Cannondale SuperSix EVO

£3950 / THE REIGNING CHAMP IS BACK - BUT IS IT BETTER? It allowed me to attack every descent and corner with the enthusiasm of a latterday Evel Knievel

Cannondale’s SuperSix EVO should be familiar. Now in its third generation, since its 2008 launch the EVO has been one of the finest-handling raceorientated road bikes around. Oh, and it also happens to be Cycling Plus’s reigning – 2020 – Bike of the Year. So the 2021 model certainly has a lot to live up to.

Much of the SuperSix EVO’s ride quality is down to its numbers: a steep 73-degree head angle and short trail figure mean quick handling; a similarly steep 72.9-degree seat angle, tight 408mm chainstays and a 1005mm wheelbase are all markers for a fast race bike and have a lot in common with the frame geometry of Giant’s equally popular TCR.

More than a numbers game

But it’s never just about the numbers. The EVO’s ride balances a stiffness that makes it a supreme sprinter with great acceleration, and a ride that’s smooth and comfortable even over the poorest road surfaces. It’s firm, as any good racy bike should be, but the rear end is compliant, aided by a quality carbon seatpost. And in spite of being our 2020 Bike of the Year, Cannondale has switched things up to the aero HollowGram KNØT SAVE bar and KNØT stem, which has lost its forward-facing clamp for improved aerodynamics and cleaner looks.

The EVO’s kit is based around Shimano’s everdependable mechanical Ultegra groupset with Cannondale’s own 1 chainset. The pro-compact 52/36 chainset is paired with an 11-32 cassette that gives a sprint-friendly top gear and a bottom gear low enough for the toughest of climbs. The wheels are Cannondale’s own impressive HollowGram 35s. These are built around a tubeless-ready 35mm-deep carbon rim with a 19mm inner width that’s perfect for the 25mm tyres. The sub1500g wheels are paired with Vittoria’s Rubino Pro G+ 2.0 tyres, which balloon up to 27mm. These are tough and quick enough, and a big improvement on Vittoria’s lower-end Rubino tyres, but they’re still outshone by the faster and lighter Vittoria Corsas that the EVO really deserves.

Sensor and sensibility

The front wheel features Cannondale’s Wheel Sensor. This measures and automatically records speed, time and distance and works with Cannondale’s own app or any BLE- and ANT+compatible head unit. It runs off a CR2032 cell, with a year’s life, and it connected first time to our Garmin Edge 1030.

You can also use the Cannondale app to register the bike for its warranty, receive lube and servicing reminders and record bike-fit details. During your ride it can display all the usual metrics – speed, distance and so on – but also how much less CO2 you’ve used than if you’d made the journey by car. Neat.

Compelling Cannondale

The numerous tech highlights are only a small part of the EVO’s story – what really makes this Cannondale so compelling is the sheer quality of every aspect of its ride. It reacts instantly to your steering inputs and shifts with your bodyweight. This allowed me to attack every descent and corner with the enthusiasm of a latter-day Evel Knievel – safe in the knowledge that if I had to make a last-minute correction for a pothole, branch or a rabbit with a deathwish, the EVO would have my back. Uphill the EVO is an always-willing and exciting climber.

Cannondale’s aero-optimised 2021 EVO takes everything that made its predecessor such a high-quality bike and elevates it. The handling and ride quality are as good as I’ve found on any bike, and the responsiveness is equally impressive. As with so many 2021 bikes it doesn’t have quite the value for money as before, but Cannondale’s new EVO is just as much a star this year – even if it faces tougher competition.

THE VERDICT

2020’s Bike of the Year has become even better with age