The Cannondale Slice has been completely redesigned for 2015, to be ultra light, comfortable and practical. We saw the new Slice at Eurobike earlier this year, but being a tri bike, it’s official unveiling happened at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii last weekend.
The non-UCI legal Slice is designed specifically for the needs of saddle-forward triathletes, with Cannondale and fit partner Guru undertaking analysis of thousands of multi-sporters’ riding positions to inform the new steep seat-angled geometry. There is also a women’s version of the bike (though not available in the UK); its geometry remains the same, but sizes range from 44 to 60cm, so sizing shouldn’t be an issue in any territory.
A large range size and altered geometry should mean an easy fit for all cyclists
Cannondale says the Hi-Mod version of the 2015 Slice is the lightest tri frame on the market, coming it at 1,020g, while also claiming the best stiffness to weight numbers in the category “by a huge margin”.
This weight saving is down to the BallisTec carbon layup and TAP (Truncated Aero Profile) tubes, which have a blunt rear edge, rather than teardrop design for the best combination of aerodynamics a cycling speeds and crosswind handling, which is also aided by the slack head tube angle and a low centre of gravity.
Related: Best 2015 time trial / tri bikes – Eurobike 2014
Comfort is increased by the bike’s new Aero Save micro-suspension system, a combination of the ultra skinny, but solid seat stays (one of the bike’s UCI-illegal elements) AeroPlane chainstays and offset dropout Aero Save fork. Cannondale claims the bike boasts more vertical deflection than most endurance-orientated road bikes, giving a super smooth ride.
Finally, Cannondale is touting the bike as being extremely practical – an essential consideration for globe trotting triathletes. Direct mount brakes and no hidden front brake make adjustment easy and stopping power assured, while the standard stem setup makes stripping down for travel – and rebuilding – simple. The bike also features vertical dropouts, for easy wheel changes, but no adjustment of the rear wheel hugger.
The more compact tube profiles mean better handling in crosswind-dogged courses like Kona
The bike comes in five men’s models and three women’s. The range starts at £1,999.99 / AU$3,299 and tops out at £7,499.99 / AU$TBC. The Hi-Mod version of the frame features on the top two models, while the Hi-Mod fork comes on the top-three models – full specs below.
Cannondale product manager, David Devine, said: “When we set out to create the replacement for the previous Slice, a bike that has won four IM World Championships in the last six years, we knew it would be a challenge, but we also knew that it was an opportunity. With our System Integration approach to bike design, and our expertise in balancing the many competing elements of performance into awesomely balanced bikes, we knew we could bring something to the table that was new, different, and better than what the rest of the industry is doing.
“We looked at the state of triathlon bike design today and realised that everyone has developed tunnel vision. They’ve become obsessed with achieving theoretical wind tunnel aero advantages at the very real expense of everything else. All the other factors that go into making a great performing triathlon bike, things like weight, stiffness, comfort and handling, were being sacrificed on the altar of aerodynamics, to the detriment of real world performance. With the new Slice, we weren’t designing for wind tunnel dummies. We were designing for real triathletes, competing in the real world, so we call this balanced approach to performance RealTri Technology. It’s designed to help real triathletes go faster, stay fresher and ride easier.”
Cannondale Slice 2015 specifications
- Slice 105 – £1,999.99 / AU$3,299 – Shimano 105 derailleurs, direct mount brakes, 11-28T cassette; FSA Gossamer Pro crankset (52-36); Microshift bar-end shifters; Shimano RS11 wheels; Cannondale Ergo Tri saddle
- Slice Ultegra – £2,499.99 / AU$4,299 – Shimano Ultegra 6800 mechanical derailleurs, direct mount brakes, 11-28T cassette; Cannondale Hollowgram SI crankset (52-36); Shimano Dura-Ace shifters; Mavic Aksium S WTS wheels; Fizik Tritone saddle (Fizik Vitesse on women’s version)
- Slice Ultegra Di2 – £3,999.99 / AU$5,799 – Hi-Mod Ballistec carbon fork; Shimano Ultegra Di2 6870 derailleurs, direct mount brakes, 11-28T cassette; Cannondale Hollowgram SI crankset (52-36); Shimano Ultegra Di2 aero shifters; Vision T30 wheels; Fizik Tritone saddle (Fizik Vitesse on women’s version)
- Slice Dura-Ace Di2 – £4,999.99 / AU$8,499 – Hi-Mod Ballistec carbon frame and fork; Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070 derailluers, direct mount brakes; 11-28T Shimano Ultegra 6800 cassette; Cannondale Hollowgram SISL2 (53-39); Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 aero shifters; Mavic Cosmic Elite S WTS wheels; Fizik Tritone saddle
- Slice Black Inc – £7,499.99 / AU$TBC – Hi-Mod Ballistec carbon frame and fork; Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070 derailluers, direct mount brakes, 11-28T cassette; Cannondale Hollowgram SISL2 (53-39); Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 aero shifters; Vision Metron wheels; Fizik Tritone saddle
Check out the new slice in the gallery and don’t forget to check out our other 2015 TT bike previews.