The all-new Cannondale Synapse shares many of its architectural and design cues with the current SuperSix Evo – and that’s a good thing, as desirability and performance are central to the new bike. Cannondale even views the new Synapse on the same level as the SuperSix Evo, claiming it melds WorldTour-level aerodynamics and stiffness with generous clearance for wider road bike tyres, compliance, and features that appeal to the general rider. These attributes are evident in the aesthetics, geometry, and the way it rides.
The bike pictured here, however, is the range-topping Synapse Lab71 SmartSense, an endurance bike that turns the performance and desirability dial up to 11. At £13,000, it will appeal to the endurance rider looking for the exclusivity the Lab71 moniker brings to the table, but this also places it out of reach for most.
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Construction
Unlike the Lab71 SuperSix Evo, which uses a special Series 0 carbon layup, the Lab71 Synapse is manufactured from Hi-Mod carbon fibre known for its exceptional tensile and compressive strength properties – the result is a sub-1,000g frame. It bears a strong resemblance to the current SuperSix Evo, as evidenced by the narrow head tube, boxy down tube, top tube, and dropped seatstays. There is also some part sharing at play, such as the seatpost, which is used across the SuperX, CAAD13 and SuperSiX Evo Gen 3 platforms. Unlike the previous iteration, SmartSense (comprising an integrated front light, rear light, and rear radar with a battery in the down tube) is now only available on three of the eight models, including the Carbon 2 and Carbon 3 and Lab71 featured here.
The geometry numbers are not too different from the previous-generation Synapse, utilising the same 570mm stack height and 381mm reach, but with a more relaxed head angle of 71.5 degrees, down from 73 degrees. All Synapse models come standard with 32mm tyres, but there’s space at the rear for clearance of up to 42mm and the ability to go as wide as 48mm at the fork.
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
As a top-tier offering, Cannondale hasn’t cut any corners with the build. The bike features SRAM’s Red XPLR AXS 13-speed groupset complete with Quarq power meter. It’s a reliable and smooth-shifting groupset thanks to the UDH-mounted rear derailleur’s ability to shift aggressively under load. As a 1x-specific build, it employs a 44T chainring up front and a…