Cannondale Habit Review

Both the aluminium alloy and Ballistec carbon fibre composite frames share the same dialled geometry. Longer, lower and slacker than the previous models, the Habit offers a confident ride when things get fast and loose. The seat tube is nice and steep which makes the Habit a capable climber too. The Habit 4, 5 and 6 get a full alloy frame while the Habit 1 is full carbon. The Habit 2 & 3 have a carbon front triangle combined with an alloy rear end. The Habit 1 and 3 are also available as women’s specific models.

There is enough tyre clearance for wide 2.8” tyres on 27.5” wheels and a flip chip allows you to raise the bottom bracket height to accommodate the smaller wheel size if you want to swap out the 29” hoops. The internal cable routing is nice and neat with headtube entry ports to eliminate cable rub on the frame. Even with the shock attaching to the down tube there is room for a bottle cage in the frame.

The Habit is the first Cannondale bike to use a four-bar suspension system. This is the same rear suspension that Specialized have used for many years and many other are now adopting. You get a very neutral suspension feel that keeps on working efficiently, even when pedalling and braking, so you can enjoy the trail without any dramas.

Unlike most other brands, Cannondale have tweaked the suspension layout for each frame size to give every rider the same suspension feel. Called ‘Proportional Response’ this approach gives smaller riders a better suspension action under braking and improves pedalling performance for taller riders.

Each bike in the range has a Fox shock controlling the 130mm of rear wheel travel. Most bikes get a DPS shock while the Habit 2 and 1 both have a DPX2 with a piggy back for more consistent performance on long descents. The 5 and 4 both get a RockShox fork while the other bikes have a Fox 34.

Each bike in the Habit range is well equipped for aggressive trail riding. All models get a one-by drivetrain, with Shimano Deore 10 speed on the Habit 6 and SLX 11 speed on the 5. The 4, 3 and 2 both have SRAM Eagle 12 speed drivetrains and the Habit 1 has the new Shimano XTR 12 speed.

Wide bars and short stems are perfect for aggressive trail riding and Cannondale’s own brand offerings on all the bikes are good quality with a great shape. You get a dropper seatpost post on all bikes except the entry level Habit 6.

The new Habits all roll on 29” wheels. These are fast over both rough and smooth terrain. They also help make the bike feel more capable than the suspension numbers suggest. Despite the big wheels the Habit is still very nimble and fun to ride thanks to the dialled frame design.

The Habit 5 & 6 both get WTB STX i23 tubeless wheel rims, while the other bikes have the excellent Stans Arch rims. The Shimano drivetrain bikes have matching Shimano hubs while the Sram equipped bikes get formula or DT Swiss hubs. All the bikes get quality Maxxis tyres with most models sporting a grippy 2.5” Minion up front combined with a fast rolling 2.3” High Roller on the rear.