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BIKE TESTS: RBA REVIEW: CANNONDALE SIX CARBON 5
Road Bike Action
February 19, 2010
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THE STORY
The sharp-looking Cannondale Six Carbon 5 sits between the more race-inspired Super-Six and comfort-focused Synapse with a 17-centimeter head tube on our 56-centimeter test bike. Stand this bike next to its much more expensive Super-Six relatives, and you will be surprised at the value versus performance benefits.
THE BIKE
The Six Carbon 5 is part of Cannondale’s Elite Road category and features an all-carbon, 12k woven monocoque frame design with an oversized BB30 bottom bracket and 15-millimeter, hour-glass-shaped seat stays for comfort and performance. The Six Carbon 5 comes equipped with Shimano 105 shifting, Tektro brakes, an FSA Gossamer (compact) crankset, a Control Tech bar and stem, Vittoria Pro Slick 700x23c tires on Shimano RS10 wheels and a Prologo Scratch Pro saddle.
THE RIDE
The Cannondale Six 5 felt good in and out of the saddle. Sprinting felt controlled and smooth. It lacked an explosive, snappy feel, but made up for that with a smooth and consistent ride. Cornering on the Six 5 felt solid and secure. We didn’t detect any unwanted flex, and you could lay it down in a swoopy turn and the Six 5 would maintain both momentum and control. Descending was also fairly smooth without any twitchy feel from the front end. The top tube felt long enough (56-centimeters, exactly) to stretch into a convincing tuck to shed a little wind. Braking power was good, and the Tektro pads worked very well with the Shimano RS10 rims. The Six 5 soaked up bumps with ease and quietness. It has a quick-reacting feel to it, which made it comfortable to handle some fast local rides but not too energetic for a longer and slower Century ride.
PRICE: $2000
WEIGHT: 18.4 pounds (56 cm)
INFO: www.cannondale.com
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