Cannondale SuperSix EVO SE gravel bike in review

With the Cannondale SuperSix EVO SE, the American brand are expanding their model range with a second gravel bike designed for fast rides on hard-packed gravel. This group test with 18 of the best gravel bikes of the year looks at how the concept works with its electronic 2x groupset.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best gravel bike 2022 – 19 models on test

Last year, the pros of Team EF Education-EasyPost had to use modified SuperSix EVO Hi-Mods (read review here) for some gravel races. Cannondale have remedied the situation and launched a bike that looks like a road racer and, with the same performance focus, is optimised for gravel and cyclocross use. Like the SuperSix EVO CX, the bike is UCI-legal and ready for cyclocross races, though we had the SuperSix EVO SE with its wider tires in our test. For both models, the secret sauce is in the geometry: with a slack 70° head angle and the correspondingly large distance between the bottom bracket and the front axle, as well as the short chainstays, the bike should produce handling that combines stability and agility in the best possible way.

For the drivetrain, the Cannondale SuperSix EVO SE relies on a 2x SRAM Rival eTap AXS groupset – the cheapest electronic in the SRAM portfolio. Although it keeps the price point of the bike within limits at € 4,999, it is also slower and feels less snappy than its Force and RED-level counterparts. The 46/33 t chainrings and 10–36 t cassette are also more reminiscent of a road bike. At high speeds, you can happily pedal along and appreciate the small steps in the gears. However, on steep ramps, you may end up running out of steam. A larger gear range and easier gearing even at the expense of the small gear steps, would be more desirable to allow riders of all fitness levels to cover even more terrain.

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The drivetrain and cockpit are more suited to a pure road bike – Cannondale, improvements are possible here!

Size	46	51	54	56	58
Seat tube	449 mm	488 mm	524 mm	546 mm	566 mm
Top tube	507 mm	524 mm	537 mm	555 mm	568 mm
Head tube	93 mm	110 mm	132 mm	153 mm	175 mm
Head angle	70.0°	71.0°	71.0°	71.0°	71.0°
Seat angle	73.9°	73.1°	73.1°	72.7°	72.7°
Chainstays	422 mm	422 mm	422 mm	422 mm	422 mm
BB Drop	70 mm	70 mm	69 mm	69 mm	68 mm
Wheelbase	1,002 mm	1,005 mm	1,020 mm	1,034 mm	1,048 mm
Reach	365 mm	371 mm	378 mm	385 mm	392 mm
Stack	515 mm	535 mm	555 mm	575 mm	595 mm

Also desirable: a slightly wider handlebar with flare. The Cannondale 2 aluminium handlebar with its 420 mm width and 0° flare is more suited to road applications and feels mismatched to the bike’s intentions. The same applies to the DT Swiss CR 1600 Spline wheels which, with their 22 mm inner width, are a little too narrow for modern gravel. As a result, the 700 x 38C Vittoria Terreno Dry Tubeless Ready Graphene 2.0 tires inflate somewhat like balloons. Nonetheless, the tires measured 41 mm wide and convince even on loose ground thanks to their cornering grip and low rolling resistance on hardpack. It’s not for nothing that this tire was the winner in our last gravel tire group test (read the review here).

But to enjoy the bike’s good efficiency, you first have to get it up to speed, which doesn’t happen quite as easily as on the best bikes in the test. You can clearly feel the bike’s 8.72 kg weight and the increased rotational mass of the aluminium wheels. This also has an effect on steep climbs, where a lot of power is needed to keep the bike moving at a low cadence. However, when going downhill or over the flats, the SuperSix EVO SE shows its efficiency and you can keep on pushing along at high speed thanks to the heavy gears.

Tuning tips: carbon gravel wheels with more inner width | wider handlebar with flare

You can reliably come to a stop with the SRAM Rival eTap AXS HRD brakes, which come with 160 mm rotors front and rear. Only on very loose ground do the tires lack a bit of braking grip and thus traction. When it comes to the geometry, Cannondale’s approach works out perfectly, because the SuperSix EVO SE convinces with intuitive and very balanced handling that doesn’t overwhelm any rider. The focus is on stable handling and a smooth ride. Nevertheless, agility isn’t sacrificed and sporty changes of direction are also easy. This means that the bike is more likely to be found on wide gravel highways with long, open curves and moderate climbs than on winding trails with many metres of ascending. The gear ratio is sufficient for this. In terms of comfort, the Cannondale is solid: the riding position is compact and centrally integrated with the bike, while the SRAM Rival levers fit nicely in the hand. The frame and the Vittoria tyres dampen vibrations and small impacts well, but larger impacts are clearly noticeable. This is where the aluminium components of the cockpit and the wheels reach their limits. With a little carbon tuning, the comfort could be considerably improved.

Cannondale SuperSix EVO SE conclusion

Cannondale’s SuperSix EVO SE is a well-executed concept and a sensible addition to the gravel portfolio. Above all, the frameset with its balanced handling, decent tire clearances and hot looks convinces as a very good foundation for all-round use on gravel. However, the components used unnecessarily limit the bike and prevent a podium finish. We hope for further, higher-quality and more gravel specific builds with which the bike could have a real say in the fight for victory.

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You can find out more about at cannondale.com

The testfield

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best gravel bike 2022 – 19 models on test

All bikes on review: 3T Exploro Ultra (Click for review) | BMC URS LT ONE (Click for review) | Cannondale SuperSix EVO SE | Canyon Grizl CF SLX 8 eTap Suspension (Click for review) | Cervélo Áspero GRX Di2 (Click for review) | CUBE Nuroad C:62 SLT (Click for review) | Curve Kevin of Steel III (Click for review) | Falkenjagd Aristos R (Click for review) | Felt Breed 20 (Click for review) | FOCUS ATLAS 6.8 (Click for review) | GIANT Revolt Advanced 0 (Click for review) | OPEN WI.DE. (Click for review) | Ridley Kanzo Fast (Click for review) | ROSE BACKROAD EKAR LTD (Click for review) | SCOTT Addict Gravel Tuned (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Crux (Click for review) | Stelbel Nina XCr (Click for review) | Storck GRIX.2 Platinum (Click for review) | Wilier Rave SLR (Click for review)

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Words: Photos: Benjamin Topf, Peter Walker