Cannondale Cujo

The Cujo arrived in 2017 as Cannondale's affordable 27.5+ hardtail, riding the short-lived plus-size tyre wave that briefly dominated trail-hardtail design between 2016 and 2019. Built around an aluminium SmartForm frame with dirt-tailored geometry — short chainstays, slack 67-degree head angle, dropper-post compatibility — and 2.8" plus tyres on wide rims, it was pitched as the rugged, traction-rich answer to entry-level XC hardtails. Production was done in Cannondale's Asian alloy facilities. The lineup ran from Cujo 3 (entry) up to Cujo 1 (Deore-equipped flagship around €1,399) plus a women's-specific 'Scarlet' variant. As the plus-size trend faded and the industry consolidated around 29" wheels, the Cujo was phased out around 2020-2021 — the adult line never made it to model year 2022. Cannondale kept the Cujo name alive only on kids' bikes (20+, 24+) into 2024 as junior hardtails.