Cannondale Synapse: Cyclist 'Best of the Best' Endurance Bike Winner, 2021
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 23. 07. 2024
- The Cannondale Synapse is undeniably one of the most prolific endurance bikes of the modern era and as such came out as overall winner of our 'Best of the Best Endurance Bikes' award, 2021.
In this video we dive into the details and take a look at what makes this bike such a great choice for those long haul rides.
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Just got my Tiagra Synapse after watching this video and several weeks of reading reviews. I absolutely love it. As someone who's new to the sport I'm very happy with my decision. It's super comfy and a great bike for those starting into the sport. The saddle is very comfortable (I do 1hr sessions during the weekends but definitely looking forward to squeeze a couple more sessions during the week) and you're not getting the basic group sets (not a high end group set either). 100% recommend this bike.
Iâm fortunate to have a 2017 Carbon Ultegra disc Synapse and a 2017 Supersix Ultegra disc.
I ride the synapse in winter, the Supersix in summer, but as Iâm ageing...(49 yrs) I didnât want to give up the synapse this spring for the Supersix. I love a Cannondale. After a pro bike fit they both just fit perfect. But the riding differences are noticeable.
I want ride hard and fast on the Supersix no matter what. Itâs a beast that needs to go... but the synapse is super comfy, and you can ride it hard if you want or sit all day on it for the long sportives.
Sooner or later I know Iâll have 2 synapses....but whilst my legs have it the smile I get from the Supersix in the summer is worth it. Iâd love to try the hi-mod versions in either for comparison.
I've had my Synapse since early 2014. I love it and I'm loathed to let it go, despite probably requiring an upgrade. It's light, fast, attractive, with a great set of components. I've got the Ballistec carbon frame with Ultegra groupset.
Even if Cannondale do produce an updated Synapse, because of covid etc, demand will hugely outstrip supply and it will nigh on impossible to get one. Shame.
Good shout though, well deserved winner. Thanks for the video.
Had a 2018 Carbon Synapse. Such a comfortable bike. Gutted it got smashed up when hit by a car. Would definitely have another one. Great review.
I'm on my 2nd Synapse. Absolutely love it - so comfortable. Paint jobs are subtle; grateful that Cannondale doesn't automatically think that women want pink & pastels.
Cannondale is one of my favourite brands and it goes to show with this bike.
Great review gives me good idea to expect from my first real ride on mine thanks for posting!
Nice to see this in the hi-mod variety. Iâm riding same in the Ultegra SE platform and, even at lower spec, is very enjoyable. This is my summer bike with CAADX to slog the winter roads while keeping the fancier stead indoors.
I ride a 2019 Hi-Mod Synapse with Durace Di2. Incredible machine. I decided to test ride the Specialized Aethos that the cycling press is in love with and while that is a very nice machine, I donât find to be that different. In fact they have similar ride feel. Couldnât justify an Aethos for that reason. My LBS tells me that Cannondale is moving to a threaded bottom bracket next year. That may be my next bike although I have over 8,000 miles on my Synapse and have not had any creaking issues.
What a beautiful bike. Never been a fan of brand names plastered in huge letters all over the bike either. Subtlety is underrated.
...k u mean đ
Looks too plain
Agreed. Huge letters are particularly an eyesore with Cannondale because of their terrible choice of font.
Another great video Stu. Any chance you can do a video on bike setup? Pedals, saddle height and fire/aft and where the bars should be? Iâm a novice so donât really have a clue.
I have. 2017 Carbon Synapse with Di2 and disc brakes. I absolutely love it! It
Has been great on Century Rides in Hotter-N-Hell and Big Dam Bridge rides.
Compared the various models but have to say that this gorgeous paint and graphics scheme has swayed me in favor of it ... Hope it's available in the U.S.
I have the 2020 Alloy version...great bike
I have the carbon synapse (ultegra). I have ridden dozens of high end bikes, and this is one of my favorites, of course I'm now pushing 60 yo..
This ad is actually pretty accurate. I have replaced the BB (creaked) and the wheels (creaked, clunked), but now I have a bike I prefer over my custom titanium and carbon rigs..
Im 64. And just ordered a like new 2018 Synapse Hi Mod with the Dura Ace group. Its never too late for trick bikes.
Iâve been searching for a comfortable road bike for ages. Iâve arrived at the âenduranceâ category. Speed is important but being comfortable over that long ride is the main attraction.
Only recently learned about endurance bikes. Great idea.
Having a close look at that bike it resembles my Ridley X-Fire Cyclocross bike to a perfect G. G is for geometry. I have full carbon everything also. Let me say that bike is not comfortable for all day riding.
Roubaix
test ride it if you can. I did that on vacation. Although i love the synapse and the super six evo, it is not the typical "comfort" bike. Some may feel it to be too racy. I love it, but others prefer the domanes and rubaixs.... try ist out.
Own a 2010 Synapse High Mod. Lovely bike
I love my 2019 Synapse Carbon Disc. Was going to comment on the geometry similarity point between it and the Supersix Evo, when the video raised just that point. Super quick handling, just need to reduce some of its weight and itâll be a machine for every occasion.
Can anyone recommend good wheels, for quick country road riding?
Just sold my 2014 Synapse HiMod Ultegra-great bike. Looking at the Bianchi Infinito CV eTap. Your thoughts on this new Synapse VS. the Infinito?
Interesting perspective. I really donât care that much speed. Iâm 54 and comfort and stability are more important than speed. I went with a Trek Domane over the Cannondale.
Just get a cannondale carbon cx frame. Super comfy and relaxed
Thanks. What about the SPECIALIZED ROUBAIX Vs/ CANNONDALE SYNAPSE ? Please.
I have 2 synapses, the base one for winter and the hi mod for best , more than happy and it really is a do it all bike đŽ on another note your left heel kicks out loads ? Is that intentional ? Great video đ
Only issue is the BB30 bracket on the AL model.
Would be nice to ride the South Downs way on that, I doult it's got the feel of my Roberts or usefulness
Synapse it's a great bike from a great brand... Greetings from Greece đ....
Synapse is* a great bike ...
What do you think of the electrified version, the Synapse Neo?
I am new to bicycling and got my own first bicycle synapse 105 Carbon about 3 weeks ago. I rode about 8 hours in the first day. I wish that my ass did not hurt but it really hurt after 8 hours. Hopefully I find a solution for long rides like 10 hours so that I can ride again and again.
The color is amazing.
I thought the idea of an endurance bike was comfort and being able to do longer rides.I agree speed is important but most people would sacrifice a little speed for a comfortable ride IMO.
He pointed out trek domane, which from my research, is one of the most if not the most comfortable âenduranceâ road bike 2021. With its front a rear isospeed technology.
Not to mention that you can't go fast when you're not really comfortable anyway.
Agreed. And just wait till you're in your 60's, like me!
@@einundsiebenziger5488 itâs comfortable for those used to riding in that position.
just ride a synapse, then you know what he means. it is fast and comfortable. The trek feels like a traktor instead.
There are too many race bikes and too many comfort bikes, and too few that hit the sweetspot. I agree with the video that the synapse hits the sweetspot for me.
Although I like the super six evo as well, quite comfy for a road bike.
I don't own any of these, but I rent them on vacations.
My own preference is racy endurance bikes, or comfortable race bikes; i don't like road bikes that are almost gravel bikes.
The stem on that bike is it a -6 or a +6 I do know itâs a Save Hollowgram Systemsave.
Many cyclists who still like to ride fast look to endurance not only for comfort related to smoothing out the bumps, but need also need a more upright geometry (higher stack, shorter reach) due to neck and shoulder strain (with age). While this may be smooth and fast, the geometry is more aggressive than other bikes I am considering like the Defy, new Domane, and Roubaix. It is slightly more aggressive than the Endurace.
Somehow I don't trust an award where the video starts with "paid promotion".
âŠyour are just not familiar with what that exactly means and how common that basically is for the vast majority of product tests and associated awardsâŠ.
I've been accompanied by my loyal old SL3 Roubaix for more than 6 years now. Carbon frame, Zert inserts, 105 10 speed, rim brakes, aluminum wheels. Beautiful bike. A recent terrible accident may have compromised its carbon frame. It's sad but I'm open to a newer endurance bike should the Roub's frame decided to give up. I'm torn between this Synapse and the Domane. Thinking about the new Roubaix, too. Any ideas wouod be much appreciated, guys! Cheers!
Is cannondale the cheaper of the two? I like spezialuzed too but in my country they seem to be really overprized.
Muy bella bicicleta me encanto
How much is it stu, my bicycle got stolen recently and Iâve in looking for a new one for a while, thinking of getting an orbea avant h40 itâs around 1500 euros after some discounts (shimono version )
It's a beauty! The greater slope of the women's version makes it even slightly more beautiful. A shame there's no fork crown headlight mount and rack mounts (and proper mudguard mounts, if it lacks them, too). Also, a 27.2mm seatpost means compatibility with suspension seatposts like the ShockStop. But beautiful it certainly is!
Youâll be glad to know that there are guard/rack mounts, just hidden! đ
@@Rieger81 Thank you. :) Indeed, on that one count I clearly erred.
@@happydogg312 I don't know... My Salsa WarBird is the fastest of my bikes. And it sports a RedShift ShockStop suspension seatpost.
Ive got a 2020 HiMod and I wouldn't swap it for anything
âIncludes paid promotionâ - would love to know if it was the bike youâve been paid to promote?
Or could it be the commercial that ran at the very beginning?
@@cycleoflife565 no i donât think so otherwise every video I watch on CZcams with adds appearing would say the same. I suspect they were paid to promote the bike or some part of it
Geometry is the major improvement. The 73° seat tube angles for all sizes and the small frames are actually for small 5'5" and above people (along with the 73° seat tube the short top tube 51cm). 73° seat tubes add comfort, endurance because you get to use more leg muscle, which means you are faster at the finish. Ladies, strongly consider this (2022) bike, avoid WSD Go test ride it.
I think your starting point is all wrong. Not all of us are after speed. Many of us are older taller heavier than the nimble little things we see on these videos. What we are after is comfort. Not speed. And surely that is the whole reason for endurance bikes.
Couldnât disagree more. I am also âolderâ and need to move from my race bike to something more comfortable, however I still want to keep up with friends (who are all at least 10-20 yrs younger). Therefore, this bike, the Roubaix and the S-Works Roubaix Team are on my shopping list.
I also disagree. road bike is about speed or comfortable speed. but not about pure comfort, thats what other bikes are for. As mentioned in another post, Cannondale hits a sweetspot, at least for me.
I have a 2021 alloy Synapse 105 and it's a great bike, I can imagine how good the carbon frame version is.
Iâm a long time fan of the CANNONDALE Brand, Iâm thinking of purchasing the same bike 2021 Alloy Synapse 105. This will be my 9th Cannondale purchase in a 21 year span. What do you think of the ride quality of your Synapse so far ?
@@dwaynerandolph3565 it's comfortable and i can push on flats, the wheels that come with it are heavy. The bike is very comfortable but is still somewhat nimble. I ride with 30mm tires and will change to 32mm continental grand prix 4 seasons come March. I live in NYC the roads aren't very smooth so the 32mm tires help smooth the ride
@@damionmandy7978 I have one as well. Any recommendations on wheelset upgrade?
@@richardn3865 no i have no idea, i still use the wheels that came in the bike.
i might buy this bike .
I would love to see how the rear end actually flexes on a bumpy road.
Perhaps a high frame video capture
I'll work on this. Nice idea :-)
@@Cyclistmagvideo That would be awesome. So much literature on this Cannondale save technology explaining how they have layered carbon fibers to give flex but.... "Seeing is believing" lol
I'll second that. The very smooth roads shown are a true dream, but often, if you roam afar, the roads get bumpy and the greenways can have scary pavement heaves due to so many shade trees growing alongside. Let's see how 98% of modern 'endurance bikes' handle hitting a 1" pavement heave while going 30MPH. You may then want a bike with a true suspension, perhaps a Roubaix with the 'future shock' system.
Cyclist, where did you even get this model?!?! Itâs not even available on Cannondaleâs website.
That frame originally came with SRAM Red AXS, not Force.
Thereâs a lot of debate as to what defines an âenduranceâ bike.
I agree with this take though. For most weekend riders and non-racers, this is a great blend of speed and comfort.
It's a stupid term since cycling in general is an endurance sport, and the kind of cyclists with the greatest endurance (as in fitness) ride race bikes.
Comfort bike is already a taken term and doesnât fit the bill.
Good~Nice bike
Nice frame. But that proprietary stem/bar combo and the way it's assembled is not only ugly and heavy but also impractical. Just replugging that the rubber cap that hides the two mounting bolt is a hot mess.
I absolutely love my endurance bike but couldn't find any love for the synapse when I tried it. Maybe it simply doesn't fit me bum...
Specs ?
That's a great bike.
If the Synapse has fully internal cable routing then it would look great
I have a Synapse with internal cable routing, they didn't fit a clip properly and the cable wore half the crank spindle away, awful design
How do I believe this? You didn't include my Titanium bike in the test and I'm sure many many more. This is just a paid Ad from Cannondale would be my take away.
I like every about cannondale apart from dreadful bb30 bottom bracket
Surprised u did not rate trek domaine better.
Cannondale hit the G spot
Still agree with this video in 2024.
why is it so loud, 4:30 sounds like a swarm of bees
Looks old and if the tire width is the primary comfort feature, it sounds like one could just get some wider tires for their current bike and have an equal experience
Sheesh 2800 grand for that bike
Beware: Read Cannondaleâs fine print in their Limited Warranty Policy. They may use it against you for their best interest. My $5000.000 carbon fiber frame Jekyll broke after six years of use. Cannondale never made a finding that it was due to use or abuse. A hairline crack formed at a weak point in the frame. The bike was sold to me with a lifetime warranty on the frame. The best offer Cannondale gave me, under their lifetime warranty, was 20% off of retail - yes, that's right 20% off of retail. I fought them on it over a two month period and lost. So, I am now stuck with a 34lb paperweight. Cannondale has what I feel is the worse warranty in the bike business. If you do purchase a Cannondale bike and something goes wrong, know that they probably will not work with you at any level in your best interest. In my opinion, Cannondale does not value you as a customer, they only value your money. This has been my experience.
You had it for 6 years⊠you expect a new free bike?
@@dominicbritt Yes I did! If a manufacture sells a product with a lifetime warranty, I expect them to honor it. It is what I paid for. At any rate, I was willing to pay wholesale for a replacement - for which Cannondale would have made money on their lifetime warranty; however, the best offer they gave was 20% off of retail. You think I was way out of line? If your computer or phone had a lifetime warranty from Apple and it broke due to a manufacturing issue - you would happily except the warranty not to be honored?
Until they change their BB standard I will never buy another cannondale! Freaky, creaky machines!
I have 3 Cannondales - 2 BB30 and 1 PF30. No creaks in six years.
Theyâre fine if theyâre installed properly.
@@dominicbritt can you please teach Cannondale to install them properly from the factory then cause they donât know what theyâre doing. I installed a hambini bb in my Caad12 and a praxis in my CaadX myself. Both now run Shimano cranks. No more creaking!
Nice - but unfortunately these bikes (and similar) are like gold dust at the moment, in the UK anyway, with almost zero stock (thanks to Covid / Brexit ...toxic mix apparently).
:-)
Yea but the colorđ€ą does it come in red black and white?
An endurance bike with a straight blade fork and narrow tires? The rear tire will wear out in 1000 miles, even if using strong tires. The fork is the most important comfort part of the bike, I have never ridden any straight blade that was close to comfort, whether made out of steel, carbon or aluminum. My MOST comfortable bike uses a inexpensive curved rake steel fork. Add to that some tires designed for road at 700x40@65psi now you got an endurance bike. The main frame does next to nothing in comfort, skill of rising out of the saddle while pedaling is where comfort come from. Why today we continue to use narrow tires I don't know. IF all your roads were absolutely perfect with new pavement every couple of years, maybe, a 700x32 would be okay. Comfort bikes are for people who don't spend their rides in a peloton, where wheel/tire weight matters. The most comfortable bike I own today is a $400 mountain bike 7x3 with Schwalbe Marathon 26x2 tires and Vuelta 24 spoke wheels. This bike is converted to road with the lower stance of swapping the original 650b wheels with 26, then adding bar ends with padded tape and aero bars. I still have a road bike, but my conversion has many more hand positions (some without weight on the hands) and smooth rolling tires for anything less than perfect road surface, it is far superior to the road bike. Aluminum frame with a lockout fork gives me the opportunity to ride very bad paved roads in the mountains with the option of suspension on the descent for those potholes. I am an x-pro UltraMarathon rider who still rides 10,000 miles a year today, that is over 50 years of long distance racing, touring, commuting. My rides are 4 to 7 hours long and I never stop to rest or eat, carry all the water for the day and enjoy the day in my high performing "cheap" bike full of very strong components and perfect shifting.
One of the worst bikes I have ever seen.
Not really lol
I just picked up a sweet / mint condition 2015 Synapse HiMod Disc Ultegra ($6000 new) for $800 used. The difference between that bike and this one is virtually nil. So if you love this bike just keep your eyes open for a used one in your size in the usual places... eBay... FB Marketplace... Craigslist... etc. Eventually you'll run across a sweet deal for a fantastic bike. The two WORST things about these models is the 25.4mm seatpost--which NOBODY has really used in over 20 yrs--and the integrated seatpost clamp--which simply ensures that if it breaks--you throw away a $3000 frame. (Integrated ANYTHING on a bicycle is ALWAYS a bad idea--and only benefits the manufacturers and dealers--never the buyer / rider.) So...what? a 25.4 seatpost is... what? 2% more compliant than a 27.2? 5%? It can't be much--certainly not enough to justify that proprietary size--that nearly nobody sells (affordably) aftermarket. And it would be one thing if they supplied the dopest 25.4 seatpost every made... but it's not. The clamping system on it SUCKS--making it very difficult to even get the saddle positioned dead level--impossible to tip the nose down even a tick. A used, 20-yr old Bontrager Race XXX Lite 27.2 carbon seatpost has a WAY better clamping system--and has more setback options (0,5, 20 degree)--and is lighter--that the proprietary Cannondale seatposts that come virtually all Synapse models. And the integrated seatpost clamp??? For what? A gram of weight savings--or .000000001% better aerodynamics? In exchange for having to throw the frame away when the $10 seatpost clamp fails? It's just ridiculous.
Bikes aren't "faster" or "slower"... riders are--especially at a typical / recreational (vs pro) level. And there have been virtually zero "improvements" to road bike frames in the past 20 years that have resulted in any significant / measurable increases in speed or handling or comfort. 99% of the evolution has been marketing hype--to justify changes in manufacturing technologies and processes--geared specifically to save the MANUFACTURERS money... not actual improve the frames themselves.
Complete and utter gibberish.
@@dominicbritt Prove it.