Cannondale Trail 6 (29) (2018) - Review

The Trail 6 is built using Cannondale's famous SAVE built in suspension tech alloy frame. This frame has a tapered head tube and smooth welded edges to keep most of the material at places in the frame, which takes the most vibrations when out on the trails. The slanting top tube makes the ride geometry aggressive and comfortable as well. This frame also comes with a lifetime warranty.The SR Suntour XCM-RL front suspension fork comes with a massive 1mm travel which worked really well on the roughest of trails. The remote suspension lockout with the button on the handlebar was easy to operate and useful to make the forks rigid quickly.

A performance focused MTB like the Trail 6 requires precise gearing. This bicycle is equipped with a Microshift direct mount front derailleur and Shimano Acera Shadow 9-speed rear derailleur. This Acera Shadow is the latest from the Acera line and was fast in transmission. The Shimano Altus shifters were easy to use and at a perfect hand position.

Cannondale have always set a high standard when it comes to design. The Trail 6 which I test rode came in a full black frame with red as the secondary colour and internal cable routing. The matte finish paint job was of superior quality. This bicycle has information stickers all over the bicycle, which explains the specific technical aspects of that part; this adds a nice touch to the bicycle. Wide MTB tires with big threads help the bicycle look rugged.

The Trail 6 is equipped with Shimano's M315 Hydraulic Disc brakes. These brakes were the best you can get on hardtail MTB's. These brakes were safe and balanced on the most slippery and roughest of trails. The Shimano Brake levers matched the experience of supreme braking and were easy to use.The Cannondale C4 MTB handlebar was flat and wide and are 68mm in width. This width made sure the rider has full control and great handling capabilities.

As in the name of this bicycle this hardtail Trail 6 rolls on a pair of WTB Ranger Comp 29” x 2.25” tires. These tires are a beast on the trails, mainly because of its thick tread patterns and the 2.25” width. These tires can keep you flying through trails with maximum traction. The stock Cannondale Stage 3 MTB saddle was ergonomic and keeps you comfortable on fast trail rides. The overall ride quality was aggressive and performance focused on trails.