Bike Reviews

Cannondale kept the RZ One Twenty's graphics on the subtle side of feminine and the rest of the bike on the technical side of mountain biking. It's a marathon and endurance racer that's just as happy being piloted by a weekend warrior (XC racers should check out the Feminine 3). And RZ's midrange price makes it a reasonable option for both ends of the skill spectrum.

The bike's low standover and short reach put riders, especially smaller ones, in a cozy position for maneuvering tight, technical terrain--think narrow, root-tangled, stagnant-pond-hugging trails that threaten to pull you down the embankment.

Travel front and rear is an epic-ride-ideal 120mm. Easy-to-use controls on the Lefty Ultra fork let even gloved riders adjust it for the terrain--the blue button engages PopTop, which gives the rider a sturdy platform on which to climb more efficiently and to make good time on smooth trails; the red dial puts the suspension back into action and also acts as a rebound adjuster. The one-piece seat tube, bottom bracket shell and lower pivot housing increase strength and stiffness. All of this adds up to weight savings.