The Takeaway: The Treadwell Remixte has both your workouts and your errands covered.
- A built-in wheel sensor lets you record and see ride data on your phone in real time
- Part cruiser + part fitness bike = perfect city bike
- Disc brakes and fenders make wet rides more tolerable
Price: $950
Weight: 27.1 lb. (S)
Cannondale’s Treadwell EQ Remixte is a subtle and stylish cruiser and capable commuter or fitness bike. Its geometry sits somewhere between upright and aggressive, meaning it’s comfortable for a full day of errands, but puts you in a slightly forward position to run those errands quickly.
A comfy, quilted seat and 650b wheels smooth out the ride, and the squishy Cannondale Comfort grips live up to their name. Fenders are a bonus for wet-road commutes, as are the Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, which are precise but not too jerky or sudden. Rubber bumper strips on the top tube help protect the frame from damage, and internally routed shifter cables keep it looking clean. Grip tape completely covers both sides of the Cannondale Comfort pedals, which provides a no-slip grip and also means barefoot riding isn’t out of the question.
As for the 47mm DTR-1 tires, don’t expect to find them on the Maxxis site listed under Bicycle. They’re part of Maxxis’s Motorcycle line, specifically its moto off-road category. So how did they end up on the Treadwell? “The DTR-1 caught the interest of Burton Avery, the product manager in charge of the Treadwell,” says Joe Mackey, media relations manager for Cannondale. “He worked with Maxxis to produce the DTR-1 in a 650b to fit the Treadwell, the first time Maxxis has ever brought over a moto tire into its line of cycling tires.”
What makes the commuter-capable Treadwell even more errand-running friendly is its included front rack, which is large enough to hold a bag of groceries or a box of donuts but has open sides that aren’t conducive to tossing in smaller stuff like keys or a wallet. It’s also mounted to the fork rather than the head tube, meaning you’re more likely to feel the heft of your cargo as you steer. A Shimano Altus 1x9 drivetrain makes one-handed shifting a breeze in busy traffic, but the lack of a kickstand (there’s a mount to add one) makes parking outside the bakery and/or loading up your goodies a test of balance.
Pros
- Straddles the line between cruiser and hybrid
- Built-in sensor for connectivity
Cons
- Kind of heavy if you live in a walk-up
Frame: Aluminum Alloy
Sizes: S, L
Drivetrain: 1x9-speed Shimano Altus
Cassette: 11-36
Brakes: Tekro HD-R280 hydraulic disc (160mm front, 140mm rear)
Wheels: Cannondale Double Wall, 650b
Stem: Cannondale 3 with Intellimount for smartphone
Saddle: Cannondale Treadwell, 170mm, steel rails
Tires: Maxxis DTR-1, 650b x 47mm
Extras: Alloy fenders, front rack, Cannondale wheel sensor
The Treadwell Family
The Treadwell family is made up of three models—the EQ (which stands for equipped), 2, and 3—all of which are offered in Remixte versions. The Remixte versions have a lower standover and come in only small and large frame sizes. Non-Remixte models are also available in medium frame sizes and, though still low, the standover is slightly higher than the Remixte versions. The EQ and EQ Remixte are the only two Treadwells that come with fenders and a front rack. Both cost $950 and come in only a pale green “agave” color. The $750 Treadwell 2 and 2 Remixte come with a 9-speed Microshift Advent drivetrain and are available in three frame colors (black, orange, pink/navy fade). The $635 Treadwell 3 and 3 Remixte come with a 7-speed Shimano Tourney drivetrain and are also available in three frame colors (black, quicksand, maroon). All six models come with the integrated sensor.
Simple Drivetrain
The 9-speed Shimano Altus gives you plenty of room to spin up hills.
Fill ‘Er Up!
The Treadwell comes commute-ready with a rack and fenders.
Easy Roller
The 47mm Maxxis DTR-1 tires keep the ride smooth and comfy.
Efficient Braking
Tektro hydraulic disc brakes are precise without being too jerky.
Phone-Mount Ready
The Intellimount Stem is compatible with any SP-Connect phone mount.
Integrated Connectivity
From the moment you start pedaling the Treadwell EQ, the integrated, Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ wireless-compatible Cannondale wheel sensor (developed with Garmin) begins recording data such as speed, distance, time, calories burned, and ride routes. It’ll hold about 30 rides’ worth of info until it wants to sync with the Cannondale app (download it for free), which it will do when it comes within 30 feet of your phone. It can also keep track of your bike’s maintenance needs and send you push notifications to let you know when a certain component requires attention. Another cool thing the app does: allows you to register your bike via a barcode on the bottom bracket.
If you want to watch it all go down in real time, Cannondale’s Intellimount Stem holds any SP-Connect compatible phone mount so you can have your phone and your data displayed front and center.
Riding the Treadwell
The step-through frame, big wheels, and wide tires on the Treadwell EQ offered a smooth, comfortable ride on everything from gravel to sidewalks to pavers. The bike felt very sturdy enough that I didn’t have to be super delicate about riding over potholes or worry about something breaking if it tipped over while parked outside the coffee shop. And combined with the flatter handlebar and more forward position, it allowed me to get going at a good clip and sustain my speed when I took it out just to ride.
As a Strava user, I found the on-the-bike ride-tracking functions on the Cannondale app not much different in terms of user experience, but it was definitely cool to be able to upload data from rides on days when I didn’t carry my phone.
The 1x9-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain is pretty ideal for an around-town bike. I often find myself wishing for easier gears than what comes on townies because of how casually I’m riding and how slowly I want to spin uphill when I’m wearing a backpack or have a rack full of groceries. The Treadwell’s 11-36 cassette gave me plenty of range to ride comfortably all over town, and I never ran out of gear options when I took it for a workout down the gravel path near my apartment.
One logistical issue to note is that the sloping top tube on the Remixte version is not ideal for trunk racks, since it’s harder to get on there with the weird angle and smaller triangle. So if you rely on a trunk rack to transport your bike, you might have better luck with the non-Remixte version.
The stylish EQ Remixte is an all-purpose bike you can ride for exercise, to commute, to run errands around town, or to simply enjoy a casual bike ride with a friend. Cannondale designed this bike with super thorough and thoughtful attention to detail, giving riders who invest in it room to grow into a fitter cyclist as well as plenty of comfort for days they just want to cruise.
Riley is a writer and outdoor adventure guide currently based in Tucson, Arizona where she leads mountain bike rides, rock climbing, and hiking trips. In her spare time, she writes stories and reviews outdoor and fitness gear. Find her writing in publications including Outside, Lonely Planet, SHAPE, Bicycling, Runner’s World, and others. When she’s not playing in the mountains, she’s probably laying down somewhere or eating (or both).
