Sneak peek! New Cannondale SuperSix Evo breaks cover – best pictures yet

An update to the UCI’s List of Approved Models of Framesets has removed any doubts that a new Cannondale SuperSix Evo is on the way. We now know that three models have been approved for racing in UCI events: the SuperSix Evo 4, the SuperSix Evo 4 SL, and the SuperSix 4 Hi-Mod.

Let’s be honest, we all already knew that an update is coming because we’ve seen pictures of EF Education-EasyPost team on the new bike over the past couple of weeks, including in the Tour Down Under, but the UCI’s list confirms it and tells us that there will be three levels (the Canyon Speedmax Track CFR has been added to the list too, but let’s not get into that here).

When a brand wants a new frameset approved, it sends the drawings over to the UCI which then checks that the design conforms with the rules (the finished frameset isn’t sent in; these aren’t safety checks).

> Is this the new Cannondale SuperSix Evo 4? Pro riders spotted on mysterious new road racing machine 

As you can see, the three Cannondale SuperSix models were approved way back in October 2021. The company can request that the details are kept off the UCI’s list until the official launch date.

How come they’ve been made public now, before any launch? We don’t know for certain but when this has happened before it has been because of a delay in the launch. Perhaps Cannondale planned to have officially unveiled the bike by now, but there has been a hold-up and no one has updated the admin. That’s speculation. Perhaps Cannondale just wanted to keep it under the radar until the start of the Tour Down Under. Now that's underway, fill yer boots.

Whatever, the third-generation Cannondale SuperSix Evo was launched in June 2019 so a new version has certainly been due. Top-level road bikes from big brands usually get revamped every three or four years, so we’d have been surprised if a new one didn’t materialise in 2023.

The new Cannondale SuperSix Evo 4 was spotted the social media channels of riders Diego Camargo and Andrey Amador at the end of last year, and Rigoberto Urán has been seen on the new bike since then. 

Now it is being ridden in the Tour Down Under by EF Education-EasyPost (men’s) and EF Education-TIBCO-SVB (women’s) teams.

> Best road bikes 2023 — find your perfect drop bar bike whatever your budget

The new SuperSix Evo looks fairly similar to the existing model at first glance, but you can see that there have been changes at the front end. The fork crown isn’t as integrated into the down tube, for instance, while the fork legs are deeper. That deepening is presumably for extra aerodynamic efficiency.

All pics © Zac WiLLIAMS SWpix.com (t/a Photography Hub Ltd)

There’s another difference in the cockpit area. We’re not certain but it looks like there’s cleaner cable routing from the handlebars into the frame of the new model, and the bars look boxier at the front and slimmer at the stem.

> Read our review of the third-generation Cannondale SuperSix Evo Carbon Disc 105 

Moving backwards, it looks like the SAVE seatstays are now dropped lower than previously. The first couple of versions of the SuperSix Evo didn’t have dropped seatstays, and then Cannondale moved the junction with the seat tube down on version three. Now they’ve gone really, really low.

This will presumably be designed to reduce the bike’s frontal area in order to improve aerodynamics and/or to permit more compliance in the seat tube and therefore allow more movement at the saddle for comfort.

You can also see in these pictures that the seat tube has undergone significant reshaping. The top section is deeper than previously and the seat post that slots in there looks deeper too. Again, this is probably designed to increase aero efficiency.

One other feature to note is the ‘Lab71’ emblazoned on the seat tube. What is Lab71?

Cannondale’s website says, “Since 1971, Cannondale has been peering over the edge of what is possible in bicycle design, performance, and engineering. It's now time to chase beyond it. Welcome to LAB71: Cannondale’s best, done better.” 

Intriguing! If you sign up for more info (of course we did, we’re nosey) you’ll get an email saying that “Great things are coming. Stay tuned”, but no more details than that.

Cannondale has applied to trademark the name LAB71. We’re guessing that it’s the name the brand intends to give to its super-duper high-tech designs, maybe a little like Specialized's S-Works label.

The existing Cannondale SuperSix Evo – the third generation – is available in a standard version and in a more expensive Hi-Mod layup. Cannondale also introduced a limited edition Leichtbau model with a mega-light 750g frame in August 2022.

> Cannondale unveils new SuperSix EVO Leichtbau with a mega-light 750g frame

As mentioned up top, the UCI’s List of Approved Models of Framesets has revealed that the new Cannondale SuperSix will be available in (at least) three tiers. We imagine that the SuperSix Evo 4 and the SuperSix 4 Hi-Mod will be straight swaps for the existing standard and Hi-Mod versions.

Will the SL come in right at the top? That would make sense but we’ll have to wait for the official launch to find out.

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