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2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi-Mod & CAAD12 alloy road bikes debut

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2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber racing road bike

Considering the prior Cannondale SuperSix EVO frame had already dipped below 700g and been successfully raced on the UCI grand tour circuit, they knew the next Evo would really have to do something big to make an improvement over the prior version.

Starting at the fork, they molded the lower bearing race into the crown, eliminating both the sharp bend to make it stronger and eliminating the need for an alloy part to save about 30g. And that’s just the beginning. Each side of the rear triangle is made in a single piece, with size specific layups for each size, saving weight by eliminating the overwrap required to join a separate dropout piece with separate tubes.

But the changes go beyond just saving weight. The BB is wider and asymmetric, pushing the non drive side out 5mm to make it 73mm. And the chainstays are flatter than ever to get 11% more compliance. It’s called the Balance of Power, offering more traction and comfort without sacrificing efficiency…

 

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber racing road bike

The seatstay, chainstay and rear dropouts are molded as a single piece with continuous fibers throughout. Across all the sizes and the separate left and right pieces, they’re using 16 different molds to make them.

The SpiderRing gets updated to a new 8-arm design that’s just 190g for the single-piece, dual-chainring 50/34 combo. It’s also available in a 52/36.

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber racing road bike

The cable exit assembly combines with the derailleur mount for a new design.

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber racing road bike

The seat tube and BB shell are molded as a single piece. Then, as the frame is assembled, a staggered layer of fiber sheets connect the chainstays to the BB shell by wrapping around it and up into the seat tube. The effect is a massively stiff BB section without limiting the chainstay’s ability to flex up and down.

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber racing road bike

The BB drop is 3.5mm lower and geometry is made for running 28c tires even though the bikes come stock with 700×25 rubber. Keep the 25s and you’ll have a lower center of gravity for better handling.

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber racing road bike

The flared base of the seat tube combined with the wider BB and asymmetric chainstays improve lateral stiffness by 11%.

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber racing road bike

The seatpost is now 25.4mm diameter and 180g, which let them use a thinner seat tube to save up to 30g. That’s combined with their  flexible SAVE seatpost design and a flattened seat tube to provide 36% more seated comfort. Add that to the 15% more compliance offered by the stays and you may as well be riding on a cloud.

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber racing road bike

Shift cables were kept external at the request of pro team mechanics since this a race machine.

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber racing road bike

 

The headtube and other sections of the bike combine high- and ultra-high modulus carbons with standard fibers to create very stiff, strong sections without adding weight, and are able to tune the ride feel. The headtube also has a new hourglass shape. Net result is a 12% stiffer front end, without losing its character. All of the tubes on the bike change layup and size based on frame size, letting them offer a consistent ride feel across the range.

No modern race bike would be right without a little aerodynamic advantage, too, so they also gave the tubes and fork legs a bit of aero shaping. That, combined with revised water bottle placement, provided 60g of drag reduction for a 6 watt savings.

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber road bike fork

The new fork uses a continuous fiber, one-piece design that shapes the top of the crown into the bearing race. With carbon fiber, you don’t want sharp angles, so this not only makes for a stronger design but also saves weight since you won’t need to slide on an alloy bearing race.

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber road bike fork

It’s slightly tapered at 1-1/4″ to 1-1/8″ at the top.

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO carbon fiber road bike fork

The dropouts are also molded as a single piece with the fork, saving more weight, totaling 40g savings over prior model. The new design also gets 21% more fore/aft deflection, which helps it match the increased compliance of the rear end. The holes at bottom are to pull the bladder out after molding. The high end bikes will get the hi-mod fork, others get standard carbon forks from the same mold.

Altogether, the frame itself is actually 17g heavier, hitting the scales at a claimed 777g for a painted 56 with hardware. But, the system weight is 67g lighter than the prior version. Weight changes compared to prior model are:

  • frame +17g
  • fork -40g
  • headset -14g
  • seatpost -30g

The frameset (frame, fork, headset, seatpost) is a claimed 1,303g.

The model shown here is the SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod Dura-Ace 1, which gets a Cannondale cockpit with Fizik Arione R3 saddle, Mavic Ksyrium Pro wheels and a full Dura-Ace mechanical group. There are also Di2 and Ultegra versions with various similar parts. We’ll post a full run down of models and actual weights separately.

2016 CANNONDALE CAAD12 ALLOY ROAD BIKE

2016 Cannondale CAAD12 lightweight alloy road bike

The other big news on the high end road bike front is the all-new CAAD12.

Cannondale’s rep said there were enough updates throughout the CAAD10’s life to justify the jump from 10 to 12. Plus, “11” would just get lost in all the current 11-speed marketing, and in our opinion 12 sounds better anyway.

The frame gets their usual assortment of Smart Forming, double welding and hydroforming, but it all gets refined. Many of the same features from the Evo are used here, too, like a 25.4 seatpost on the highest end models, asymmetric and flatter, and wider bottom bracket shell. The top of the line Black Inc model even gets the gets the hi-mod fork shown above. Others get the standard modulus fork.

It’ll come in rim and disc brake versions, we chose to highlight the disc model but will show the rim brake bikes in our weigh in post separately.

2016 Cannondale CAAD12 lightweight alloy road bike

The fork looks stuffed with a 700×25 tire, but there was mention of running 28s if memory serves. The inside of the fork leg uses their bolt-on brake hose management. They said the overall layup and design of the disc fork was very similar to the rim brake version, just with the obvious reinforcements to handle the different braking stresses. No official word on its weight yet.

2016 Cannondale CAAD12 lightweight alloy road bike 2016-Cannondale-CAAD12-alloy-road-bike-03

Smooth cable ports make for elegant entry and exit for shift and rear brake lines. Rim brake models will run the brake cable through the top tube and pop out the back of the seat tube like on the SuperSix.

2016 Cannondale CAAD12 lightweight alloy road bike

The 73mm wide BB30 A is the same 5mm wider on the non-drive side as the carbon bike. It helps deliver the 13% better stiffness to weight ratio compared to the CAAD10 bike, and the fork has a whopping 30% better stiffness to weight ratio.

2016 Cannondale CAAD12 lightweight alloy road bike

Some models will get their new Si cranks that are hollow forged to compete at the Ultegra price point but will be stiffer and compatible with their one-piece SpiderRing double chainring. Stock setup is two standard chainrings bolted to a spider, but you can save about 30g by upgrading to the SpiderRing.

2016 Cannondale CAAD12 lightweight alloy road bike

 

2016 Cannondale CAAD12 lightweight alloy road bike

It uses the Shimano flat mount brake standard…

2016-Cannondale-CAAD12-alloy-road-bike-01

…with a patented brake mount design that’s brass welded to the chainstay first, then drilled and tapped for the brake mounting holes. The benefit is weight savings and improved heat transfer, and it looks very smooth from the outside.

2016 Cannondale CAAD12 lightweight alloy road bike

The rim brake bike’s chainstays are flatter than the disc brake model’s, but both get very flat seatstays to improve compliance by 50% in the rear triangle. It, too, gains 36% more compliance from the thinner seat tube, which should make this alloy bike like riding on, well, some sort of alloy cloud.

2016 Cannondale CAAD12 lightweight alloy road bike

Slick.

2016 Cannondale CAAD12 lightweight alloy road bike

Overall the changes saves about 236g off the prior CAAD10 disc bike’s system weight (frame, fork, headset, seatpost). The rim brake system weight is 200g lighter than before.

This bike replaces the CAAD10 as the top alloy model, next down will be the CAAD8. Full weights rundown coming soon.

Cannondale.com

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anonymous
anonymous
8 years ago

Well I know what I won’t be buying. Lots of strange choices, internal cables on aluminum, external on carbon, but then internal in the chainstay, 25.4mm seatpost. I don’t see a whole lot of reason to buy compared to anything else.

Jordan P
Jordan P
8 years ago

That mount with the cable running through it is a thing of beauty

Ryan
Ryan
8 years ago

For the internal cable routing, does the external housing run all the way through the inside of the tubing (on the inside)?

badbikemachnicx
badbikemachnicx
8 years ago

Another year another High_mod. This bike is so 2008.

bikeduder
bikeduder
8 years ago

Congrats to Cannondale on making a heavier frame than their previous version…!!!! Whoever let that one go through should be fired – Could Cdale not have reduced the other component weights w/o increasing the frame weight?! What a joke.

goridebikes
goridebikes
8 years ago

Ryan, based on my working on a prototype of caad12 – housing does not run through (consistent with current synapse models) – it stops just inside the frame, although the cable guide has little holes fore/aft that the cable must go through. (Disc housing is meant to run all the way thru on hydro obviously)

Both bikes basically got updated to things that the Synapse got last cycle – BB30-A, 25.4 post…

scott
scott
8 years ago

How light do you want it to be? It’s a few grams heavier. They made it ride even better and more aero. The fork is way lighter too.

anything but a 27.2 seatpost is dumb, but they like very bike manufacture has some stupid aero proprietary post anyway.

external cable routing needs to be saved. kudos for keeping it.

sd
sd
8 years ago

so glad these can run 28! hope more companies follow….

Seraph
Seraph
8 years ago

Good job Cannondale, you made the most technologically advanced boring looking bike ever.

BennyDee
BennyDee
8 years ago

Both bikes look great. They look like bikes after all and not like some farout zoot scoot wind slicer! The evo improvements excite me the most and I think this will be my next bike. I appreciate that the graphics are a bit more understated as well.

Ron Bingham
Ron Bingham
8 years ago

Since when is 27.2 the ONLY seatpost diametre that works? 25.4 has its place in regard to deflection. If you’re just that badass, a replacement post is only a competent Cannondale dealer away. (There are a surprisingly stout amount of them, regardless of what all the pundits on this here internets forum seem to believe.) Having worked at a few, I know how easy getting any of their proprietary parts is. Lastly, a round 25.4 is most definitely not aero (@scott), and that’s fine. More lastly, every new Cannondale aluminium frame has ridden at least a bit better than its predecessor. They wouldn’t let me ride one here in Ogden last week because I am no longer in a Cdale shop, even though I smiled sweetly, but I would venture at least a few bucks that the CAAD 12 is no different in its improvement, however incremental. Most lastly, I am truly disappointed in the internal routing, however elegant some may find it. If external works best for pro mechanics, (and one hopes they know best. . .) it should at least be passable for everyone else. It sure as heck works best for me. Marketing be damned, internal routing is no upgrade.

spctgr
spctgr
8 years ago

@Seraph

I think the new EVO looks amazing, but the external routing does not work for me. I know internal routing is heavier and more time consuming to work on. But it looks so much better.

I don’t buy the race mcechanic reason though. Even the World tour team is running Electronic for the most part. Maybe the smaller teams use mechanical shfting. But to accomodate them, they make a bike that is easier to work on but harder to sell.

Imagine the customer asking: “Why does the CAAD 12 and Synapse have internal routing, but not the EVO?”

Heffe
Heffe
8 years ago

Is internal routing just a marketing trend, or does it offer anything of value?

Chup
Chup
8 years ago

Just give us frames made for wireless SRAM and stop debating (at least the shifting cables).

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

bikeduder – in 30 years bikes will literally float…

actually, there is a point of diminishing gains compared to other properties and +/- 100 grams on a frame is not going to be noticeable except on a scale. But you may notice if that 100 saved came at the expense of ride, durability, handling, aero, or ease of maintenance.

rico
rico
8 years ago

I agree BennyDee, the Evo doesn’t change because the Evo is a sick bike. Let’s see in ten years which bikes look corny – it will be the aero bikes and all these tall, headtube-can-of-Lysol pieces of crap.

that other guy
that other guy
8 years ago

So many useless comments.

-The evo has been completely redesigned, so no, not 2008.

-The frame is a few grams heavier but the fork is WAYYYY lighter

-while 25.4 seems weird, there are WAYYY more options than a full proprietary post and even some good ones (thomson 25.4 can easily be found online). also, there are a lot of shitty bikes with 24.5 so i can absolutely guarantee your LBS has a few kalloy laying around in case of emergency.

– Internal sucks to work on (I’m a mechanic at a shop). but will it stop me from a caad12 given the opportunity? hell no (i currently ride a 10)

anybody who is skeptical about this update probably hasn’t spent much time aboard a caad10 or an evo. Cannonade knocked it out of the park with those two frame designs. They aren’t flashy and they look like real bikes. But they ride absolutely wonderfully. This update has been a long time coming because the predecessors were just that good. since the predecessors have been released a few things have happened: every other manufacturer and their mother has tried to copy the caad10 and failed (trek just barely got around to it) and every company has focused on stupid aero junk. So if you’re criticizing cannondale just think about the fact that the caad12 should be undeniably the best ALU race frame on the market (because the 10 is still better than every response to it) and the evo is an improvement on a bike that didn’t really need improvement, but cannondale broke the market trend and didn’t release some horrid piece of doodoo aero bike like every other company; they released a road bike.

the paint jobs are still mostly crap though.

sspiff
sspiff
8 years ago

That dropout on the caad12 is so effin baller.

Peter
Peter
8 years ago

I don’t know why everyone is getting so bent out of shape about that dropout, Trek have been doing that for years the Madone.

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/2009/07/03/1/trek_madone_green_dropout_600.jpg

anonymous
anonymous
8 years ago

The problem is the EVO does have internal routing, the rear brake, and through the bottom bracket and chainstay, just not the downtube. Is cable routing really that much easier? The difference between 25.4 and 27.2 is less than the difference between 31.6 and 27.2 and at least proprietary aero posts keep the saddle straight and offer some negligible aero benefit.

Matt
Matt
8 years ago

Does the wider bottom bracket mean a wider Q-Factor? To me it just looks like they are making the frames with 73mm bb shells and eliminating the extra spacers you’d normally use on the Non-Drive side spindle i.e. same spindle width as previous iterations.

Can anyone confirm or correct my assumption?

racr2453
racr2453
8 years ago

@Matt, You are correct, same spindle as 68mm frames, different spacers. Q- Factor remains the same

goridebikes
goridebikes
8 years ago

Just for the record – the external DERAILLEUR cable routing on the EVO is PRO. If you don’t like it you don’t get it. It’s lower friction, easier and faster to work on, and no less clean… It’s one thing to object to a Di2 wiring being external, that’s ugly, but 2 thin derailleur cables barely noticeable… Carry on.

Pette
Pette
8 years ago

glad to see that I’ll be able to use up some of those used mtb disc brake adaptors to make my caad12 heavier and uglier. flat mount by shimano is for what? aesthetically it is NOT better than post mount, ahemm no friggin adaptors. who the heck at shimano thinks this is a good idea? oh wait, boss says create a standard so we can sell the 75 sea cans full of disc brake adaptors that are collecting dust! I’ve ridden the 25.4 post on the synapse and yup its pretty cool at what it does.

Crushin-it
Crushin-it
8 years ago

Bikes look great! And the CAAD12 absolutely kills it. Lighter and better performing than some of the carbon competitors, and and a significant value price-wise. That Great.

As for the Ignorant negative comments… There’s some real haters out there. Does the big S have a marketing crew dedicated to web-commentary?

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

The CAAD12 is the news here. Maybe I’m old, but modern Al is at a performance point where I can’t justify carbon. Really hoping this takes 28mm tires comfortably. If so, it may be the replacement for my Cervelo S1. Would like the 28’s for some of the gravel stretches I currently ride.

zippy
zippy
8 years ago

If you’re a regular racer then you most likely get it. These bikes are incredible. Go to a local crit and you’ll see many, many caad10s. Why? because they are the perfect combo of light, stiff yet comfortable…and fast as hell. I run a local race team and nearly all of my racers choose caad10s or evos. I personally scream hurray for cannondale for not jumping on board the stupid aero trend. In the real world, our ride routes are not flat with just a headwind. Our routes wind about, go up and down…if you want something more than wall art, you want a bike that performs well in all conditions. For those who only watch racing on tv, note that the evo wins mountain stages as well as sprints. As for beauty…I personally think they’re stunning…but I also know that this beauty is far more than skin deep.

ludditecyclist
ludditecyclist
8 years ago

who is the caad 12 for? super stuff aggressive geometry but disc brakes so you cant race it. what a crappy trend perpetrated on the cycling manufactures. its bad enough how many endurance geometry bikes are getting discs but now “race” bikes?

Aaron
Aaron
8 years ago

@ludditecyclist I have seen disc road bikes at many USAC events… only at the UCI (read: professional) levels of racing they are banned.

that other guy
that other guy
8 years ago

also, it comes with rim brakes too

pilf
pilf
8 years ago

@luddite – Not only does it come with rim brakes, but many people enjoy riding racing bikes, even if they don’t plan on racing. Just because you have decided not to renew your USAC license, doesn’t mean that you need to go get yourself a comfort bike.

anonymous
anonymous
8 years ago

@goridebikes
Then why make it half internal? How does the cables being inside the downtube even add friction?

@Pette
If the answer wasn’t obvious already, it’s to have the frames ready and in production when flat mount brakes are actually brought to market

@Crushin-it
Those heavy carbon competitors with the 1000g non-aero frames and heavy alloy steerer forks are becoming increasingly rare.

@zippy
Aero has a pronounced effect when going down. Everyone knows the real reason you see CAAD10s instead of carbon bikes at crits.

zippy
zippy
8 years ago

@anonymous
true – but going down usually requires a corresponding going up. advantage c’dale. Plus I don’t think aero is the typical factor in downhill advantage…the limiting factor usually corresponds to ball size. As for crits and caad10s….yep! they are not only very fast but durable too! personally I’ve hit the deck very hard in races and my caad10 always survives where I’ve seen carbon destroyed. cheers!

JC
JC
8 years ago

No mention of non-hi-mod versions of the new evo design? I’ve seen conflicting reports of the previous design carrying on for the lower end, but that could be entirely wrong.

onion
onion
8 years ago

Brass welded to aluminum? Huh?

Fjork
Fjork
8 years ago

I’m glad CDale didn’t jump on the space ship bike bandwagon. All of the new aero bikes dropping have lost the lines that make bikes so visually appealing.

#neoretrogrouch

MartinR
MartinR
8 years ago

Would also be interested in seeing the standard 2016 SS Evo lineup. I think they will have unchanged frame with the external cable routing (which is not bad per se). I assume Cannondale will introduce the new standard SS EVO in 2017.

BillyS
BillyS
8 years ago

@JC
@MartinR

I just ordered the new 2016 Standard SS Evo Ultegra 3. It’s mostly red and black, keeps much of the precious standard paint job, but includes the new spider ring hollowgram chainset. Looks super clean.

I’ll report back when the shop gets it back and built next week.

MartinR
MartinR
8 years ago

@BillyS
I am interested in the same exact model (2016 SS EVO ULTEGRA 3) and would like to see at least high-resolution images of the black edition ( as stated in the dealer catalog, which I have). Could you reveal the price, please?

Johnny
Johnny
8 years ago

In regards to the comments about the looks of this bike, people should remember this is a race bike and is marketed towards racers and not people who prefer gimmicks in their bike design. If you want some funky shaped Pinner or tennis racket impact absorbers in your forks you shouldn’t buy this. This bike is fast and doesn’t apologize for it.

Balleur
Balleur
8 years ago

@zippy
“Plus I don’t think aero is the typical factor in downhill advantage…the limiting factor usually corresponds to ball size.”

Best comment I’ve ever heard. Ever. Chapeau.

Jim
Jim
8 years ago

I own the 2016 SuperSix. I bought it Thursday from an LBS who was at the event in Ogden, Utah and brought back two Dura Ace builds – a 56cm and 58cm. They sold me the 56cm. The SAVE seat post was unavailable at the time the bike was built so I had to “settle” for the ENVE seat post. I also own the 2012 SuperSix, which I loved and thought there was no way it could get better…and in fact the 2016 is better. I just returned from a 90 mile ride with 9,500 feet of climbing. This bike is amazing on climbs. The Hollowgram cranks and Cannondale spider rings are light, responsive and very smooth. The ride quality is stellar – I hit some uneven sections of pavement and the stability and comfort was much better than the 2012. The descents are fast, stable and fun. The chain stays are wide…very wide and easily fit my 303s and 25mm tires. You could easily go to 28mm like Cannondale claims. My only complaint is the cockpit was almost an afterthought. The stock, alloy, Cannondale handlebars and stem are underwhelming. The bars have zero ergonomic value and aren’t really compact for racing. I love this bike!

Ferencz Biro
Ferencz Biro
4 years ago
Reply to  Jim

Hi Jum, How tll you are and what is your inseam? I have to decide between 56 or 58 size…Thanks!

UrUgUay
UrUgUay
8 years ago

CAAD12: Paintjobs and internal routing sucks, but i like it. The frame will be as top-notch as its predecessor. At least it comes with a decent fork, the CAAD10 fork is pretty heavy.

Bryin
Bryin
8 years ago

Every Cdale after CAAD 9 sucks. USA made Cdales were baller, ROC bikes not so much. I don’t know why anyone would buy some stock geometry, ROC made piece of junk when for a bit more (or not…) they could get a fully custom USA made bike.

Dandy
Dandy
8 years ago

Sorry, Bryin, I´d take a ROC frame above a USA made anytime.
The whole world knows that USA has great designers but very poor manufacturers compared to Asia and especially Taiwan and ROC.
Just check the tolerances accepted for american cars and motorcycles with those from Japan or even Europe (which are better than US, but worse than Asia).

Philip
Philip
8 years ago

d*mn, I wanted a Cannondale “Cadel Evan/CAAD 11”

Peter
Peter
8 years ago

Well Dandy,
I still have my Caad 9, great frame. Wouldn’t trade it for a ROC

Drew
Drew
7 years ago

The Chinese made Cannondale frames are not nearly as nice as the USA made frames. There is a video online where a guy in Europe breaks them down side by side and shows everything, weld, finish, tolerances, etc were better on the USA made frames. When you add the slave labor, environmental catastrophe that is China, etc. It is sad to know the truth! A USA Cannondale frame is a work of Art. I got to do a factory tour 3 times. Incredible what they were doing for a very modest price. The USA Caad 8 frame is my favorite! CAAD 9 was a little stiffer and heavier. CAAD 8 was plenty stiff. The new CAAD 8 china bike is very average. No where near the quality. Blasphemy that the Cannondale name is used on such common asian quality.

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