Cannondale’s brand new SuperSix Hi-Mod has already been put to the test by the Liquigas team which it supplies bikes to, with many development miles already logged and its race credentials proved most recently at the Giro d’Italia, where Franco Pellizotti finished third.

From a distance, you might wonder what is actually different. Indeed, on the surface it looks remarkably similar to the current SuperSix, and it is. But look a bit closer and a myriad of changes will become apparent. All the changes have been in the pursuit of a lighter and stiffer frame.

It’s lighter to the tune of 150g, making a 56cm size tip the scales at 900g. But the weight loss, impressive though it is, isn’t the most interesting thing about this new frame. The clever Cannondale designers have managed to make the frame stiffer (most likely to have been a common request from the Liquigas riders), with a claimed 17% increase in the bottom bracket stiffness.

To achieve this boost in stiffness have altered the way the frame is put together and how the tubes are sized. The chainstays have been beefed up, with the driveside stay now up to 54mm tall, a 10% increase. Asymmetric chainstays mean the non-driveside is less tall, saving a bit of weight. Seatstays are supper skinny hourglass shaped affairs which should offer some comfort over the rough stuff. The other big change is how the rear triangle is married to the front triangle: layers of carbon are wrapped over each joint, rather than using the previous lugged approach, which Cannondale claim saves weight.

It’s a monocoque for the front triangle, with uni-directional high-modulus carbon fibre used. To bring about extra stiffness Cannondale have enlarged the head tube junction, it now extends further backwards, creating a bigger contact area for the downtube and top tube. Add in the 1.5in lower bearing race and you’ve got the ingredients for one seriously stiff front end.

Further weight savings have been gained from removing the cosmetic top layer of carbon, employing carbon cable stops and carbon headset cups.

All the changes to the frame have given Cannondale the confidence to claim the SuperSix Hi-Mod is better in the stiffness-to-weight department than the likes of the Cervélo R3, Scott Addict, and Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL2 in their own testing. We’ll endeavor to get a SuperSix on test soon and let you know whether this claim stacks up.

Cannondale will offer the SuperSix in eight sizes (48cm to 63com), with prices ranging from £2,699 to £7,499.

More at www.cannondale.com.