Cannondale Cargowagen Neo 1 review: the capacity to challenge the car as king of the road

It’s been nearly two years since we last had a family cargo bike. In-fact, while I’m not sure what the collective noun for the best cargo bikes is, we had a few all at once. At the time I waxed lyrical about how we couldn’t live without one and mourned each one's return back to the rightful owner. So, when the opportunity to hop on the Cannondale Cargowagen Neo I cargo bike came up, I jumped at the chance.

Construction

Despite previously writing about the bespoke nature of cargo bikes, the design process has become more refined as brands figure out what does and doesn’t work. While this allows for more construction finesse, it also means that electric cargo bikes are beginning to look similar.

To that end, the Cannondale Cargowagen Neo takes on a similar guise to alternative long-tail cargo bikes, with familiar design cues shared with the previously reviewed Tern GSD S10 and Mycle Cargo electric bike . There are even some specification similarities with the Raleigh Stride 2 .

Cannondale has used its in-depth knowledge of aluminium to create, what it claims is a light, but tough Smartform C2 alloy frame. The brand has paired this with an SR Suntour Mobie 34 Cargo fork, which provides up to 80mm of travel.

A combination of an alloy adjustable angle stem, and the TranzX suspension dropper seatpost makes for a one-size-fits-all bike.

Weighing in at claimed 36kg/ 79lbs, the Cannondale Cargowagen Neo 1 is similar in weight to the other long-tail cargo bikes I've reviewed, and about half as heavy as the Raleigh Stride. However, with a max total load of 200g/ 440lbs, they all have more or less the same max weight capacity, and similar lengths of about 1,850mm too.

With very heavy hauling a possibility, Cannondale has made the wise move to equip the Cargowagen Neo 1 with the Bosch Cargo Line drive unit that outputs 85Nm of torque and up to 400 percent pedal power support. This is combined with the excellent Enviolo stepless manual shift hub. It’s the same set-up as on the Raleigh Stride, and once experienced it will make traditional gears feel like a compromise, although the privilege does come with a premium price tag.

The brand has teamed the Bosch motor with a Bosch Power Pack 725Wh battery. Technically, this does fall into the long-range category, but accurately predicting range on an electric cargo bike is almost impossible due to many variables impacting the power output requirements.

Everything from cargo weight to terrain topography and weather conditions will have an impact. Bosch’s own eBike Range Assistant is a great tool for gauging the range for most riding situations, but as the battery takes nearly five hours to charge fully, purchasing an additional one from the outset to extend the range might be wise.

Equally as important to the ‘go’ element of an electric cargo bike is the ‘stop’. To that end the Cannondale Cargowagen Neo is equipped with Shimano MT420, four-piston hydraulic disc brakes. This is at odds with the majority of electric cargo bikes, which mostly select the Magura MT4, with my research showing that, so far, only the KTM Macina Multi Urban and Hercules selecting the same braking system.

These brakes slow and stop the 20" heavy duty wheels, which come with double walled rims, DT Swiss Champion spokes, a Shimano HB-TC500-15 front hub and, the aforementioned Envilol rear hub. The wheels are shod in Schwalbe Pick-up 2.6 tyres and Air Plus high retention inner tubes.

Elsewhere, it’s a similar setup to other electric cargo bikes with a Bosch Kiox display unit that can be paired with an app for navigation, integrated LED headlight, a Lezyne Super Bright rear light, a center stand, Abus lock ring and running boards.

My review bike was fitted with optional extras that included a seat pad, a surround rail, pannier bag, and an outfront cargo rack.

The ride

While two years has passed in the blink of an eye for me, for my daughter it’s 20 percent of her life, with a significant growth spurt or two. She’s also way more capable on her own bike now, so it was, at times, tricky to convince her that going by cargo bike was still cool. It’s also still significantly quicker.

The Cannondale Cargowagen Neo 1 constantly delivered that magic 25kph speed, no matter what terrain we rode, although if you live in a hilly area, as we do, you’ll need to charge it after every ride. That said, I’ve calculated that together we weigh in at 100kg/220lbs, without accounting for any luggage. If your setup is lighter, you may get away with more infrequent charging, however, you’ll still probably get out of breath when trying to squeeze the maximum out of the bike.

Experiencing of one of the more ‘energetic rides’ was a turning point for my daughter. Realising that gridlock traffic in town was going to make arriving on time for her dance class touch and go if going by car, I hauled out the Cargowagen Neo 1.

Weaving through the traffic to the front of some lights, we were swiftly joined by a motorbike doing the same thing. A surreal moment ensued with the motorcyclist and my daughter nodding a greeting to each other, the lights turning green and us managing to get the holeshot through the apex of the the roadworks.

This show of superiority was hugely down to the Enviolo stepless hub gear, which works like a twist-and-go throttle. A significant amount of human power was still required, my legs were on fire, but there’s nothing quite like hearing “We’re winning mummy” from your onboard cheerleader to push through the pain barrier.

While this did reprieve the bike from never being ridden by my pillion again, it was with the caveat that the surround rail be removed. We’d experienced this easy on/ off style with the Mycle, and it was an unsettling experience fearing my daughter could just jump on and off. But it made it an excellent easy to use social bike for adults.

Two years on however and I felt ready to try again, but as I looked at the rail removal, I realised that there was nothing for her to hold on to. The seat pad is incredibly small, meaning that there's no real way for my daughter to sit in an optimal safe place and be secure. "Sorry kid, the rail’s staying" I insisted.

This limited the Cargowagen Neo from being ridden by others too. At 10 years old and 150cm tall my daughter is pretty much on the limit of fitting in the ‘cage’ and I’m not convinced that you would ever get more than one child in due to where the support rails sit. Even if I had removed the surround rail it would be hard push for an adult to hop on, surprising given it’s about the same length as the Tern and Mycle.

As with all the long-tail cargo bikes I’ve ridden, the Cannondale Cargowagen Neo 1 was, overall, a breeze to ride. Again, now that my daughter is taller and heavier, her presence is noticed on the bike, especially as she likes to lean into the corners and see what’s coming up. She only once mentioned feeling a little scared, and that was zooming downhill.

For me, it was actually easier to control the bike at speed, but I appreciate when you’re sitting at the back it can feel a little disconcerting (and I’d probably feel the same as a passenger).

Descending was also the only time I really thought about the performance and reliability of brakes on the bike but I was comforted by the Shimano brand behind them.

Value and conclusion

Human cargo aside, my only other issue with the Cannondale Cargowagen Neo is that to take advantage of its cargo capabilities, you need to dig quite a bit deeper into your pocket than the initial bike outlay.

There are a few models of the Cannondale Cargowagen Neo, although territory dictates availability. There’s only one US Model, while the UK gets two, Neo 1 and Neo 2.

The US version matches that of the UK’s Neo two. Both feature a Shimano Deore 10speed drivetrain, and also, notably, a smaller Bosh PowerPack battery - 545Wh compared to the review bike with it’s 725Wh. This is reflected in the price, with the US Neo at $4300 and UK Neo 2 £4500.

The UK Neo 1, reviewed here, is £5000 but does get the excellent Enviolo stepless hub gear and a bigger battery.

However, neither comes with the surround rail, which is an additional $265 /£300, seat pad $25 /£40, pannier bag $130 /£130, which can’t be used in position if you have a passenger, or the OutFront rack, $115/£TBC. Sadly, there isn’t  a passenger grab rail available to purchase.

While these are all typically optional extras for most cargo bikes, they are around two-thirds more expensive than Mycle options and a third more than Tern, the latter of which has a vast array of accessories available.

So where does this leave us?

Had the Cannondale Cargowagen Neo 1 landed with me a couple of years ago I would have thought it was a real contender as a car replacement, just like the Tern S10 if not more so. The Enviolo stepless hub gear and a bigger battery would have proved tricky to turn down, even with the more comfortable passenger arrangements of the Tern.

It's disappointing, therefore, that the much-needed accessories and options are so pricey.

Spec

• Frame: SmartForm C2 Alloy
• Fork: SR Suntour Mobie 34 Cargo, BOOST DS, tapered, 80mm travel
• Drive train: Enviolo stepless manual twist shifter, chain: KMC E101, crank: Samox, 52T
• Brakes: Shimano MT420, 4-piston hydraulic disc, 203/180mm rotors
• E-System: Bosch Cargo Line 725Wh (LX version 500Wh) dual battery option
• Wheels: Heavy Duty, Alloy, double wall
• Tyres: Schwalbe Pick-Up, 20x2.6"
• Bar: Cannondale Cruise Control Hi-Rise, 6061 Alloy, 31.8mm, 15° back, 740mm
• Stem: Alloy, Adjustable angle, 31.8
• Seatpost: TranzX Suspension dropper post, 31.6, 70mm drop
• Saddle: Cannondale Comfort
• Weight: 36kg (79 lb) (claimed)
• Size: One size
• Cargo capacity: 200kg Max gross capacity