Cannondale Super Six Evo 105 5C (2016) : ChooseMyBicycle.com Expert Review

The frame on the Cannondale Super Six Evo 105 5 C weighs less than 980 grams. This is lighter than it's predecessor. The frame has been built using Cannondale's proprietary 'BallisTec' technology and their unique method of carbon construction. What this process does is that it uses the most advanced carbon material and makes a frame that is high on strength and high on stiffness. You immediately feel the lightweight and stiffer frame aiding you in your ride. They have used 'aerodynamic' features to the frame such as 'TAP (Truncated Aero profile)' tubing, without affecting rider comfort.¾

With Cannondale increasing the stiffness and width of the BB30 bottom bracket, they have managed to increase lateral stiffness to an optimum level that helps you transfer maximum force and power towards the front.

Ergonomically this bicycle is designed for pure performance and road racing. As a rider you are straight away forced to get into a fully crouched position. This year's version has managed to combine race creed performance and handling with a touch of comfort, by using technology and engineering employed on the Cannondale Synapse.

The Cannondale Super Six Evo 105 5 C 2016, Carbon design can be best termed as simple and lethal. The designers at Cannodale have gone with two simple colour options, which are a black with green and silver with black. We would have to admit that we were forced to join a line of critics who felt that Cannondale have underplayed the design a tad bit. The Black and green variant (the one we tested) oozed performance design with it's no nonsense clean lines that covered the beautifully crafted carbon frame. If you are a true road bicycle enthusiast, you will understand the strength in simplicity and a good design. A few changes have been made to reduce the price point, at the cost of design. The internal cabling for the rear brake cable makes way for external cabling.

The gearing on the Super Six Evo 105 5 C does justice to its high performance frame. This bicycle comes with 22 speed gears, which employ the Shimano 105 group set. The front and rear derailleurs come with Shimano 105 5800 units (FD- Braze On 2 Speed, RD —– 11 Speed). These are connected to Shimano 105 ST-5800 shifters. The power delivery and transfer happens at the crank of a bicycle. This is one area where Cannondale have given extra care in employing the ultra light and stiffened 'Hologram and Si' crank set. We found that the gearing was super responsive across the band, and the acceleration was almost immediate. The shifting was spot on and smooth as ever. First time road bikers might want to get used to the half and full tap gear-changing system on the 105s.

The brakes on the Cannondale Super Six Evo 105 5 C are Shimano 105, BR-5800 that is connected to Shimano 105, 5800 STI Levers. With a bicycle that accelerates really quickly and reaches some hair-raising speeds, we felt the braking was just in order. A little more powerful, and it could throw this lightweight roadie into a tizzy, and the rider along with it. This being said, you can expect a bit of screeching while you stop from speed, as the brakes are not over responsive. While on a descent, we got good and accurate feedback that kept the bike stable, and made controlling easy.

There have been some chatter about the wheel set on this road bicycle. The European and American versions came with the Shimano RS11 wheel set that was bulkier and heavier. The version that is sold in the sub-continent comes with Mavic Aksium rims that are a reasonable weight, and known for being durable and a competent all rounder. We must mention the 'Free-hub' technology used on these wheels that made the roll on this bicycle really good. It has been paired with the 700 * 25C Schwalbe Lugano tires, that are a good choice for regular riding. While there are better racing tires on offer at higher price points, the Lugano bodes well for our road conditions and riding purpose. These provided the necessary traction on all surfaces, and were sticky while cornering.

During the entire road test, the one thing that we could not get over was the fact that we were riding a race creed performance road bicycle that was so comfortable. Cannondale's SPEED S.A.V.E micro suspension technology (like the ones used on F1 cars) ensures that there is marginal flex in the frame. This has been optimized to give the rider better rolling speed over bumps, improved cornering and superlative acceleration without affecting the transfer of power. The Cannondale Super Six Evo 105 felt very comfortable on tarmac, cobble stoned roads and dust-laden routes, due to the new Cannondale C3 seat post that has been taken from the Cannondale Synapse (Road endurance bicycle).