First Look: The New Cannondale SuperSix EVO
The Takeaway: Aerodynamics dominate the SuperSix EVO update, but the road bike promises to be more comfortable and just as versatile as its predecessor.
Truncated airfoil tubing reduces drag and makes the bike more slippery than a Specialized Tarmac, Cannondale claims
The seatpost and seat stays are engineered to increase compliance
New features include SpeedRelease thru-axles, a Power2Max power meter, and an integrated front wheel sensor
Price: $7,750
Weight: 17 lb. (54cm)
Tire clearance: 30mm
The new Cannondale SuperSix EVO is designed to cheat the wind. The bike, which launches today, features full internal cable routing and truncated airfoil tubing that blends the drag-reducing benefits of a full airfoil with the lightness of round tubing. Cannondale’s wind tunnel testing indicates it’s made the bike more aerodynamic than a Specialized S-Works Tarmac and a Cervélo R5; riding at 30mph, you’ll save 30 watts over the previous SuperSix EVO, according to a company press release. The slippery shape shouldn’t make the bike less comfortable. Revised (and dropped) seatstays and a new carbon fiber seatpost are designed to increase compliance, the new SAVE handlebar is also said to be more compliant, and there’s room to fit 30mm tires to further improve the ride.
Cannondale will offer six disc-brake options and two rim-brake models for men, and three disc models and a single rim-brake option for women. High-modulus frames will be available with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, Ultegra Di2, and mechanical Dura-Ace drivetrains, with built-in Power2Max power meters that you can activate for an additional $490. Most builds get a front wheel sensor that pairs with your head unit or Cannondale’s mobile app to give you information about your ride, as well as service reminders. We’ll be testing the Ultegra Di2 version that you see here over the next couple months, so check back in for our feedback on whether the new bike lives up to the faster and more-comfortable marketing line.
Aero Is Everything
The truncated airfoil tubing weighs less than a full airfoil—like you’ll find on the race-focused SystemSix—while also decreasing drag by 30 percent over round tubing, Cannondale claims. The company reports that during testing in the San Diego Wind Tunnel, the new bike beat out the Specialized Tarmac, Cervélo R5, BMC Roadmachine, the second-generation SuperSix EVO, and Trek Emonda at yaw angles of +/- 20 degrees. To compare it to a true aero road bike, Cannondale Product Director, Pavement David Devine says the race-focused SystemSix saves 48 watts at 30mph compared to the old SuperSix EVO, whereas the new bike saves 30 watts. Air resistance accounts for half of total riding resistance at 9mph and only becomes more influential as you go faster, Devine says, so the new SuperSix EVO should give you marginal gains even at climbing speeds.
Five big spacers shroud our test bike’s steerer tube and hide the cables that insert into the handlebar, which has also been flattened for aerodynamics. The new seatpost also gets the truncated airfoil shape, and the binder is integrated. The wheels are Cannondale’s new tubeless-ready HollowGram 45, with a 45mm depth and 21mm inner diameter; they’re purported to be more aerodynamic than Zipp’s 303 NSW carbon clincher.
Comfort and Compliance
In addition to its aerodynamic advantages, the new bike should ride even smoother than its predecessor. The combination of reworked and dropped seatstays, an integrated binder, and the 27 KNØT seatpost make the ride 18 percent more compliant, Cannondale says. The geometry is mostly similar to the old bike. Stack heights are about 10mm higher for the larger sizes and a few millimeters higher for the smaller bikes, and reach is down by 3mm to 5mm across the size range. Sizing itself is also slightly different: The new men’s bikes come in 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 60, and 62cm, and the women’s bikes are available in 44, 48, 51, and 54cm frame sizes.
Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi-Mod Disc Ultegra Di2 Details
Frame: Carbon
Fork: Carbon
Wheels: HollowGram 45 SL KNØT
Drivetrain: Shimano Ultegra Di2
Crank: HollowGram with pre-installed Power2Max power meter
Chainring: 52/36
Cassette: 11-30
Brakes and Rotors: Shimano Ultegra Di2 hydraulic disc, 160mm (front), 140mm (rear)
Tires: Vittoria Corsa, 700x25mm
Handlebar: HollowGram SystemBar SAVE
Seatpost: HollowGram 27SL KNØT
Digital Details
Every SuperSix EVO above the Shimano 105 spec comes with an integrated front wheel sensor, which uses Bluetooth low-energy and ANT+ connectivity to pair with the Cannondale mobile app and most popular head units from Garmin, Wahoo, Suunto, Sigma, and others. The sensor combines GPS and rolling information to give you precise data on your speed, distance, and route. The Power2Max NG power meter that comes on the high-modulus bikes costs around $1,000 to buy on its own, so the $490 activation fee makes sense if you don’t already have your own device.
The SuperSix Family
The men’s high-modulus (stiffer) disc Dura-Ace Di2 bike is the marquee bike at $11,500, but the men’s $7,750 Ultegra Di2 shares all the parts except the drivetrain. The other high-modulus frame comes on the men’s $7,200 mechanical disc Dura-Ace bike, which is similarly equipped but has Vittoria Rubino Pro tires instead of Vittoria Corsas on the Di2 bikes. The most expensive women’s build is the mid-modulus Ultegra Di2 bike at $6,700. SRAM fans can get a men’s Force eTap AXS-equipped bike for $6,500. The men’s and women’s disc-equipped Ultegra bikes are $4,200. The Shimano 105 bikes with discs for both genders cost $2,750, and you can get down to $2,200 for rim brake 105 models.
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