FAST BIKE FRIDAY – CANNONDALE WOMEN’S SYNAPSE CARBON 105

This week for our Fast Bike Friday feature we’re looking at the brilliantly versatile Cannondale Women’s Synapse Carbon 105; this awesome all-rounder offers race-level performance, all-day comfort and all-road capability, meaning when the smooth tarmac stops and the unsurfaced tracks and lanes start you can continue your adventures and explore more. What deems this a women’s Synapse? We’ll get into that further into the Blog, for now let’s just focus on the Cannondale Synapse range and the benefits this bike brings to modern road cycling.

The Synapse is categorised by Cannondale as an ‘Endurance Road Bike’ on their own website, but one which is most definitely NOT limited to just the road; while the Synapse range does not sit in their gravel category (along side the Topstone and Topstone Carbon) it most certainly is a very closely related cousin which is capable of taking on unmade back lanes and gravel fire tracks. First launched way back in 2005 the Cannondale Synapse has evolved over the years, keeping pace with what the modern road rider expects from their bike; during the past 16 years the Synapse’s focus has moved away from only being ridden on the road to a much more versatile bike built to excel during epic mixed-surface adventures. The Synapse’s frame and geometry was updated in 2017 to meet the demands of modern cyclists looking for a versatile bike capable of efficiently holding speed on the tarmac while being fun and fast on the gravel back lanes.

The Cannondale Women’s Synapse Carbon 105 is brilliantly versatile…

You may be familiar with Ted King, the retired professional road cyclist who has quickly moved over to the burgeoning gravel racing scene. Ted is sponsored by Cannondale and has pretty much every bike in their range at disposal. It’s always interesting to see him move from one bike model to another depending on the demands of the gravel event he is competing in; Ted has raced on the Topstone Carbon, the SuperX (Cannondale’s cyclocross bike) and most significantly the Cannondale Synapse when the race is fast paced without too many technical off-road sections. Click the link below to hear Ted talk about how he sets up his Synapse for gravel racing…

Cannondale sponsored rider Ted King chooses the Synapse for fast gravel races…

The Cannondale Synapse has clearance for up to 32mm wide tyres opening up the opportunity to run this lightweight carbon bike with fatter tyres to cope with rough roads and gravel tracks. If your local roads and lanes are anything like ours there may well be more potholes, broken surfaces and grass up the middle than pristine smooth black tarmac, making the Synapse the perfect all-rounder. Able to handle whatever terrain you encounter, carefully planning rides routes and anxiety over what road surfaces you’ll encounter are a thing of the past.

Clearance for up to 32mm tyres means you’ll be encouraged to explore remote back lanes and gravel tracks…

As we touched on earlier, this particular model within the Synapse range is billed as a Women’s Synapse Carbon 105 road bike but it’s important to point out that there is no significant difference between this frame and the Synapse Carbon frames that are NOT deemed as women’s models. The frame’s sizing and geometry are identical, it is essentially the same bike. This is a trend that has been growing right across the bike industry with Trek and Specialized also following this ethos on a great amount of their bikes. Bike brands are abandoning the belief that women’s body proportions are vastly different to men’s; that’s too much of a generalisation, it’s more the case that our proportions are all individual regardless of gender. Sizing is consistent across the range regardless of gender, so for example if you’re looking at a size medium women’s bike, all of the measurements and angles are identical to the men’s size medium. There are a couple of key differences when it comes to contact points though, there are the Shimano 105 short reach gear / brake levers (more on those later) with a narrower handlebar fitted as well as a women-specific saddle.

The women’s Synapse Carbon 105 features the same frame geometry as the men’s models…

The Women’s Synapse Carbon 105 frame and fork is made from Cannondale’s own lightweight BallisTec carbon; with some clever design and engineering Cannondale have produced a carbon frame that features high-strength and stiffness for a responsive ride which amplifies efficient pedalling and provides instant acceleration. With an ‘advanced composition of intermediate modulus fibres’ (in simple terms the direction of the weave of the carbon fibre influencing how much it flexes) and some sophisticated tube profiling Cannondale’s designers have been able to create a chassis that is super-comfortable and includes compliance in key areas such as their flattened seatstays. Cannondale have also implemented their Pyramid Seat Tube principle to the Synapse, this involves the seat tube splitting asymmetrically to meet the wide 73mm BB30A bottom bracket shell for the perfect blend of minimal weight and maximum stiffness.

Sophisticated carbon fibre engineering implements stiffness and compliance in key areas…

The geometry of the Synapse is spot on for the type of riding that Cannondale expects you to do; in effort to ensure your ride stays comfortable even when you’re into your fourth or fifth hour of riding they have created a bike with a slightly shorter reach and higher front end than an out and out road racing bike. The Synapse also comes with a fair stack of spacers below the stem so there’s plenty of scope to fine tune your favoured riding position. Interestingly the wheelbase on the Synapse is exactly the same as Cannondale’s SuperSix – their lightweight road racing bike; this is worth noting as a gravel bike that’s been designed specifically for off-road duties will typically feature a longer wheelbase for added stability at speed, that said the Synapse’s comparatively short wheelbase means it provides agile handling for a more lively feel. On road the Synapse corners with confidence responding well to quick changes of direction; it’s a good blend of attributes which reflect this bike’s versatility; in a nod to the many ways this bike may be used Cannondale have included a removeable seatstay bridge and hidden mudguard mounts to keep you protected during wet weather and winter rides.

Cannondale have spent time getting the geometry just right for the type of riding the Synapse is designed to do…

As its name suggests the Cannondale Women’s Synapse Carbon 105 comes spec’d with Shimano’s excellent 105 groupset. Sitting two rungs down the ladder from their Dura-Ace and Ultegra groupsets 105 provides a great value drivetrain that’s packed full of trickle-down technology taken from their top-end groupsets. Shimano 105 is an 11-speed mechanical groupset that is easy and intuitive to use; brilliantly Cannondale have spec’d the short-reach version of the 105 brake / gear lever which have been developed specifically for smaller hands – a great detail for this Women’s road bike.

Short-reach Shimano 105 brake / gear levers are a neat detail on this Women specific road bike…

Every gear change is crisp and precise; with a light action you’ll be able to shift through the 11-speed rear cassette and quickly select the gear you need. It’s hard to believe that Shimano have fitted all of the mechanical workings of the gear changer AND the hydraulic brake lever into such a compact and ergonomic pair of levers, but things moves on quickly and as we’ve previously highlighted it didn’t take long for this sort of technology to be find its way from higher up Shimano’s range to this 105 groupset.

Every gear shift is crisp and precise with these Shimano 105 levers…

A long cage 11-speed Shimano 105 GS rear derailleur takes care of gear selection at the rear cassette; 105 is quiet and definite in every gear shift, there’s no skipping or vagueness in your gear selection. The 11-speed cassette gives a wide range of gear ratios from the smallest 11 tooth cog to the large 34T cog which is a super-low gear that’s ideal for overcoming steep hills and loose, technical climbs on back lanes and gravel tracks.

A long cage Shimano 105 GS rear derailleur provides consistent, quiet gear changes on the wide ratio cassette…

A Shimano 105 front derailleur takes care of gear shifting duties at the two front chainrings. Shimano’s most recent iteration of their 105 front mech has been designed with wider tyres in mind; tighter clearances between frame, tyre and front derailleur have increased mainly due to fatter tyres being run on gravel bikes and road bikes and this latest version of the front mech features a whole new lever pull action to work around these restrictions. The shifting action is really light at the gear shifter and gear changes are precise every time, there’s also a trim feature (essentially a half-shift) to allow you to move the front mech slightly as you shift up the rear cassette to help prevent any unwanted chain rub on the front derailleur.

A Shimano 105 front derailleur is precise with a light action at the gear lever…

You might have been expecting to see a matching Shimano 105 Chainset fitted to the Synapse however it’s normal for Cannondale to fit their own brand chainsets on almost all of their bikes across all ranges and models. It’s important to note that this is not a compromise; Cannondale have put a lot of R&D into their own chainsets and bottom bracket standards over the years to create light, super-stiff cranks and durable chainrings working in unison with their BB30a bottom bracket standard which provides an oversized bearing platform and wide crank / bottom bracket axle. The gear ratios on the Cannondale 1 chainset are perfect for this bikes’ modus operandi – a 50T outer ring and 34T inner ring means you’ll have the perfect gear ratio for every riding eventuality. Riding with the chain on the inner 34T chainring and the largest 34T cog on the rear cassette gives you a super-low gear ratio that will help you to overcome even the steepest of gradients.

A Cannondale 1 chainset with BB30a bottom bracket standard and 50T / 34T chainrings is super-stiff and provides user-friendly gear ratios…

It’s amazing how quickly we’ve come to expect hydraulic disc brakes on road bikes as the norm, but such are the rapid advances in technology that these sort of brakes have quickly filtered through to a more accessible price point. If you’re considering making the move over to disc brakes for the first time you will not be disappointed. Disc brakes bring superior braking compared to rim brakes as they are more powerful and provide consistent braking in all weather conditions and on any terrain; a significant benefit of having disc brakes on this Women’s Synapse is that all of the braking power is created by the pressure of the hydraulic brake fluid when the short-reach brake lever is pulled rather than relying on your hand power to activate a conventional rim brake. This is a real benefit that you’ll feel when your rides get bigger and you find yourself getting more fatigued.

Cannondale have spec’d neat Shimano 105 hydraulic flat-mount disc brake calipers to the Synapse Carbon 105 which are tucked neatly into the rear triangle of the carbon frame and on the back of the fork leg. Matched to lightweight lock-on 160mm Shimano RT64 disc rotors this setup provides confidence-inspiring braking regardless of whether you’re riding in the wet or the dry and on any terrain from super-smooth tarmac to unpredictable gravel back lanes.

Flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes give consistent braking in all weather conditions…

Neat flat mount calipers matched with 160mm rotors provide plenty of stopping power…

The Women’s Synapse 105 features a pair of Cannondale RD 2.0 Disc wheels with lightweight double wall 28 hole rims laced onto durable Formula hubs. The front hub is 12x100mm thru axle and the rear is 12x142mm thru axle providing a really secure connection between the wheels and frame / fork, these wide hubs with thru axle configuration ensure that your disc brake rotors always line up perfectly with the hydraulic disc brake calipers. The thru axles are quickly secured with a 5mm allen key, so you’ll need to carry a simple multitool with you when you ride in case you pick up a puncture (you should be carrying one already!).

Cannondale RD 2.0 Disc wheels roll fast and feature durable hubs…

When it comes to tyre choice for the Women’s Synapse 105 there are a lot of options as we’ve already highlighted. With clearance for tyres up to 32mm wide you could spec it with fast 25mm road tyres, off-road capable 32mm gravel tyres or something in between which is exactly what Cannondale have done here with the Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Graphine 700x30c tyres. Covering the best of both worlds these 30mm wide tyres will provide good grip on loose gravel surfaces, provide extra comfort and cushioning on rough roads but still excel on super-smooth tarmac offering very little rolling-resistance to help you ride as fast and efficiently as possible.

Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Graphine 30mm wide tyres roll fast but provide good grip…

These tough tyres will cushion you from rough roads…

With a bike that has been specifically designed to suit female cyclists the contact points – handlebar, stem and saddle are really important considerations. Cannondale have spec’d the Women’s Synapse 105 accordingly, ensuring the handlebars are proportional to each bike size on offer, being generally a little bit more narrow than on an equivalent men’s model. Stems are little bit shorter too; with a generous amount of stem spacers there’s a good amount of adjustability to help you fine tune your position on the bike so that you feel comfortable and in control.

Proportionally smaller handle bars, a shorter stem and those short-reach Shimano 105 shifters help you stay comfortable and in control…

Cannondale have spec’d a Fabric Scoop Women’s Sport saddle on the Synapse Carbon 105; this is a great saddle designed specifically to suit female cyclists. The profile of the saddle is fairly wide at 155mm wide and should suit most cyclists; with a flexy base and forgiving steel saddle rails the Fabric Scoop feels comfortable and supportive even on long rides on unpredictable terrain.

The Fabric Scoop is supportive with a 155mm wide profile…

A Fabric Scoop Women’s Sport saddle is a welcome addition…

The Cannondale Women’s Synapse Carbon 105 bike is a versatile wonder which is equally capable of fast road rides on tarmac and more gruelling adventures on mixed terrain. With the option of fitting mudguards too the Synapse opens up the possibility of using this bike as a full-on winter bike or as a super-fast commuter bike if you want to extend your ride to work and gain some extra training miles. While there’s no obvious ‘comfort-enhancing’ gimmicks on this bike like you might find from alternative brands the Cannondale Synapse is packed full of user-friendly features once you look at it in a little more detail. All of its compliance comes from clever design with some very sophisticated carbon layup and tube profiling engineered to enhance your comfort. This women’s specific model has been thoughtfully spec’d by Cannondale to ensure that it’s inspiring to ride, encouraging you to push your cycling further and strike out on adventures that don’t necessarily end when the tarmac stops.

The Cannondale Synapse is packed full of user-friendly features once you look at it in a little more detail…

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

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