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TECH NEWS
Cannondale CAAD10 Disc launched and Synapse Disc range expanded for 2015
We can exclusively reveal that Cannondale are offering a CAAD10 Disc road bike for 2015. They’ll offer just the one model, built with the new SRAM Rival 22 groupset, and it’s expected to cost £1,799, though the price is yet to be confirmed.
Cannondale are also expanding the Synapse Disc into a range of bikes for 2015. Starting the range off will be an aluminium Synapse costing £950, while a new Synapse Carbon with Shimano’s Ultegra groupset and disc brakes is expected to cost £2,500.
Cannondale followed the launch of the all-new Synapse last April with a couple of disc-equipped versions last August. But now they're properly getting behind disc brakes, this expanding of the range showing a real commitment to discs on the Synapse, which has been a really well recieved bike in the 'endurance' sector.
You can read our Synapse Carbon Ultegra review here, the bike that clinched road.cc's our Sportive Bike of the Year award 2013-14, on which the Synapse Disc is based.
It also follows the other big news today that the new Giant Defy has been redesigned and will only be offered with disc brakes on the carbon version. Disc brakes have arrived.
Back to the CAAD10, and the disc version is one that we’ve been hearing rumours about for a while. The CAAD10 uses an aluminium frame and is well regarded as a high performance road bike with fine handling and impressive smoothness with a price that doesn’t break the bank quite like a carbon bike does. We were certainly impressed when we tested it.
We don't have any details about the new bike yet, it'll be interesting to see how much they've changed to accommodate disc brakes, and if there has been much of a weight penalty.
And as was spotted on Facebook recently, Cannondale confirm they’ll be offering a CAAD10 Track bike in their 2015 range. It’s expected to cost about £1,500, though actual prices will be confirmed soon.
We’ll be visiting Cannondale UK soon to get the full low-down on these new bikes and we’ll bring you the full details then. We’re being told availability of these news bikes is expected towards this autumn. More at www.cannondale.com
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
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18 comments
Like the idea of discs, love the simplicity of rim brakes.
Having struggled fixing seized disc brake calipers on an old Honda CB125 many years ago I developed a phobia of them!
Would be good to see a common standard developed - I'm sure that would help move things along nicely.
These look great. Personally I am all for disc brakes.
The Hi Mod Synapse Disc Vs the Focus Cayo Disc will be a very interesting shoot-out.
Roll on N+1 when Campagnolo roll them out on carbon..
CAAD10 Disc and all the tinselly gruppo/wheelo you could wish? Or Supersix, RS10s and 105?
Hmmm.
Actually... due to my experiences with discs, I'm going to wait until the tech matures a bit. I think they're the answer, but there are not enough road disc wheelsets available yet and I'm hacked off having to fiddle the pad alignment every five minutes. Yes, that's BB5Rs and not SRAM/Shim road hydraulic, but still... at the moment my dream bike remains a Synapse Carbon Ultegra.
Now, when they make Di2 a bit less ugly and anecdotal evidence suggests that hydro discs are pee-easy to adjust, my bank balance is in serious danger.
Well said, especially the aspect of Disc Brake RB maturity.
Most of the DB models from various brands are in Endurance category.
It makes sense because Endurance RB buyers are:
1. Less sensitive to absolute performance, which is usually related to frame/components stiffness and weight.
2. More willing to try something new and make sense to their usage:
-Endurance bikes trend are on the rise, many new techs to make long saddle time more comfortable.
-DB delivers all-weather braking performance (while heavier than Rim Brake).
and more importantly... UCI has yet to approve DB, so manufacturers' focus on Endurance RB with disc brake is making so much sense.
CAAD10 DB is unique in that position. It's a race bike without UCI approval. It's sales will dictate how quick Cannondale would make full fleet of DB RB...
My experience with mtb disc brakes is that they won't get much "better", they will still rub, the pistons will occasionally stick, getting wheels in and out will continue to be a faff.
I would wait to see what standards are adopted re dropouts and caliper mounts.
Oh and NEVER buy Avid!!!!!! even if they rename it Sram it doesn't change anything!
I've spent a lot of time on Shimano's new hydraulic disc brakes, including two days on the new Giant Defy with them last week, and had absolutely no problems with them rubbing. I even stopped to take the wheels out and put them back in, and it took no longer than it would have done with rim brakes
Totally appreciate that, but am I right in thinking that's a demo bike, built and set up by a pro mechanic? Not quite the same as being set up / maintained by a ham-fisted spanner-wielder like me...
Do not fear the hydraulic bicycle disc brake. It has been with us for well over a decade and is easy enough for the home mechanic to maintain with standard tools and a few syringes and bottles to deal with the fluid.
And if certain Fora are to go by, the second most common topic is disc brakes, first being what tyres...
With brand new kit that hasn't accumulated a layer of crap, that hasn't seen a seal get a bit dry, with discs that are new and unworn pads.
As for wheel change, my experience front wheel is not usually an issue, the back wheel though with the chain and rear mech, usually finds the wheel pulled off slightly, then the disc catches behind the part worn pad then it won't go in, or it goes between the pads but is no where near the drop out and then you pull the wheel back and it goes to pot again.
Turn the bike upside down and it is far easier.. but that gets the saddle and hoods covered in crap...
There is still a big gap between the price of a CAAD10 and a comparably specced decent carbon bike from anyone so please compare apples with apples people.
In this range, there is no Supersix EVO disc to compare the bike to so really in the Cannondale range this is a standalone bike. Indeed, most brands are going disc on their sportive bikes so this CAAD10 is unique in that it's a race geo bike with discs.
The CAAD10 frame set costs £799 with the same fork as the Evo, headset and seat clamp and the black anodised finish to keep the weight down so there isn't many carbon frames that compete with that.
On this complete bike with RIVAL 22 with the newly redesigned Sram Hydraulics, this is going to be a fair chunk cheaper than a comparable carbon bike from a decent brand. CAAD10 still has plenty of life left in it.....
Well, that'll make a few people grumble!
(not me though)
I do love my CAAD10 but it's true a large part of the appeal was the substantial saving over a supersix evo, the price appears to be creeping up whilst carbon bikes are getting cheaper, and I imagine most of us are carbon snobs at heart regarless of how many times we're told how good aluminium can be. But I hope aluminium will always have it's place and over time will be regarded more as an interesting alternative to carbon, like steel or titanium are, not just a budget option. Loving the idea of a disc version...
CAAD10 aluminium frame doesn't weigh that much more than a carbon frame though.
I used to have one, and while 3 or 4 years ago its weight was very impressive, it's getting increasingly less competitive with similarly priced carbon as tech inevitably trickles down. As nice as it is, the frame is still 1.2kgs without paint, 1.3-4 with. an extra £200 gets you a 7.3kg ready to ride Cervelo R3 with 105 these days. Sure weight isn't everything, but I know where my money would go.
Equally with the supersix costing roughly the same or not much more now, I just can't see a future for the CAAD10.
The CAAD10 complete bikes have never really been that successful in the UK, that's why there has always been a small amount of models available from the global range but the frame set has always sold really well in the UK and generally gets built up with Dura Ace/Red etc.
For 2015 there is a wider range of CAAD10's coming in to see if these will satisfy people that wants something more than a 105 build
There are always people that will want a high end alloy frame and its good to see some other brands doing them.
CAAD10 disc looks lovely, but that kind of money buys some nice carbon rides these days, not least of all a supersix from Cannondale themselves! I wonder how much longer Cannondale will stay in the premium aluminium market for.