The recent big Zwift update included the welcome addition of several new bike frames, including two bikes from US-based Cannondale. The fastest of these bikes is the Cannondale SuperSix EVO LAB71, which is a top-spec racing frame ridden by the pros at EF Pro Cycling.
You’ll need to be updated to game version 1.86+ to see the SuperSix EVO LAB71 in Zwift’s Drop Shop. You’ll also need to be at level 40+ with 1,750,000 Drops to buy it. Here’s how it’s described in the Drop Shop:
“The SuperSix EVO LAB71 is the trusted bike of EF Pro Cycling, crafted for cyclists who demand peak performance. This fourth generation of the SuperSix EVO boasts razor-sharp aerodynamics and an ultra-lightweight frame, delivering exceptional performance across all terrains. From steep climbs to powerful sprints, this bike offers unmatched speed and agility. Every detail is engineered for excellence, making the LAB71 SuperSix EVO the ultimate race-ready machine that gives you a competitive edge.”
This is a pro-spec bike that the pros actually ride, which is fun. And reviewers say the IRL bike handles very well while being stiff in the right places and super light. But how does it perform in Zwift?
See our master list of all frames in Zwift >
It’s rated 3 stars for aero, 4 stars for weight, like a handful of other top newish all-arounders. But a 4-star system isn’t the most granular of performance measurements, so we ran this frame through our precise tests to measure performance at nerd-level detail. Let’s dive in!
Note: test results below are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady using Zwift’s stock 32mm Carbon wheelset.
Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance
The SuperSix EVO LAB71 is very slippery, trimming 61.4s off our baseline Zwift Carbon frame over an hour of flat riding.
That puts it within 1.6 seconds of the game’s fastest frame. And like we said with the S-Works Tarmac SL8, when you consider that our tests have a 1-second margin of error, one could reasonably lump this frame in with the other fastest frames in terms of performance on flat roads.
Climb Performance
The real-life SuperSix EVO LAB71 is known for its light weight as well as aero performance, so we expected it to climb well. We weren’t disappointed.
This bike shaves 52.3 seconds off of our baseline Zwift Carbon’s time on an hourlong climb, which means slots neatly into 3rd place in our rankings, just 3.7 seconds behind the S-Works Tarmac SL8 over an hour of climbing.
Upgrading Your Cannondale SuperSix EVO LAB71
Like all frames in Zwift, the SuperSix EVO LAB71 can be upgraded in five stages. As a high-end race bike, each of the five stages results in a performance improvement. The Cannondale SuperSix EVO LAB71 upgrade stages are as follows:
- Ride 200km, pay 100,000 Drops for an aero upgrade
- Ride 260km, pay 200,000 Drops for a weight reduction
- Ride 320km, pay 350,000 Drops for a drivetrain efficiency improvement
- Ride 380km, pay 500,000 Drops for an aero upgrade
- Ride 440km, pay 750,000 Drops for a weight reduction
You can expect a fully upgraded SuperSix EVO LAB71 to be approximately 28 seconds faster on a flat hour and 36 seconds faster on an hourlong climb vs the “stock” SuperSix EVO LAB71.
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Conclusions
While it’s not quite as fast in Zwift as the new S-Works Tarmac SL8, Cannondale’s SuperSix EVO LAB71 is within just a few seconds of this new standard… so close that it’s doubtful riders will notice the difference.
So if you’re a Cannondale fan, or just like the look of this frameset (it is a sweet paintjob, even if there’s no color slider), buy it and race it! Because it’s one fast bike.
Questions or Comments?
Got questions or comments about this frame? Share below…
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.
Why does the rear derailleur have both a battery and a mechanical shifting cable?
Was it the Cannondale CAAD12 that was given both disk and rim brakes on zwift?
Redundancy.
High-integrity avionics. You do need dual redundancy with the redundant method having to use a different implementation than the primary one. As Eric’s tests showed that this bike flies through the tests that unfortunately meant that the FAA and EASA got involved and demanded that proper airworthiness procedures were followed.
Best comment I’ve seen on this site in years.
somebody pilots
I used to (sailplanes only). Nowadays I’m just working in the Aerospace supply chain 🙂
Mechanical is a fallback for when Wi-Fi connection drops 😉
What’s the point of having the 2nd best bike in the game? Priced the same as the SL8 and unlocked at the same level. Worse on both aero and weight by the barest margin. This could be the best bike that no one uses.
I wish that zwift had given the two bikes identical stats, or made one slightly lighter and the other slightly more aero.
It’s for people who don’t want to have the same looking bike as everyone else!
I do agree but if you want to unlock the Cannondale Halo bike it makes sense.
I feel sorry for all the other manufacturers who don’t have a Halo bike nd aren’t the fastest. Those bike really are pointless now.
Because you like Cannondale? I don’t need the fastest bike on Zwift, I just need to look cool.
Two seconds slower per hour is less than 6/100 of 1% (or 0.06%.) That’s pretty insignificant, especially when you consider that the only portion of the race this tiny difference would matter is when you are “all in,” e.g. the last 300 meters or if you are by yourself e.g. off the front or off the back. I can’t imagine a scenario where a person would get dropped with the cannondale but not the specialized.
Also, remember that the top tier trainers generally claim power accuracy of +/- 1%. I’d have to do some math to figure out how a +/- 1% difference in power compares to a 0.06% difference in elapsed time over the course of an hour, but my hunch is that the possible trainer error is far more significant.
I do like this paint job so much more than the S-Works SL8. Since I’m already a chunk into the path two level 2 for the SL8, I won’t likely switch, but I’m hoping for some event/series that gets the SL8 looking as good as this sometime Zoon, or I might regret that decision.
I bought this right after the 1.86 update. I’m a long time Cannondale fan/owner and just recently bought a lower spec version of this same bike in real life. Aside from that, I assume everyone will buy the SL8 to upgrade. I want something different and looking forward to that R4000 eventually!
Better looking than the SL8 and the cooler halo bike with Cannondale. 🙂 Nearly got the second upgrade on it.
I have this bike IRL: it’s expensive but a lot of fun to ride (definitely the best bike I’ve owned). It’s awesome to have a replica to ride in Zwift! I’m already working on the virtual upgrades 😂
I was on the SL8. This bikes looks better and fewer people riding it. Switched to the LAB71. The peloton was already filling up with the S-Works.
1 more ride and I can buy the cannondale.
Im a Cannondale owner so Cannondale it is,
Ive an old Caad 2 T800 touring bike Ive had for years
Own 6-13 and cx9 cannondale frames, 6-13 retired hanging from garage rafters above the cars and cx 9 is my singlespeed cx bike. Not a specialized person. Will likely get this one frame to with old evo climbing frame from drop shop. Sucks have to athoes for climbing races now in stage races or big climb days on zwift. It sees so many will be on specialized frames now that anything else close to sworks sl8 or athoes performance will be good to see thoes two became what tron was preupdate.
I bought this the first chance I could. And while I do love this paint scheme, it would be cool to partner with EF and give us the option to use this scheme or the current EF one!
Wow, the SuperSix EVO LAB71 sounds awesome! Can’t wait to see how it performs in Zwift. I’ve heard great things about its aerodynamic and lightweight frame. Hitting level 40 and 1.75M Drops is definitely a goal worth chasing for this bike!