Canandale launches two new electric bikes for commuters in the city: Mavro Neo and Tesoro Neo X

With a wide variety of frame designs, Cannondale has plenty of bases with the new Tesoro Neo X and Mavro Neo.

Although perhaps best known for their performance road and mountain bikes, Cannondale is proud to be innovative and quietly beaver in creating new versions of its Mavro Neo and Tesoro Neo X electric bikes.  Targeting the city and commuter markets as a class, they share many similarities, but there are some key differences that point to the nuances of functionality.

Whether you’re on official duty, enjoying a party, or heading out into the countryside, with impeccably maintained roads and occasional bridges, the Cannondale duo seems to have eBikes to meet your needs.  There is some innovative new technology on display, and it seems to live up to the standards we expect from the brand, especially the models that are evolving with neat integration.

A bike rack with integrated radar and a rear light set inside it

^{Combined backlighting and Garmin radar systems are welcome safety features (Image credit: Canandal)}

Major updates

Some bike technologies are evolving at Darwin’s pace, but the interior space of the best electric bikes has improved over time.  The Mavaro Neo and Tesoro Neo X make no difference in this regard, both boosting the 750Wh battery and (in most cases) the range up to 175 km on a single charge.  Previous versions of the Mavaro Neo series included the ubiquitous external battery, which combines well with the 2020 Tesoro Neo X (and many other e-bikes) batteries, making it more sophisticated.  It became a silhouette.

Changes to the Tesoro Neo X are more subtle, but Canondale has added a third semi-dropped top tube model to the step-by-step and standard high-top tube frame designs and fits a variety of needs.  The combined bike lock, previously found only in the Tesoro Neo X’s step-through model, has been shifted to all three new models, making it ideal for bikes with urban ambitions.

_{The front of the Silver Bike, the headlight is integrated into the head tube}

Comparisons and differences

Both of these new electric bikes are designed to be focused;  They are the first and foremost means of transport.  They include a CO2 cartridge and integrated racks to carry more than a few levers, integrated lighting to deliver you home after a long shift at the office, and even a modicum that will suspend you on even the most poorly maintained roads.

Both Mavaro Neo and Tesoro Neo X will happily zip around the city for you, they are friends rather than sisters.  Mavaro Neo is designed wholeheartedly to live its best life on paved surfaces and is a much better travel eBike.  Gates belt drive and hub gearing make for day-to-day maintenance, and daytime running lights with large Legion headlights are a priority for safety at all times of the day.  It also includes a rear radar developed in collaboration with Garmin to ensure you are safe in traffic.

The Tesoro Neo X also features daylight running lights, but it selects high-quality chainsaw and derailleur drivetrain with a wide range, low gearing.  Large city bright lights with wide, slightly knobby tires and Mavarro’s dual suspension travel (50mm instead of 100mm) indicate the possibility of going out into the countryside to perform some off-road riding.  Tired.

The smartphone is fitted to the trunk of the bike

^{Tidy smartphone mounting system helps you guide your way around the city (Image Credit: Canandale)}

Integrated technology

City-centric bikes, particularly electric bikes, offer their highest power and have been at the forefront of tech integration for some time.  Having a large battery on hand makes it easy to install integrated light without resorting to expensive dynamo hubs.  The Mavaro Neo and Tesoro Neo X have been improved upon this concept, the neat lighting strip on the headtube is always on, the rack mounted rear light is always on.  Most e-bikes do not run the risk of forgetting to charge your lights, in which case you will always have a backup if you forget to change your main beam.

Both models have different, but equally neat technical integration.  The Tesoro Neo X and Mavaro Neo have a trunk with an integrated phone mount that allows easy navigation for long trips, though you may be more limited by your phone’s battery life than a motor, not the bike’s ability to charge your phone.

Mavaro Neo has a rear radar similar to that found in the new Synapse, integrated into the rear rack.  While you may be struggling to misinterpret Synapse as a Mavro, it is nice to see Canandal take the safety of all road riders seriously, as they can focus on performance or utility.

The bike lock is integrated into the rear triangle of the bike frame

^{You’ll always have some level of security with the 3 integrated frame lock (Image credit: Canandal)}

Size of the progressive cycle

Advances in geometry and design are primarily focused on the end of market performance, be it road, gravel or MTB.  There is rarely a chance to sing and dance about the interesting developments in commuter bike geometry, but there is something to shout about in the case of both of these new models, and the smaller wheel sizes are marked on smaller frames.

In short, as the bikes get smaller, the front wheel gets progressively closer to the downtube and the rider’s feet, increasing the risk that the toes come into contact with the tire when navigating tight turns.  The simplest way to deal with this is to loosen the head tube angle, but there comes a point when the bike is slow and dull.  Cannondale has instead designed smaller frames around the 27.5in wheel size rather than the 700c, which means that the maintenance should be more consistent between models and less riders shouldn’t feel like piloting the barge.

Silver Electric Bike with Side Profile

 ^{Tesoro Neo X claims to have better road efficiency than Mavro Neo (Image credit: Cannondale)}

Model range and price

If you like the standard top-tube Mavaro Neo model, it will set you back £ 5,800 ($ 7,770) and will be available in any colour you want, and you’ll only want it in black (or as the barbecue as Canandale calls it).  The step-by-step version is the same in terms of price but comes in a sublime shade instead of the ‘Candy Red’ and the ubiquitous black option.

All models of the Tesoro Neo X come in a nice round price of £ 5,000 ($ 6,700), and all three frame shapes are available in ‘Charcoal Gray’, another name for silver.  If you are colourful, the step-by-step frame is available in “Lavender”, the upper tube is light green (‘agave’) and the standard upper tube is dark blue (‘midnight’).

Comprehensive utility and capability for off-road adventure.  Does it meet all your city needs?

sources : Canandale