I gradually moved away from WW priorities to Aero priorities. Was on an S5 for several years but made the move to a SuperSix EVO about 3 years ago. Partly for sponsor reasons, partly because I considered the front end of the S5 noodly and sometimes scary in blustery crosswinds.
I had heard rumors of a Cannondale aero bike for the last couple years and was very excited when the new SuperSix was announced. I knew this would be by new “main” road bike, and so the question became what to do with the SuperSix. First thought was to sell it and get another disc road bike as a backup/”winter” bike, but I really love the SuperSix and so I decided to return to my WW ways and have a fun project with it. So here goes.
Requirements/constraints: I wanted the bike to be light, but not “stupid light.” I tend to be relatively light on equipment, but I still race between 72.5-75kg (160-165lbs) – so not a flyweight – and put in decent miles and no-so-decent road. I also had the following specific requirements, so this too limited how low I could go:
- Di2: The SuperSix already has 9070 Di2. I just can’t see ever going back to mechanical shifting, so the Di2 will stay
- Speedplay pedals: My fitter has me on +12mm spindles – I know, heavier and more importantly not as aero as I could be, but fit is first and foremost – so these will stay
- Crank-based power meter: Pedal-based PM not an option (see above), and apologies to anyone I offend, but I consider single-sided PMs like Stages to be “power estimators” rather than “power meters” and I want to run a light rear hub and be able to swap wheels easily
Q-Rings: Yes I know there is science that says they are rubbish but they feel good to me - Other: Aero, rolling resistance and drivetrain resistance are still important to me so there are some decisions I made with these considerations in mind that compromised weight savings
I would then weigh each current component and its replacement, calculate the difference for each, then apply the aggregate difference to the starting weight. This initially gave me a projected weight of 5469g (12.06lbs), but after correcting for some incorrect assumptions (some noted below), the current projected weight is 5507g (12.14lbs). Here is the current build sheet, I’ll explain the assumptions and most likely disappointments below.
For the weights listed, if the number is:
- in italics, then it is just an assumption based on research. It doesn’t really matter if the number is correct or not, because these components are not being changed. Since I am calculating the difference in weight on a component-by-component basis, the italics items do not affect that calculation in any way.
- in GREEN, then it has been weighed on my gram scale and the weight is confirmed. These items should not introduce any error into the calculation.
- In RED, then it is an assumption based on research and has not yet been confirmed. Because this component will be changed, any error in the assumption will result in an error in the calculation. The idea is that by the end of the build, there will be no red numbers, other than sealant/glue – I have no idea how much sealant is in my tires, though I typically go with about 30ml in each, and I am not going to try and weigh tubular glue. Other than that, I’m going to verify and document as much as possible here.