Cannondale introduces “ultra-premium” LAB71 tier of bikes

Cannondale has announced a new "ultra-premium tier of performance products" called LAB71, and we expect the first member to be a new version of the SuperSix Evo in a couple of weeks.

We know that a new Cannondale SuperSix Evo is on the way because it has been on the UCI's List of Approved Models of Framesets for a few weeks now. Oh, and then there's the fact that it has been all over social media. And we all saw it being raced in the Tour Down Under last month by EF Education-EasyPost (men’s) and EF Education-TIBCO-SVB (women’s) team. Although Cannondale hasn't announced anything, as secrets go, it's pretty well known. Truth be told, it's common knowledge.

Pics: Zac WiLLIAMS SWpix.com (t:a Photography Hub Ltd)

The new Cannondale SuperSix Evos being ridden in the Tour Down Under had LAB71 written in big letters on the seat tube. However, at the time we didn't know exactly what it meant.

> Sneak peek! New Cannondale SuperSix Evo breaks cover – best pictures yet 

We said, "We’re guessing that it’s the name the brand intends to give to its super-duper high-tech designs, maybe a little like Specialized's S-Works label" – and it turns out we were right, although Cannondale would prefer the reference point to be Mercedes' AMG line. The S word is banned.

Cannondale says, "LAB71 bikes transcend the expected with every detail curated at the dream level."

Prepare yourself for some hyperbole.

"LAB71 [is] a new, elevated tier of products representing the highest expression of craftsmanship and the culmination of more than 50 years of cycling innovation, performance, and design. 
 
"Utilising cutting-edge materials and processes, combined with stunning finishes and a curated selection of the finest components available, LAB71 framesets and complete bikes sit at the pinnacle of cycling performance and are the crown jewels of Cannondale’s product line."

Okay, so top-end, then. But we can't give you any examples yet because we don't have any. Although the LAB71 tier exists – you know, as a concept – there's currently nothing in it. Not publicly, anyway.

We do know that Cannondale has had three versions of its new SuperSix Evo approved by the UCI: the SuperSix Evo 4, the SuperSix Evo 4 Hi-Mod, and the SuperSix Evo 4 SL.

Cannondale has been offering Hi-Mod versions of some of its high-end race bikes for years, so we're guessing that the SuperSix Evo 4 SL is the LAB71 model, and that it's lighter than the Hi-Mod SuperSix Evo because, well, this is cycling.

“LAB71 is where we let our engineers, designers, and product managers run wild, where they get to build the bikes of their dreams," said Henning Schroeder, Senior Vice President of Product Development for Cannondale.

"These bikes are what our athletes and fans dream of riding. We take our fastest, most innovative platforms and refine them with advanced materials, hand-picked components, finishes, and details that reveal layers of beauty from every angle.” 

Cannondale says that LAB71 products will be seen across its high-performance road, gravel, mountain, and e-bike categories, with individual models rolling out on 1st March 2023. That'll probably be the launch date of the new SuperSix Evo, then.

Of course, with Cannondale's engineers, designers, and product managers running wild, we can probably expect the LAB71 prices to run wild too. A brand isn't going to introduce a best-of-the-best tier that's anything other than premium priced, is it? We have no exact details on that, though, so maybe we're being unfair. Time will tell.

You can sign up to find out more about LAB71 on Cannondale's website.