Cannondale has announced the release of the Tesoro Neo X 1, a new addition to its electric bike range designed – and specced – to straddle on- and off-road riding, as well as touring.
The Tesoro Neo X 1 sits at the top of Cannondale’s range, retailing for £5,000 / €4,999, costing £1,000 / €600 more than the Tesoro Neo X 2.
There are a number of features that mark the Neo X 1 out above its siblings, including the addition of the new Bosch Smart System and Shimano’s LinkGlide drivetrain, but it retains much of the same practicality with integrated lights and a kickstand.
The Tesoro Neo X 1 comes in three different frame designs, with either a high top tube, a dropped top tube or a low top tube.
Three frame designs
Cannondale says it created three different versions of the Tesoro Neo X 1’s aluminium frame to enable riders to find a version of the bike that suits their “personal style”.
This makes sense when you consider the bike is intended to cover a variety of riding types, from commuting to touring and weekend adventures.
A traditional, high top tube might make more sense if you’re donning cycling kit and looking to ride the Tesoro like a touring bike. The step-through options turn the Tesoro into something that wouldn't look out of place among the best bikes for commuting.
Releasing electric bikes with different top-tube heights isn’t unusual, of course. There is the Canyon Commuter:On, while Cannondale has low top-tube versions of the Tesoro Neo X 2 and 3. But releasing a third, lower top-tube version of an electric bike is new for Cannondale, and is something that doesn’t appear to be offered by any other major brand.
The bike’s geometry and frame design are also said to create a “comfortably sportive riding position”.
In a size medium, the standover height is 78.4cm for the high top-tube version and 66.9cm for the step-through version.
The low step-through version is available in small or large sizes. It has a standover height of 44cm for the size small and 44.5cm for the size large.
The three Tesoro Neo X 1 models have the same specifications and finishing kit, regardless of the top tube design.
The size of the Tesoro Neo X 1’s wheels depends on frame size. The medium, large and extra-large size frames have 29in wheels, whereas the small frames have 27.5in wheels.
Adventure-ready
The Tesoro Neo X 1 is said to be “adventure ready”, with a number of features that should make traversing off-road trails and paths easier.
Firstly, the bike has an SR Suntour XCR34 100mm-travel coil front fork and a Parallelogram Suspension seatpost.
Cannondale says the bike has a wide handlebar, although it hasn’t specified how wide, “rattle-free” Curana Apollo mudguards and a high-capacity rear rack for luggage.
The bike has wheels with WTB rims on Shimano hubs and Maxxis Pace mountain bike tyres, said to offer fast-rolling speed on hard-pack surfaces.
Magura levers and hydraulic disc brakes with large 203mm rotors provide the stopping power.
Bosch Smart System and 750Wh battery
When it comes to electrification, the Tesoro Neo X 1 is fitted with the Bosch Smart System, which was released in August 2021.
This system is centred around Bosch’s 2020 Performance Line CX drive unit, but introduces a range of other hardware.
That includes a 750Wh battery called the PowerTube, which is also removable. The battery size is an increase over the Tesoro Neo X 2 and its 625Wh battery.
When Bosch released the Smart System, it said the PowerTube battery was aimed specifically at “long and challenging rides”.
The Tesoro Neo X 1 is claimed to have a maximum range of 175km, which also goes some way towards answering the question of the battery’s range, which Bosch didn’t specify when it launched the Smart System. As ever, though, this will vary significantly depending on the rider, riding style and terrain.
Cannondale’s new bike also features the Smart System’s Kiox 300 display. With a buttonless design, it acts a bit like a bike computer, providing ride data.
Shimano LinkGlide drivetrain
The Tesoro Neo X 1 is specced with a 10-speed Shimano Deore LinkGlide drivetrain and shifters.
Cannondale says LinkGlide is “designed to handle the higher loads and daily usage of a trekking ebike”.
Shimano echoes this, describing LinkGlide as providing better resistance to wear than its HyperGlide+ drivetrains and consequently increasing the length of time between maintenance.
The drivetrain has low gearing with a 38-tooth front chainring and an 11-43 cassette, which is the smaller of the two cassettes in Shimano’s LinkGlide range.
Added practicality
If rattle-free fenders and a rack don’t seem sensible enough, the Tesoro Neo X 1 has a number of other practical features.
The bike has an Axa Blueline 30 headlight and tail light. The two lights connect to the Tesoro’s battery and meet StVZO regulations thanks to the cut-off beam pattern, according to Axa’s website. There is also a light in the head tube.
The Tesoro Neo X 1 has an Intellimount stem, which Cannondale says enables you to mount your phone with an adaptor.
Cannondale says everything on the bike is designed to be within easy reach, with bottle cage mounts just below the handlebar and the charging port high on the frame.
There is an ABUS 4650X frame lock and kickstand, too.
Cannondale Neo X 1 specs and prices
The Cannondale Neo X 1 has the same components across all models, with only the colours changing.
The version with the high top tube comes in sizes small to extra-large, whereas the step-through comes in sizes small to large. The low step-through version comes in either small or large.
The bike is currently available only in the UK and Europe, and has an RRP of £5,000 / €4,999.
Cannondale Neo X 1
- Frame: SmartForm C1 Alloy
- Fork: SR Suntour XCR34, 100mm, coil
- Drive unit: Bosch Performance Line CX 250W
- Battery: Bosch PowerTube 750Wh
- Display: Bosch Kiox 300 / LED remote
- Wheels: WTB STX i30 TCS, 32 spokes, tubeless-ready / Shimano hubs
- Pedals: Cannondale Fitness
- Cranks: Bosch Gen4, 38t
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore LinkGlide
- Shifters: Shimano Deore LinkGlide
- Stem: Cannondale Urban Intellimount
- Brakes: Magura CT 2-piston hydraulic disc with 203mm rotors
- Seatpost: Parallelogram Suspension seatpost
- Saddle: Selle Royal Lookin
- Lights: Axa Blueline
- Mudguards: Curano Apollo
- Rack: Cannondale Urban rear rack (25kg weight limit)
- Lock: ABUS 4650X frame lock
- Colours: Midnight / Charcoal Grey
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Cannondale Neo X 1 StepThru
- Frame: SmartForm C1 Alloy step-through
- Fork: SR Suntour XCR34, 100mm, coil
- Drive unit: Bosch Performance Line CX 250W
- Battery: Bosch PowerTube 750Wh
- Display: Bosch Kiox 300 / LED remote
- Wheels: WTB STX i30 TCS, 32 spokes, tubeless-ready / Shimano hubs
- Pedals: Cannondale Fitness
- Cranks: Bosch Gen4, 38t
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore LinkGlide
- Shifters: Shimano Deore LinkGlide
- Stem: Cannondale Urban Intellimount
- Brakes: Magura CT 2-piston hydraulic disc with 203mm rotors
- Seatpost: Parallelogram Suspension seatpost
- Saddle: Selle Royal Lookin
- Lights: Axa Blueline
- Mudguards: Curano Apollo
- Rack: Cannondale Urban rear rack (25kg weight limit)
- Lock: ABUS 4650X frame lock
- Colours: Lavender / Charcoal Grey
- Sizes: S, M, L
Cannondale Neo X 1 Low StepThru
- Frame: SmartForm C1 Alloy low step-through
- Fork: SR Suntour XCR34, 100mm, coil
- Drive unit: Bosch Performance Line CX 250W
- Battery: Bosch PowerTube 750Wh
- Display: Bosch Kiox 300 / LED remote
- Wheels: WTB STX i30 TCS, 32 spokes, tubeless-ready / Shimano hubs
- Pedals: Cannondale Fitness
- Cranks: Bosch Gen4, 38t
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore LinkGlide
- Shifters: Shimano Deore LinkGlide
- Stem: Cannondale Urban Intellimount
- Brakes: Magura CT 2-piston hydraulic disc with 203mm rotors
- Seatpost: Parallelogram Suspension seatpost
- Saddle: Selle Royal Lookin
- Lights: Axa Blueline
- Mudguards: Curano Apollo
- Rack: Cannondale Urban rear rack (25kg weight limit)
- Lock: ABUS 4650X frame lock
- Colours: Agave / Charcoal Grey
- Sizes: S, M
