# System Six



## dontimberline (Apr 20, 2006)

So I was just on the C'dale website and they're advertising that on June 6th, the 'System Six' is coming...anybody have a clue as to what this is?

I'm guessing it's all all-carbon bike that's got a geometry like the CAAD8/Six13 versus the Synapse. Has anyone seen spy photos?


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## jparman (Apr 18, 2006)

could be a new variety of mountain bike frame... time will tell...


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## the_brett (May 17, 2006)

I spoke with our c'dale rep from my bike shop, the system six is an even _lighter_ version of the Six13. However the carbon and aluminum tubing is a little different. I don't know to many things about it, but they have a version of the SystemSix that comes out of the box at 14.5 pounds, equipped with the new sram force group and ksyrium es wheelset. I didnt see any pictures of it, but i was told it does not have the clear coat like the team edition Six13. It's gonna be frickin' sweet.


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## dontimberline (Apr 20, 2006)

That's sickeningly sweet. That's probably the frame that HealthNet's been beta testing.


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## the_brett (May 17, 2006)

*System Six Prototype*

The Joe Martin Stage Race was in my hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas this past weekend and I briefly met with Scott Moniger and Gord Fraser of Health Net, and they were sporting the new SystemSix. It was hard to tell the differences, but the head badge as a circle with a 6 in the middle of it. Got me thinkin. Anyway, the next day I saw the system six teaser on the website, and then spoke with our rep. It's gonna be sweet. For those of you interested in cannondale mountain bikes, there is a possibility of a Six13 type hardtail around the corner. Hooray! However, the Six13 scalpel apparntly will never see the consumer market because of cost. Christoph Sauser's custom rig was in the neighborhood of 15,000.


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## trauma-md (Feb 6, 2004)

The System 6 is almost a full carbon front triangle....the top tube, down tube, and headtube are all carbon. The seat tube and rear triangle are aluminum. The rearward junctions of carbon to aluminum look similar to the 613. Also, it appears that the headset is conical (ala Klein and 5900). It uses a 1.5 top cup and tapers to a 1 1/8th lower. Someone who took a test ride said there was a more distinct road feel (not in a bad way), and overall, the bike was stiffer than the 613.


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## cyclewvu (Oct 17, 2005)

I rode it today. The rep came in w/a 52 built w/dura ace and ksyrium es. lucky me to be the only compact person in the shop. It does offer much more precise road feel. When I first got on it I expected a harsher ride, but taking it over some of the roughest brick streets I could find in town, the feedback from the road did not increase proprotionally to the size of the bumps, as to say bigger bumps still felt small. The six13 definitely offers a smoother ride than the systemsix, but I've always felt that it lacked the visceral acceleration of the CAAD 8, not that I've ever felt like it lacked stiffness or felt held back in sprints by the six13. (I raced a CAAD 8 last year and upgraded to a six13 team this year). The systemsix bridges this gap with an overall lighter package (rep said 50-60 grams lighter than a caad8). It's incredibly responsive. A true thoroughbred race bike. Another difference besides the tapering fork is an oversize 31.6 seatpost due to a new oversized internally doublebutted seattube (maybe see this as one of the changes for caad9 that was mentioned in velonews?)


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## dontimberline (Apr 20, 2006)

Ughhh...I hate it when manufacturers start playing with odd seatpost sizes. It makes it impossible to find a reasonably-priced aftermarket seatpost.


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## trauma-md (Feb 6, 2004)

*pic....*

Here's a pic...


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## jhenry4 (Feb 4, 2006)

the seatpost size is rare but not odd, that's the same size specialized uses on their Mtn bikes. the larger issue is the headset, the 1.5 to 1.125 mixed set is even harder to find than a 31.6 seatpost.


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## trek5200cs (May 4, 2006)

cyclewvu said:


> I rode it today. The rep came in w/a 52 built w/dura ace and ksyrium es. lucky me to be the only compact person in the shop. It does offer much more precise road feel. When I first got on it I expected a harsher ride, but taking it over some of the roughest brick streets I could find in town, the feedback from the road did not increase proprotionally to the size of the bumps, as to say bigger bumps still felt small. The six13 definitely offers a smoother ride than the systemsix, but I've always felt that it lacked the visceral acceleration of the CAAD 8, not that I've ever felt like it lacked stiffness or felt held back in sprints by the six13. (I raced a CAAD 8 last year and upgraded to a six13 team this year). The systemsix bridges this gap with an overall lighter package (rep said 50-60 grams lighter than a caad8). It's incredibly responsive. A true thoroughbred race bike. Another difference besides the tapering fork is an oversize 31.6 seatpost due to a new oversized internally doublebutted seattube (maybe see this as one of the changes for caad9 that was mentioned in velonews?)


Sorry to hijack, but along similar lines, I have test ridden a C'dale Synapse 1 Carbon that I really like. Full Dura-ace. I want to test ride a Six13, but haven't found one in my size locally yet. Then I noticed a CAAD8 R6000 with Full Campy Record, Mavic SL's for cheap. Can you describe the difference ride quality feel between the CAAD8 and the Six13 (Which I am aware has some carbon) Which would give a more comfortable ride? I am not a racer, and I weigh 190 lbs. I will be doing mostly group rides and distance/fitness riding. Don't have the best back in the world either at 49 yrs. Do you think the CAAD8 frame will be as comfortable as Six13 or the Synapse Carbon? Thanks!


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## bikerbrian (Oct 20, 2004)

trek5200cs said:


> Sorry to hijack, but along similar lines, I have test ridden a C'dale Synapse 1 Carbon that I really like. Full Dura-ace. I want to test ride a Six13, but haven't found one in my size locally yet. Then I noticed a CAAD8 R6000 with Full Campy Record, Mavic SL's for cheap. Can you describe the difference ride quality feel between the CAAD8 and the Six13 (Which I am aware has some carbon) Which would give a more comfortable ride? I am not a racer, and I weigh 190 lbs. I will be doing mostly group rides and distance/fitness riding. Don't have the best back in the world either at 49 yrs. Do you think the CAAD8 frame will be as comfortable as Six13 or the Synapse Carbon? Thanks!


I think the six13 or synapse would be more comfortable. That being said I still love my old caad8. The six13 seems to dampen large bumps but I just keep asking "where does the energy go?" and "Well then, it must do the same thing on sprints, right?"


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## ninjaslim (Apr 30, 2006)

Igor Astarloa of Barloworld was riding one for the Amstel Gold, looked good in the photos British Cycling weekly magazine published. Nice to see the naked version posted though see http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/photos/06amstel-013000


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

The major changes was the headtube is fully carbon and rear is still alumimum, noticed the headtube is much larger compare with the Six13 and Caad 8.


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## tomato (May 16, 2002)

*here you go, nice gallery too*

from cyclingnews:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/?id=2006/features/cannondale_system_six


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## cyclewvu (Oct 17, 2005)

In my opinion, the six13 and synapse are substantially more comfortable than the caad8 (which was still much more comfortable than a lot of other full alu bikes I've ridden: specialized allez, giant tcr) with the edge definitely going to the synapse. On textured pavement the six13 feels like you're riding on glass and the synapse feels that way on chip and seal, but they are both still very stiff performance bicycles and still have a much livlier feel than any full carbon bikes I've ridden (trek 5900, giant tcr comp)


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

Saw the bike today, as the rep brought it by the mountain bike race.

I was impressed. It's 15.5 with the DA group (shifters/rd/fd), Cannondale(Tektro) brakes, Ksyrium ES, carbon Hollogram cranks.

It's a really sweet bike. At first, I was very skeptical, but seeing it in person impressed me very much. I'm taking it out for a test-ride this week. I can't wait.


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## litspeed (May 28, 2006)

I got to ride a system six last week at a weekly group ride (the cannondale rep was there). I know a lot of people who have a Six13 and have ridden one a few times. I really like the Six13 (I have a caad 7 now). The new bike is definately stiffer than the six13 but not in a bad way at all. There is no wasted energy at all. Climbs and corners very nice. Having thought the six13 was one of the nicest bikes I have ridden, I would definately get a system six instead.


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## bikerbrian (Oct 20, 2004)

FondriestFan said:


> I was impressed. It's 15.5 with the DA group (shifters/rd/fd), Cannondale(Tektro) brakes, Ksyrium ES, carbon Hollogram cranks.


Although I'm sure it is a really nice bike and I do want one. My Six13 size 56 built with full DA, Ksyrium SL, and aluminum hollowgram cranks w/SRM weighed in at 15.5 lbs.


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