Based on the Cannondale SuperSix Evo platform, the new Evo CX and Evo SE offer wider tyre clearance and build kits tailored to excel on dirt
(Image credit: Cannondale)
Cannondale has today announced two new additions to the ever-increasing popularity and competition in off-road cycling with the SuperSix Evo SE and SuperSix Evo CX. The two models are a direct response to what riders have been asking for and subsequently cater to specific uses. The Evo SE is poised to do battle in the best gravel bike segment while the Evo CX is designed for cyclo-cross racing.
In 2019 Cannondale's all-around road race bike, the SuperSix Evo, got an update that brought modern aerodynamics to the lightweight racer. The Evo CX and Evo SE not only take advantage of those aerodynamic design cues but also use the same geometry as the road-going bike. In many ways, the two new bikes are essentially SuperSix Evos with clearance for tyres up to 45mm.
The SuperSix Evo SE is made for grass crits, mud ruts, or open gravel tracks(Image credit: Cannondale)
It starts with a 12-speed SRAM Rival eTap AXS in a 2x configuration...(Image credit: Cannondale)
... while the chainset uses 46/33T chainrings and a 10-36T cassette(Image credit: Cannondale)
The EVO CX, as its name suggests, is designed for cyco-cross racing(Image credit: Cannondale)
The crankset is a Cannondale Hollowgram 40T...(Image credit: Cannondale)
... paired with a long-cage rear derailleur and an 11-36T cassette(Image credit: Cannondale)
With that focus on cyclo-cross racing, the Evo CX gets a specific build kit. The groupset comes from SRAM in the form of a Force 11-speed mechanical 1x system. The crankset is a Cannondale Hollowgram 40T paired with a long-cage rear derailleur and an 11-36T cassette. The hydraulic-disc brakes are 160mm at the front and 140mm at the rear with a centrelock interface mated to Formula CL-712 and Formula RXC-400 hubs. The rims for the Evo CX are the aluminium R470 from DT Swiss with a 23mm profile and an internal width of 20mm, wrapped in 33c tubeless-ready Vittoria Terreno Mix TNT. Pricing for this bike comes in at $4,000 / £3,800.
The Evo SE is focused around the rough and tumble of grass crits, mud ruts, or open gravel tracks that come with gravel racing. It shares the same frame as the Evo CX but differs in terms of build. The Evo SE starts with a 12-speed SRAM Rival eTap AXS in a 2x configuration, while the chainset uses 46/33T chainrings and a 10-36T cassette. The other big difference in the gravel-specific offering is the use of the DT Swiss CR-1600 Spline wheel with a 25-spoke configuration. The wheels come shod in Vittoria Terreno Dry TNT 40mm, tubeless-ready tyres. Pricing for the SuperSix Evo SE is pegged at $5,000 / £4,600.
Along with the frame and fork, both the Evo SE and the Evo CX have other similarities. In each case, the build includes the same 6061 alloy Cannondale 2 handlebar and Fizik Aliante R5 saddle. Available frame sizing spans 46, 51, 54, 56, and 58cm. In terms of colourways, the Evo SE can be optioned in Cool Mint or Meteor Grey while the Evo CX is only available in a Purple Haze option.
By using the same road-inspired frame as the SuperSix Evo, the two bikes pictured here are versatile in function and can triple up for use across gravel, cyclo-cross and tarmac riding - perhaps even the odd road race.
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Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes.
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 140 lb.
Rides: Salsa Warbird, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx
