Cannondale CAAD14 review: the alloy race bike enthusiasts have been waiting for – but the price makes it a tough sell

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The Cannondale CAAD14 arrived bearing the weight of significant expectation from fans of the iconic alloy road bike. 

Cannondale’s CAAD bikes have long been regarded as benchmark alloy race machines, with a storied history, and the CAAD14 marks a return to that traditional formula after the more practically minded CAAD13.

The silhouette is cleaner, and the design more classically aggressive with the emphasis back firmly on sharp road-bike handling. Cannondale is also bullish about its positioning through its “not carbon, not sorry” marketing tagline. This hints at a refocus towards the enthusiast n+1 cyclist looking for a ‘quintessential’ alloy race bike experience.  

The frame is exceptional. The handling is addictively fun, the ride quality surprisingly refined (if firm) and it’s a worthy showcase of the engaging potential of alloy road bikes.

The keyword here, though, is potential. This entry-level model’s stock wheels and tyres are disappointing, as is the decision to spec an alloy seatpost. This might have been swallowable but for the expensive price tag, which means the CAAD14 is rendered ‘just’ an enthusiast's plaything, rather than for those dipping their toes into road cycling for the first time, or a cheap option for aspiring racers.

Cannondale CAAD14 3 performance 

The CAAD14 3 presents an awkward value proposition. 

At nearly £3,000 in the UK at the time of publication, the spec is underwhelming. I'm told the price is being reviewed, with the £2,500 mark set to be confirmed soon. However, the basic alloy wheels and Vittoria’s third-tier tyres, plus an alloy seatpost, are difficult to ignore when similarly priced carbon bikes offer better value for money.  

You could instead buy a Canyon Ultimate CF SL 7.0 A.50 for £2,499, which packs in the same Shimano 105 R7100 groupset but carbon wheels, mid-range Schwalbe One tyres, a carbon seatpost and one-piece cockpit. Alternatively, you could opt for a Cube Agree C:62 with a 105 Di2 R7100 groupset and carbon wheels for £2,899. 
 
You could also buy the very good boutique Condor Italia RC aluminium bike from £2,490, and achieve a similar-spec build using its bike builder tool for around £2,750.

This is particularly uncomfortable when considering the general status aluminium holds across the bike industry. Cannondale is using the CAAD14 as a showcase of the material, but it’s a budget option – the value choice many hope to turn to when rising bike prices present a barrier to entry. 

It’s a different story in the US and Europe, where this bike retails for $2,300 / €2,499. That’s a touch more competitive, but remains on a par with equivalently specced carbon bikes.  

It’s important to lay this down from the outset: if you want a good-value entry point to performance road cycling, or perhaps a bike to dabble in racing that you don’t mind getting pranged in a crash because it’s cheap, look elsewhere. The CAAD14 isn’t for you. 

What if value isn’t the be-all and end-all? 

The CAAD14 also doesn’t perform a magic trick of imitating a carbon frameset, nor does it really set out to do so. It’s stiff, responsive and very fun to ride once the wheels and tyres have been upgraded, but it doesn’t manage to smooth the grain of the road effectively. It felt downright solid when I encountered bigger creases and holes. 

However, it is an excellent plaything, if you’re willing to overlook the price and commit to an upgrade journey – a decision made using the heart, rather than the head. 

Cannondale has absolutely nailed the handling, unsurprisingly given the geometry is fundamentally inspired by the Cannondale SuperSix EVO – one of the best-handling bikes I’ve ever ridden.  

It felt direct and reactive without becoming nervous, and offered an unmistakably race-focused experience. The front end is exceptionally precise and, once I’d acclimated to it, inspired confidence. 

My hard efforts revealed impressive stiffness too, generating an energetic reaction in the way many mid-range carbon race bikes manage. 

The fit, which is a little less aggressive than you’ll find on the latest SuperSix EVO, is also a boon for those who want the race-bike experience without pushing the limits of their flexibility.  

The front end deserves particular praise. Cannondale’s Delta steerer enables internal cable routing without creating an oversized head tube, and the steering precision is excellent. On fast descents, the bike tracked accurately. 

On the CAAD14 3 model tested here, the alloy seatpost is a misstep, though – switching to my own Pro carbon seatpost made a tangible positive difference to comfort through the saddle. It’s worth noting you get a carbon seatpost on the other two CAAD14 models, and it feels as though Cannondale could have included one here, too. 

That’s an easy (if annoying) upgrade to make, though. It's harder to overlook the stock wheel and tyre package, which significantly dulled the experience. 

The supplied Vittoria Zaffiro tyres feel mismatched to the potential of the frame.

They are somewhat uncompromising, not supple, and only have a 27 threads-per-inch (TPI) nylon casing. Vittoria uses a 320TPI cotton casing on its raciest all-round tyre, for example.  

While they have a good level of puncture protection on paper and deliver decent enough grip for budget tyres (they can be found for around £15 apiece), this is one of the first things I’d look to upgrade. 

Cannondale’s RD 2.0 alloy wheels also feel sluggish under acceleration. The sense of weight is tangible – and it’s clear they’re not aerodynamically optimised. The effort required to maintain speed is certainly greater than most will like, and I was able to bring about creaking sounds from the spokes under hard efforts in testing.

I swapped in a set a Hunt Carbon 50 Disc wheels, fitted with 32mm Hutchinson Blackbird All-Season tyres, I’ve been testing. The results were stark and unveiled close to the full potential of the CAAD14 – fast, urgent, yet layered with a new refinement to the ride and much better compliance thanks to maxxing out the available clearance. 

But that refinement is reserved for the hobbyists among us – those willing to spend a further £2,000 to £3,000 to get the build they want that meets the frame’s potential.  

I suspect the CAAD14 is now best described as akin to a tuner car – the kind of thing I’ll see riders fitting ultra-high end products to as a pet project, or to form a discussion topic at the coffee stop. It’s for the wannabe influencers, rather than representing a high-value entry point. 

There’s nothing wrong with that, of course – as my colleague Simon von Bromley pointed out when he reflected on his trip to the Traka, there are plenty of people willing to spend their money on expensive bikes and components, and that’s great.  

They might even be tempted to opt for the CAAD14 1 or 2-spec bikes to get them further down that path, but naturally these cost even more, hardly answering the value conundrum. 

Cannondale CAAD14 3 bottom line 

The Cannondale CAAD14 is polarising – on the one hand, it’s a fine expression of what an alloy race bike can do (when the spec’s weaker points have been dealt with). 

The frameset is excellent, delivering sharp handling, lively responses and enough refinement – when supported by premium components – to make it one of the most engaging alloy road bikes around.  

However, the asking price isn’t justified by the spec, particularly in the UK. Heavy wheels, uninspiring tyres and the alloy seatpost hold back the bike’s performance out of the box.

Even so, the CAAD14 will appeal to many because the core chassis is so good. Riders willing to upgrade over time will unlock a hugely capable race bike with real enthusiast appeal. 

Cannondale CAAD14 3 spec

• Frame: CAAD14 SmartForm C1 Premium Alloy  
• Fork: CAAD14 fork with Delta Steerer, carbon 
• Groupset: Shimano 105 R7100 
• Wheelset: Cannondale RD 2.0 Disc (Shimano TC500 hubs)  
• Tyres: Vittoria Zaffiro clincher, 700x28c 
• Handlebar: Vision Trimax Compact alloy handlebar 
• Stem: Cannondale C1 Conceal stem 
• Seatpost: Cannondale 3, alloy 
• Bottom bracket standard: BSA 68mm, threaded  
• Extras: Garmin/Wahoo out-front mount included  

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