CANNONDALE SUPERSIX EVO 105 £2,225 CANNONDALE.COM
The SuperSix Evo has been Cannondale’s core road race bike for a while, and shows no sign of slowing down. Professional road cycling team Education First’s Alberto Bettiol won the 2019 Tour of Flanders on his more highlyspecced Evo. Although our test criteria doesn’t stretch to the heady heights of cycling World Tour machinery, the Evo’s abilities can be experienced for far less.
Based on the standard £1,799 SuperSix Evo 105, this bike gains Cannondale’s Hollowgram Si carbon clinchers instead of its usual aluminium Fulcrum Racing Sports. While you won’t find this exact build on Cannondale’s website, it’s available at individual dealer’s discretion while stocks last. To offer the bike at this price the Hollowgram Si carbon wheelset is included as a
£425 half price upgrade. Race performance is hugely influenced by wheels and tyres, and these 35mm tall carbon clinchers are 17mm wide internally making for aerodynamic wheels that maintain low rotational mass with great agility.
This Evo has a Shimano 105 groupset, but also Cannondale’s lightweight Si crankset, with 52/36 FSA chainrings. The bar, stem and seatpost are all Cannondale’s own alloy items, and it’s topped with a Prologo saddle.
CLASSIC LINES
When the majority of road frames are semi compact, it’s refreshing to climb aboard one with a horizontal top tube and classic lines. Those lines do affect how the bike fits, though, with a shorter head tube and less exposed seatpost than semi-compact designs. If you want
to race, the lower position made possible by a shorter head tube is ideal; you may wish to swap the supplied 25mm tall headset top cap for a shorter one.
At the other end of the bike, the amount of exposed seatpost could be up to 50% less than other frame styles, yet Cannondale address this with their 25.4mm seatposts, with the reduced diameter flexing readily over a shorter length.
The SuperSix Evo has always had brilliant ride quality, thanks to its heavily shaped SAVE stays and matching fork. Even with a stubby alloy seatpost, and almost overly padded saddle, it’s easy to settle in for the long haul. The 25mm Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Slick tyres measure 26mm, and with a little over 80psi inside, they’re supple and grippy, exuding cornering confidence.
IDEAL GEARING
With the advent of discs we brake less often on carbon rims, but the Hollowgram Si wheels scrub speed and stop quickly with consistent brake feel and no grabbing. Repeated firm, late braking gave reliable results and when accelerating with intent out of corners, the Evo felt far more eager to go again than our legs.
The gearing is ideal for modern competition and 105 is well up for triathlon racing, with positive operation and great feel from the controls. We like the fact that the Evo’s gear cables run externally beneath the down tube for ease of maintenance. But be sure to trim your rear brake outer casing to the correct length as there’s a stop where it enters the head tube on its way to the rear caliper, and overlong casing creates sprung back pressure on the handlebar.
The Supersix Evo’s composed ride feel masks its speed, and we were surprised to cover our test circuit quicker than usual without seemingly trying harder. Highly capable in a sprint, it’s also an impressive climber in this spec, and feels assured on the descents, with predictably crisp handling.