love the blue colour.



Pale Rider said:


> As ever the specs have been tinkered with for the new year, but 2015 loses the granny ring which I need, and adds through axles and tubeless ready, which I don't.



Converted my bike to tubeless about 2 months ago. If things carry on as they are I wouldn't want to go back to tubes. This weekend I pulled two thorns out to hear a hiss, spun the wheel 360 degrees and hey presto it was sealed and I could carry on. Checked pressures and they are still holding.


----------



## Pale Rider (17 Feb 2015)

Nytsom said:


> Like what you've done with the new bike; particularly the rack! What make is the rack? Wouldn't mind fitting one on here >



The rack is a budget unbranded one as stocked by the bike shop.

Chris in there told me he sometimes keeps a branded one as well to offer a choice.

It is disc specific - which you will need - which is basically wider set legs.

I reckon with racks it's all in the fitting.

As you say, mine looks as well as it could, but I bet it was a right fiddle to set up.

The extended supports from the seat post don't come with the rack, they are something the shop stocks separately.

You could probably get those if you needed them, but it adds to the faff of doing the job at home.

From the look of your bike, you will want the job done properly.


----------



## Pale Rider (17 Feb 2015)

Jody said:


> Great looking bike as above love the blue colour.
> 
> 
> 
> Converted my bike to tubeless about 2 months ago. If things carry on as they are I wouldn't want to go back to tubes. This weekend I pulled two thorns out to hear a hiss, spun the wheel 360 degrees and hey presto it was sealed and I could carry on. Checked pressures and they are still holding.



Useful to know.

Inner tubes in other vehicle applications went out 40 years ago, so one might think tubeless is the way forward.

The tyres on my new bike are good for my use in terms of tread type and width.

What I don't know yet is if they are sufficiently resistant to punctures.

If not, I already have in mind Smart Sam Pluses, but it would be worth thinking about tubeless as well.


----------



## Nytsom (17 Feb 2015)

Pale Rider said:


> The rack is a budget unbranded one as stocked by the bike shop.
> 
> Chris in there told me he sometimes keeps a branded one as well to offer a choice.
> 
> ...



I like maintenance of all kinds, so wouldn't let anyone work on one of my bikes. others wouldn't have the time to make things the way I like them done.


----------

