Test: The Cannondale Synapse SRAM Rival Disc has a classic look and modern technology, resulting in a beautiful touring bike that can be moved in a sporty manner, but can also be considered suitable for everyday use. Velomotion tests the racing bike that, as an all-rounder, wants to make everyone happy.
Fact check
[tab:Overview]Weight: 9,6kg (height 58cm)
frame material: Aluminium
Braking system: slices
[tab:Geometry] [easytable]Size,48,51,54,56,58,61
Oberrohr Waagrecht,508mm,524mm,542mm,561mm,581mm,601mm
Sitzrohrlänge,430mm,460mm,490mm,520mm,545mm,575mm
Effective seat angle, 74.6,74.3,73.9,73.5,73,72.5
Steering angle,70.8,71.3,72,72.5,73,73
Steuerrohrlänge,127mm,146mm,166mm,186mm,208mm,230mm
Kettenstrebenlänge,410mm,410mm,410mm,410mm,410mm,410mm
Radstand,977mm,987mm,996mm,1005mm,1015mm,1030mm
Stack,537mm,557mm,576mm,597mm,618mm,639mm
Reach,360mm,368mm,376mm,384mm,392mm,400mm
[/easytable] [tab:Equipment] [easytable]component, model
Fork, Synapse Save Disc (carbon flanks)
Hubs, Formula CX20 / CX22
Rims, Maddux RD2.0 Disc 28-hole
Tires, Schwalbe Lugano Falt 700x25c
Brake, SRAM Rival HRD
Brake discs, SRAM Rival 160mm/140mm
Rear derailleur, SRAM Rival 22 WIFLI
Front derailleur, SRAM Rival 22
Shifter, SRAM Rival 22 HRD
Crank,FSA Gossamer 50/34 BB30
Cassette,SRAM PG-1170 11-32
Stem, Cannondale C3 6°
Handlebar, Cannondale C3 Compact
Seatpost, Cannondale C2 UD Carbon
Saddle, Cannondale Stage Ergo Rivet Classic
[/easytable] [tab:END]Comfortable racer
There is no need to say too many words about the fact that road bikes are generally not all-rounders. The tires are too narrow, the sitting position takes some getting used to for most people, and then you never quite know where to actually put your hand on these strange handlebars. Once you have discovered the advantages of the racing bar for yourself (many grip positions, very ergonomic), you only have to look for solutions to the other two points of criticism. When it comes to tires, the cyclocross bike offers a way out, but that comes at the price of an even more extreme sitting position – many cross bikes have a very short head tube. So what is needed is a specialist for all-round use, and this is when the term “gravel racer” comes up. Put simply, this is a kind of long-distance racing bike with large tire clearance, a relaxed seating position and, of course, disc brakes. This variant of the racing machine is at home on hard-packed gravel roads, as they make up large parts of the secondary road network in the USA. The fact that something like this is rather rare in this country does not have to bother us - after all, the Gravel Racer can also be moved on asphalt, or depending on the tires on routes that you would otherwise use with a cross-country bike/cross bike.
But now back to our test bike: The elegant bike with the 25 cm cream tires is of course not a gravel racer, but it thrives on the idea that you can do more with racing bikes than just crouching down the streets. When I sit down on the Synapse for the first time, I am more reminded of the seating position on a trekking bike: the handlebars suit me very well thanks to the long head tube and high fork; despite the rather long top tube, the aspect ratio is moderate. Positioned like this, I start rolling very slowly – unlike at the photo shoot, I left the clipless pedals at home, now they are the excellent moto pedals (already tested on Velomotion) mounted, which offer fantastic grip even with very smooth soles. In jeans, a merino sweater and a rain jacket, I feel pleasantly slowed down on the bike path – this “racing bike” can also be moved slowly, whereby the Cannondale saddle does not cause any feeling of pressure when the pedals are lightly loaded. Switching from the top link to the brake levers is easy, especially since they are mounted quite high on the handlebars.
"Don't break a sweat," I think to myself as I turn right onto the climb that connects the city to a vast forested area. 1,8 kilometers, 105 meters in altitude and a mountain biker in front of me who awakens the hunting instinct - a good opportunity to find out what the Synapse can do in terms of sport. First of all, the crisp power transmission strikes me; with a solid aluminum frame, however, this is a matter of honour. When I step out of the saddle briefly to push away the two steep switchbacks (the mountain biker didn't put up a fight, it's getting pretty warm under the wool sweater), I notice the Cannondale's agile steering. The steering angle and wheelbase correspond to a well-balanced racing bike, but are very sporty for a bike with mudguards - so it's fun to prance through the hairpin bends and accelerate a little more. In this situation, the Moto pedals have a positive effect again: thanks to the large tread surface, the power transmission is great, and the support they offer is incomparably good - it is impossible to slip off the pedal when pedaling out of the saddle. A clear retrofit recommendation for this and many other bikes.
At the top of the horse pasture, you first turn right onto smooth asphalt. Putting the rain jacket back on hands-free works very well even at slow speeds; So the Cannondale isn't just agile, it's also smooth-running when it matters most. This is followed by a several hundred meter long gravel passage, nicely washed out on the sides and peppered with a few thick chunks that stick out far. On this rough surface, the Synapse proves to be much more comfortable than expected. The 25er, pumped up to six bar, can already absorb quite a bit of shock and vibration; the carbon fork and the "Save Plus" rear end with flattened struts do the rest to make the ride comparatively pleasant. Hard to believe that an aluminum frame can be so comfortable! The seat post with the unusual size of 25,4 mm also offers a comparatively large amount of flex. If you want even more damping, you can switch to 28 tires – they just barely fit under the metal mudguards.
Facilities
The protectors, painted in the same color as the frame, are of course the eye-catchers on the metallic-green gentlemen's racer. But the bike has even more to offer: beautiful cable entrances, for example, whereby the rear derailleur cable and rear brake line only appear just before the dropouts. The shift cables crossed in front of the head tube are commendable, and the unusual tube profiles are worth seeing.
And the components? The FSA crank in the BB30 standard is joined by a SRAM Rival 22, which delivers crisp shifting. The Yaw front derailleur works very smoothly, but I couldn't get 22 gears without dragging from it - maybe that's asking a bit much given the 11-32 sprocket set. The translation is the only thing I would change if it were my synapse. For everyday sporting use, the 50×11 combination seems a bit exaggerated to me; a smaller chainring in combination with a narrower cassette should allow for much smoother pedaling.
The hydraulic discs of the Rival suit the elegant Cannondale very well - brake calipers or even V-brakes would disturb the clear lines. The quiet grinding noises from the front pane are drowned out by the wind at walking speeds. I couldn't get rid of them entirely by adjusting the caliper either, but who cares. If you put your hands on the irons, the rear wheel can be easily blocked; At the front you don't have to worry about something like that if you don't try - I notice that when I cover the already mentioned 105 meters in altitude in the opposite direction. The frame and fork have conventional dropouts, with those on the fork being open at the front. As you can see, it also works without thru-axles.
Now all I have to do is lift the bike, which weighs 9,6 kilos without pedals (Rh 58), into the box and draw my conclusions. So: The Cannondale combines the typical characteristics of a racing machine with a comfortable sitting position and an elegant appearance. With clipless pedals (and maybe without the mudguards) I can imagine it in long-distance sporty use; as it is, it can be classified as a noble commuter or a sporty leisure bike. If necessary, a luggage rack could also be attached in this way; threaded holes placed specifically for this would be better. And more tire clearance would be desirable, a few millimeters are missing for a real "Gravel Racer". But the Cannondale Synapse is actually far too good for gravel and the like...
At a glance - the Cannondale Synapse SRAM Rival Disc
- Sporty, balanced driving characteristics
- High comfort
- Very elegant appearance thanks to the beautiful frame
And finally ...
The elegant Cannondale Synapse is the perfect bike for anyone who wants to enjoy racing without the Lycra - a real gentlemen's racer. It lacks only a little as a sporty everyday bike.
Leave a Comment