Cannondale CAAD12 105 Review

Cannondale can look back on over thirty years of experience in the aluminium manufacturing sector. That’s all well and good, but what on earth does CAAD actually mean? And how can the new mouse-grey Cannondale CAAD12 105, the cheapest bike in our test, stand up to its pricier competitors?

For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article: The best aluminium road bike you can buy – four bikes under € 2,500 in review

When we asked Cannondale to send us the CAAD12, we actually meant the disc brake version with Shimano 105 spec. But since Cannondale’s focus in the marketing campaign of the CAAD12 was on the rim-brake version, they could only send us one of these bikes – and now we know why.

CAAD stands for Cannondale Advanced Aluminium Design. Under this slogan the American manufacturer combines three decades of experience with state-of-the-art development systems to achieve optimal frame designs. In the case of the Cannondale CAAD12 105 this means: SmartForm, SPEED SAVE, and a Delta seat tube. Much ado about nothing? Not at all! SmartForm describes the hydroforming process used to shape the 6069 aluminium tubeset. The SPEED SAVE concept provides the seat- and chainstays of the CAAD12 with their flat profile – a design that helps increase compliance. The Delta seat tube expands in its lower section and gives the BB30A bottom bracket additional stiffness. None of the tubing of the CAAD12 105 is round. From a distance the bike might look inconspicuous and tidy, but if you take a closer look you’re in for a number of surprises. As the name CAAD12 105 suggests, the CAAD12 is specced with a Shimano 105 groupset combined with Cannondale Si cranks. The bottom bracket spindle has a 30 mm diameter and is designed to improve startup performance. Mavic’s Aksium wheel-tire system includes 25 mm Mavic Yksion tires and a number of Cannondale C3 components to round off the harmonious overall spec.

The Cannondale CAAD12 105 in detail

Drivetrain Shimano 105/ Cannondale SI-Cranks
Wheelset Mavic Yksion WTS
Brakes Shimano 105
Tires Mavic Yksion WTS
Weight 8.22 kg
Price € 1,599

The geometry of the Cannondale CAAD12 105

Once you click into the pedals you’ll forget about all the fancy slogans and technologies of the CAAD12 105. With a weight of 8.22 kg in a size 56 frame, the Cannondale sprints like no other bike in our test field – quite impressive considering that some of its rivals are even lighter than the CAAD12. As far as bottom bracket stiffness goes, the cheaper aluminium model has no reason to hide behind its more expensive carbon cousin. Trust us, as soon as you’ll approach a corner you’ll be looking forward to accelerating out of it!

  This thing kicks better than Cristiano Ronaldo.

While cornering you’ll get hit by a true carving-fever. The CAAD12 105 follows each steering input with clinical precision and sharply translates it into accurate direction changes. Having said that, the CAAD12 requires a skilled hand to control the handlebars in tight corners. If you get too excited, the front end will suddenly dive into the inside of the corner – the handling is razor-sharp and very aggressive. When leaning from one corner into the following one, the sporty riding position shows its perks: the weight distribution feels very balanced and the centre of gravity is pleasantly low. The small grip threshold of the Mavic Yksion tires and your own riding skills will be only limiting factors in the CAAD12’s cornering performance.

In TT mode, the bike feels comfortable and inspires huge amounts of confidence even at high speeds. With its direct character the CAAD12 might not be the smoothest bike in our test – see the Specialized – but its lively character creates a pleasant racing rush. This will cause your dopamine levels to rocket into the sky and your lactate threshold to explode. Once you’re back on Earth, the Shimano 105 brakes will help you with a smooth landing. The CAAD12 shares the same carbon fork with Cannondale’s Evo models, and it strikes a good balance of stiffness and comfort.

You can get all of this at your local Cannondale dealer – and at the very reasonable price of € 1,599. If you’re not too fussed about carbon bling and flash components, the CAAD12 has everything you need! And a very elegant design too!

Conclusions

We found it! The Cannondale CAAD12 is the 2018 chief Aluminati and deserved our coveted Best in Test! Cannondale’s alu-rocket feels like a far more expensive bike — and it does it in every respect. The first-class, razor-sharp handling calls for a skilled rider, but will make all cornering kings and die-hard racers very happy. Top racing performance, elegant looks, great value — what else do you want?

Uphill | Downhill | Sprint

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For more info head to: cannondale.com

For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article: The best aluminium road bike you can buy – four bikes under € 2,500 in review

All bikes in test: Specialized Allez Sprint Comp | Trek Émonda ALR 6 | ROSE XEON RS Ultegra Di2

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Words: Photos: Valentin Rühl