Over the years, many young riders have burst onto the pro scene with exciting race performances that promised much. But few have arrived with the extraordinary raw talent of Slovak cyclist Peter Sagan – it’s hard to believe he’s still just 24.
As a rider able to compete on all terrain except the high mountains, he made the Tour de France green jersey his own in his first two attempts, a fact that Cannondale has commemorated this year with the Sagan Limited Edition in an ultra bright green.
- Highs: Limited edition kudos, limitless potential
- Lows: Are you brave enough to wear Sagan’s green jersey aboard this bike?
- Buy If: You can still find one, and are prepared to pay a premium for this very special machine
How many other current riders have a special edition bike? And we’ve been lucky enough to snag one of the custom Supersix machines to test – there are only 100 in the world.
Beneath the green livery lies a Supersix Evo frameset – one of our long-time loves – but here it features Sagan’s name on the seatstays and a 'limited edition' plaque on the top tube. Even the Kenda Kountachs sport Sagan’s name. The SRAM Red 22 groupset and Vision Metron wheels are matching, as are the FSA K-Force bar, stem and seatpost, and it’s all topped off with Sagan’s personal choice – a Fizik Aliante Bull saddle.
We’ve ridden several Supersix Evos, but this one feels special, and very, very conspicuous. Dynamically, the Cannondale balances impressive composure with explosive performance, the frameset unwavering across corrugated road surfaces and soaking up a huge amount of road shock, but always willing to head for the horizon with the merest increase of pressure on the pedals. The Supersix Evo frameset is a superbly capable heart, and differing component builds can imbue it with different qualities.
SRAM’s Red 22 is super light and functionally excellent, the yaw front derailleur permitting every gear combination, although Cannondale fits its own Hollowgram SiSL2 crank with one-piece 53/39-tooth Spidering, bringing feathery lightness and supreme stiffness to the drivetrain. This build has the carbon clincher version of Vision’s Metron 55 wheelset rather than the pro’s preferred tubular choice, but it feels utterly planted and stable regardless of wind strength and direction. The grippy Kenda rubber enables you to fully exploit the Supersix’s peerless handling.
FSA’s K-Force carbon cockpit is rigid enough for aggressive sprinting, as you’d expect, but still ergonomically excellent and does a good job of limiting road buzz. The 27.2mm diameter seatpost also enhances seated comfort, making the Supersix one of the most refined options for epic endurance rides. Where many pro peloton machines are formed with aggressive bulges and angular frame shapes, the Cannondale looks classically svelte, with relatively slim tubes and a near horizontal top tube, but with a top-drawer performance.
And while the price tag is beyond the pockets of most cyclists, it does at least include Elite race cages, a Cannondale Special Edition SciCon AeroComfort 2.0 TSA Travel bike case and limited edition Sagan Cannondale Pro Team jersey.
