I could not resist the coil shock when Cannondale asked me which trim of the Moterra e-MTB I wanted to test. And right out of the box, I was sure I made a good decision. This bike is a heavy hitter, with 165mm of rear travel and a thicc 170mm RockShox Zeb up front.
I’ve gotten out a few times on this Cannondale Moterra Neo Carbon LT 2 since I built it up. Here’s a rundown of how I set up the bike’s Bosch Performance Line CX drive unit, and all the other fixin’s on this big, bad, black e-bike.
Bosch Performance Line CX Motor Set-Up
It would have been far more on-brand for Cannondale to devise its own proprietary, mysterious, and exotic e-bike drive unit. Going all the way back to the HeadShok days, you’ll recognize a pattern. Instead, the folks in Connecticut went the other direction with (arguably) the most modular, plug-and-play e-MTB drive unit: a Bosch CX motor.
I’ve had some time with this drive unit, as well as Bosch’s exotic CX Race drive unit, so there weren’t many surprises. Just in case you need a quick recap, Bosch takes a system-wide approach to e-bikes — every e-bike component must be Bosch. Cannondale installed a PowerTube 750wh in the down tube (very common for a full-power rig) and opted for a Kiox 300 display connected to an LED remote.
After a few rides, I think I’ve settled on assist modes that work for me. I appreciate how the Bosch system gives you four power modes, rather than three. You always want a pure Turbo mode and a pure Eco mode — each serves an important purpose. In-between, it’s nice to have two options tuned to your liking.
The second-highest mode is called EMTB. It’s a dynamic mode, meaning the power delivery is exponential as you pedal harder. I increased the Assistance level by one click on the Flow app (more on that in a second) and upped the Dynamic Acceleration behavior by two clicks, so it would hit a little harder for quick climbs or techy moves.
The next mode down, Tour+ felt a bit too sluggish, and almost imperceptible from Eco. So I increased its Assistance level by one click, and I liked how it offered a natural ride feel with just enough assistance. It’s also a dynamic mode.
I increased Turbo mode’s assistance level by one click, but that almost feels like too much. Once in a while, that motor hits a little harder than I anticipated!
To Do: I have yet to ride longer than 90 minutes on the Moterra, so I’m expecting to do some further adjustments to figure out how best to manage the battery. I’m curious to see how its range performs given the overall bike weight. I’ve been riding in EMTB mode a lot so far.
Cannondale Moterra Cockpit Set-Up
The Moterra cockpit looks especially clean because the cables route in through the front of the stem. It requires a bit more care and patience during the build, but the end result is pretty nice.
There is an extra wire already installed for a light package. I tried to stuff it as far into the frame as I could, but I ended up taping it to a brake cable so it was tidy. I don’t expect I’ll want lights on this bike. The same had to be done with some of the extraneous cable between the Kiox and the drive unit.
The Bosch LED remote is particularly large, so it presents some challenges if you’re picky about how your handlebar controls are arranged. After three rides, I settled on putting the dropper post all the way outboard, then the brake lever, and then the remote, which fortunately is adjustable inward and outward to get the right placement (not pictured above). In part, this little game of musical bar mounts was due to the Shimano brake lever design which takes up room with both the clamp as well as a brace that meets the bar on the outboard side.
Bosch Flow and Kiox 300 Set-Up
After the build, one of my first steps was to connect the bike to the Bosch Flow app. It immediately prompted me to update firmware, which went smoothly. The App also happily connected with my Strava and automatically tracked rides without even having to hit start.
I didn’t change much on the Kiox right away, apart from turning off its shift recommendations, which are based off of your pedaling cadence. It’s an interesting feature for beginner riders, but for me, it was unnecessary.
According to Bosch’s website, you should be able to customize Kiox data screens this summer, but it seems that functionality hasn’t gone live yet. As is, the stock setting offers many screens with a lot of data. The general ride stats screen is what I have looked at so far, plus a little battery status readout in the top bar.
While a head unit like this might clutter the bars a little, it is easier to glance at than a top-tube mounted display. I suppose it just depends on how often you want to check your stats.
Cannondale Moterra MTB Component Set-Up
Next to the sometimes overwhelming array of options and functions that the Bosch products offer, setting up the bike components on the Moterra was refreshingly quick and easy.
Stock suspension settings felt great when I rolled into the first downhill. Shimano’s SLX drivetrain shifted when asked to do so. The SLX brakes needed a bleed but after that were plenty powerful.
Now this isn’t a “first ride review,” but I must say that in the early going, I was pleasantly surprised at how eagerly the Moterra responded to my feedback in corners, line changes, and other places you’d expect a heavy, long-travel bike to be obstinate. This might be yet another data point that validates mullet wheels on an e-MTB.
To Do: It’s satisfying to finish a bike build with precious few to-dos. I think this bike could really use a CushCore out back, given its size and propensity to smash stuff. Depending on how long this long-term test goes, I might consider a softer rear coil, as I seem to be getting only about 25% sag with the stock 500lbs spring.
Coming Up
I’ve got lots of riding to do on this Cannondale. Along the way, I’m going to put out a few stories. Here are some initial ideas:
- Tuning the CX motor and comparing the battery life in different modes.
- A deep dive into the capabilities of the Bosch Flow app.
- How much travel do e-MTBs need? It seems like a lot, but maybe 170mm is right.
- And of course a long-term review of this model.
Let me know if you have specific questions about this bike, or if you want to see a different story about the Moterra!