Habit

mtb1599–10000 USD

Origin

Cannondale's core trail full-suspension — 'the most popular bike' per MBA. Meant to bridge XC efficiency and trail fun.

Specifications

Frame: SmartForm C1 Alloy (hydroformed 6061) on Habit 3-5; BallisTec Carbon front triangle + alloy swingarm on Carbon 2/1; full carbon on LTD. Four-bar Horst-Link, 130mm rear travel (140mm on LT).
Weight: kg
Drivetrain: Shimano Deore M6100 1x12-speed, 11-51T cassette, 30T crank, 55mm chainline (Habit 4). Higher trims: SRAM GX Eagle 12s / GX T-Type AXS.
Brakes: Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc, 180/180mm RT30 centerlock rotors (current Habit 4 run; some early units shipped SRAM Level T). Higher trims: SRAM G2 R / Code R.
Wheels: 29" (SM-XL), 27.5" (XS). WTB STX i25 TCS 32h tubeless-ready rims, Shimano MT400 15x110mm Boost front / MT410 12x148mm Boost rear hubs (Habit 4).

The verdict

+Strengths

MBR Habit 4: 'Easily one of the best proper mountain bikes for under £2K' — 4-piston brakes, dropper, Maxxis tires at price
Pinkbike: geometry comes correct — 65.5° HTA, 77.5° STA, size-specific chainstay lengths = excellent fore-aft balance
Singletracks: 'peppy and energetic under pressure, no problem with sprinting' — anti-squat tuned well for climbing
Mountain Flyer: 'efficiently nibbles up techy climbs, enthusiastically pops over obstacles, effortlessly darts in and out of corners'
BSA-73 threaded BB + UDH — maximum future compatibility, easy maintenance
RockShox at both ends (even on Habit 4) — air spring tunable to rider weight
ENDURO Mag: Habit LT 1 'delivers excellent trail performance, well-tuned rear suspension'
BikeRadar: 'a perky climber, anti-squat keeps suspension stable without impeding progress'
MBR: 'Three rear centre measurements for improved weight distribution' — size-specific chainstays work

−Weaknesses

Pinkbike Habit 4: RockShox Recon RL + Deluxe Select have 'trap door effect' — drops through travel unpredictably on rough terrain
Pinkbike: KMC chain on Shimano 12-speed groupset = misses smooth Shimano-to-Shimano shifting
Mountain Flyer: SRAM G2 R brakes underwhelming — 'couldn't keep up with surprisingly aggressive descending capabilities'
Mountain Flyer + MBR: DownLow dropper 150mm on L/XL 'woefully short' — 170mm minimum expected
Blister: Habit LT has tall stack (640mm on L) — limits cockpit flexibility for fit
No geometry adjustment (no flip chip) — geometry cannot be tuned for different preferences
MBR: Habit LT looks similar to Canyon Spectral, Specialized Stumpjumper 15 — no strong visual differentiator
MBAction: SRAM Code R brakes on LT 1 lack tool-free reach adjust and SwingLink — arm pump on long descents

Did you know

01Josh Bryceland (50:01 crew, former WC DH champion) chose Habit for trail riding — endorses its gravity capability despite modest travel
02LT version uses identical frame + longer shock stroke — same carbon/alloy frame, different shock = 10mm more travel each end
03Proportional Response: pivot placement AND chainstay lengths vary per size — not just token geometry scaling
04UDH on all 2023+ Habits — means SRAM T-Type Transmission works without a T-Type derailleur hanger
0555mm chainline standard (vs 51.8mm common): allows 2.6" tire clearance in alloy swingarm
06No flip chip = no adjustability, but five sizes with three distinct shock tunes offset this
07Carbon 1 has carbon front + alloy swingarm — not full carbon. Only LTD gets full carbon.
08Habit LT uses same alloy/carbon frame with longer stroke shock — can convert between standard and LT spec by swapping shock

Who it’s for

Intermediate to advanced trail ridersAll-day trail riders wanting efficiency + descending funRiders wanting one bike for XC to moderate enduro terrainRiders upgrading from hardtail or older full-sus