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Cannondale Drops Cujo 1 Hardtail MTB With Solid Components for a Soft Price

Everyone wants a good and solid bike for low bucks. After all, not everyone uses ten-thousand-dollar bikes to their fullest potential. So, what are we left with?
Cujo 1 Hardtail MTB 7 photos
Photo: Cannondale
Cujo 1 Hardtail MTB Dropper PostCujo 1 Hardtail MTB Rear TriangleCujo 1 Hardtail MTB ForkCujo 1 Hardtail MTB DrivetrainCujo 1 Hardtail MTBCujo 1 Hardtail MTB
One machine that looks just about right for its price to capability ratio is the Cujo 1 from Cannondale. Yes, the same Cannondale that's been around since 1971 with the sole purpose of raising the cycling industry to a whole new level. In the 50 years that this name has been present in the cycling industry, it has grown to be seen in competitions, TV, and local streets.

As for the Cujo 1, it's the sort of bicycle that looks to have all the right components, the right build, and won't leave you scrounging for pennies in case you need to change out a tire. Just to kick things off, the 2021 Cujo 1 is currently running for an MSRP of 1,700 USD (1,501 EUR at current exchange rates), an achievable figure to get the bike on this year's Christmas list. Let's see if you should ask Santa for this one.

Now, right from the start, you can see that Cujo is a hardtail MTB. A solid rear triangle means you'll have to rely on a front fork with suspension and tires to add suspension qualities to the bike. Another feature meant to handle vibrations, drops, and overall abuse is the frame's building material.

Cujo 1 Hardtail MTB Fork
Photo: Cannondale
Cujo is built using SmartForm C2 Alloy techniques to complete the frame, while internal cable routing and a massive headtube tell you exactly where this bike belongs; in the wild and on your favorite singletrack.

Cannondale adds a RockShox Judy Silver TK fork with 120 mm (4.72 in) of travel to ensure your ride is stable, soft, and easy to control. Roots, rocks, and small drops shouldn't be an issue. With a pair of tubeless-ready Maxxis Reckon tires, you should be able to hit the tracks right out of the dealership.

I mentioned that the bike is a hardtail, and hardtails don't feature a rear suspension. Well, the Cujo stretches that idea a bit further from the ordinary by including something known as a SAVE micro-suspension. Ever heard of this feature? Well, SAVE offers riders a "strategically engineered" rear triangle that features flex zones. Whenever the rear experiences any sort of shock, these zones flex just enough to smoothen out your ride.

One thing I found rather nice is that this bike's drivetrain isn't handled by good ol' Shimano. Instead, SRAM makes its appearance with a 12-speed setup all tuned to the sounds and mechanisms of SX Eagle components. The chain, the crank, shifters, and 11-50T cassette, all SX. Only the rear derailleur is an NX Eagle.

Cujo 1 Hardtail MTB Rear Triangle
Photo: Cannondale
However, Shimano has wiggled their way onto this bike as well. Aside from the rear and front hubs, brakes, too, are covered by the component giant. With a pair of MT400 hydraulic disc brakes and 180 mm (7.1 in) or 160 mm (6.3 in) rotors, stopping and control should come easy.

As for secondary components you can find on the bike, in-house grips, handlebar, saddle, and stem are all present. Best of all, to help riders get the most out of their trail experience, Cannondale throws in a TranzX dropper post with internal cable routing. Press a button and get your seat out of the way to hit that downhill track the way you're meant to. All that gear yields a bike that comes in with a weight of 32.4 lbs (14.7 kg), not the lightest or heaviest piece on the market. No mention of its weight limit.

If you're in the market for a new bike or Santa's granting you a gift this year, the Cannondale Cujo 1 is a bike worth considering if you're into hardtail MTBs.
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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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