Pro bike: Michael Wood’s Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod Disc

by Marcus Speed

Disc brakes are set to make their return to the peloton in March of this year, and the Canondale-Drapac team are ready to hit the ground running, so to speak, with their SuperSix Evi Hi-Mod Disc model.

Canadian climber Michael Woods has been riding his on training rides at the Tour Down Under this week and couldn’t be happier with the feel and performance of the bike.

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“There’s definitely a different dynamic to a bike with disc brakes,” he said yesterday at the Tour Village prior to the People’s Choice Classic. “The stopping power, obviously, but also the feeling of solid connection to the road; I’m really looking forward to being able to ride it under race conditions.”

That will happen in March, with the team preparing to have the entire roster riding on disc brakes at the Ruta del Sol.

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“With a few modifications and some trimming, we can get the bikes down to a racing weight of 7.2kg (15.8lbs),” said Canondale-Drapac’s assistant sports director Fabrizio Guidi. “Disc brakes are great and the boys love riding them, but obviously it’s important to get that weight down to a competitive number.”

The team currently use Shimano flat mount hydraulic disc brakes with Ice-Tech rotors. The rotors fitted to their training bikes like the one being ridden by Woods are not compliant with the new UCI regulations as they do not have the rounded edges specified by the governing body, but the new, safer approved rotors will be fitted before the team debuts the bikes in Spain.

The 160-mm front rotor provides increased stopping power and is coupled with 100 m x 12 mm thru axle. The back is equipped with a 140 mm rotor and a 135mm x 9mm quick release. It is understood that neutral support companies such as Shimano, Mavic and SRAM are working with the UCI to try and establish a standard for all race support vehicles and neutral spare bikes and wheels.