Why the Hell Did Cannondale Scrap the World’s Fastest Gravel Bike?

To make a faster one, of course. The brand says the all-new SuperX is even better than last year’s record-breaking SuperSix EVO SE.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published February 11, 2025

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Updated February 11, 2025

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Last June, irreverent Australian cyclist Lachlan Morton did something even more newsworthy than riding hundreds of miles of the Tour de France course in Birkenstocks.

He not only won gravel biking’s biggest race, Emporia, Kansas’s own Unbound Gravel, but also he covered the 200 miles in 9:11:47, the fastest time to date.

cannondale superx hero — The SuperX Lab71 sits at the very top of Cannondale’s line — and has the price tag to match.

Even more newsworthy than that? Cannondale is replacing the high-flying bike with which he achieved the feat, the SuperSix EVO SE.

Which means they are either out of their gourds, or its successor, the reimagined, redesigned, just-launched SuperX is even better. The brand itself firmly believes the latter, of course. Here’s why.

Fleet frame

Imbuing intricate carbon construction with flex zones in the seat tube, rear triangle and top tube enables the frame to absorb the shock of rough roads without sacrificing speed-boosting stiffness.

cannondale superx frame only — The ultralight SuperX Lab71 frame can be purchased on its own for $5,500.

It is of course ultralight, too. In the highest-end version, the Lab71 SuperX, engineers employed an advanced fiber and nano-resin composite to sneak the weight under 900 grams (size 56), equivalent to less than two pounds.

Streamlined steering

In addition to the gravel-friendly Outfront steering design, the SuperX boasts a quality also found in many other higher-end Cannondale bikes, the brand’s proprietary Delta Steerer tech.

cannondale superx handlebars — Thought it is optimized for performance, the SuperX Lab71’s cockpit just so happens to look fantastic, too.

The innovative v-shaped steerer tube pairs with Cannondale’s Conceal Stem or on the Lab71 version, the System R-One cockpit, for concealed cable routing that boosts aerodynamics, ensuring you get the most out of every pedal stroke.

Capacious clearance

As industry experts have attested, tire volume can go a long way toward supplanting suspension, without the weight penalty the latter incurs.

cannondale superx tire clearance — Generous clearance for bigger tires means you can beef up to practically single-track levels without a squeeze.

With that in mind, the SuperX has room for some fatties, up to 51mm in front and 48mm in back, with at least 4mm of clearance on each side to keep your wheels spinning freely.

On the other end of the spectrum, it can also accommodate, say, 33c tires if a cyclocross race comes calling.

Dynamic dimensions

While it is hardly exclusive to the SuperX, this bike offers a fantastically inclusive quality Cannondale has been introducing on more and more bikes: Proportional Response.

That means every bike is more attuned to its own size. Different tube profiles and precisely oriented layers of different types and moduli of carbon are specifically introduced to optimize the weight, stiffness and durability of each of the six available sizes (46—61 cm).

cannondale superx proportional response — No matter your size, there’s SuperX frame specifically designed to take you far.

That means everyone, not just the lanky-ass six-footers among us, can ride a bike designed to get the most out of our God-given attributes — and who knows, maybe even help us reach the Unbound finish line.

Availability and pricing

The Cannondale SuperX is available now in three varieties — SuperX 3 ($4,200), SuperX 2 ($6,800) and SuperX Lab71 ($15,000, shown here) — plus a SuperX Lab71 Frameset ($5,500).