Cannondale aluminium frames have a long history stretching back more than a quarter of a century to a time when steel ruled and aluminium frames were a rarity. Those early Cannondale frames, with their welded joints and steel fork, eventually morphed into the CAAD3 of mid 90’s pro road team Saeco and sprinter Mario Cipollini.
Since then, the CAAD designation has been through numerous iterations, ending up as the CAAD9. Features such as the Power Pyramid down tube, fatter and thinner-walled at the bottom bracket for stiffness and narrower with thicker walls at the head tube for strength and impact resistance; curved hour-glass seat stays and BB30 bottom bracket construction have been proven in previous versions and amount to what must be one of the finest aluminium performance road framesets currently available.
The bike’s specification is based on Shimano’s 6700 Ultegra groupset, the obvious departure being the FSA SL-K Light Compact chainset required to fit the BB30 bottom bracket. Wheels are Fulcrum Racing 7’s and the saddle Fizik’s Pave CX Sport. FAS provides the bars, stem and seatpost while Schwalbe finishes of the spec with Durano clinchers.
A First Ride is on its way; meanwhile, here’s an even more brief initial impression from test rider Andrew Horne: “Smooth, very fast, too fast for me.” Better give it back, then…
Cannondale CAAD9 Ultegra Compact £1,599, sizes 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 63cm; colours Jet Black or Liquigas team
