Being a Former Owner of a renowned Cannondale Dealer, as a former professional racer, having ridden for Cannondale Factory Racing for a number of XC and cyclocross World Cup seasons gives me a sense of sadness letting this rig go, but I’ve got back to my MTB roots as of late, so I’m finally offering it up at a prize of less than 50% of what you’d pay to duplicate it.
This bike was a special ‘thank you’ due to the sales volume and my history with the Brand. If I were to value it based on today’s market, the price would easily fall between $13,000-$14,000.
Those keen enough may notice this specific color way was never offered at all in the aftermarket. The handful of these specific frames were individually chosen, weighed and the graphics hand-applied stateside. From what I was told, a total of (7) of these specific chassis were sent to the US as chassis’s.
This exact bike was actually featured in an article in a European cycling g magazine; however I can’t seem to recall the exact name of the publication but will try to find it for recordif possible. The professional photography they did on the bike during the shoot was breathtaking.
Cannondale used their Bedford Service Course to assemble this “Black Inc.” chassis for me, which was built around a size 51cm. I will attach a geometry chart to the photos, but for rough reference, the center of the pedal to the flat section on top of the saddle is a touch over 33”/840mm.
Cannondale also supplied the Hollowgram SiSL2 crankset (in 170mm arm length) with the (becoming more and more rare) 34/50t integrated OPI SpideRing and ceramic speed BB. You will also find a few hidden treasures - such as the ceramic headset the SuperSix Black Inc. which they installed just because… why not?
Shimano supplied the build their latest 9000 Di2 group set with an 11/30 range DA cassette and chain.
The brakes were the lightest possible disc available at the time, being TRP Carbon units which are pulled by the special Dura-Ace ‘Polymer coated’ cables. IMO opinion, not only do these feel way smoother than hydraulic, they DO NOT RUB, are super easy to adjust, feature near fade proof modulation and most importantly allow you to use ‘normal’ size STI hoods; something I could never get over when SRAM and Shimano decided to go this route.
In addition, in the event of a catastrophic failure down a mountain pass - you will be comforted to know that your slotted and vented rotors will still work 100% because they wont be covered in mineral oil!
The rotors themselves are TRP’s top of the range drilled/vented units in 140mm diameter for an ultra clean look with the best mix of form and functionality.
The Chain was upgraded with the latest KMC X-11SL (DLC coated in Black) as not only does it look cooler, but personally I feel it’s both quieter and about 35g lighter than the comparable DA equivalent.
The finishing kit was provided by two long term partners of mine; Fizik & ENVE.
Fizik provided the top of the range, $500 Antares 00 full carbon saddle, along with their unbelievably light and beautiful 175g Cyrano ‘00’ handlebar. Based on my measurements is 43.5 cm from hood center to hood center; while ENVE supplied the requisite 25.4 mm ‘flex’ seatpost which the synapse requires, and it uses a 25mm setback for the most options in fit adjustment The matching ENVE stem measures in at 110mm
The wheels are a 1-off, custom set built by a renowned wheel builder with the sole purpose of building the strongest yet lightest possible road disc mated to their bulletproof SL road specific ratcheting hub, a thru-axle system and CX-Ray spokes. The front thru-axle Installed is aso a $125 piece made by a boutique Italian manufacturer called Extralite.
These wheels were custom made and no other set exists exactly like them. He even went as far as doing a tonal gloss black logo on the satin black rim for me.
FWIW. The wheel builder is a personal friend of mine, and said these custom 700c Discs are the absolute lightest weight and road capable set that he could build bit could feasibly handle up to a 40mm tire,: yet was optimized in my case for 28mm-32mm ‘open tubulars’, weighing in at under 1,200g; yet still having been tested to withstand the latest super-rugged professional XC courses without a single failure.
Personally, I clad in my ow favorite tires: gum
walled Vittoria Corsa Pro “open tubulars” which I feel provide the supple ride quality of a a tradition alrubar, but avoid the trouble of glue, punctures, and even use a standard 36mm valve tube for ease of install.
While I personally run 28mm tires , I have had custom who have put 32, even 33mm Schwalbe’s
on one these hi-mod Synapse’s and ended up riding it to a podium in the Belgian Waffle Ride without so much as a frame rub, or even a single puncture. The clearance is really remarkable.
While unless you’re in the racing community, they may sound obscure, but I challenge you to do your research. Many recognizable top pros are riding these unmarked due to the sheer weight and speed while also having no prescribed weight limit. I used a similar set on my CX bike to medal at a very technical UCI race in Belgium, so I can fully attest to them and will be happy to have the owner of the company reach out to you directly in the event it becomes a problem.
Speaking to weight, I do not have a digital scale handy, but if I remember correctly the bike came in slightly, If not well under 14lbs. / 6.3kg.
Having personally worked alongside Cannondale engineers for nearly two decades, I can say with complete honesty that (this specific generation) synapse is by far the best combination of weight/compliance/aero and strength. It only comes in a a close second to the 2013-2014 Synapse CALIPER just because I’m an old school kind of guy. While I obviously set this rig up to be a bit more ‘racy’ and ‘stealth’ I feel an appropriate middle ground was met between looks, sped, durability and comfort. There is a reason Cannondale/EF choose these on anything but perfect pavement - they just ride so nicely.
Having sold dozens upon dozens of Synapses in my shop over the years , I can say that I’ve come across many SuperSix EVO’s which suffered from poor BB reaming, and/or internal bladder issues.
That being said , never ONCE did I have to process a warranty a Synapse Hi-Mod. And given the sheer number of bikes we sold at my stores, this is saying something. When it comes to the Hi-Modulus frame sets, you truly get what you pay for.
As far as this particular bikes usage, I rode it outdoor a whopping total of two times. Once was for a charity ride, and the second was actually the 2020 California State Hill Climb Championships - an event I placed in (and irritated plenty of racers with monstrosities of drilled-out parts and hand sanded frames.
As far as TOTAL mileage, I then logged about 400 miles on Zwift during the Covid lockdown. The bike has never seen rain, has zero issues and perhaps other than throwing on a new chain for the heck of it, needs nothing. I checked it over throughly, and there is no damage, significant scratches, etc. it could pass as new with nothing other than a freshly cleaned chain.
I won’t lie, I’m not a mechanic, but the gears shift perfectly, there are zero creaks or surprises and
In good faith, additional accessories will be included with the bike:
1.) Shimano’s dealer-level, SM-BCR2; which there Bluetooth enabled Shimano Di2 programmer and works with an iPad or Samsung tablet or cell phone via the Di2 App. This allows you to program all sorts of things - from which button does what, automatic FD shifting, trouble shooting, maintenance schedules. Etc.
This plugs into a Cannondale engineered Di2 port cleanly located on the downtube (see photos) and The Di2 battery itself is actually located inside the ENVE Seatpost, making it completely painless to remove or swap it when charging is required ( +/- 1,000 to 1,500 miles) you simply use any micro USB cord and plug it directly into the convenient waterproof port located on the top of the down tube.
No wires to mess with, everything is
completely Waterproof and outside of the elements. In fact, there are essentially zero exposed wires anywhere on the frame, even the front brake cable runs cleanly through the left leg. All Di2 junctions are weatherproof, and the connections sealed internally so feel free to pressure wash away.
2.) Secondly, I am including a brand new rear hub conversion kit for the custom set of RideFast SL wheels. This includes everything such as the XD driver body, XD thru-axle and all spacers you need in the event you ever want to switch to a SRAM XD (road or MTB) driver, which GREATLY future-proofs your setup.
The only thing NOT included with the sale is my set of trusty KEO Blade Carbon Pedals. I had to order them from France to get tbe 16NM release tension, however if you really want them we can determine a fair price.
In addition, if a buyer decided to purchase the bike within the first 24 hours of my listing it, I will also include one essentially new BELL MIPS helmet (which I believe is a S/M) as a free gift.
As far as shipping:
I am located in or around Omaha, Nebraska. If you’d like to view the bike prior to purchase, just shoot me a message and we will arrange it. If you are close (100 miles or less) I will be happy to accommodate by driving part of the way
Please note: I will NOT ship outside of the lower 48 US states unless you arrange for an international carrier and handle the process on your end.
Personally, having been in the bike industry for the better part of tel decades, I am very familiar with the correct and safe way to ship a bicycle so that it will arrive without damage. The cost to do this will be incurred by the buyer, includes full insurance and no liability. The price for this service if needed on your end is a flat $200.00 which includes a new, bicycle specific shipping container, the handlebars removed and secured, full frame protection, and all components safely secured. In the large scheme of things, you simply having to bolt on your bars, install your pedals and go for your maiden voyage is WELL worth the hassle on either of our ends.
I have done my very best to throughly describe every nuance of this bicycle, therefore the sale is final, and I cannot or will not accept buyers who change their mind, their wife happens to gets mad, they lose their job, or they just decide they don’t want it anymore! There are zero issues with the bike, especially give my provenance; and all sales are 100% final.
That being said, if you have any further questions please feel free to ask.