# 2011 supersix matte frames aesthetic quality control



## cjcastan (Oct 17, 2005)

Hello all,

I've been saving my pennies and am continuing to save for my dream bike - supersix-5.

was at my local bike shop last night and saw the new caad10-4 (the new tube shapes are sexy and the welds fantastic) and supersix-4 on display there.

the SS was in the matte black. It looked like going down the middle of the top tube and down the middle of the down tube, there was an inconsistent texture / color. Like it was a little shinier than the rest of the matte finish. I asked a couple of other people who were there and they noticied it too. Maybe some remnants of the carbon bonding process? 

Needless to say I was a little disheartened because I have / had my heart set on the matte finish. Do you think I saw a bad sampling? Would a gloss painted bike not have this?

I'm really surprised that my LBS would put this one on display if it was a bad copy. They are a very high end shop, locally & nationally recognized.

Any supersix matte finish owner care to chime in? or even post pictures to alleviate my fears?

thanks all.


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## surfsjp (Jul 6, 2010)

I just picked up my new 11 supersix hi-mod in black. The key to the paint is it's called raw. It does show the layup and seams in the black areas. Another weight savings but I agree they look like paint imperfections. They are the same for the 10 matte model.


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## skyliner1004 (May 9, 2010)

i saw it on the same SS-4 in matte in NYC also. It looked very,... unattractive.


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## Bad Ronald (May 18, 2009)

People love to see carbon, but then expect it to look like perfection. The honest truth is that if you are trying to make a lightweight bike there will be inconsistencies in the finish, whether they are sanding marks, highlights, resin pockets or otherwise. The bike will still ride like a dream...it is the trade off you make as a customer of this kind of bike. The whole bike could be painted black and you would never be wiser, but that can add quite a bit of weight in paint. These days paint can make up upwards of 10 - 15% of the total frame weight! It is not light and thus the trade off is seeing these imperfections you mentioned. It was not a bad copy you saw, but rather a frame in its "rawest" form...


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## cjcastan (Oct 17, 2005)

i see. thanks for the insights.

quite honestly I'd rather have a paint job on the bike and be happy with the looks. The 100g - 200g or so the paint adds, I could stand to lose around my waist and butt.

honestly I don't really care about seeing carbon or the weight savings. I just like the idea of a black bike with a matte finish. If the CAAD10-1 ano frameset was an option I'd even think about that and throw on my current 105 5500 on it. 

I'm not as in love with the Leaky paint scheme as I was with the matte but it does look nice and if the 10-5 suffers from the same aesthetics as the 10-4 then it's leaky or wait til next year, which "she who must be obeyed" would prefer (or never lol).

also the same shop has a Cervelo R5CA that they let me look at / hold (man that thing is stupid light) and I didn't see any of the same type blemishes. granted it's 9k frame vs. 2.5k whole bike but it is possible to have a well done matte finish.


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## Devastator (May 11, 2009)

cjcastan said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I've been saving my pennies and am continuing to save for my dream bike - supersix-5.
> 
> ...



Im not sure what you mean more gloss, my bike is straight matte, though its a 10 Super HM. There is not element of shininess. You can see the carbon like there is pockets in the bike on the down tube. You have to be inspecting the bike, its not like riding by people they will notice. I was just thinkin yesterday, for the price you probably wont get a better performing bike. I ride 200+ miles a week. 

If you can afford a R5CA Id get that in heartbeat. But as for me I am very happy owning a 10 Super HM in matte. IMO its a Cannondale, my bikes have all had various things like I had dust fibers in the clearcoat on my System, decals werent straight on my 09 Super. Thing is I dont give a crap bike performs like a champion, smooth ride and stiff as hell, which is more than I can say for other bikes.

Here a pic of my bike








Its not the lightest, but 16lbs kicks ass.


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## AceyMan (May 6, 2010)

I wonder if the Jet Black matte is really what we think it is. The SS5 in black is listed as "exposed carbon, matte" which sounds like a real raw finish.

The SS4 and SS1 call it "Jet Matte Black" which could be a matte paint over the carbon.

I haven't seen either up close, but I wanted to note that the Jet Matte may be neither raw or top-coat only, but real paint of some kind.


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## cjcastan (Oct 17, 2005)

Devastator said:


> If you can afford a R5CA Id get that in heartbeat.


lol I'm nowhere close to being able to afford an r5ca. even if I could I don't think I'd be willing to spend that much on a bike.

actually a SS-5 is the top of my budget. I wish I had brought my camera (I have a DSLR and Macro lenses) to last night's party to get some good closeups of what I was seeing.

I know that how the bike rides and fits are most important. But to me $2k+ is a lot of money to spend on a bike. I really want a cannondale too because of the reknowned ride quality, technical innovation they bring, and the fabulous warranty and support I hear about. So if I lay down that kind of $ I want to be satisfied from everything from the ride to the fit to the looks.

Maybe my expectations are/were too high for a bike in that price range but when I looked at the caad10-4 and the ss-4. Due to the "blemishes" I saw, the CAAD had a better look of "fit & finish" even though it's the less expensive bike. 

Maybe what I saw is a one-off. Maybe that's the nature of the beast for Matte finishes. Maybe that's the fit & finish of a $2k bike. But since I cannot afford the $1k bump up to ultegra and I want to stay in shimano, really the SS-5 is where I am at in cannondale land. I already have an aluminum bike, so even though the CAAD is the pinnacle of AL I'd rather make the move to carbon for my nice bike and still keep my AL bike for winter, bad weather, groceries, etc.

Maybe if the shop let's me photograph their SS-4 I can post pics. anyways hope to hear more feedback.


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## AceyMan (May 6, 2010)

I'll give a follow up report soon, as my LBS just let me know this afternoon -- my 2011 SuperSix 4 in Jet Matte Black just came in.

I'll try to pick it up this weekend and I'll let y'all know how she looks.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

I was just at my LBS and put a deposit on a SuperSix 4 - it should be in next week. I might not pick it up right away while I'm still trying settle a claim with my insurance company but I digress. It is nude/exposed/unpainted CF with a clear coat. That's why you see the imperfections. It looks cool if you ask me.


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## Wicked2006 (Jul 9, 2005)

That's what carbon looks like.

Look at cervelo and the team bikes for Specialized teams and their mountain bikes. Look at cannondales carbon mountain bikes. They all look like that. That's what carbon actually looks like. Actually, that's what unidirectional carbon looks like. 

If you don't like the way it looks, buy a bike that has the vanity layer on it to make it "look" like carbon.


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## Unknown Arch (Aug 17, 2011)

Hey guys, so I just bought a 2011 SuperSix 5 (matte finish). Anyone know if it has a clear coat on it? I'm a paint/finish newbie so I have no idea how I'd even tell. Love the matte look, just curious to know if there's any extra protection over the naked carbon fiber. Also, if anyone knows if there's a safe degreaser to use on the bike, I'd appreciate it. I wasn't thinking and accidentally got some degreaser on the frame (chain stays and down near the BB) while cleaning the bike tonight and realized it only after the fact. Fortunately, it'd have only been on there for not more than 20-30 seconds, but still...


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## J.Kilgore (Aug 10, 2011)

I am looking at a SuperSix 5 as well. I love the matte black finish. In the sun you can really see the "imperfections" but the finish looks great. I like the understated look of this bike. Down the middle of the toptube and downtube you can see what looks like clear coat that is starting to flake. That concerned me but I think it is the carbon itself. I may get one soon after reading this thread. I'm not as worried now.


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## JKOST (Jun 19, 2011)

I just bought a new SuperSix 5. I can see a seam on the top tube and some inconsistency in color on the downtube. I assume it is just the CF ... see this thread: 

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/cannondale/paint-job-hi-mod-258665.html

Even it it was, I wouldn't care. I'm really liking this bike.


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## J.Kilgore (Aug 10, 2011)

I am picking mine up on Saturday! The bike is a Sexual Ninja.

The last guy to post in that thread you referenced makes a good point. I bet the matte finish is easier to scratch. I will need to keep that in mind.


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