Reviewed: Cannondale Slate Force CX1

Comfort: 16.6/20Versatility: 11.2/15Build: 10.6/15Value: 9.6/15Handling: 11.3/15Pedaling response: 12.6/15Aesthetics: 3.1/5

Overall 74.4/100

You don’t exactly want a cyclocross bike, and endurance road bikes aren’t burly enough for your dirt excursions. You fit into the very narrow slice of the market for which Cannondale created this aluminum-framed, 27.5-inch-wheeled bike. Oh, and you didn’t really want a front derailleur either, right? The Slate Force CX1 has carved out a whisker-thin niche, and we’re not so sure its versatility makes sense.

Overall, road feel is smooth and pretty quick, even though the Slate has those small wheels. The frame shares the same SmartFormed 6069 aluminum tubes as the cult classic CAAD12 and a BB30A, which makes the bike responsive when you step on the gas. And it certainly fits like a nice, neutral road bike …

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