Cannondale’s Moterra SL 2 sits perfectly between trail and enduro capability, with a few clever tricks: adjustable headset cups provide 1.2 degrees of head-angle adjustment, and if you’d rather run 29-inch wheels front and rear instead of the stock 27.5-inch rear, reverse the Flip Chip and you’re set.
Senior Test Editor Matt Phillips describes the Moterra SL as being “a unique blend of a full-power e-bike’s power with the weight of an SL category bike.” He continued, “It’s much poppier than the typical full-power e-bike,” and that it has “great geometry and solid suspension too”. Since the Moterra SL is a lighter-weight and easier-handling e-MTB, it’s especially suited for lighter riders. Phillips noted that his wife “typically finds full-power e-bikes cumbersome and not enjoyable to ride, but she really likes the Moterra SL.”
The real standout part is the bike’s Shimano EP801 motor. Delivering 85 Nm of torque and paired with a 601 Wh battery, it helps make the SL2 impressively light for the category. Suspension comes from a two-position Fox Float X Performance Elite shock and a 160mm travel Fox Performance 36 fork. A 170mm dropper post (150mm on size S) gets the saddle out of the way for steep descents, and the build smartly mixes Shimano XT and Deore components for value and performance.
Read more about the Moterra in Deputy Test Editor Tara Seplavy’s article “Cannondale’s Moterra 2 SL and LT Just Hit Their Lowest Prices Ever.”
