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TDU 2017 Tech: TJ Slagter’s Cannondale-Drapac SuperSix EVO

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For the 2017 season, the American Cannondale-Drapac team is utilizing disc brake technology on their training bikes. The team is scheduled to debut disc brakes on their race bikes at the 2017 Ruta Del Sol, but for much of the season, the team will be riding the rim brake version of the Cannondale SuperSix EVO. This rim brake variant of the team’s race bike is assigned to TJ (Tom-Jelte) Slagter. TJ has some good history at the Tour Down Under – he won the 2013 edition of the race – and has gone onto win stages at races such as Paris-Nice and the Tour of Alberta.

Click through for more of TJ’s Cannondale SuperSix EVO…TJ Slagter is classified as a Puncheur / Climber and hails from the Netherlands. He began his professional career in 2011 with Rabobank, and signed with Garmin-Sharp in 2014. He remains with the team to this day, despite the underlying management company changing presenting sponsors.

Cannondale call the new EVO the “best all round racing bike ever made thanks to its perfect balance of everything it takes to go fast”. In line with many other manufacturers, Cannondale route the rear brake and electronic Di2 derailleur cable into the head tube.

TJ rides the second smallest size Cannondale make for the SuperSix EVO. The size 48 measures 51cm center to center on the top tube, and 48.7cm for the seat tube. Cannondale design the SuperSix EVO frame, fork and components such as the crankset as a system – they claim this helps to save hundreds of grams over competing designs.

FSA (Full Speed Ahead) supply cockpit components to the team – handlebars, stem and seatposts.

TJ chooses an FSA SL-K compact drop carbon fiber handlebar in 40cm – carbon bars are a less than common choice in the pro peloton. Garmin supply the team’s computers and mounts.

Slammed FSA stem, but with a spacer on top, leaves a little wiggle room to raise the stem. Shimano’s Di2 Junction-A box is slung beneath the FSA OS99 stem. This stem is factory fitted with titanium bolts.

Cannondale’s own SISL BB30 crank is fitted to all of the team’s bikes and SRM supply the team’s power measurement technology. The big chainring is marked as a 53 / 46 matched set, just like Paddy Bevin’s training bike we featured earlier. And just like Paddy’s bike, the small chainring has 38 teeth.

All of the team’s race bikes feature Shimano Di2 9070 Di2 electronic rear derailleurs, but are fitted with the Ceramic Speed OSPW (Oversized Pulley Wheel System).

The 17-tooth aluminium pulley wheels reside in a specially designed polyamide and carbon cage.

Ceramic Speed claims the OSPW System optimizes the overall efficiency of one’s drivetrain due to the extremely low friction of the Ceramic Speed bearings and the unique design of their system.

Ceramic Speed states the OSPW System for Shimano can handle a 28 tooth cog on most bikes. Pictured above is an 11-28 Dura-Ace 11-speed cassette.

The team’s SuperSix EVO bikes rely on the braking power of the 9000 series Dura-Ace brake calipers.

Mavic supplies the team with their 40mm deep, Mavic Cosmic Ultimate carbon tubular wheelset. The tires on TJ’s bike were not branded, but other team bikes were shod with Mavic Yksion Pro Griplink tubular tires.

Quite the pile of Mavic wheels.

Cannondale specifies a 25.4mm seatpost for the 2017 SuperSix EVO – 25.4mm was a common size during the days of steel racing bikes, but Cannondale believes their 25.4mm SAVE seatpost delivers up to 36% more deflection at the saddle versus similar 27.2mm seatposts – good for comfort. We assume this trait applies to the 25.4mm FSA K-Force seatpost as well.

TJ’s saddle of choice is the Fizik Aliante.

Tacx supplies the team’s custom colored bottle cages.

Cannondale Bikes


Article and photos by Gravel Cyclist. Jayson O’Mahoney is the Gravel Cyclist: A website about the Gravel Cycling Experience.

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19 Comments
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rxpt
rxpt
7 years ago

Any saddle tip to center of handlebar measurement data? and saddle to handlebar drop?

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
7 years ago
Reply to  rxpt

No, because isn’t set up for you. Unless you’re TJ’s stunt double.

rxpt
rxpt
7 years ago

Hmm. Maybe no measurements were taken.

Mike
Mike
7 years ago

I say this as a long-time owner of Cannondale bikes (I have owned at least one since the CAAD4, and currently have 5): Cannondale/Dorel, please for the love of god simplify your graphic design and class up your frames. Not every model every year needs a new stripy paint job. The Taiwan design aesthetic (MOAR STRIPES!) is just terrible. You’re not designing the Chinese rhythmic gymnastic team’s leotards.

Here’s what you do: and I know you’re owned by some asian conglomerate now, but please hire some hipsters from RISD, and find out what they think would be a good bike design. Then fire them. Next, go find a pantone catalog. There’s lots of green options. Go paint your frame green. Any green. Just green. Four, and no more than four, “cannondale” name decals plus head badge are allowed. You’re welcome.

That said, if this is all just a strategy to make me buy more black inc bikes, then good work.

/rantoff

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
7 years ago
Reply to  Mike

(deleted)

Mike
Mike
7 years ago

Honestly, if Honda threw the typical bike paint job on your Accord, would you think: “yeah, it’s totally acceptable that my ride looks like it has NASCAR livery?” Why doesn’t everyone just repaint their car? It’s only like $800, right?

Mike
Mike
7 years ago

BTW, I’m mostly just being salty to be salty because I need my coffee, but c’mon, you think this bike design looks good?

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
7 years ago
Reply to  Mike

No, I don’t. But I have my bikes repainted instead of complaining about stock colorways on the internet.

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
7 years ago

You can’t post what you posted and not expect a snarky response. ‘Ooooo, the color!’ Well, so what. Then do something about it instead of being a fashion critic. Seems you have a stable of them. All those S6 and even CAAD frames are well worth the trouble of a repaint.

tako
tako
7 years ago

re-painting a bike properly is not cheap.

TheKaiser
TheKaiser
7 years ago
Reply to  Mike

“Hire them, find out what they think, then fire them”…Too funny! Seriously though, isn’t Dorel a Canadian conglomerate, not an Asian one?

Loki
Loki
7 years ago
Reply to  TheKaiser

Yes, Canadian, traded on the Toronto stock exchange. Checkout tab on INRNG website called Who Makes What? , some interesting owners etc.

Bikemark
Bikemark
7 years ago
Reply to  Mike

They make Specialized look classy. Actually, Specialized has been killing it for awhile with its paint schemes… except for the occasional Tarmac with dayglo orange and yellow highlights. The paint on the special edition Allez DSWs, in particular, looks amazing.

Mike
Mike
7 years ago
Reply to  Bikemark

Agreed on the Allez DSWs. Considered buying the orange/gold and red one.

Ben
Ben
7 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Why change when you keep buying em?!

Mike
Mike
7 years ago
Reply to  Ben

That’s fair. At this point I’m more of a “in spite of” not “because of” type of buyer. Moving towards not.

fhfr436
fhfr436
7 years ago

So, they’re not actually using disc brakes, but rather “utilizing disc brake technology?”

Stendhal
7 years ago

I’m sorry Cannondale, it does not have “everything needed to go fast.” It would go faster with a motor.

Mick
Mick
7 years ago

The 3-5mm spacer on top of the stem is not for height adjustment but due to installation instructions (recommended installation has the steerer cut 2mm proud of the stem top)

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