First Look | The Cannondale Habit SE 2016
Cannondale have taken race-proven technology and stacked it into the Habit product line, creating an all-round package to guarantee maximum fun on the trails.
Under the microscope today is the Habit SE, whose extra travel renders it the aggressive spearhead of the family. Our First Ride impressions of the Habit Carbon 1 can be found here.
Rolling on 650b wheels, the Habit has been designed to ‘bring back the fun!’ We’ve got our hands on the SE model, the Habit with the most downhill-orientated spec that combines a carbon main frame with an aluminium rear. The front travel has been boosted to 130 mm, while the rear takes 120 mm. With a 429 mm chainstay and a 68° head angle, it’s safe to say the geometry veers on the playful side.
The Zero Pivot technology is the hands-down highlight of the bike, seeing the former rear pivot replaced by flexing stays on both the carbon and the aluminium models. By forsaking the pivot, the rigidity of the rear is increased and the weight is reduced, with the Habit SE weighing less than 2,000 g and thus satisfying the achievement of the American team’s dream.
Distinctive on any bike, the Cannondale Lefty 2.0 Alloy OPI fork catches your eye immediately, and features a revised rebound set-up for 2016, a lower weight, and increased rigidity. What’s special about the Lefty on the SE model is the travel, which has been raised to 130 mm. At the rear there’s a RockShox Monarch DebonAir RT shock with 120 mm travel, which is attached by a carbon rocker arm that weighs just 46 g.
The drivetrain consists of Cannondale’s own brand Si cranks, which are mounted onto a Narrow/Wide chainring with SRAM’s licensed X-Sync technology and the proven SRAM X1 11x shifters. The lightweight SRAM Guide R brakes take care of braking with 180 mm discs at the front and rear, ensuring sufficient anchorage on long descents.
The wheelset takes the form of the WTB Frequency Race i23 rims with the required Lefty hub at the front and a Formula hub at the rear. Schwalbe Nobby Nic Performance tyres with a width of 2.35″ and 2.25″ provide traction. The LEV Integra seatpost with internal cables hails from Kind Shock, offering 125 mm of adjustment in sizes S and M, and a generous 150 mm on the L and XL sizes.
Specification

Geometry
| Size | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toptube (horiz.) | 562 mm | 594 mm | 620 mm | 650 mm |
| Reach | 391 mm | 420 mm | 442 mm | 469 mm |
| Stack | 577 mm | 589 mm | 601 mm | 612 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1102 mm | 1135 mm | 1163 mm | 1194 mm |
| Seattube | 400 mm | 440 mm | 480 mm | 520 mm |
| Head Tube Angle | 67,5° | 67,5° | 67,5° | 67,5° |
| Seat Tube Angle (eff.) | 74,0° | 74,0° | 74,0° | 74,0° |
Conclusion
With its downhill-focused spec, the Cannondale Habit SE couldn’t be better suited for rapid post-work rides. The mix of its playful geometry, low weight and top quality spec will certainly generate some massive grins on swooping, flowing trails in low mountain ranges.
Words: Martin Stöckl Pictures: David Schultheiß
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