supersix evo 2 red - Kenda

The 

BIke 

TEST 

112 february 2012

invest 

in speed 

ready to make a big investment in your next bike? 

this is where the smart money is going in 2012 

Words Jamie Wilkins Photos James Lampard, Gavin Roberts 

in these austerity-hit times you need to make 

your money work harder. Spending £4,000 

on a bicycle might not seem the most obvious 

way to handle a recession but stick with us. 

If you want a top performing bike, £3,000- 

4,000 is a sweet spot. Below the stratosphere of 

superbikes bought by those for whom money is 

no object, manufacturers know that value is still 

a consideration and that our expectations for 

frames and equipment are high. 

The crucial, and very exciting, fact about 

this price band is that it is where the top-end 

frames start. This line-up includes a wind- 

tunnel developed Scott and a state-of-the-art 

Cannondale that have won races at the very 

highest level of professional cycling. If it’s 

pedigree you want, look no further. 

As counterpoints, we also have two 

high-value alternatives from Stevens and 

Trigon, which aim to deliver extra spec and 

performance for your money in the absence 

of such a prestigious name on the downtube. 

By making a smart choice now, you’ll be just 

a canny wheel upgrade away from superbike 

heaven when you next have some cash to 

spend. Now that’s a good investment. 

£3-4k ROAD BIkES 

Bikes on test 

SCOTT FOIL 20 

£2,799 

STEVENS VENTOUX ULTEGRA 

£3,099 

TRIGON RqC-29 

£3,849 

CANNONDALE SUPERSIX EVO 2 RED 

£3,995 

Tech talk 

Frontal area 

The total area of the bike visible 

from head-on and meeting the air. 

Reducing the frontal area is one 

way to improve aerodynamics. 

Bottom bracket 

The bearing in which the crank 

axle turns. It’s important that the 

surrounding area of the frame is 

strong to prevent unwanted flex. 

Rim profile 

The cross-section of the wheel 

rim is referred to as the profile. A 

deeper, airfoil-shaped profile can 

be more aerodynamic, saving you 

time on the flat. Deeper wheels 

are usually heavier, though, so 

less suited to hilly rides. 

Compact chainset 

A chainset with smaller rings, 

typically 50/34, compared with a 

standard 53/39. A compact gives 

lower gears for climbing and 

more use of the full range. 

february 2012 113

The The 

BIke BIke 

TEST TEST 

Scott 

foil 20 

£2,799 

scott-sports.com 

the foil 20 is the cheapest here but its 

responsive frame is up with the best and 

well deserving of future upgrades 

We all know 

the value of 

a great aero 

set-up for an 

Ironman 

event – a dedicated tri bike, 

wheels and helmet can get 

you to T2 faster by whole 

minutes – so why not look 

for some of the same 

advantage in a road bike? 

That’s exactly what Scott 

have aimed at with the Foil. 

FRAmE AND FORKS 

Before now, aero road bikes 

have all involved some sort 

of compromise. Traditional 

airfoil tube shapes are heavier 

and have less lateral rigidity 

than conventional frames. 

Scott say that a target of the 

Foil was to eliminate these 

compromises so the frame 

design approaches the 

question of aerodynamics 

from the opposite direction. 

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114 february 2012 

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Instead of designing the 

most aero frame possible and 

then trying to make it light 

and stiff, Scott started with 

its excellent Addict as the 

benchmark and aimed to 

improve its aerodynamics 

without compromising the 

weight and stiffness that have 

a greater influence on the ride 

quality. Scott say that the 

solution is the ‘virtual airfoil’, 

a tube shape that uses its 

leading edge to make the air 

behave as if it’s following a 

long-tailed airfoil shape. 

The result is a frame that 

weighs 1,030g in our 58cm 

test size and which Scott 

claim saves you 20 watts 

at 45kph over the Addict. 

The top three models, from 

the £5,999 Foil 10 up to the 

£9,499 Foil Premium, use 

Scott’s lighter HMX NET 

carbon fibre. The Foil 20 uses 

HMF NET which has a slightly 

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

top tube 

length 

cockpit 

length 

5 

9 

4 

seat tube 

length standover chainstay 

height length 

bb 

height 

wheel- 

base 

head 

tube 

73.3° 73° 58cm 40 cm 52 cm 81.4cm 40.5cm 26.5 cm 100.3 cm 10.8cm 18cm 

3 

8 

1 

10 

Size tested: 58cm 

lower ratio of high modulus 

fibres but, Scott say, only 

adds around 80g to a frame 

compared to the top versions. 

To balance steering 

integrity against the frontal 

area, the headtube tapers 

from 1 1/8” to 1 1/4” at the 

crown of the full-carbon, 

aero-profile fork. 

The frame also features an 

integrated clamp for the aero 

seatpost, internal cable 

routing and an oversized 

bottom bracket area that adds 

stiffness, smooths airflow and 

is shaped to accommodate an 

SRM power meter. 

KIT 

The Foil 20 comes equipped 

with a complete Shimano 

Ultegra Grey groupset. It’s 

well-proven and handsome 

kit, if extremely understated 

for such a racy bike. 

Two gearing options 

are available: compact with 

50/34 rings and an 11-28 

cassette, and standard with 

53/39 rings and an 11-25 

cassette. Oddly, Scott refer to 

the latter as ‘20-speed’ but, of 

course, both have 20 gears. 

The Mavic Cosmic Elites are 

entry-level aero wheels. The 

rims are slightly deeper, at 

30mm, and they have a basic 

aero profile that fits the aims 

of the frame. Don’t expect 

them to surf the air like a set 

of Zipp 808s though, and keep 

in mind that they come with a 

weight penalty – the Scott 

gives away more than 300g of 

crucial rotational weight to 

the other bikes. 

The build is finished off 

with a Selle Italia X1 saddle 

and Scott’s own oversized 

Road Pilot Pro bar and stem, 

all coordinated in white. 

ThE RIDE 

Let’s make one thing clear 

right from the start – the Foil 

is fast! On the descents we 

ride most often we noticed 

that it hit 50kph sooner than 

we’re used to seeing and it 

whips along on the flat too. 

When you get out of the 

saddle and apply some gas the 

The cables are neatly routed out of the 

wind. The name comes from ‘airfoil’ 

and the original project name ‘F01’ 

The cleverly integrated seatpost clamp 

allows the back of the seat tube to be 

shaped more aerodynamically 

The white areas indicate the ‘virtual 

airfoil’ tube shapes that are the key 

to the Scott’s aerodynamic savings 

Foil leaps forwards. Holding 

the drops and pulling hard to 

get the maximum force into 

the bike reveals that it’s a very 

stiff frame from front to back. 

More than simply an absence 

of tangible flex, the Foil gives 

you a very positive feeling of 

rigidity that really encourages 

you to pour in all your effort. 

It’s fun and inspiring. 

Unfortunately, the Mavic 

Cosmic Elite wheels are 

nowhere near as stiff and 

rather shown up by the frame. 

During sprint efforts we could

“The Foil gives you a very positive feeling of 

rigidity that really encourages you to pour 

in all of your effort. It’s fun and inspiring” 

even hear the spokes ‘pinking’ 

like a cooling car engine as 

their tension came and went 

with each pedal stroke. Their 

weight is a clear hindrance 

when climbing, too. Neither 

is a big issue when you’re 

spinning along on the flat but 

a wheel upgrade should be 

your top priority ahead of 

some fancy new running 

shoes, a training camp or 

feeding the kids! 

The frame takes the edge 

off the worst bumps but it’s no 

airbed and it would be more 

tiring than the other three 

bikes here for an Ironman, 

especially one on UK roads. 

The steering isn’t as twitchy 

as you might expect: the Foil 

turns and carves a line with 

accuracy and confidence. 

With the stem sat above the 

spacers you get a sporty 

position that doesn’t demand 

extremes of flexibility on your 

part but which still places the 

emphasis on speed. Whip out 

the spacers and you can get a 

really aggressive position 

which will keep your back flat 

with clip-ons fitted. It’s just 

a shame that the tapered 

spacers look daft and fit 

poorly when arranged in 

a different order. 

The Ultegra drivetrain felt 

as smooth as we’ve come to 

expect but it was interesting to 

note that it felt a little vague 

after the snappier SRAM kit on 

the Trigon and Cannondale. 

Test ride both if you can and 

see which you prefer. 

Anatomic bars also divide 

opinion but the quality saddle 

will suit most riders. 

conS proS 

VerdicT 

Aerodynamic design will help you 

cut minutes from long rides 

Stiff, light frame gives a top ride and 

will dazzle on upgraded wheels 

Wheelset is slightly heavy and way 

too flexible to suit the eager frame 

Comfort levels aren’t the most 

generous for long rides 

Performance 

Value 

oVerall 

the foil 20 is ballistic and only held 

back by its wheels. on faster hoops 

it would be perfect for attacking 

short and middle-distance races 

february 2012 115

The 

BIke 

TEST 

Stevens 

ventoux 

ultegra 

£3,099 

hargrovescycles.co.uk 

this well-equipped german lightweight 

makes comfort the priority but it comes 

at the cost of some excitement 

Stevens is a new 

brand to the UK. 

It’s German, so no 

doubt you already 

have a few 

preconceptions about it, 

as we do about all things 

German. But is the Ventoux 

more like our clichéd ideas 

of German fashion and rock 

music (appalling) or those 

of German sportscars and 

classical music which are 

venerated the world over? 


Stevens made its first carbon 

fibre frame back in 1991. That 

bike used dead straight carbon 

tubes that were joined with 

lugs and at the time it was 

regarded as cutting edge. 

Since then, a lot has changed, 

but not everything. 

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The Ventoux – named after 

the huge, treeless mountain in 

Provence made famous by the 

Tour de France – is made from 

unidirectional, high modulus 

carbon fibre and is close to 

being as advanced now as its 

ancestor was in 1991. 

Despite the altitude-seeking 

name, Stevens describe the 

Ventoux as being ‘comfortoptimised’. 

The seatstays are 

very skinny, as is the latest 

convention, to allow some 

give and save weight. 

The seat tube has an 

interesting asymmetrical 

shape that flares out towards 

the non-drive side of the bike. 

This creates a larger junction 

area at the pressfit-type 

bottom bracket without 

creating a bigger Q-factor, the 

horizontal distance between 

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

top tube 

length 

cockpit 

length 

5 

9 

4 

seat tube 


height length 

bb 

height 

wheel- 

base 

head 

tube 

73.5° 73.5° 55.5cm 70cm 53.1cm 78.1cm 40.5cm 26.5cm 98cm 10.8cm 16.5cm 

3 

8 

1 

10 


the pedals. 

For sharper handling, the 

head tube tapers from 1 1/8” 

at the top to a huge 1 1/2” 

where it meets the full-carbon 

fork. To ensure that stiffness 

isn’t wasted, the down tube 

has the longest possible join 

with the head tube, coming 

right up to meet the top tube to 

form a much stiffer front end. 

The Ventoux frame is a 

semi-monocoque. The front 

triangle is made in one piece 

as a monocoque and the rear 

half is joined using a tube-totube 

process of carbonwrapped 

junctions. 

The frame features several 

classy details such as the 

internal cable routing for the 

rear derailleur which emerges 

just above the dropout and 

also the seat post clamp which 

is partially integrated, 

smoothly shaped and forward 

facing so that it doesn’t fill 

with road grime. 

We weighed the frame and 

fork respectively at 984g and 

360g. Those are impressive 

numbers, even for an upper 

mid-range bike. 

ThE KIT 

Like the Scott, the Stevens 

employs a full Ultegra 

groupset. The main difference 

is that our Ventoux test bike 

came with standard gearing, 

although compact is an option. 

Also like the Scott, the 

wheels are from Mavic but on 

the Ventoux they are much 

lighter Ksyrium Elites. They 

feature several more of 

Mavic’s proprietary 

technologies including the 

Isopulse rear spoke pattern 

and ISM machined rims. 

An Oxygen Speedlite saddle 

sits on a high quality Ritchey 

WCS carbon seat post that was 

selected by Stevens for its 

vibration absorption ability. A 

Scorpo stem holds a deep drop 

anatomic bar. 

ThE RIDE 

German bikes have picked up 

a reputation for riding harshly. 

In some cases it’s true but the 

Ventoux immediately proves 

The Ventoux is described by Stevens as 

‘comfort oriented’ – the very skinny seat 

stays are designed to absorb vibration 

The seat tube is asymmetric – it flares 

out towards the non-drive side of the bike 

to stiffen the area around the press-fit BB 

All of the cables are routed internally and 

disappear into the frame right at the head 

tube to be as tidy as possible 

that such a generalisation is 

unfair. It takes the sting out 

of sharper hits and road 

vibration well. We’ve ridden 

smoother bikes but they’ve 

either been twice the price or 

sacrificed all lateral strength. 

Manufacturers would like 

us to believe we must choose 

between pedaling stiffness 

and ride comfort but it is 

possible to have both, it’s just 

difficult. That’s why there are 

many good bikes and only a 

few greats. 

The Ventoux has decent

“The Ventoux has decent power transfer. 

There’s no tangible flex but it doesn’t have 

the rock-solid feel of the other three” 

power transfer for its comfort 

level. There’s no tangible flex 

but it doesn’t have the rocksolid 

feel that the other three 

share. In fairness, the Ventoux 

is unlucky to come up against 

such stiff – in every sense – 

opposition, which highlights 

the bit of pedaling stiffness 

that’s missing when you’re 

climbing a steep gradient out 

of the saddle in a low gear. 

The weight saving that the 

Mavic Ksyrium Elites deliver 

compared with the Cosmic 

Elites on the Scott is clear and 

they help the Ventoux to climb 

in a manner befitting its name. 

As you’d expect from the 

incredibly beefy front end, the 

steering is very precise and the 

bike feels rock solid when 

descending at speed. 

Stevens haven’t made the 

head tube too tall so, while 

you can still set it up for 

comfort by raising the stem on 

the spacers, you can also get 

quite low. If you want a really 

aero position with clip-ons, 

though, you may need a more 

angled stem. The anatomic 

bars have deep drops, giving 

a wide range of positions. 

We don’t recall seeing an 

Oxygen saddle before but it’s 

comfortable whether you like 

to sit on the back or perch on 

the nose. 

The Ultegra kit all works 

very well, brakes included, but 

shifts require a lot of lever 

movement compared to 

SRAM. 

If you agree with us that the 

Ventoux looks a bit dull in this 

colour, check out the crisp 

white alternative. 

conS proS 

VerdicT 

Light and well equipped, with 

particularly good wheels 

Comfortable frame with numerous 

intelligent details 

Lacking in ultimate stiffness for 

aggressive riding and steep climbs 

This colour scheme is dated but at 

least the white version looks better 

Performance 

Value 

oVerall 

the ventoux is a good bike with a 

comfortable ride but little to make 

it really stand out. we expect to be 

dazzled more at this price 

february 2012 117

The 

BIke 

TEST 

Trigon 

rqc-29 

£3,849 

trigon-cycles.com 

this cut-price taiwanese superbike 

boasts the highest spec on paper and 

delivers a fast and aggressive ride 

TrIGon IS a 

Taiwanese carbon 

fibre specialist 

which, until a few 

years ago, only 

made frames and parts for 

other top brands (including 

Shimano Pro and Pinarello). 

Then they realised that they 

could use their expertise to 

produce a range under their 

own name. A UK distributor 

came on board a year ago 

and the brand is gaining a 

foothold, led by the racefocused 

rQC-29. 


The RQC-29 uses Trigon’s 

advanced proprietary 

technology, including Venus 

C8 carbon fibre, a super-high 

modulus blend claimed to 

give an exceptional strength 

to weight ratio. The full 

monocoque frame is cured 

using a high-pressure 

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compaction method, dubbed 

‘Hipact’, with a solid inner 

mould that produces denser 

material than conventional 

air-bladders. This is similar to 

Cannondale’s method but with 

a totally different outcome – 

this RQC-29 frame weighs 

1,190g, getting on for twice 

as much as the SuperSix Evo. 

Trigon claim 1,100g for a 52cm 

frame without paint, so our 

figure is no surprise. 

The oversized tubes suggest 

that the extra mass may not be 

gluttonous. The top tube and 

down tube are described as 

‘trapezoidal’ and the head tube 

tapers from 1 1/8” to 1 1/2”. 

The 400g fork uses the same 

spec carbon fibre as the frame, 

and its legs are straight from 

the crown to the integrated 

drop-outs and also trapezoidal 

in cross-section for rigidity. 

The cable routing is all 

external, although the rear 

4 

3 

8 

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

top tube 

length 

cockpit 

length 

seat tube 


height length 

bb 

height 

73° 73.5° 55.5cm 72.5cm 55cm 81.5 cm 40.5cm 27cm 98.6cm 10.8cm 17cm 

1 

10 


wheel- 

base 

head 

tube 

brake cable is concealed in a 

channel under the top tube for 

aesthetic purposes. 

ThE KIT 

Most of the build kit is also 

made by Trigon, starting with 

the 58mm full carbon clincher 

wheels which are the obvious 

bonus on the spec sheet 

compared to the Cannondale 

or, for that matter, almost 

anything else at this price. You 

can also choose 38mm rims or 

tubular versions of either. 

The very light monocoque, 

single-bolt carbon seat post is 

Trigon’s, too, as is the dramatic 

one-piece carbon bar-stem 

combo. Obviously the latter 

can’t be adjusted but you can 

choose from three bar widths 

and five stem lengths. 

A complete SRAM Red 

groupset is fitted, with a 53/39 

crankset and an 11-25 cassette. 

Trigon do make their own 

saddles but they’re somewhat 

quirky so it was a smart choice 

on their part to fit a premium 

brand saddle instead. The 

Prologo Nago Evo Nack 

matches the bike perfectly and 

this is even the super-light 

carbon-railed version. 

Colour-matched Jagwire 

cables and two good carbon 

fibre bottle cages finish the 

bike off to a high standard. 

ThE RIDE 

The RQC-29 is a joy to ride 

hard and it deserves a name 

that better reflects its 

character – Piledriver perhaps, 

or Typhoon. Codes always 

obstruct the bond between a 

rider and a great bike. 

Even so, if you prefer to 

attack every ride rather than 

cruise, you’d still love the 

Trigon if it was called Cuthbert 

because it’s a beast! The extra 

weight in the frame seems to 

have been used to good effect 

– the huge tubes and junctions 

make it extremely stiff under 

load. There’s a real spark to the 

acceleration when you dig in. 

The front end is similarly 

flex-free so when you’re out of 

the saddle and pulling on the 

bars there’s no sensation that 

Trigon’s one-piece bar and stem is light, 

smart and very stiff. The non-round 

shape necessitates the computer mount 

Behind the SRAM Red crankset you can 

see the massive bottom bracket area. 

This one isn’t BB30 but it’s an option 

58mm full carbon clinchers are the 

Trigon’s trump card against its price 

rivals. They’re light, stiff and rapid 

you’re twisting the bike in 

the middle, only that you’re 

driving the bike forwards even 

harder. Sprinting may not have 

much place in triathlon but the 

same qualities also mean that 

the RQC-29 could handle big 

riders well and that when 

you’re hauling yourself up a 

steep climb all your energy is 

being used to fight gravity. 

The deep-section carbon 

clinchers are the stiffest and 

lightest wheels here, and they 

definitely boost the Trigon. 

They’re 200g lighter than the

“The huge tubes and junctions make the 

Trigon extremely stiff under load. There’s a 

real spark to the acceleration when you dig in” 

Mavics on the Cannondale and 

the Stevens, so acceleration is 

noticeably sharper and they 

help the Trigon to climb damn 

near as well as the lighter 

SuperSix Evo. 

The rim depth gives a real 

aero benefit too. Don’t expect 

them to be as fast as Zipp 404s 

just because they’re 58mm, or 

as stable in crosswinds – the 

profile isn’t that advanced 

– but they definitely carry 

speed better than basic 

aluminium rims. Of the four 

bikes here, the Trigon is the 

best equipped to do without 

a wheel upgrade. That said, we 

had a chance to ride the Trigon 

on some super-light and aero 

Enve 3.4s and it was amazing. 

With so much rigidity in the 

front end of the frame and the 

fork, tackling descents and 

corners at speed is big fun and 

never less than confident. The 

braking is strong too. 

Like the Scott, the Trigon 

takes a bit of the sting out of 

poor road surfaces but it can’t 

absorb them like the Stevens 

or Cannondale. You sense that 

nothing was going to stand in 

the way of the RQC-29 being 

the stiffest, meanest and most 

aggressive race bike possible. 

If that sounds like the sort of 

bike you want then you won’t 

care about a few bumps either. 

The cockpit manages to be 

both vibration dampening and 

stiff, and the wing-shape tops 

give a large area to rest your 

palms. Various bends are 

available to order. 

If you’re hung up on brand 

image, you’ll have to pay a lot 

more for something this good. 

conS proS 

VerdicT 

Stiff, rewarding frame feels better 

and better the harder you ride it 

No corners cut in the spec, full 

carbon clinchers save on upgrades 

Does the bare minimum to smooth 

out the road for you 

Colour scheme is starting to look 

outdated 

Performance 

Value 

oVerall 

by any other name this is a £6,000 

superbike. the trigon delivers an 

exciting and focused ride from a 

very thorough package 

february 2012 119

The 

BIke 

TEST 

cannondale 

supersix 

evo 2 red 

£3,99 5 

cannondale.com 

a cutting-edge frame with a great 

drivetrain and worthy wheels makes the 

cannondale a bargain, even at this price 

W e’re 

not 

forgetting 

for one 

moment that 

£4,000 is a 

lot of money but this bike is 

very good value. The only 

frame you can buy that’s 

lighter – Cervélo’s r5ca – 

costs twice as much as this 

whole bike. rather than 

keep their special frame as 

an ultra-exclusive halo 

product, Cannondale have 

built up this one to a price 

that’s in reach for many 

more buyers. 


Efficiency is the buzzword for 

the SuperSix Evo. Cannondale 

pursued it by targeting weight, 

stiffness, compliance and 

drag. A few years ago, not 

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many people thought frames 

could ever get this light – a real 

710g. According to 

Cannondale, their new 

internal moulding process is 

the key to making such a light 

frame as it allows tight control 

of fibre placing. 

The fork, seat stays and seat 

tube all feature ‘Speed Save flex 

zones’ which provide some 

vertical compliance for comfort. 

Cannondale also claim that 

they reduce rolling resistance 

and actually make you faster. 

To improve aerodynamics 

Cannondale simply reduced 

the frontal area by using 

smaller diameter tubes. The 

head tube is down to 1 1/4” for 

the lower race, and the fork 

and down tube have been 

slimmed down by 20 and 11 

per cent respectively. This 

4 

3 

8 

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

top tube 

length 

cockpit 

length 

seat tube 


height length 

bb 

height 

73° 73.5° 56cm 39.5cm 54cm 80.4 cm 40.5cm 26.8cm 99.1cm 10.8cm 15.5cm 

1 

10 


wheel- 

base 

head 

tube 

neatly avoids the compromises 

that affect every aero road 

bike bar the Scott Foil. 

Cannondale say that the Evo 

frame has achieved a record 

stiffness-to-weight (STW) 

score of 142.3Nm/deg/kg in 

an independent test. However, 

we’d always like to see an 

outright stiffness figure too 

because STW ratios favour 

very light frames yet when 

you’re riding you feel the 

stiffness more than the weight. 

In short, it’s no substitute for 

road testing. 

ThE KIT 

The Evo 2 Red has been built 

down to a price point but there 

really isn’t anything bolted 

to it that disappoints. The 

groupset is SRAM’s top-of-therange 

Red and it’s complete 

except for the Force chain and 

cassette. The saddle is a high 

quality Fizik Antares and FSA 

supply their lightweight carbon 

SL-K seat post and stem along 

with their 7075 alloy Wing Pro 

Compact handlebar. All of the 

above, and even the Schwalbe 

Ultremo ZX tyres, feature 

small green flashes that create 

a smart finish. It’s understated 

without being dull. 

As usual, you can choose 

between standard or compact 

gearing. This bike came with 

the latter and an 11-26 

cassette, so no matter how 

spectacularly you blow up on 

a ride you’ll have a gear with 

which to drag yourself home. 

The most obvious cost 

saving in the spec is the Mavic 

Ksyrium Elite wheels, the 

same ones as fitted to the 

much less expensive Stevens. 

Nevertheless, they are good 

quality, reasonably light 

wheels that should be a 

bearable trade-off if the frame 

delivers on its promises. 

ThE RIDE 

The SuperSix Evo 2 is instantly 

and emphatically impressive. It 

feels fast straight away, 

wherever you’re riding. 

It’s so light that the response 

to any extra effort is electric. If 

we didn’t know better, we’d 

The Evo is peppered with details in 

Cannondale’s corporate green, 

including on the Fizik Antares saddle 

Ksyrium Elites wheels are a highlight on 

the £3K Stevens, more of an acceptable 

compromise against the frame here 

The cranks are actually SRAM Red with 

Cannondale graphics. BB30 is used, of 

course, as Cannondale invented it 

guess the Ksyrium Elites are 

ultra-light, pro-issue race 

wheels. The frame really 

flatters them because there’s 

no way that a mid-range wheel 

should feel this responsive. It’s 

to their great credit that the 

wheels don’t feel like a ball 

and chain on this bike. An 

upgrade to something like 

Mavic’s R-Sys SLR, let alone 

Zipp 303s, would unleash 

another level of performance 

again but you’ll never resent 

refitting these wheels. 

Uphill sprint efforts confirm

“The Evo climbs superbly. When you dance 

on the pedals you dance to the Evo’s tune… 

and the Evo likes the quickstep” 

that this is a very stiff frame. It’s 

fractionally behind the 

monstrous Trigon and Scott but 

only heavier or ultra-powerful 

riders need take note – for most 

people, the low weight more 

than makes up for it. The Evo 

climbs superbly, underlined 

when you get out of the saddle 

and have to click three gears for 

something to push against. 

When you dance on the pedals 

you dance to the Evo’s tune… 

and the Evo likes the quickstep. 

After our first rides we’d 

noted that the SuperSix Evo 

‘feels aero’, without recalling at 

the time that Cannondale do 

indeed claim some gains. It 

seems to roll really easily, like 

your own private tailwind. The 

feeling was too consistent to 

write off so we have to believe 

that Cannondale’s efficiency 

drive has paid off to some 

extent. The crux is that, 

whatever the reason, this bike 

feels good. 

The slimmer head tube 

doesn’t have a negative impact 

on steering fidelity, braking or 

descending – all are assured. 

Ride comfort is really good, 

edging out the Stevens and 

making the other two feel 

brutal, though it still isn’t on 

par with the smoothest bike 

we’ve ever tested, the stunning 

Kyklos Featherweight Limited. 

Even so, the SuperSix Evo is 

a great choice for long, hilly 

rides or an Ironman. 

The front end is low, as you’d 

expect from a bike developed 

for road pros, but not extreme. 

This 56 came with an oddly 

short 10cm stem – we swapped 

it out to correct the reach. 

conS proS 

VerdicT 

State-of-the-art, ultra-light frame 

and no weak link in the spec 

Outstanding all-round performance, 

fast on the flat and up the hills 

Well, it would be nice to be offered 

the white option available in the US 

Finding new friends when your old 

ones get bored of being dropped 

Performance 

Value 

oVerall 

incredible performance in the hills 

and on the flat, plus great comfort. 

it’s only a trick set of wheels away 

from being unbeatable 

february 2012 121

The 

BIke 

TEST 

The VerdicT 

if You’re lucKY enougH to have £3,000-4,000 burning a 

hole in your pocket, then you’re even luckier than you know 

because the bikes in this range have never been better. 

Choosing between this quartet isn’t easy as all four are good 

bikes but when the standard is high you simply have to be even 

more demanding. 

The Stevens Ventoux is the bike that inspired us the least, so 

that’s fourth. The Scott Foil which is a fantastic bike only let 

down by wheels that can’t keep up with the pace it sets. It’s one 

thing to be worthy of upgraded wheels (which it certainly is), 

it’s another to need them urgently. 

The Trigon RQC-29 ran the Cannondale close for the win. 

It’s the most complete package, thanks to the really good 

wheels, but its aggressive character isn’t for everyone. 

The weight and ride quality of Cannondale’s SuperSix Evo 

frame is a big achievement; building that frame into a £4k bike 

that feels neither hindered nor compromised by its price point. 

The BiKe TeST Spec SheeT 

Scott 

FOIL 20 

£2,799 

www.scott-sports.com 


Size tested 58 

Sizes available 47, 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 

Weight as tested 7.66kg 

Frame weight 1,030g 

Fork weight 401g 

Frame Foil HMF NET carbon fibre 

Fork Foil HMF NET, full carbon fibre 

TRANSmISSION (AS TESTED) 

Chainset Shimano Ultegra 50/34 

Bottom bracket Shimano Dura-Ace 

Cassette Shimano Ultegra 11-28 

Chain Shimano Ultegra 

Derailleurs Shimano Ultegra 

Shifters Shimano Ultegra 

WhEELS (AS TESTED) 

Front and rear Mavic Cosmic Elite 

Tyres Continental Ultra Race 

Wheel weight (front/back) 1.21kg/1.62kg 

OThER COmPONENTS (AS TESTED) 

Stem Scott Road Pilot Pro, 31.8mm 

Bars Scott Road Pilot Pro, 31.8mm 

headset Ritchey Pro Integrated 

Saddle Selle Italia X1 

Seatpost Ritchey Foil Aero Pro Carbon 

Brakes Shimano Ultegra 

QUALITY TESTED 

Stevens 

VENTOUX 

ULTEGRA 

£3,099 

www.hargrovescycles.co.uk 



Sizes available 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62 


Frame weight 984g 


Frame Ventoux carbon UD HMF Hybrid Superlite 

Fork Full carbon SL UD 


Chainset Shimano Ultegra, 53/39 

Bottom bracket Shimano Ultegra, pressfit 

Cassette Shimano Ultegra, 11-25 

Chain Shimano Ultegra 

Derailleurs Shimano Ultegra 

Shifters Shimano Ultegra 


Front and rear Mavic Ksyrium Elite 

Tyres Scwalbe Ultremo 



Stem Scorpo forged alloy, 31.8mm 

Bars Scorpo forged alloy, 31.8mm 

headset Stevens 

Saddle Oxygen Speedlite 

Seatpost Ritchey WCS carbon 

Brakes Shimano Ultegra 

Trigon 

RqC-29 

£3,849 

www.trigon-cycles.com 



Sizes available 46, 49, 52, 55, 58 


Frame weight 1,190g 


Frame RQC-29, Venus C8 carbon monocoque 

Fork RC52S, Venus C8 full carbon 


Chainset SRAM Red, 53/39 

Bottom bracket SRAM Red 

Cassette SRAM Red, 11-25 

Chain SRAM Red 

Derailleurs SRAM Red 

Shifters SRAM Red 


Front and rear Trigon CWC58, 58mm carbon 

Tyres Schwalbe Ultremo ZX 

Wheel weight (front/back) 990g/1.32kg 


Stem Trigon RB117, integrated 

Bars Trigon RB117, one-piece carbon 

headset Trigon R5, 1 1/8”–1 1/2” 

Saddle Prologo Nago Evo Nack, carbon 

Seatpost Trigon SP138, carbon, 31.6mm 

Brakes SRAM Red 

All our test bikes are prepared and checked by George Ramelkamp, a Cytech-qualified cycle technician. George’s 

childhood was spent as a feral cyclist on the streets of Brussels, Saigon and Santa Monica. He’s built, tuned, sold 

and repaired everything and anything pedal-powered ever made, and for the record, he rides a made-to-measure 

Mercian Vincintore with steep angles and a Mavic/Campy/Galli mix on Vittoria Corsa Pavés sew-ups. 


GOLD 

AWARD 

The superb Cannondale SuperSix 

Evo is the Gold Award winner 

cannondale 

SUPERSIX EVO 2 

RED 

£3,995 

www.cannondale.com 



Sizes available 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 63 


Frame weight 710g 


Frame SuperSix Evo, BallisTec Hi-Mod carbon 

Fork SuperSix Evo, BallisTec Hi-Mod carbon 


Chainset SRAM Red, 50/34 

Bottom bracket SRAM Red BB30 

Cassette SRAM Force, 11-26 

Chain SRAM PG-1070 

Derailleurs SRAM Red 

Shifters SRAM Red 


Front and rear Mavic Ksyrium Elite 

Tyres Schwalbe Ultremo ZX 



Stem FSA SL-K, carbon 

Bars FSA Wing Pro Compact, double-butted alu 

headset SuperSix Evo, 1 1/8”–1 1/4” 

Saddle Fizik Antares 

Seatpost FSA SL-K carbon, 27.2mm 

Brakes SRAM Red

supersix evo 2 red - Kenda

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