New for 2011, Cannondale’s CAAD 10 frame replaces the venerable (since 2007) CAAD 9 at the top of the Bedford, Pennsylvania firm’s Elite Road aluminium range.
Three models will make up the 2011 CAAD 10 range, equipped with and named Dura-Ace, Ultegra and 105 and priced at £2,499.00, £1,899.99 and £1,299.99 respectively.
The machine shown wears Dura-Ace but is finished in anodised black, a colour that will not be available in the UK. Instead, the Dura-Ace version of CAAD 10 will be in Red, with the others in White and Black.
Update: the CAAD 10 Dura-Ace will now be offered in the UK in the black anodised finish only.
The key feature of the new frame is a radical reshaping of the various frame members. The “Power Pyramid”-style conical downtube is no more, replaced by a massively oversized down tube with constant diameter until just short of the head tube, where it flares out to create a lighter, stronger and more rigid joint.
The top tube is squashed towards the rear to create a laterally-ovalised junction with the seat tube and a neat way to integrate the run of the straight seat stays. Ovalised chainstays flex to allow the rear wheel some vertical deflection over road imperfections while reshaped forged rear dropouts ensure the stays are rigidly attached to the wheel.
A new fork with 1 1/4 inch lower bearing and reshaped dropouts completes the specification of what promises to be an exciting prospect whichever groupset it wears.
