Sizing a Cannondale road bike
Here is the single most useful thing to know before you shop a Cannondale: the numbers tend to run large. Riders regularly drop a size compared with other brands, so a 58 elsewhere often becomes a 56 here. That makes the height chart a starting point rather than gospel, and it makes comparing stack and reach the smart move. Below you will find a quick recommendation, then the geometry for each current road model and the fit lessons owners have picked up over the years.
Want to browse first? Here is every Cannondale road bike at Bikeroom.
A quick heads up. Treat every size below as a well informed suggestion, not a promise. Body proportions, flexibility and how low you like to ride all move the answer. A proper bike fit is always the last word.
Your size at a glance
Match your height, sanity check it against your inseam, and read across. The SuperSix EVO is the racer, the Synapse the comfortable long hauler, the CAAD13 the alloy all rounder that sits between them.
| Rider height | Leg length (inseam) | SuperSix EVO | Synapse | CAAD13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 152 to 162 cm | 68 to 74 cm | 44 | 44 | 44 |
| 162 to 168 cm | 73 to 78 cm | 48 | 48 | 48 |
| 168 to 174 cm | 77 to 83 cm | 50 | 51 | 51 |
| 174 to 180 cm | 82 to 87 cm | 54 | 54 | 54 |
| 180 to 186 cm | 86 to 91 cm | 56 | 56 | 56 |
| 186 to 192 cm | 90 to 95 cm | 58 | 58 | 58 |
| 192 to 200 cm | 94 to 100 cm | 61 | 61 | 60 |
The SuperSix EVO also comes in a 52 that slots between the 50 and 54, handy if you land right on the boundary. Its height figures are our best read of the new eight size range, so lean on stack and reach if you are close.
Measuring up
Two numbers do most of the work. For height, stand against a wall without shoes and measure to the crown of your head. For inseam, put a book between your legs, spine up, snug against the wall like a saddle, and measure the floor to the top of the spine. As a rough check, inseam in centimetres times 0.66 lands you near your frame size, though on a brand that runs large you may end up a touch below that figure.
The road range, model by model
SuperSix EVO (race)
The current SuperSix EVO is deliberately lower and longer than the outgoing one, dropped and stretched at the request of the pro riders. It is a true race bike now, so if you are coming off an older EVO or you value comfort, look one size up or plan for a few spacers. Sizes: 44, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 61.
| Frame size | 44 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 56 | 58 | 61 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stack (mm) | 495 | 508 | 520 | 532 | 545 | 565 | 585 | 615 |
| Reach (mm) | 373 | 376 | 379 | 383 | 387 | 393 | 398 | 404 |
| Rider height | 157 to 165 | 160 to 170 | 168 to 174 | 172 to 178 | 176 to 182 | 180 to 186 | 185 to 193 | 190 to 198 |
Reach barely moves between neighbouring sizes, so the real difference you feel is head tube height. That is why sizing up or down is mostly a question of how high you want the bars.
Synapse (endurance)
The Synapse is the all day machine: a tall front end, room for 35 mm tyres and an easy, upright posture. It also runs noticeably long, so many owners fit a shorter stem than the size suggests. Sizes: 44, 48, 51, 54, 56, 58 and 61.
| Frame size | 44 | 48 | 51 | 54 | 56 | 58 | 61 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stack (mm) | 510 | 530 | 550 | 570 | 590 | 610 | 640 |
| Reach (mm) | 366 | 371 | 376 | 381 | 387 | 393 | 402 |
| Rider height | 152 to 162 | 157 to 167 | 165 to 175 | 170 to 180 | 175 to 185 | 182 to 193 | 190 to 203 |
Compared with the SuperSix at the same size the Synapse stands much taller and reaches a hair shorter. That is the whole point: comfort over aggression.
CAAD13 (alloy race)
The CAAD13 is the alloy legend, race sharp but with a slightly taller front than the SuperSix, which makes it friendlier for long days without going full endurance. It offers the widest ladder in the range. Sizes: 44, 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62.
| Frame size | 44 | 48 | 51 | 54 | 56 | 58 | 60 | 62 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stack (mm) | 505 | 520 | 535 | 555 | 575 | 595 | 615 | 635 |
| Reach (mm) | 370 | 374 | 378 | 384 | 389 | 395 | 400 | 406 |
| Rider height | 157 to 165 | 160 to 170 | 165 to 175 | 170 to 180 | 177 to 185 | 182 to 192 | 187 to 198 | 195 to 205 |
Think of the CAAD13 as the middle ground: quicker and lower than the Synapse, a touch more relaxed than the SuperSix.
What owners have learned
The recurring headline is that Cannondale sizes up on the label, so trust stack and reach over the number on the down tube. On the SuperSix, taller and more aggressive riders often go down a size and drop the bars, since the head tube height, not reach, is what really changes step to step. On the Synapse the long cockpit catches people out, so a shorter stem is a common and easy fix. The CAAD13 draws few complaints beyond that same runs large note. Across all three, if you are on the fence, the smaller frame is easier to build up than a large one is to shrink.
Caught between two sizes?
Go smaller for a racier, more responsive bike, or larger for stability and a higher front. Long legs with a short torso usually nudge you up a size, a long torso with shorter legs nudges you down with a longer stem. When it is genuinely too close to call, send us your height and inseam and we will talk it through.
Where to buy
- Cannondale SuperSix EVO for racing and fast group rides
- Cannondale Synapse for comfort and long distance
- All Cannondale road bikes including the CAAD13
Rather ask a human? Talk to our concierge
If two sizes are neck and neck, or you just want a second opinion before spending, our concierge team will weigh your height, inseam and riding style and point you to the right frame. Ask our concierge.
Sizing here is guidance offered in good faith, not a fitting guarantee. Geometry is drawn from current Cannondale data and can shift between model years, so confirm against the exact bike you are buying. The SuperSix EVO height ranges in particular are our interpretation of the new size range and are best treated as approximate.
