Cannondale's Freshest Carbon Fiber E-Bikes for the Masses Aren't Cheap: Are They Overkill?

Folks, Cannondale has always been known as a cycling powerhouse, and if you turn your TV to any cycling channel, chances are that you'll spot a Cannondale machine in the next few moments or so. Well, recently, this team unveiled their first city-dwelling e-bike built out of nothing more than carbon fiber, the Tesoro Neo Carbon 1.

If the name Tesoro sounds familiar, it's possibly because I've covered this lineup of bikes before. They're typically designed for the riders among us who like to ride far and even camp out overnight, often covering entire countries in the process; cargo racks and fenders often accompany these bikes. However, the Tesoro Carbon family is all about city streets. But is it what we want and need?

For starters, take a nice long look at the images in the gallery. In particular, I urge you to compare and contrast the Carbon frame style to the Synapse endurance bike that Cannondale already has in its lineup. See any similarities? Any differences? That's because the Neo Carbon used the same backbone as the Synapse, imbuing this urban rager with the ability to break the confines of city life.

Why an endurance geometry on an urban bike? Let's think about that for a second. The word "endurance" implies that riders are going to be in the saddle for long periods of time, and to achieve this, comfort is clearly one of the goals.

Then there's speed. To ride far, you also want to ride fast, and this sort of road-destined geometry is what we want to hit the tarmac hard, if only to grab a jug of milk or make it to the office on time. Since the frame is built around 35 cc tires (Neo Carbon 1), speed is basically ensured.

As for a few other traits the frame showcases, take a look at the rear of the bike. What do you see? If you answered fenders and a cargo rack, you caught my drift. This feature alone ensures that you can take your Neo Carbon on long rides, carrying foods, liquids, and even tools you might need on your travels. Bikepacking anyone?

Are you worried about those long, arduous climbs? This is an e-bike we're talking about, and the reason these machines have been getting such attention lately is that they can transform your trials and tribulations into something more manageable.

Here, we have no one to thank for the extra kick the Neo Carbon brings except for timeless Bosch, the one and the same that's been around for decades and, these days, supplies a large portion of bicycle manufacturers with the power their riders want, or have been taught to want; Bosch has had a major influence on how mid-mounted e-bike industry has developed.

As standard, a Performance Line SX is in place and spitting out a peak of 600 W of power and 55 Nm (40.5 lb-ft) of torque, ensuring you make those climbs, loaded or not. As for the top speed, Cannondale is one of the teams abiding by all laws and regulations, so expect the motor to be limited to local limits.

What's rather neat about this motor is that it's designed to be sleek and light but powerful enough to handle use even if you're not on the smoothest tarmac. This setup is often seen on gravel e-bikes, too. Be sure to mess around with Sprint mode for access to all the power it can offer.

Completing the power systems the Neo Carbon has in store is a PowerTube battery with 400 Wh. That's integrated into the down tube of this bike. What I couldn't figure out, and sources make no mention of, is whether or not this battery is removable. If it isn't, long rides out of town may be a bit difficult, especially since you can't just swap in a new battery on the go.

Now, my explorations into this fresh lineup have revealed that these puppies aren't cheap, with units retailing at €5,000 ($5,400 at current exchange rates for Neo Carbon 2) and nearly €6,000 ($6,600) for the Neo Carbon 1. How do you feel about that number? Is it something you're willing to drop on an e-bike of this nature? Feel free to comment below.

What I've learned from my dabbling into the cycling industry is that around 90% of the riders aren't willing to drop this much on a bicycle, and if they do, it better bring home gold and silver medals. Sure, a completely wireless shifting experience from SRAM (Eagle AXS) is in place, of which just the upgrade kit with controller, derailleur, and batteries can fetch as high as $1,000, but is it what we want?

On that note, allow me to remind you that a bicycle is like cake; some people like chocolate, some vanilla, some pistachio (eww, pistachio cake), all of which please someone somewhere. So, there's clearly a place for the Neo Carbon 1 and 2 in someone's garage.