Why Doesn’t Every Bike Come With This Rare Awesome Feature?

Cannondale’s Quick CX 1 has lots of cool qualities, but it’s the one between the bars that really stands out.

Published January 27, 2025

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One feature I have been seeing in more and more serious road and gravel bikes these days makes all the sense in the world: an integrated bike computer mount.

It makes so much sense because pretty much every serious cyclist immediately installs a Wahoo, Garmin or Hammerhead tracker before their first ride.

cannondale quick cx 1 fully loaded — In addition to a phone, the Quick CX 1 can accommodate a host of other accessories too.

Carrying that logic over, I am stoked to see a more accessible bike incorporating an accessory that is equally indispensable to everyday riders who are equally passionate, if not as Lycra-laden.

I am talking about Cannondale’s new Quick CX 1 and its built-in SP-Connect Universal phone clamp, of course.

Mount up

Just as hardcore cyclists rely on bike computers, so do the more casual two-wheelers among us — the commuters and city cruisers and fitness riders — lean on their smartphones for navigation and tracking.

As someone who kinda sits between the two categories, I know this from experience.

Using the Strava- and Apple Fitness-compatible Cannondale app, your mounted phone pairs perfectly with the bike’s integrated wheel sensor to track your speed, distance and other key metrics. You can disconnect from the world while tapping into your biking or fitness goals — and maybe even bag a KOM or two while you’re at it.

On my city fixie, I swear by my Peak Design Out Front Bike Mount, and many of my friends employ this option or the ever-present and more affordable Quad Lock Out Front Mount.

The CX 1’s integrated phone mount saves you the expense and trouble of picking up a quality aftermarket option, which will cost you at least $40, but that’s not all.

phone mount quick cx 1 — The built-in mount can accommodate just about any smartphone — without impinging on handlebar real estate.

The other cool thing is, because it is positioned right on the stem, it leaves extra real estate on the actual handlebars for all the other accessories we city cyclists like to bring along, include lights and bells and drink holders and more.

I have been known to struggle to make room for everything, and I am well aware that for smaller-statured riders on proportionally smaller bikes, it’s an even bigger issue.

This built-in accessory makes even more sense for this particular set of wheels. While it is incredibly versatile, the Quick CX 1 is classified as a fitness bike.

removable phone mount — Should you *not* want it for some reason, the mount is removeable.

Using the Strava- and Apple Fitness-compatible Cannondale app, your mounted phone pairs perfectly with the bike’s integrated wheel sensor to automatically track your speed, distance and other key metrics.

In other words, you can essentially disconnect from the world while tapping into your biking or fitness goals — and maybe even bag a KOM or two while you’re at it.

Value proposition

Of course, none of this would matter if the bike itself were a lemon. That’s not the case here, as the Quick CX 1 offers a lot of other compelling features as well.

For $1,200, you get a light C3 alloy frame, hydraulic disc brakes and a wide-ranging Shimano CUES U6000 1×11 drivetrain that makes shifting so much easier. Trust me, once you experience the joy of 1x, you’ll never go back.

quick cx 1 shimano 1x drivetrain — Get ready for the 1x drivetrain to rock your world.

While it’s great on city streets, the Quick CX 1 does boast a couple features that enable you to jump over to light gravel as well.

The Suntour 50mm travel fork provides a welcome dose of suspension on uneven terrain — and can be locked out when you want to go for broke on tarmac.

cannondale quick cx 1 action — The Quick CX 1’s front suspension and wide tires are well equipped for light off-road action.

The bike also features versatile Vittoria Terreno Dry 700x40c tires, which are beefy and grippy enough to provide the necessary traction not only on off-road trails but when the road is slick from precipitation.

Last but not least, generous braze-ons accommodate a top tube bag, bottle cages, fenders and a rack, ensuring the CX 1 will go just as far as you want to take it.