Cannondale Caad14 review: a good bike that would be great, with one component swap

The Caad platform is known for its sprightly performance and robust build quality, which has endeared it to many fans over the years. However, with the Caad13, Cannondale took a risk, designing a bike that looked and felt more like the carbon SuperSix Evo, diluting its heritage and design architecture despite retaining an aluminium construction. While this didn't ruin the bike's dynamic character, it did move away from the hallmark features of the original recipe.

To rekindle the original's traits, Cannondale redesigned the frame once again, returning it to its roots. The new blueprint blends past and future, paying homage to the double-diamond architecture without pandering to contemporary trends or aerodynamic principles.

Cannondale says its intentions were “to create a bike that stays true to aluminium instead of trying to mimic carbon shapes, while building on the material’s natural strengths to deliver a fast, responsive ride.”

The real question however lies in whether there's still a place for aluminium road bikes in today’s aero- and carbon-fibre-obsessed landscape, and more importantly, can the Caad14 deliver both as a racer and everyday riding rig?

Design details

The focus of the new Caad was to engineer an aluminium frame with no carbon-fibre bike design influences. That meant returning to classic angles and tubes that shun truncated aerofoils in favour of more retro themes – and the Caad looks superb as a result.

The frame is constructed from Cannondale’s proprietary SmartForm C1 alloy tubing, oversized and with smoothed-out welds so clean they’re hard to see. In fact, during my testing, many passersby couldn't tell the bike was aluminium and were convinced it was a carbon-fibre frame. I like the clean look, but intentionally leaving the welding beads visible as an aesthetic choice would have reinforced Cannondale’s “not carbon, not sorry” tagline. The welds, however, are more visible on the raw-alloy finish of the range-topping Caad14 1.

While I appreciate the Cherry Lacquer colour and chevron overlay on the toptube, I feel Cannondale played it safe with the paint and graphic design on the full builds. The Rally Red frameset colourway or Team Dream livery is more in line with the Caad vibe, and I feel the brand should have run with those designs across the range for maximum visual impact. The current full-build colours are, dare I say, a bit too boring and don't match the Caad's personality or modus operandi for that matter.

The double-diamond design features high-mounted seat stays reminiscent of the Caad12 and second-generation SuperSix Evo – a refreshing visual that boldly middle-fingers the dropped seatstay and aerodynamic cookie-cutter facades of contemporary road race bike design. While the premise of the Caad14 is largely its aluminium construction, the fork and seatpost are made of carbon, a move not just to reduce weight but also to improve ride feel and rear compliance.

Weight was not a massive focus for the Caad14 project, but the bike is not what you’d call portly – of course, some component choices have inched its gram count up, but also helped keep the price relatively low - notably the wheels. As such, our Caad14 weighed in at 8.9kg in size 54cm.

The lack of mudguard mounting hardware points to its race-bent design, which also sees UDH compatibility, a switch from press-fit BB30A to the threaded 68mm BSA bottom bracket standard, and an increase in tyre clearance (up from 30mm to 32mm).

In terms of sizing, there are six options spanning 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61cm, which are two sizes less than the outgoing model. The geometry is very racy and not too far removed from the current SuperSix Evo, nor its predecessor, for that matter.

In size 54cm, the Caad14 matches a 71.3-degree head angle to a 73.3-degree seat tube angle - not a far cry from the SuperSix Evo - while the stack and reach figures are basically identical at a respective 540- and 386mm. The 415mm chainstay and 58mm trail are the same across all sizes, with the latter matching the SuperSix Evo.

Specifications

For the money, you get a decent mix of components, including a SRAM Rival AXS groupset with a 48/35T, 10-36T drivetrain. There is an alloy Vision Trimax Aero bar and a Cannondale Conceal C1 stem, along with a 27.2mm Cannondale Save carbon seatpost with an external clamp and a Prologo Nago RS STN saddle.

If there’s one area that needs addressing, and I felt the same way about the Synapse Carbon 4 I tested last year, it’s the DT Swiss wheels, the E1800 Spline model in this case. Sure, they’re durable and reliable, but they’re heavy and hold back an otherwise sound package. At this price point, I'd have expected at least a set of DT Swiss ER 1600 Spline carbon wheels.

I suspect prospective competitive riders may want to buy a separate wheelset if they want to race. Still, a carbon wheelset would have done wonders to bolster value, not to mention feel and communication, too.

Performance

It’s been a while since I last tested an aluminium road bike, and the Caad14 delivered in every respect. It’s a lively, agile machine, with the firm ride quality to match.

Our Caad14 test bike came fitted with 28mm Vittoria Rubino Pro tyres and inner tubes, so there was only so much I could do to improve plushness and soften imperfections. While alloy frames are known for their firm ride quality and stiff frame properties, I also feel relocating the seatstays into an upright, more traditional position has perhaps heightened road buzz.

In terms of straight-line speed, the Caad14 is perfectly adept at going fast – don’t let its round tubing and old-school architecture fool you. It accelerates well and does well to maintain momentum thanks to its responsive underpinnings. Sure, you can feel the system weight on the climbs, but it doesn't negatively impact the experience – in fact, I was very impressed by the way the Caad14 responded to out-of-saddle accelerations up punchy climbs.

The sporty ride character and alloy construction do come with some drawbacks, particularly the firm ride quality, but you can mitigate this to some degree by fitting wider rubber (the Caad14 can accommodate up to 32mm-wide tyres) and lowering tyre pressures. It’s super-stable during tight, technical cornering manoeuvres, showing its prowess when darting from left to right, and scything down descents with poise and precision.

In many ways, the Caad14's geometry flatters the rider, but it's not perfect, and some of this might be down to the wheels. Despite the durability they might offer over a season, the heavy alloy wheels ruin the bike's overall dynamic character. In fact, they feel more like a cost-saving measure than a genuine consideration. Thankfully, this can be upgraded, and I expect many prospective buyers to do so as their first port of call.

Value

Overall, the specification list is solid, and the Caad14 delivers a sporty, detailed experience that inspires confidence in the twisties and descents. The geometry is racy, which might limit its appeal somewhat, but for the pure racer and rider wanting a sprightly, durable machine, the Caad14 is a compelling choice.

However, some concerns remain. Some might argue the lack of mudguard integration and carbon wheels let down an otherwise sound package, especially at this price point – and I tend to agree. At £3,700/$3,999/€3,999, carbon wheels are non-negotiable, especially when you consider the increasing value threat posed by Chinese race bikes rolling off far-east production lines.

That said, the Caad14 range is diverse, and if price is a concern, there's a £2,500/$2,499/€2,499 model available. It keeps the carbon fork of its stablemates and is available in two classic colourways - black or white - but ditches electronic shifting for mechanical Shimano 105. As the entry point into Caad ownership, most of the components are aluminium, including the wheels, cockpit, and seatpost, which will no doubt increase the weight, but at this price, there’s scope to upgrade parts down the line as you need them.

Scoring breakdown

Tech spec

• Price: £3,700/ $3,999/ €3,999
• Brand: Cannondale
• Frame: Caad14, SmartForm C1 Premium Alloy
• Fork: Caad14, carbon
• Weight: 8.9kg (actual, 54cm)
• Sizes: 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61cm
• Levers: SRAM Rival AXS
• Brakes: SRAM Rival, 160/160mm front/rear
• Rear derailleur: SRAM Rival AXS
• Front derailleur: SRAM Rival AXS
• Crankset:  SRAM Rival 48/35T
• Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB BSA
• Cassette: SRAM Rival 10-36T
• Chain: SRAM Rival
• Wheels: DT Swiss E1800 Spline
• Tyres: Vittoria Rubino Pro IV 28mm
• Bar/stem: Vision Trimax Aero, Cannondale C1 Conceal
• Seatpost: Cannondale Save Carbon, 27.2x350mm
• Saddle: Prologo Nago RS STN