Will’s Cannondale Habit 2 2020 First Impressions

Last week was an exciting week for me. I had ordered and received my brand new Cannondale Habit 2 2020. New bike day is always a great day!

As soon as the bike arrived I couldn’t wait to build it up but perhaps, more importantly, I was very keen to get the frame Invisiwrapped to ensure the frame is protected from scratches over the long term so that not only does it looks good but holds it’s value when I come to sell it down the line. To get it Invisiframed I contacted my good friend Matt Allingham who is a world-class mechanic having been on the spanners for both Tahnee Seagrave and Matt Walker on the World Cup Downhill Circuit. Matt also part-owns Cycle Exchange in Kingston UK.

To add to the pressure I needed the bike Invisiframe wrapping and building up in time for the Southern Enduro Champs in Minehead the following weekend (15th-16th August 2020). Turns out this was no issue for Matt who did a superb job and had the bike ready in time.

The bike features a carbon fibre frame with aluminium rear triangle. It comes with a 140mm RockShox Pike Select+ RC and RockShox Select Deluxe+ RT Rear shock. Tyres are provided by Maxxis with an Assagai upfront and a High-Roller II on the rear.

I then added an SDG Bel-Air V3 saddle, Deity Supercrush grips, Renthal Carbon Fat Bars and a S.W.A.T Conceal Carry Tool from Specialized.

To dial in the suspension I took the bike up to my local trails and used a ShockWiz to get the settings right. This was the only ride I had to setup the bike before racing the Southern Enduro Champs at Minehead the next day. You can read more about the race in a new article coming soon.

First Impressions

First impressions of riding the Habit 2 were great! I instantly felt comfortable on the bike which turned out to be a very good thing as my second ever ride was racing stage 1 of Southern Enduro Champs in some very wet, muddy, foggy and slippery rooty conditions at full race pace. The bike felt predictable and responsive allowing me to push my riding limits down a race stage with no worries that the bike was unfamiliar to me.

My previous bike was a Cannondale Jekyll (yes I am a Cannondale Fan boy). This bike is Cannondale’s current enduro bike offering and has slacker geometry and more travel than the habit, however, I didn’t feel that the habit was any less capable at this particular race venue.

Cannondale Habit 2 2020 Specification

DRIVETRAIN

Bottom Bracket
SRAM DUB PF30 MTB83
Chain
SRAM XX1 Eagle Gold, 12-speed
Crank
Truvativ Stylo 7K DUB, 30T, Ai offset
Rear Cogs
SRAM XG-1275, GX Eagle, 10-50, 12-speed
Rear Derailleur
SRAM X01 Eagle
Shifters
SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed

FRAMESET

Fork
RockShox Pike Select+ RC, 140mm, DebonAir, 15×110, tapered steerer, 51mm offset
Frame
130mm travel, BallisTec Carbon front triangle, SmartForm C1 Alloy swingarm, Proportional Response Tuned, Ai offset drivetrain, ISCG05, PF30, Post mount brake, tapered headtube
Headset
Integrated, 1-1/8 to 1.5″, sealed angular contact bearings
Rear Shock
RockShox Select Deluxe+ RT, DebonAir

WHEELS

Front Hub
(F) Hollowgram 15×110
Front Tire
(F) Maxxis Minion DHF 29 x 2.5″ WT, 3C compound, Max Terra, EXO puncture protection, tubeless-ready
Rear Hub
(R) Hollowgram w/ DT internals 12×148 w/ XD driver
Rear Tire
(R) Maxxis High Roller II 29 x 2.3″, 3C compound, Max Terra, EXO puncture protection, tubeless-ready
Rims
Stan’s NoTubes ARCH MK3, 32h, tubeless ready
Spokes
DT Swiss Competition, straight pull (Ai Offset dish – rear)
Tire Size
(F) 2.5 (R) 2.3
Tires
(F) Maxxis Minion DHF 29 x 2.5″ WT, 3C compound, Max Terra, EXO puncture protection, tubeless-ready(R) Maxxis High Roller II 29 x 2.3″, 3C compound, Max Terra, EXO puncture protection, tubeless-ready
Wheel Size
29

BRAKES

Brake Levers
SRAM G2 RSC hydro disc
Brakes
SRAM G2 RSC hydro disc, 180/180mm Centerline rotors

COMPONENTS

Grips
Fabric Funguy Locking Grips
Handlebar
Cannondale 3 Riser, 6061 Alloy, 15mm rise, 8° sweep, 4° rise, 780mm
Saddle
Fabric Scoop Shallow Elite, cro-mo rails
Seatpost
Cannondale DownLow Dropper, internal routing, 31.6, 125mm (S), 150mm (M-XL)
Stem
Cannondale 1, 3D Forged 6061 Alloy, 1-1/8″, 31.8, 0°

WEIGHT: 13.6 KG / 30.0 LBS – BIKE AND FRAME WEIGHTS MAY VARY

I’ll be doing a long term review of this bike in the next few months to see how it performs and if I still love it as much as I do right now.

What do you think of my Cannondale Habit 2 2020? Have you tried a habit yet? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

5 / 5 Reviewer

Pros

Geometry, Build Quality, Build kit, Ride Feel

Cons

None so far

Summary

First impressions of the Cannondale Habit 2 2020 is that it is one hell of a bike. This is an extremely capable trail bike that will hold it's own against enduro bikes yet is super responsive and fun to ride on any trail. One of the most fun bikes I've ridden to date.

Rating