'The fastest time trial bike we've ever made' – Cannondale's SuperSlice finally gets the treatment it deserves

The Cannondale SuperSlice has always lived in the shadow of more established time trial bike icons such as the Specialized Shiv, Pinarello Bolide, and even the Giant Trinity. This even appears to be the case on the local UK time trial scene, where spotting a SuperSlice has become a feat in its own right - they're as scarce as hen's teeth.

The Cannondale SuperSlice Disc was originally launched in 2017, replacing the rim-brake-only Slice model. Initially available in both disc- and rim-brake versions (the latter was pro team-only), it was updated again in 2021 as a second-generation model. Adopting an aesthetic more akin to the SystemSix, it wasn't readily available in the UK, with limited quantities assigned to Europe and the United States.

Increased pressure to perform at WorldTour level and radical advances in aerodynamics quickly rendered the outgoing model obsolete, forcing Cannondale to deliver a super-fast, lightweight time-trial chassis for both EF Pro Cycling squads. After all, 2026 is a massive year for time trials, what with a TTT pegged for the opening stage of the Tour de France and an individual time trial for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

We spotted what looked to be the new SuperSlice being raced by EF Education-EasyPost at Trofeo Ses Salines last month, and while details were thin on the ground, we've finally got the skinny on the new bike.

Here's everything we know about Cannondale's fastest time trial bike to date.

A seamless integrated chassis

For Cannondale, the new SuperSlice was as much about maintaining the steering geometry as it was about futureproofing the chassis. As a result, the bike is said to offer more control in the TT position thanks to an improved, highly adjustable cockpit layout. It also has clearances for up to 32mm tyres, and gets a UDH rear dropout and BSA threaded bottom bracket.

"Our racing bikes are focused on speed, so it was a case of how do we make the new SuperSlice and rider as fast as possible," said Cannondale Senior Design Engineer, Dr. Nathan Barry.

And that means a lot of CFD modelling and wind tunnel testing, looking at which tubes and shapes work best for the entire system - rider and bike included. As such, the new SuperSlice looks radically different from the model it replaces, with sculptural, deep-section tube shapes, a reprofiled, narrower head tube (thanks to the Delta Steerer), a chunkier fork, and a more optimised rear end and seat tube cutout.

The integrated deep-section airfoil seatpost retains the same dimensions as the seat tube, improving compliance and aerodynamics. The seat clamp allows 45mm of fore-aft movement, offering a wide range of fit options that correspond to nominal effective seat tube angles of 74 to 77 degrees.

Longtime fans of the platform will be happy to know that the iconic SuperSlice pizza graphic is present on the underside of the downtube. Yes, it's wearing a cape!

The result of all these changes has been a 10w yaw-weighted drag reduction at 50km/h over its predecessor, which is fairly significant given that the total system weight of a size medium EF team-issue bike is around 9kg (with 68T chainring, 90mm front wheel, and solid rear disc).

According to Cannondale, "weight savings achieved in the basebar successfully offset any gains in the fork, netting a bike that is significantly faster with the same mass."

As a result, depending on how you spec the build, a sub-9kg time-trial bike will be easily achievable.

The bike will not accommodate any aftermarket basebar systems, and extension compatibility is limited to parts designed for the Vision/FSA single-stack, mono-link TFA Evo configurations. Cannondale says, "The intention of the Vision MonoRiser JS bend carbon extensions is to allow riders to dial in positions with the adjustable sliding extensions, before settling in on the fixed dimension one-piece setup."

Regarding chainring sizing, the new SuperSlice can be run as either a 2x (60/46T max) or a 1x (64T max) setup. While Cannondale says it might be physically possible to run larger rings, it's not recommended, and that damage from oversized chainrings will not be covered by warranty.

Contrary to previous iterations, the SuperSlice is not just focused on out-and-out time-trial performance, but can also be set up for triathlons. As a result, it's compatible with Vision hydration systems.

The frame is only available in black, but the contrasting Cannondale wordmark logos and Lab71 nomenclature make for a rather stunning-looking package.

The new SuperSlice is compatible with electronic groupsets only.

Pricing and availibilty

While the second-generation SuperSlice was almost impossible to source, let alone purchase here in the UK, Cannondale has made a concerted effort to make it globally accessible for both time triallists and triathletes.

Owing to the Lab71 insignia and Series 0 carbon construction, it's not the most affordable time trial frameset on the market at $6,999 / £6,995 / €6,999 - and, considering riders will need to source a saddle, wheels, and the groupset separately, full builds are likely to cost more than $12,000 / £10,000 / €12,000 in some cases.