Key Takeaways
- The Cannondale Adventure 2 is a bike that puts comfort as the top priority, and it is very comfy.
- This bike has good versatility for commuting, recreational riding, and even venturing on dirt paths.
- The Adventure 2 offer great features for the price and stands out from the crowd with its design.
- The suspension fork, upright position, and smooth gears make this an easy bike to ride.
So many bikes emphasize performance over comfort, but not the Cannondale Adventure 2. This review has all the info to help you decide if this ride is for you.
The Cannondale Adventure 2 is a fantastic comfortable bike for cruising local bike paths or zipping around town. The plush saddle combined with an upright riding position and low step-thru design make it easy to want to ride this bike. This is a comfortable bike for a smooth-sailing journey.
I love getting out on my bike and log thousands of miles each year. I know that if there’s one thing that’s important to keeping you riding, it’s how comfortable you are on the bike. For this review I delved into the Cannondale Adventure 2’s performance for recreational riding and commuting and how it stacks up to other bikes in the category.
Cannondale Adventure 2 Performance
The Adventure 2 is a fantastic bike for a relaxed, comfortable riding style and easy riding. If your riding style is more about getting out on the road in comfort than hitting speed records, you’ll be very happy with the performance of this bike.
Fitness
Cycling is a fantastic way to improve your fitness and overall health. If you want to try incorporating cycling into your exercise routine, but are put off by the race-oriented and uncomfortable road bikes, the Adventure 2 is a fantastic option to get out on the road in comfort and style.
A ride on the Cannondale Adventure 2 feels easy, just like a walk in the park. It’s comfortable, upright riding position keeps your head up so you can look around and take in the sights. On this bike it’s easy to get your heartrate going without even noticing it.
Commuting
If you’re looking for a bike to go to and from work or for running errands, the Cannondale Adventure 2 is a great pick. With fender and rear rack mounts, this bike is ready to carry your bag and keep you dry in wet weather.
I love commuting on my bike, and this is a fantastic ride that’ll get you around town without making you feel like you’re working hard.
Gravel Paths
The wide Goodyear Transit Tour 27.5 x 2.0” tires mean you aren’t limited just to pavement. The Adventure 2 gives you the capability to venture farther onto smooth gravel paths at parks or well-maintained dirt roads. After all, the adventure begins when the pavement ends.
The suspension fork and Cannondales SAVE frame technology turn gravel paths into a smooth-sailing journey.
Cannondale Adventure 2 Frame and Geometry
One look at the Cannondale Adventure 2 is enough to tell you that this isn’t like most bikes on the market. With a big downswept tube and no top-tube, this is the lowest step-thru frame I’ve ever encountered. You don’t have to worry about awkwardly swinging your leg over the top tube of a bike to get on and off with this design.
Cannondale has some of the most advanced aluminum frame manufacturing techniques in the world, and the Adventure 2 uses their SmartForm C3 alloy design to give you a sturdy yet lightweight frame.
This frame is loaded with features like straightshot hidden cable routing, disc brakes, rack and fender mounts, and Cannondales SAVE technology that intentionally builds flex into the rear triangle to help smooth out bumpy roads.
In all, this is a sturdy, lightweight, comfort-focused frame that keeps you in a nice upright riding position.
Specs and Components
For the $810 MSRP, the Cannondale Adventure 2 comes loaded with great features like Tektro mechanical disc brakes, smooth-shifting gears, squishy front suspension, and larger volume tires.
Drivetrain
The Cannondale Adventure 2 comes equipped with a 1x7 speed MicroShift drivetrain to give you smooth-shifting gears so you don’t have to work as hard on hills.
The simplicity of a 1x drivetrain is a great feature that makes sense for this bike. With no front derailleur, there are fewer parts to break. It also means Cannondale was able to design their frame for the lowest step-through height rather than worrying about where to mount the rear derailleur.
Suspension
One fantastic feature of this bike is the Suntour coil-sprung front suspension fork. This fork gives you 50mm of squishy front suspension that helps smooth out bumpy roads or dirt paths.
Cannondale’s SAVE design with flex in the rear triangle also helps to make the ride smoother.
To up the comfort even more, the Cannondale Adventure 2 comes with a suspension seatpost to isolate you from vibration and a spring-cushioned saddle. Everything about this bike says comfort, and that’s refreshing in a market full of racey bikes.
Brakes
The Adventure 2 comes equipped with Tektro mechanical disc brakes with 160mm rotors front and rear. If you’ve only ridden bikes with rim brakes, you’ll be amazed by the additional stopping power and control you get with these trustworthy disc brakes.
You also don’t have to apply as much force on the brake levers with disc brakes, so your hands will be more comfortable over longer rides.
Mechanical disc brakes are not as powerful and responsive as hydraulic disc brakes, but I think it’s a good choice for a bike like this. Mechanical brakes are simpler in design and easier to maintain
Wheelset
This bike comes with sturdy Cannondale-branded 27.5” aluminum wheels designed specifically for disc brakes. These wheels are relatively lightweight and durable and can fit a wide range of 27.5” tires should you want to swap tires out at some point.
Tires
The Goodyear Transit Tour 27.5 x 2.0” tires are very durable and give good grip on pavement. The thick 2.0” tire width makes the ride even more comfortable as these larger volume tires can help absorb road buzz.
Having larger volume tires is also one of the key features that makes this bike capable of tackling more than just pavement.
Competition for the Cannondale Adventure 2
The Cannondale Adventure 2 is a fantastic bike, but there are a lot of other options you should consider if you’re looking for a comfortable step-through hybrid for casual riding. Read on to find some of the top competitors for the Adventure 2 and how they measure up.
Cannondale Adventure 2 vs Trek Verve 2 Disc
Trek is one of the largest bike manufacturers in the world, and it offers a great alternative in the comfort bike category: the Trek Verve 2 Disc. The Trek Verve 2 has many similar features to the Cannondale Adventure like a step-through frame, suspension seatpost, and upright riding position.
One of the biggest differences is that the Verve comes with a Shimano 3x8 speed drivetrain that gives you a wider range of gears to select from. This means you’ll have some better gears for going up hills or going fast.
The Verve looks a bit sportier and is better for faster riding, but it doesn’t have quite the same level of comfort as the Cannondale Adventure. The biggest downside of the Verve is that it doesn’t have a suspension fork to smooth out road vibrations.
Cannondale Adventure 2 vs Specialized Roll 2.0 Low Entry
The Specialized Roll 2.0 Low Entry is another comfort-oriented hybrid that looks very similar to the Adventure 2. It also has a low, step-through design, a 1x7 drivetrain, and larger-volume 27.5” wheels.
For a more comfortable ride, I definitely recommend the Cannondale Adventure 2 over the Specialized Roll. The Roll doesn’t have a suspension fork or seatpost and comes with a much less comfortable saddle.
In all the Cannondale Adventure 2 is a better all-around bike that will perform better over more conditions.
Cannondale Adventure 2 vs Co-Op Cycles CTY 2.1 Step-Through Bike
The Co-Op Cycles CTY 2.1 is the comfort hybrid bike offering from REI’s bike brand. This bike’s frame has a low step-through design, but it definitely isn’t as low as the Adventure 2.
The Co-Op Cycles 2.1 has a Shimano Altus 2x8 speed drivetrain, Suntour Nex DS suspension fork with 63mm of travel, larger 700c wheels, and hydraulic brakes. These are definitely some performance upgrades over the Cannondale Adventure, and this bike is better for more serious cycling.
The Co-Op Cycles CTY 2.1 is still a comfortable bike with an upright riding position, but it’s a much more sport-focused bike. If you are looking for the most comfortable bike, the Adventure 2 is the better option. If you want a faster, more performance-oriented ride, you’ll feel better on the Co-Op CTY 2.1
Who Should Buy the Cannondale Adventure 2?
The Cannondale Adventure 2 is a fantastic bike for anyone looking for an uber-comfy ride for cruising on local bike paths or zipping around town. If you prefer a leisurely ride, enjoying the view around you, and pedaling in comfort, this is the bike for you.
For a bike that’s better for faster fitness rides while maintaining the comfortable position and step-through design, the Co-Op Cycles CTY 2.1 is a good alternative.
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