Comfort road bike test: Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra - Test 2015: Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra

The complex, extremely transversely oval tube profiles and a special seat tube, which is split in two at the bottom and accommodates a super-slim seatpost with a diameter of just 25.4 millimetres at the top, dampen the Synapse exceptionally well. The long head tube allows a relaxed posture. The bike is very stable, and a relatively long wheelbase helps it to run very smoothly and to keep very good directional stability. As far as the equipment is concerned, it has always been a little more expensive to ride a Cannondale. There's nothing wrong with the Ultegra gearing combined with a carbon crank from FSA with a 32 sprocket suitable for mountain riding. However, the wheels and the simple aluminium handlebars are a little meagre in this price range. Future owners should keep an eye on the integrated seatpost clamp, which collects water when it rains.

CONCLUSION Independent, stable ride, well damped. Mountain-friendly gearing, simple wheels, lifetime warranty

Reference/Info www.cannondale.com

Price 2,799 Euro
Weight 7.9 kilos
available in specialised shops

MEASURED DATA

Frame/fork/steering bearing weight 1,152/443/88 grammes
Frame sizes 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61 cm
Seat/steering angle 73,5°/72,5°
Seat/top tube/head tube 510/560/188 mm plus 25 mm headset cap
Wheelbase/caster 1,000/57 mm
Stack/Reach/STR 591/385 mm/1.53

EQUIPMENT

Steering bearing Tange, top 1-1/8, bottom 1-1/4 inch
Brakes/gears Shimano Ultegra 6800
Bottom bracket FSA SL-K Light (50/34 t., BB30)
Wheels/tyres Mavic Aksium/Mavic Aksion 25C
Handlebar/stem Cannondale C3 Aluminium/Cannondale C3
Saddle/post Prologo Kappa Evo/Cannondale C3 (25.4 mm)

*The frame set accounts for 40 per cent and the equipment for 60 per cent of the overall grade. The grades are calculated with all decimal places up to the final grade; however, for the sake of clarity, all grades are given with rounded decimal places.
**Weighed weights.
***Manufacturer's specification, test size bold.
****Stack/Reach: projected vertical/horizontal measurement from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube; STR (Stack to Reach): 1.36 means a very stretched, 1.60 an upright riding position.