Cannondale Trail SL3
The basics
An aluminium hard tail mountain bike with hydraulic disc brakes and 100mm travel front forks. It's a quality ride that offers good options for the non-pro cyclist.
The good
On any bike, the frame is the important bit. No matter how flash the components, it is the frame that determines the ride. Cannondale has a reputation for making good quality aluminium frames that goes back to the birth of mountain biking. The Trail SL3 is made of double-butted tubing that gives it strength and stiffness, but still keeps the weight down.
The RST Deuce are good mid-range forks with a reasonable amount of travel and are “air” sprung rather than employing a coil spring. This makes them more lightweight and easily adjustable.
If you think that being able to stop is a good thing then hydraulic disc brakes are a technological must-have. They are far superior to both cable-pull discs and rim brakes, especially in the wet. The Shimano M486 aren’t the most powerful variant, but are reliable and pretty effective for most cross-country riding.
The bad
Most off-the-peg bikes come with “do-it-all-but-won’t-do-it-well” tyres and these are no exception. Tyre choice can make the biggest difference in ride performance for the least cash outlay. Before you take the Trail SL3 out of the shop, talk to the guys who are selling it and get the right rubber for your style of riding.
Even though it has 27 gears, effectively several of these overlap, so what is important is the spread. The rear cassette only has a 32-toothed big cog; not the easiest of low gears, a 34 would be better.
The bottom line
A top-end recreational ride that is tough enough to take you to the next level.
User comments (4)
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Jason Findler24 February 2010
This looks a good tough all rounder with plenty of kirb appeal.
Report as inappropriatemick wiggins02 November 2010
bought one recently really like the bike, however there is an annoying clicking coming from the area of the bottom bracket bearing, whenever any load is applied to the pedals. The bike as been into the store and they have changed the pedals and also they say the bottom bracket bearing (not sure if i believe that) the clicking as become worse, not sure what to do next. Any ideas, regards, mick.
Report as inappropriateBilly Propane27 November 2010
RE:Mick Wiggins' query - I had a very similar problem with my 2009 Cannondale CAAD8 road bike. It went back to the bike shop on three occasions and had the bottom bracket changed twice (against my gut feeling - I'd only done 500 miles!). A second opinion, given by a second shop, uncovered the problem: creaky seat rails! I was very surprised, since the clicking/ticking noise always seemed to come from the bottom bracket or pedals (the Al frame transfers the noise very well). They tightened up the seat post clamp and all was good and my sanity saved. So, if the clicking goes when you stand up and pedal, it could well be the same issue.
Report as inappropriateTomMowl314 March 2011
It reminds me of the Specialized Rockhopper SL 2010 :D Gadget Show should test the Specialized :)
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