First Ride: Cannondale Moterra SL eMTB - Full Power Without the Weight

With the new Moterra SL, Cannondale sought out to create a best-of-both-worlds option, a full power eMTB that weighs under 20kg (44 lb). At the heart of the Moterra is a specially tuned Shimano EP801 motor with four different modes, and a custom battery that Cannondale says contains more watts per kilo than anything else on the market.

The Moterra rolls on mixed wheels, and has 150mm of rear travel paired with a 160mm fork. It's obvious that the parts were selected with weight in mind, which is why you'll find a Fox 36 instead of a 38, and EXO+ casing tires instead of the thicker (and heavier) DoubleDown or DH options. That said, even with tougher tires the weight of the Moterra SL would still be at least 5 pounds lighter than most full power eMTBs.

There are three models, with prices starting at $7,000 USD for the Motera SL 2 and going up to $14,000 for the no-expense-spared Moterra SL Lab 71.




Frame Details

The layout of the Moterra's carbon frame looks fairly typical at first glance – it's a Horst link design, with a 210 x 55mm shock delivering 150mm of travel. There's one thing missing, though – a set of chainstay bearings. Instead, the carbon chainstay has a flattened profile that allows it to flex, eliminating the need for bearings and hardware, which saves weight and eliminates the need for maintenance.

This isn't a new concept for Cannondale – they've used a flexing pivot on the Scalpel XC bike since 2002. While the design is essentially the same as what's found on the current Scalpel, the Moterra SL's flexing member uses a different layup and dimensions to allow it to handle the additional loads that accompany a heavier bike and more aggressive riding.




The Moterra is compatible with thru-headset cable routing, but thankfully it's not a mandatory feature, at least not on the SL 1 and SL 2 models, which have ports in the headtube for running brake, derailleur, and dropper housing. Those ports aren't there on the extra-fancy Lab 71 model, but I suppose if you have $14,000 to spend on an eMTB you can probably afford to pay someone to deal with any extra hassles associated with this design.

The headset cups can be rotated 180 degrees to change the Moterra's head angle by 1.2-degrees. The bikes ship with it in the slackest position, but if that 62.5-degree head angle seems like a step to far it can be steepened to a more moderate 63.7-degrees.

In addition to the head angle adjustability, there's also a flip chip on the seatstay that can be used to run a 29” wheel instead of the stock 27.5” option.




Motor & Battery

Shimano's EP801 is currently the lightest full power eMTB motor on the market, which is why we've seen it used before in lightweight models like the Orbea Rise. In the case of the Rise, the motor is de-tuned to have 65 Nm of torque, but Cannondale didn't go that route with the Moterra SL. Instead, they kept it at the full 85 Nm of torque and created four different custom ride modes that allow riders to choose from varying degrees of assistance.

If you've ever tried to ride a typical lightweight eMTB with a rider on a full power option, you'll know that it's a frustrating endeavor, one that usually involves a lot of heavy breathing, especially if that full power rider doesn't want to leave Boost mode. On the Moterra, that's not the case – the bike itself is lighter, but the output at the highest assistance level is the same as what you'd find on any full power eMTB with an EP801 motor.

Cannondale claim the Moterra SL is the 'lightest full power eMTB' on the market, and at the moment it looks like that's accurate. That lighter weight is due in large part to the custom 601 Wh battery – it weighs 6.8 lb (3.1 kg), which is over a pound less than what batteries with that capacity typically weigh. One feature the Moterra SL doesn't have is the option for an external range extending battery – 601 Wh is what you get.



Geometry

The Moterra SL's geometry is closer to what you'd expect to find on a DH bike, and I'm all for it. The stability that comes from a slack, 62.5-degre head angle can help while climbing and descending, and the fact that there's motorized assistance means that potential sluggishness at slower speeds isn't really an issue.

The reach numbers are fairly moderate, with the size large I rode coming in at 470mm for a size large. That's matched with a 77-degree head angle, and a relatively high stack of 648mm.

The chainstays on the size small and medium are 449mm, and then increase to 453mm on the large and 458mm on the XL.

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Models

Moterra SL Lab 71: $14,000 USD.

Build kit: SRAM XX Transmission, Fox Factory 36 fork, Float X shock. Code Ultimate brakes.DT Swiss XMC 1501 carbon wheels, Maxxis DHF / Dissector tires, RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post. Claimed weight: 19.5 kg (43 lb)



Moterra SL 1: $8,750 USD.

Build kit: SRAM X0 Transmission, Fox Factory 36 fork, Float X shock. Code Silver Stealth brakes. DT Swiss XM1700 wheels, Maxxis DHF / Dissector tires. Claimed weight: 19.7 kg (43.4 lb)


Moterra SL 2: $7,000 USD.

Build kit: Shimano XT derailleur, Deore shifter, cassette. Fox Performance 36 fork, Performance Elite Float X shock. Deore 4-piston brakes. Stans Arch MK4 rims w/ Formula front, DT Swiss 370 rear hubs. Maxxis DHF / Dissector tires. Claimed weight: 20.6 kg (45.4lb)

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Ride Impressions

I was able to spend two days riding the Moterra SL1, enough time to get accustomed to the bike's handling and operation. The first day's riding involved multiple laps on rocky, twisty trails that were accessed by a mix of paved and dirt roads, with some steeper side options available to check out its climbing abilities.

Mode Selection / Range

The first of the four motor modes is Eco, a mode that's aimed more at battery preservation rather than providing a different ride experience. In that setting the Moterra feels like a lightweight regular trail bike – the motor provides just enough assistance to hide the extra weight of the motor and battery.

Trail mode felt similar to what you'd expect from a typical lightweight eMTB – it'll get you up a hill quickly, but it's more like being assisted by someone pushing on your back with one hand. In the Boost and Turbo modes it's a different story, and that's when it's like having an NFL player with both hands on your back actively shoving you up the hill. That makes it possible to get up extra-steep obstacles, ones that wouldn't be possible on a regular bike, no matter how big your quads.

I don't usually look at the display very often when riding, but some riders did mention being frustrated with the fact that the handlebar-mounted display only uses three colors, which means that two of the trail modes are indicated by the same green color, making it difficult to determine the mode at a glance. This is where Bosch currently has the advantage over Shimano – the top tube mounted display of Bosch's Performance motor does a better job of clearly indicating the mode and remaining battery.

That initial ride ended up being 17 miles long with 3,800 vertical feet of climbing. As always, battery life will vary depending on rider weight and terrain, but I think rides of around 4,000 vertical feet and around 20 miles of riding should be very possible in Boost mode, and those numbers will obviously be higher in Trail or Eco.


Handling

As far as uphill handling goes, the Moterra SL was easy to get along with, and that extra-slack head angle didn't pose any problems. The climbs weren't obscenely difficult, so I didn't get to really push the bike's abilities to the limit, but there were plenty of challenging punches that it dispatched with ease, and there were a few obstacles I'm sure wouldn't have been possible on a typical lightweight eMTB – that extra 25 Nm of torque is really nice to have on tap. I did have a few pedal versus granite moments, and I think 160mm cranks rather than 165mm would have been a better spec choice. I also would have gone with a 200mm dropper rather than a 170 on the larger sizes in order to get more room to maneuver when descending.

It's on the descents that the Moterra SL comes into its own, and this is where it really does feel very close to an enduro bike – it's much easier to get airborne than those 50+ pound machines, and there's an enjoyable poppiness to its handling.

One trail in particular was full of multiple high speed hucks to flat in a row – whoever built it had figured out how to build decently shaped lips, but apparently never got around to putting in any actual landings. Those Moterra took those flat touchdowns in stride, free of any bottom out clangs or clunks. The suspension was well managed on chunkier bits of trail too, with a good blend of support and traction.

The idea of a full power eMTB that doesn't weigh as much as a refrigerator is immensely appealing. I've ridden a good selection of the lightweight options on the market, and for the most part I haven't been blown away. The easier handling is a benefit, but the range never seems to be quite enough, and the lack of a boost mode that actually boosts usually makes me wonder why I wouldn't just get a really nice bike without a motor and save thousands of dollars in the process.

An eMTB with all the range and all the power at a reasonable weight seems like the ultimate goal, and the Moterra SL is a great example of what's possible. It's likely a glimpse into the future of e-bikes – just imagine what things will look like five years from now, especially as battery technology continues to improve.

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eMTB Reviews and Tech First Rides Enduro Bikes Cannondale Cannondale Moterra Sl Mike Kazimer