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Cannondale LAB71 initiative points the way to a new direction

  • Ron 

Today, Cannondale announced the launch of LAB71, a new, elevated tier of products representing the highest expression of
craftsmanship and the culmination of more than fifty years of cycling innovation, performance, and design. The first release from the initiative is a completely new evolution of their SuperSix EVO road racing bike.

LAB71

Utilizing cutting-edge materials and processes, combined with stunning finishes and a curated selection of the finest components available, LAB71 framesets and complete bikes sit at the pinnacle of cycling performance and are the crown jewels of Cannondale’s product line.

“LAB71 is a natural progression for our company – we never stop pushing for better,” said Henning Schroeder, Senior Vice President of Product Development for Cannondale. “LAB71 is where we let our engineers, designers, and product managers run wild, where they get to build the bikes of their dreams. These bikes are what our athletes and fans dream of riding. We take our fastest, most innovative platforms and refine them with advanced materials, hand-picked components, finishes, and details that reveal layers of beauty from every angle.”

Since 1971, Cannondale has challenged conventions in the name of performance, and consistently found itself at the forefront of cycling innovation as a result. From kickstarting the aluminum revolution in the eighties; through wild, iconic road and mountain bikes; to crazy prototypes; to legendary athletes and teams – Cannondale’s non-stop rule-breaking and game-changing innovations have constantly pushed the industry forward.

LAB71 looks to continue this tradition.

“The LAB71 product capsule is the best of the best of Cannondale,” said Richard Prenderville, Chief Marketing Officer for Cannondale. “Every LAB71 product is premium in every detail and made to deliver best-in-class performance. Our designers and engineers know that every finish line has a new start line. LAB71 is where we see them chasing the impossible and revealing their unbridled passion for development and creativity.”

The all-new SuperSix EVO

“We’ve redesigned the SuperSix EVO to be faster everywhere,” says Sam Ebert, Cannondale Road Bike Product Manager. “When we developed the new SuperSix EVO, we knew it had to be top-of-class when it came to weight and aerodynamics, but even more importantly, it needed to maintain the qualities for which it’s become legend: handling, speed, and an unbelievably smooth ride. The result is a machine with the drag reduction of an aero bike that’s even lighter than its predecessor.”

LAB71 SuperSix EVO

Introduced more than a decade ago, SuperSix EVO has remained a pillar of Cannondale and the pro peloton, consistently representing the pinnacle of road racing innovation. The 2023 SuperSix EVO sets the benchmark for speed and performance
higher than ever before.

For the new LAB71 SuperSix EVO, Cannondale tapped the same team of aerodynamicists and engineers that created the ultra-fast SystemSix aero road bike, and they followed a similar, fully systemized approach to designing the new EVO.

A Bike That Works as a Team

The frameset, seatpost, bars and wheels were all designed in unison. Each is superlative in its own right, but they’re engineered to enhance the performance of the whole when ridden together. Through thousands of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) iterations and weeks of wind tunnel work, the team focused on maximizing the areas with the highest potential for drag reduction, while paring back everything else to deliver full aero-bike performance, without the aero bike weight.

Cannondale’s new Series 0 carbon construction found on the LAB71 SuperSix EVO makes use of cutting-edge materials and processes rarely seen in the bike industry due to their complexity and cost. This advanced fiber and nano-resin composite has exceptional tensile and compressive strength properties, which allow Cannondale engineers to achieve more with less material. The result is a frame that weighs just 770 grams for a fully painted and build-ready size 56cm, while also reducing drag and improving the responsiveness, ride, and handling of the previous generation. With its curated selection of components, the complete the LAB71 SuperSix EVO tips the scales at the UCI minimum at 6.8 kg (14.99 lb).

Furthermore, thanks to refined tube shapes and a fully systemized design, SuperSix EVO saves a full 12 watts of power at 45 km/h (28 mph) over the previous version. The result is a race machine that will run with the pure aero bikes on the flats, and dance with the pure climbing bikes in the mountains. It’s the next evolution of road racing speed.

Integration

As part of their system-integrated approach, Cannondale collaborated with legendary motorsport design firm, MOMODesign, on the SuperSix EVO’s fully-integrated SystemBar R-One carbon handlebar and stem. Using the drag-reducing shapes honed
by Cannondale’s engineers, they brought a new level of ergonomic refinement and style to the cockpit. The all-new Cannondale HollowGram R-50 wheelset was also developed alongside the EVO. The exceptional blend of low weight and aerodynamic efficiency make the HollowGram R-50 wheels ideally suited for the new EVO’s faster-everywhere mission. Even the new Gripper Aero bottles and ReGrip Aero Cages make the new EVO faster by aligning perfectly with the frame shapes, smoothing air flow and reducing drag. The cages will accept any standard round water bottle, as well.

A new Delta steerer tube design delivers fully concealed cable routing, while reducing the headtube frontal area for improved aerodynamics. A threaded BSA bottom bracket shell keeps things familiar and simple, and with the ability to accommodate tires up to 30mm wide (with a full 6mm of clearance on each side), SuperSix EVO is ready to race and train day in and day out.

For those long training days, the new EVO is compatible with Cannondale’s SmartSense, an intelligent system of lights and rear-facing radar that helps riders stay visible and aware of their surroundings, including for approaching vehicles.

The all-new LAB71 SuperSix EVO will be available as a frameset (sizes 44 – 58) and complete bike (sizes 44 – 61). SuperSix EVO Hi-MOD will be available in two models, sizes 48 – 61. It will also be available as a frameset (sizes 44-58) SuperSix EVO Carbon will be available in two models, sizes 44 – 61. The MOMO Design SystemBar R-One will be featured on LAB71 and Hi-MOD 1 models. SuperSix EVO retails for $5,500 – $15,000 USD with framesets starting at $4,500 USD.

LAB71 products will be seen across Cannondale’s high-performance road, gravel, mountain, and e-bike categories, with individual models rolling out March 1, 2023.

For more information on LAB71 and the all-new SuperSix EVO, visit www.cannondale.com. Be sure to join the Cannondale ride on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Tags: aerodynamic, Aerodynamics, aluminum, bars, bike, Bottle, Bottles, Bottom bracket, Cannondale, Cannondale LAB71 SuperSix EVO, carbon, climbing, Components, Construction, cycling, Design, e-bike, efficiency, Handlebar, Innovation, Instagram, LAB71, Materials, mountain, natural, performance, power, Products, racing, road, road racing, speed, training, UCI, water bottle, wheels, Wheelset
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