Return of the SuperX, Cannondale’s Gravel Rocket

Earlier this year, we shared the news that the SuperX was back. For me, it was a big deal. I get attached to my bikes, and the original SuperX was my first true cyclocross bike. It was fast, stiff, yet floated through choppy terrain, even before tubeless was a thing. The brakes weren’t always the best (not many canti’s were, especially in the wet), but mounting a cable stop at the fork crown versus the top cap went a long way to improve them. It was a fun bike to ride. I eventually sold mine and Cannondale replaced the SuperX with a different name trying to link the bike more to the road product line, but the SuperX name was iconic. And now it is back. It might not be quite the cyclocross ripper that it once was, but as cycling in the US has evolved, so has the bike, and it found a new home in gravel, but still isn’t afraid to mix it up between the tape.

Return of the X

I’m not going to go too deep here, as you can go back and read the original article here. Cannondale finally made the bike I wanted back in my cyclocross days, aero, fast, and made to race. Cross bikes went far too long as just round tubed bikes focusing on handling and comfort, but overlooked the aero gains that could be made, even in short, fast races. With the new SuperX, the bike finally has the aero tube shapes and on the highest level bikes, aero integrated handlebars. While cross isn’t as popular as it once was in a large part of the US, gravel has taken over, and that is where the SuperX shines.

The Details

The SuperX is a blend of a classic cyclocross and modern gravel bike. All the cross bikes I’ve ridden and loved always featured a shorter geometry front and rear for snappy handling and accelerations, like a crit bike for between the tape. Gravel bikes tend to be longer front and rear, for stability and comfort over the long distance. Cannondale kept that longer front for a stable ride, but shortened up the rear, a true mullet. When you push down on the pedals, the bike wants to go, thanks to the short backend. A friend took it for a spin in the parking lot and noticed it straight away, saying “this thing wants to go.” With extending the front end with their OutFront Geometry, the bike feels stable, without sacrificing quick steering. I mainly kept it on road and gravel, but even in tight, twisty offroad sections, the SuperX was nimble, which means it should still do well between the tape.

The SuperX 2 I had on loan was built up with a 12-speed Shimano GRX, with a 48/31 double and 11-34 cassette. It was the first time I’ve been on a 2x gravel set up, and I wasn’t complaining. I love the simplicity of a 1x set up, but sometimes the gear changes can feel like they jump significantly as you get further up the cassette. With 2x, you have a much smaller ratio cassette, so the gears are much closer together, while still offering the range. Maybe the front derailleur isn’t quite dead yet. Shifting was crisp as I’ve come to expect from Shimano, and it never faltered. The GRX hoods are comfortable, and I actually prefer them so much over traditional road levers, I have them on my road bike as well. Braking was smooth, with plenty of modulation and power for control, again, all things I’ve come to expect from Shimano’s various Di2 offerings.

The rest of the build kit was up to par for the bike, which is unique, as there is usually something that feels a little under-spec’d to hit a price point. Cannondale uses their own D-shaped seat post and stem. The post is pretty straight forward with a flex zone at the top for comfort, but the stem had a few tricks up it’s sleeve. The C1 Conceal Stem can run lines fully internal or semi-internally. It’s not a true proprietary set up, meaning you can use other stems, but the C1 Conceal does work really well with Cannondale’s frames as a system. There is a port you can route hoses from inside of the stem to the headset, or a compartment under the stem to keep the hoses in place and guide them into the headset. At the back of the stem, there is a cover that hides what looks more like a traditional two bolt stem, giving it a smooth, integrated look. All hydraulic lines and electronic cables or mechanical shift cables run internally through the headset, utilizing the Delta steerer. This makes the SuperX 2 compatible with their high end SystemBar R-One one piece bar/stem combo that you’ll find on the Lab71 and 1 level bikes. The Delta steerer is triangular in shape, allowing cables to move along the stem in the voids versus a round steerer. There is a special wedge that you need to use to compress the front end with the top cap, but the entire design is well thought out when it comes to internal routing.

For the wheels, Cannondale sources the Reserve 40|44 GR wheelset with Vittoria Terreno T50, 700x40c tires, set up tubeless. For most, this will be a great wheelset and the tires perform well. The 40|44 GR wheelset uses two different rims for each wheel. The front is 40mm tall, 36mm wide external and 27.4mm wide internal, and the rear is 44mm tall and 34.4mm wide externally and 27mm wide internally. They are stiff, track well, and accelerate quickly. They do a great job balancing weight (claimed 1454g) while adding some aero benefits. Personally, I would love a deeper wheel, something that we are seeing more and more of in gravel where riders are hitting faster speeds on long, flat, fast sections on increasingly more aerodynamic set ups. I didn’t have a chance to ride it, but tell me it doesn’t look good with a set of Flo Cycling G700’s mounted up?

I try not to criticize tires much, because they are probably the first thing that most people will swap out, especially for gravel when there are specific options for various conditions. The Terreno T50 are a good all-around option though, and will cover you for most conditions.

On The Road/Dirt

While looking at bikes is fun, we ride them, so let’s get into that. For the last few years, my gravel bike was a Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie, a die hard cyclocross bike that is a nimble ripper on gravel. The SuperX had big shoes to fill for snappy acceleration and handling responsiveness, and those shoes fit just fine, thanks to the short rear stays and OutFront Geometry. From the first pedal stroke, the SuperX was happy to be on the road and wanted to go. This is not a bike that is made for loading up with big bags and enjoying a leisurely bike packing trip. With no mounts, other than a hidden top tube and your bottle cages, it doesn’t accept fenders or racks. Just strap on your small frame packs and a top tube bag, and bring on the speed.

As I got out onto the road and started ticking the miles down, the SuperX accelerated quickly from corners, but also felt very composed. The OutFront Geometry does a good job of balancing the bike to give it the feel that you want on gravel, without feeling like you are riding a really long wheelbase frame. And as things began to get rough, the comfort from the layup, frame design (D-shaped post and seat tube flex zone, etc), and the tubeless wheel set up became apparent. It might not have been as smooth as a Topstone or Slate with their dedicated suspension systems, but they are not the race focused bike that the SuperX is.

With most test bikes, it’s always a struggle to get the bikes set up to my personal fit, but you do the best you can. With that in mind, the stock build was great as it is. The Cannondale stem and Vision bar worked well, and even the stock saddle and bar tape were comfortable enough that I would probably ride both until they needed replaced. I would have worked with my dealer to swap to a longer stem, narrower bars, maybe a 0 set back post, but that is all personal fit related. I do hope that brands will consider going with narrower bars in the future, not just because of the narrow is aero trend, but also from a fit perspective.

Cannondale did a great job with small, integrated features that just work. The front wheel came with a speed sensor attached. The computer mount integrates into the stem. The top tube bag mount is flush when you are not using it. Even the internal routing works well, making the SuperX a great candidate for Zeno’s Q-Connector hydraulic connectors. It is well thought out bike that is ready to race right from the dealer.

Conclusion

The SuperX has evolved, but so has cycling in the years that it was away. Cross might not be dead globally, it isn’t where it was in the US during the original SuperX’s heyday. The US has moved on to gravel, and Cannondale was able to blend the SuperX’s racing heritage with a modern gravel bike. At $7,499, it’s not cheap, but you get a lot of bike with very few upgrades needed. The $16,499 LAB71 is the best of the best, with a top series carbon frame, top of the line components, and is targeted at the highest level racer. The $8,799 1 adds some upgrades over the 2 with an integrated bar and a SRAM Force XPLR AXS 13 drivetrain, but shares the same frame as the 2 and 3. The 3 brings the price down to $4,599, but drops the Di2 drivetrain to mechanical GRX 12 speed and makes some other concessions to hit the price point. You can also choose your own adventure with the LAB71 frameset, allowing you to build your dream gravel racer.

The SuperX is back, and this time, it’s looking to take on the gravel scene. It begs to go fast, but isn’t twitchy and won’t beat you up over the long haul. Thoughtful design keeps it balanced, with plenty of small details to make it a great bike. With different price points, it makes a great race bike whether you are just starting out or a seasoned professional. I’ll always miss my original SuperX, but the new gravel focused X is the bike I’ve been waiting for from Cannondale.

www.cannondale.com