As one of a handful of trail bikes with a very similar shape and suspension design, Cannondale’s Habit LT had a hard job convincing me it was a truly unique looker. Canyon’s new Spectral, the latest Specialized Stumpjumper 15 and YT’s Jeffsy Core 5 are the most obvious MTB equivalents that spring to mind, and all three four brands have models with similar kit and chassis silhouettes. So what’s so different about Cannondale’s Habit?

Well, the simple answer is, not that much. That’s because there’s a reason why the best mountain bikes out there have gravitated towards a parallel place in the trail bike landscape: it just works. The style of bike design this Habit LT uses can be made to work very well indeed and has also proven durable and effective on loads of different models.

Need to know

• Longer travel version of Cannondale’s Habit Carbon trail bike with 140/150mm travel
• Full carbon frame with 4-bar suspension design, threaded BB, standard shock mount size and UDH mech hanger
• SRAM GX Eagle mechanical 12-speed drivetrain
• RockShox Lyrik fork and Super Deluxe shock in Select+ guise
• 29-er wheels at both ends (27.5in wheel on XS)

The basic shape I’m on about is a 4-bar suspension layout with the rear shock in line with the seatstays, and driven by a rocker link. This rocker controls the leverage rate as the rear wheel moves through its travel and a Horst Link pivot on the chainstay helps engineers manipulate the pedalling and braking influence on the suspension to each brand’s exact taste.

It’s a layout that’s been around for decades now, with the brands converging so there’s probably just only a few millimetres difference in their geometry figures… modern geometry notwithstanding. Don’t be fooled into thinking all bikes like this are equal though, as subtle differences still mean no bike rides identically to its neighbour.

Cannondale’s Habit LT variant is slightly more ‘trail’ than ‘enduro’ bike, and it also has some other tricks up its sleeve like its tuned, size-specific frame geometry it calls Proportional Response. This isn’t unique to the brand, but sees Habit frames grow at both ends to retain balance and ride quality as the sizes grow, with four different rear centre lengths across five frame sizes.

In geometry terms, the Habit’s almost 65° (fixed, rather than adjustable like some) head angle is in line with the Jeffsy and a little more upright than the Canyon Spectral’s 64°. The most slacked-out of the machines mentioned is the latest Stumpjumper, which can kick out the front tyre to a rather relaxed 63.5°. To do this you’ll need to flip Specialized’s headset cups that deviate 1° either way from the 64.5° stock angle.

Just like the Habit here, Specialized also offers a full spread of chainstay lengths across sizes to maintain rider weight balance, while YT uses just two rear end sizes, and Canyon’s trail bike is fixed at a stubby 429mm, regardless of how tall or short you are.

The Habit LT might be considered as something of a Mr Average then. But surely it’s a good thing to avoid being some kooky outsider when you’re trying to be a do-it-all trail bike, right?

Frame and geometry

For a brand once best known for leftfield proprietary standards like offset rear hubs, huge press-fit BB shells and quirky one-legged forks, everything here is distinctly normal. Cannondale’s clean-lined and curvy carbon frame is consciously simple and uses easy to live with features like standard shock mounts and a threaded BSA BB. There’s also very clean and quiet tubed internal cable routing.

Cannondale must also be confident it’s nailed the Habit’s shape and set up too as there’s no frame or suspension adjustability adding weight or complexity.

I’m pleased to see plenty of room inside the chunky carbon mainframe for a proper water bottle under the shock. The top tube isn’t quite as sloping or low slung as some other brands’ designs, and Cannondale has popped a tool stash underneath for good measure.

This LT version shares the exact same frame with the ‘regular’ Habit that has 130 rear travel and a 140mm fork in carbon or aluminium flavours, but removes an internal shock spacer to bump rear travel up to 140mm. In this LT’s case, the shock also gains an extra oil reservoir for DH performance and Cannondale adds a beefier Lyrik fork (with 10mm more bounce compared to the regular Habit’s Pike) to achieve the full long travel attitude.

This still doesn’t mean it’s morphed into some kind of full-blown enduro bike, and sharing the frame with the shorter travel bike presumably keeps things lighter too as not too many aggro trail bikes of this ilk are as light as 14kg these days. This lighter weight is pretty noticeable and it’s refreshing not to have to lug around a 16kg trail bike that might as well have 20mm more travel at both ends like too many trail bikes; especially when doing huge hike-a-bike days in the Lakes during testing like I did on the Habit.

The 150mm Lyrik generates a head angle of 64.7° that is pretty much ballpark for a bike like this, and, across the rest of the geometry numbers and 334mm BB height it’s a similar story. A couple of minor deviations from the norm are the proportional chainstays meaning those stays are a fraction longer than standard (440mm on size Large) and the Habit’s stack height is marginally taller too.

This size Large model has a reach measurement of 475mm, again pretty standard, but one thing worth pointing out is the pretty big leap up to 510mm on the XL frame. Riders around (or just under) the six-foot mark might find themselves a little bit in no man’s land with this 35mm step in length and nothing on offer size-wise in the 480s or 490s.

As well as stack height, one thing I noticed being taller from side on is the overall frame height. It’s not as low slung and curved in the seat tube junction area or as out of the way of rider’s legs and knees as many bikes I test.

This wasn’t a deal-breaker for me. But Jim Bland, who helped model for my photos, said the seat tower was more in the way between his legs than his usual size medium Canyon, with the top tube less sunken. It’s definitely worth bearing in mind then if you’re a rider that ‘sizes up’.

For reference, the Habit has a 445mm long seat tube compared to 435mm on most rivals with similar reach numbers, and there’s a standover height of 756mm here, compared to just 732mm on YT’s Jeffsy, which is one of the lowest bikes in its class.

Another potential sticking point is riders wearing big flat pedal shoes might occasionally bang their heels and soles against the frame where the seat stay integrates with the rocker link. The carbon stay tips are really broad and chunky width-ways here where the frame connects and I found I could knock them and sometimes rub when pedalling. Judging by the damaged frame wrap on the demo bike I was testing it looks like others have had the same issue too.

And, while I’m on about frame wrap, this demo bike wasn’t done particularly neatly and on a new bike in a store, the chalky white finish looks massively better and slicker in the flesh than in these photos.

Other brands are consciously moving away from the common 4-bar and adopting more complex designs, a la the Norco Optic with high pivot idler, although whether that’s entirely for improved performance or as a way to stand out in a crowd is up for debate. But Cannondale is keeping things simple and clean cut with a smooth carbon chassis that should be very easy to live with and maintain over its lifespan. That’s not necessarily a bad attitude to adopt in today’s cash-strapped climate if you ask me.

Suspension

RockShox Select+ is commonly found in this price bracket and, as the brand’s second-tier suspension, comes with much of the same damping architecture and adjustments as its priciest kit. Not being Ultimate-level does mean some fork cost-savings – there’s no vibration-damping rubber pucks called ButterCups to stabilise the damper in the lowers, and the Select+ also uses a different bushing package.

The Habit LT’s Select+ rear shock follows a similar theme by having the latest damping design and an extra oil volume reservoir for extra control, but it doesn’t offer independent low and high-speed compression adjustment like on Ultimate gear.

This would all be moot if it wasn’t possible to get the top-tier kit for similar money with direct sales brands like Canyon and YT. Unfortunately for Cannondale, the latest Spectral CF9 rocks a full carbon frame with a similar suspension layout and downtube storage as well as a RockShox Ultimate level fork and shock for almost exactly the same cash. And, YT’s Jeffsy is even cheaper, with the Core 4 model currently on sale for £3,500 with an unarguably better spec of Ultimate suspension, Code RSC brakes and identical mechanical GX Eagle drivetrain.

Going back to the Habit LT 1, the Lyrik has the same Charger 3 damper as the Ultimate models and 150mm travel, which stops the LT from veering into the more DH-orientated territory of the brand’s purer enduro rig, the Jekyll.

As you’d expect, it can be tuned for extra ramp up with RockShox’ familiar volume spacer set up, but I preferred slightly more air pressure (5-10psi) than recommended and no spacers inside. This offered a more supportive ride that kept the front end higher, more resistance to rushing through its travel and made the bike more stabilised and better balanced with the back end. It did come with the sacrifice of not ever using ‘full’ travel, however.

The SuperDeluxe shock was easier to dial in and seemed happy enough so long as its sag was in the 30%-ish ball park. The Habit’s back end does a great job of resisting bottom out while feeling very frictionless, light and smooth – the grip is there and it’s easy to use the first half or so of the travel then there’s a distinct ramp up, so it’s hard to blow right through.

I only ever pushed the O-ring off the end of the shaft once during testing despite some hefty hits and the LT’s rear end also has a sensation of feeling a tad deeper than the 140mm advertised, without ever feeling too baggy or vague. The shock lock out is very effective too and worth reaching down for if you’re looking at a 30min-plus tarmac climb like I was a couple of times riding in the Lake District.

Components

Cannondale’s WTB wheels are at the heavier end of the spectrum for a carbon trail bike, but you only really notice this when climbing up steep pitches as the Formula hubs seem to spin and roll really well. It’s welcome the i30-rimmed wheels also use DT Swiss champion spokes with J-bends that follow the K.I.S.S. philosophy by being proven tough and easy to replace if damaged.

The Maxxis tyre spec includes a 2.5in Minion DHF front and fast rolling 2.4in Dissector rear. Both are 29in and in a tougher EXO+ casing that is perfectly appropriate for what you’ll be getting up to. Lots of people love the classic DHF tread, but I find that while the big surface area on the rectangular blocks rolls fast, it doesn’t find much grip or bite when surfaces are wet or soft, so it isn’t my favourite Maxxis tyre for UK riding.

No complaints though about the latest generation EXO+ protection that’s still pretty light and actually very tough too; it handled a pummelling from thousands of pointy limestone rocks with zero issues.

While there was no issue with outright power, the Habit’s SRAM Code brakes felt a bit sticky and harder to pull. As this was a well-used demo bike, I find this stickiness can often happen to Code Rs over time, whereas the more expensive RS and RSC models with a SwingLink cam and a bearing in the level feel smoother for longer and are worth looking out for when choosing a new bike if it’s an option.

Cannondale’s own brand dropper post worked fine too, but the remote lever isn’t that refined and 170mm drop on a size Large bike is not as much as some taller riders will want or expect these days.

On the drivetrain side of things, mechanical SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed has been something of an industry standard for the last few years, but after getting so used to using AXS electric gears and T-Type mechs on many bikes this year, I noticed (for the first time) it’s a bit clunkier and harder to shift up and down.

The gear cable shifts are definitely not as refined and positive as wireless, but you do dodge the faff of charging up the batteries and cable makes more sense if you’re a rider that just likes to get on with it. The same broad 10-52 gear range comes at a considerably lighter weight than equivalent Transmission drivetrains too.

One other little flourish on the spec sheet that saves even more weight is a lighter Cannondale HollowGram SAVE carbon riser bar that is a good shape and not overly stiff. It’s paired with a 35mm alloy stem and mushroom style own brand grips that are a good compound and width.

Performance

The strongest first impression the carbon Habit LT makes is of feeling spritely and lighter than many bikes in its category. There’s a peppy feel that zips the rider along and up if you crank hard, and the tight and precise handling kinks and cuts through turns, rather than monster trucks and smashes your way down the hill.

Climbing

The Habit ticks a load of boxes in the climbing department. Seated or standing, hard efforts are met with no sense of an energy-sapping or uneven pedal action or excessive shock movement. There aren’t any uncomfortable or weird postures you need to adopt to find grip and balance up any grades either. The seat angle is spot on both for seated singletrack or winching up steep stuff where there’s no call to perch on the saddle tip or shift the seat right forward on the rails.

At the rear tyre contact patch, there’s less of that permanently glued to the floor sensation of grip some bikes deliver, that make you feel you can claw up anything. Occasionally the rear Dissector can wheelspin if you really stomp on the gas too. That said, the Habit LT feels like it has pretty much the right balance between efficiency and grip for me at the back end and there’s always enough support to pedal into, so you don’t ever need to lock the shock off-road.

Cranking up long tarmac or gravel climbs reveals a useful and pretty stiff platform in the shock. On one occasion, with a 50 minute tarmac and gravel climb ahead, I even cranked all the Low-Speed compression on the Lyrik fork to help it match the shock. But the rest of the time, this isn’t really the kind of bike where you have to bother fiddling with anything to tighten the ride.

At the handlebar end, the slightly more upright head angle here is far less floppy than many enduro rigs I ride, which is much better for keeping the front tyre weighted while trying to see how far you can get up the steepest climbs. The lighter, sharper steering also lets you twiddle in and out of rocks and roots, nibbling along very tricky sections more precisely.

My heels did tend to touch the frame on the inner sole side of fatter (2FO DH) flat pedal shoes. They occasionally brush if you shift about in the saddle and change foot position to relieve pressure and get comfier when climbing, but I’d imagine this wouldn’t be an issue for fixed-in-position clipped-in riders wearing typically narrower, clippy shoes.

Descending

Cannondale’s marketing images for the Habit LT are full of cool kids shredding jumps, also without clippy shoes. There’s barely a photo on the brand’s website (other than the static studio shots) where both Habit wheels are on the ground. Don’t let that give you the wrong idea though, this is largely a consequence of the brand’s sponsored athletes happening to be some of the most jib-tastic riders around, like Mitch Ropelato, ex-DH champion Josh Bryceland and the rest of 50:01 crew.

Yes, with slightly tighter angles, a taut supportive feel (both deeper in the shock stroke and throughout the very solid frame), the Habit LT is well up for this kind of stuff, but is also way more than a little play-bike for hitting jumps and mini bike park-ey stuff.

I consider Cannondale’s rig more of a well-rounded mountain bike that excels simply trail riding, cruising around the countryside or doing what I did on it: Massive days of hike-a-bike and rough technical, natural trails in the fells.

The stock geometry is spot on and the whole package strikes a great balance between never feeling like too much bike or dulling all connection with trail features. And never being too edgy and making the rider nervous if you get off the brakes and hammer down anything from big berms to old-school rock-strewn natural bridleway on proper mountains.

The 10mm more travel LT is a fair bit calmer and more composed than the cheaper, regular Habit alloy version I tested last year. But I’d argue this is as much down to the new plush and active back end, as the bump up in travel and slightly more relaxed angles.

The rear RockShox SuperDeluxe suspension here is more efficient than wasteful and never feels too baggy and squishy when descending, so unlike some bikes, it’s never a case of just pointing the front tyre in the general direction of where you want to get to and hoping to gobble up everything in your path.

With the Habit LT handling reasonably sharp and precise for its category, it retains that trail bike feel where you can kink in and around little gaps in the bedrock or flick the backend round tight little turns or slots in root webs.

And while I said this isn’t really a bike you can expect to plough through everything, that’s not to say it can’t munch up a healthy bit of chatter and quieten lots of trail noise. I found the most fun and engagement with it came when really steering it and pumping and interacting with the terrain, rather than just aiming at the bottom of the hill and letting the bike find its own lines.

The Lyrik Select+ fork is harder to set up than some forks, and needs a fair bit of fiddling with the compression and rebound damping to mirror what the back was doing. This might be a consequence of more weight on the front tyre, but it also shows how important it is to nail the balance precisely when you’re riding an active and engaging bike.

Once the fork is dialled, you can achieve a really balanced supportive ride position, but there’s definitely a bit of an optimum performance window with the Habit LT to balance the fork’s feel with the back end before everything sings sweetly.

I found the cheaper/shorter travel alloy Habit 3 I tested previously was easier to find a sweet spot on more quickly, but there’s no doubt this is also a fun and feisty package with an effortless feel to getting about that feels solid and dialled in. I also didn’t find myself hankering after any adjustability to mess with the angles like some other bikes offer.

A good habit to have

With more and more trail bikes being essentially shrunk-down enduro clones, Cannondale’s Habit LT 1 is a breath of fresh air, retaining genuine all-round capability in an easy to live with package. Rather than mindlessly ploughing through anything, the LT rewards a bit of rider input and body English to really come alive on feature-packed trails. It does this without ever feeling sketchy if you really rip it downhill or find yourself on steeper tracks than intended.

This liveliness comes via with a lightweight full carbon frame that pedals, climbs and sprints great, so you’re never bogged down. Even with the slightly sharper handling than many more slacked-out rigs, the calm and supportive suspension retains its cool if you mess up and come in too hot.