Cannondale SuperSix Evo Lab71 EF Replica review

The Cannondale SuperSix Evo Lab71 is the American brand's flagship all-round race bike, priced at £12,500 / $14,000 / €14,499.

Until early 2023, the SuperSix Evo topped out at the ‘Hi-Mod’ level and since then the Lab71 has been a rarified beast.

Cannondale has even acknowledged that the Lab71 version of the bike hasn’t been available to the EF-Education EasyPost WorldTour team riders until recently, let alone paying customers who weren’t quick enough to order one.

However, the SuperSix Evo Lab71 was ridden by the team during the 2024 Tour de France, with availability set to rise in the coming months.

The frameset sees the same geometry as its lower-tier sibling bikes, but with an even lighter carbon makeup – saving 70g compared to the Hi-Mod frameset, according to Cannondale.

With this pro team-spec build, the SuperSix Evo Lab71 excels – it blends an aggressive (but sensible) ride position with excellent stiffness, predictable but sharp handling and a real sense of aerodynamic efficiency.

It’s certainly one of the best race bikes in the world today.

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Lab71 EF Replica frameset

The Cannondale SuperSix Evo Lab71 frameset features the platform’s top-spec carbon layup, which it calls Series 0.

The brand claims it saves around 70g versus the Hi-Mod frameset (740g, in an unspecified size), while preserving the same level of stiffness.

Such claims are sure to be music to the ears of pro riders (and those in the market for what could be termed ‘the best of the best’), although aerodynamics surely play a larger role in overall speed and efficiency.

On that front, as I reported when reviewing the SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod 2 for our 2023 Bike of the Year test, the latest SuperSix frame is said to save a rider 12 watts at 45kph (28mph) compared to the previous generation.

The head tube was slimmed down, a change made possible by the brand’s triangular Delta steerer design, which creates room for the brake hoses to pass through the upper headset bearing.

The seat tube was also narrowed, and is complemented by a proprietary 15mm-wide bladed seatpost, which is fixed in place using an internally housed wedge clamp.

This is accessible from the underside of the seat tube-top tube junction to an exposed hex bolt.

Unlike the seatpost, the triangular steerer can be used with standard 1-1/8in stems, enabling the rider to opt for their cockpit of choice (Team EF-Education EasyPost riders can use the Cannondale-Momo cockpit as specced here, or a choice of front ends from FSA and Vision).

The seatstays are dropped to tuck them away from the wind, while, theoretically, aiding compliance, and the tyre clearance is officially 34mm.

That said, with Cannondale claiming the bike can accommodate “30mm wide tyres with over 6mm clearance on either side”, that figure leaves some breathing room.

Cannondale raised eyebrows when it ditched its own PF30A (press-fit) bottom bracket standard, moving to a BSA threaded system. Since then, though, I’ve lost count of how many brands have gone down the threaded route in the name of reliability and easier servicing.

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Lab71 EF Replica geometry

There will be no surprises here to anyone familiar with the third-generation SuperSix’s geometry (or those who have read my fourth-generation SuperSix Hi-Mod review).

On my size-56cm test bike, a 73-degree head tube angle is paired to a slightly steeper 73.3-degree seat tube angle.

The frame’s stack is 575mm, although unlike the SuperSix I tested previously, this bike doesn’t come with 30mm of spacers to raise the front end.

My bike had a single 5mm spacer, but it’s fair to say the Lab71 model is intended to be a race bike through and through, with few concessions. If you’re needing to run extra height at the front, it might be the wrong bike for you (in which case, an endurance bike such as the Synapse would be a better bet).

Nevertheless, compared to Specialized’s S-Works Tarmac SL8 – arguably its key rival in this space – the SuperSix Evo Lab71 is 10mm taller at the front end, and a little slacker at both the head and seat tube, while being 6mm shorter (at 389mm) in terms of reach.

The Tarmac sets something of a standard for all-round race bikes – not least for its winning pedigree – but the SuperSix is slightly more relaxed, on paper.

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Lab71 EF Replica specification

Cannondale sells the SuperSix Lab71 in three flavours (discounting framesets): a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200-equipped bike with Cannondale-branded wheels, a SRAM Red AXS build with Reserve wheels and this pro-team-spec ‘EF Replica’ bike.

The basis of the drivetrain is formed using a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 groupset here, but with an FSA K-Force carbon crankset swapped in, paired to the brand’s Powerbox ‘Team Edition’ spider-based power meter.

The chainrings chosen are 52/36T – Cannondale rightfully recognising that anything larger is a little excessive (or downright hard) for non-professional riders – while the cassette is the 11-30t model.

Up front, the brand specs the one-piece SystemBar R-One handlebar, which was designed in collaboration with motorsport parts brand Momo.

The model specified on a size-56cm bike is 420mm wide (centre-to-centre), with a shape that flares the drops and naturally cants the lever hoods inwards.

Given this, as installed, the hoods measure 39cm across. The stem length is an effective 110mm.

A Prologo Dimension NACK NDR saddle provides the perch to sit on, complete with carbon rails. This is attached to the aforementioned seatpost, which has a cutaway section on the rear side near the top, aimed at improving compliance.

The rolling stock is Team EF-Education EasyPost sponsor-correct: a Vision Metron 60 SL carbon wheelset fitted with 700 x 28c Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR tyres.

The rims are 60mm deep, with a contemporary 21mm-wide internal channel. These have a hooked rim design.

The wheels use Vision’s top-spec PRS hubs, the freehub of which carries a ‘Helical Clutch’ ratchet mechanism designed to reduce friction, with 72 teeth (equating to a five-degree engagement angle).

A small niggle is that an out-front mount isn’t supplied with the bike.

The SuperSix Evo Lab71 EF Replica costs £12,500 / $14,000 / €14,499, which is about on par with what you’d be expected to part with in 2024 for a pro-spec bike.

The Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 costs £12,000 / $14,000 / €14,000, for example, while the BMC Teammachine R 01 Two is £13,999 / $13,999 / €13,999 – a chunk more expensive in the UK.

A Canyon Ultimate CFR Di2 costs £9,499 / $10,499 / €10,099, while a Van Rysel RCR Pro Team Replica bike is priced similarly to the Ultimate.

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Lab71 EF Replica ride impressions

The SuperSix Evo Lab71 is an incredibly well thought-out race bike, and, unsurprisingly, much of what I remarked on when reviewing the SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod last year stands true here.

The handling strikes a very appealing balance of sharpness and reactivity, with the edge taken off by the not-too-extreme geometry. It feels every bit as stiff as it needs to be and is a great foil when attacking a climb (both seated and out of the saddle).

Steering inputs are precise and predictable, and the pro-spec build comes together to create a confidence-inspiring – and downright rapid – ride experience.

While 60mm Vision rims are on the deep side for my personal taste, the wheels feel as though they make what I already knew to be an aerodynamically efficient bike even more so (the Hi-Mod test bike had 50mm-deep wheels).

For racers wanting the fastest ride they can get across a rolling course, I suspect they’re right on the money.

Shallower rims (such as Vision’s 45mm-deep version of the same wheelset) are likely to be slightly quicker on prolonged, steeper climbs, but there’s unlikely to be much in it, judging from my experience here.

They also feel decently stable in the wind, pick up very quickly and give that pro-esque loud buzz when freewheeling.

The only potential quibble I can think of is the 21mm internal channel – with the most progressive top-end wheelsets these days featuring rims as wide as 25mm internally, there’s scope for improvement for those sold on the benefits of running wider rims and tyres.

The ENVE Melee competitor bike arguably benefits from this with the brand’s SES 4.5 wheels, which are ridden by Team TotalEnergies and Tadej Pogaçar’s UAE Team Emirates (albeit the latter fitted to a Colnago V4Rs).

Comfort is relative, but the Supersix Evo Lab71 does just enough to not feel jarring or overly fatiguing when faced with rougher tarmac. If I were a racer pushing the limit on well-treated roads around the world (or just on a well-tarmacked local circuit), I’d be more than happy.

I didn’t sense that the use of a lighter blend of carbon, compared to the Hi-Mod spec frame, has made the bike any less compliant or stiff, either.

When putting the hammer down, the frame felt taut and lively, and accelerated with a verve only slightly outstripped by the very rigid-feeling BMC Teammachine R.

The Momo-designed System R handlebar is very comfortable to grasp and easy to shift grip on, although I’d prefer a slightly narrower model to help get into an aggressive tuck position.

Pro riders, naturally, will have their pick of bar sizes, but that luxury isn’t afforded to paying customers by Cannondale as a matter of policy. If you want to swap it, you’ll need to pay extra for the privilege (or be on very good terms with your dealer).

The default selection of the setback seatpost also has some influence on getting an optimal fit – I found I needed to run the saddle almost as far forward as it could go, so I’d have found it a disappointment to need to shell out more on the zero-setback model (which is reserved for the smallest frames).

This all comes with the caveat that, if the default specification works for you, you needn’t worry too much.

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Lab71 EF Replica bottom line

Although I find it a shame that customers will likely need to shell out more to obtain their perfect handlebar size and seatpost setback (given they’ll have already committed to shelling out top dollar), this is the only notable shortcoming of the SuperSix Lab71.

It feels just about as fast as they come, with a spec list more than fitting for a WorldTour race, let alone a local circuit meet, road race or summer weekend thrash.

The overall ride quality is excellent, and it feels as though it straddles a middle ground between the unfiltered stiffness of the BMC Teammachine R, and the more relaxed and smooth-feeling ENVE Melee it was tested against.

I’d also argue it comes very close to matching more climbing-oriented bikes, such as the Wilier Verticale SLR and Canyon Ultimate CFR, when faced with a significant ascent (albeit the Verticale is something of a specialist in that regard).

A happy compromise of everything a road racing bike should be, then? I think so.