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The New SuperSix Aero Bike Is Key to a Whole New Cannondale

A classic climber’s bike gets a design upgrade—just as its maker adopts a new growth strategy.  

The New SuperSix Aero Bike Is Key to a Whole New Cannondale
(Source: Cannondale)

(Bloomberg) -- In the race to sell the most bikes, Cannondale has historically finished just off the the podium in the U.S., trailing Trek, Specialized, and Giant in the number of dealers.

Recently, however, the corporate tide appears to be turning, as the manufacturer emerges from a period of restructuring.

The changes began in June 2014, as Peter Woods took over as chief executive officer of parent company Dorel Sports. Dorel made what it calls “significant” investments in the product pipeline and marketing department. Employees filled a new 50,000-square-foot headquarters in Wilton, Conn. A new product team was brought on, focusing first on filling a massive gap in the product lineup: a fully integrated aero road bike. These expensive machines (often costing upwards of $10,000) are the two-wheeled equivalent of halo cars for a bike company, raced at the top level of the professional sport and desired by amateurs with deep pockets.

The resulting bike, the SystemSix, was introduced last summer and served as “a line in the sand,” said David Devine, global project manager at Cannondale: a clear demarcation between the company pre- and post-restructuring. Over the past year, the brand has rolled out new products at a steady clip. Reaction to the Treadwell, a city bike with a connected app experience, forced the company to increase its sales forecasts, twice. A gravel bike, the Topstone Carbon, followed in early June and has so far received fairly glowing reviews. There’s even a version of the company’s beloved CAAD aluminum road bike. Each shares a new, unifying visual identity.

The SuperSix EVO Disc, a brand-new version of the company’s flagship race bike, is another massive step forward. First released in 2007, the SuperSix was known for stubbornly retaining classic looks, but the new version is anything but classic in appearance.

The New SuperSix Aero Bike Is Key to a Whole New Cannondale

Gone are the flat top tube, the slender seat stays, and traditional round seat post. The new SuperSix has the familiar silhouette of a modern all-around road racer, with truncated airfoil frame tubes to help the bike slip through the wind, internally routed cables, slightly sloping top tube, and a proprietary handlebar. It’s still light, of course, but this is a SuperSix that has spent some time in a wind tunnel and come to the properly vetted scientific conclusion that being aero is usually faster than being light.

The New SuperSix Aero Bike Is Key to a Whole New Cannondale

We tested the $6,500 version equipped with SRAM’s brand-new wireless Force ETap AXS group of gears and shifters and Cannondale’s own Hollowgram 35 carbon wheels.

On the road, the new SuperSix retains the mannerisms of its predecessor. Handling is quick, but not twitchy. The SuperSix feels composed in corners, especially with disc brakes. Brake late, brake hard, turn in, and hold on. Vittoria’s 25mm wide Rubino Pro tires are a fantastic OEM option on a bike like the SuperSix, but for riders seeking an even smoother ride, the frame is designed to accommodate rubber up to 30mm wide. Even without wider tires, the frame’s dropped seat stays, SystemBar integrated cockpit, and ultraslim seat post do a remarkably good job of soaking up road buzz.

Climbing is … well, it’s never a joy, is it? I mean, it’s a joy if you like the feeling of death slowly creeping up through your legs and swallowing your soul. The wide tops of the proprietary SAVE aero-shaped bars are a great place to perch your palms as you head uphill on the SuperSix. Your torturous efforts don’t feel wasted: The stiff bike eagerly jumps up the road, even as your soul departs this plane of existence.

On the flats, it’s easy to settle into the drops and put down the power. The Prologo Dimension saddle is shaped to help the rider drive forward in these kind of head-down, all-out efforts. Put in the work and the SuperSix rewards you. Get it above 20 mph and all the little aerodynamic tweaks start to add up, rewarding the rider with even more speed. It’s hard to shake the feeling, however, that the bike could be even faster in these situations with a slightly deeper wheel set. More expensive versions of the bike—which are made with a lighter blend of carbon fiber—come spec’d with Cannondale’s new, deeper Hollowgram 45 wheels, which we suspect would hold speed better in these situations. Cannondale confirms that the 45mm wheel would further reduce drag, but the 35mm spec on this bike makes for a more affordable price.

The New SuperSix Aero Bike Is Key to a Whole New Cannondale

The SRAM Force AXS group is also a highlight here. The new 12-speed wireless group is a joy to ride. Without getting into a dissertation on gear ratios, all you need to know is this: You get a bit more range at both the top and bottom ends, with smaller jumps between gears in the middle compared with older, 11-speed drivetrains. Setup is a breeze through the companion app. Simply select the components you’d like to pair together, and set off. Shifts are quick and precise, no matter the situation. You can even set the group up to shift sequentially for you, keeping your pedaling cadence steady. The app will even give you maintenance reminders.

The AXS ecosystem even allows you to add additional components like SRAM’s Blips, which allow you to shift from the bar tops or drops, or Quarq’s DZero power meter to measure your efforts. You can even pair with offerings from the company’s mountain bike line, in case you’d like an extra-large gear range.

The New SuperSix Aero Bike Is Key to a Whole New Cannondale

The bike market is changing rapidly. Sales of traditional road bikes were down 2% last year, according to Matt Powell, vice president and senior industry adviser for sports at NPD Group. Even children’s bike sales are slowing. “Something has to be done to shift the industry out of its reliance on selling the same bikes to the same customers year after year,” said Steve Frothingham, editor-in-chief of Bicycle Retailer.

E-bikes, however, have been a bright spot for the industry as a whole, with U.S. sales totaling $77.1 million in 2017, up 91% from a year earlier, according to NPD Group. The segment has grown more than eightfold since 2014—though that $77.1 million accounts for a mere 4.6% of the total U.S. market so far.

Cannondale rolled out two mountain bikes last week, the Moterra and the Habit NEO. Both are e-bikes.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Chris Rovzar at crovzar@bloomberg.net

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