2015 Velo Awards: Cannondale wins Road Bike of the Year

Road Bike of the Year: Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod

Cannondale’s SuperSix Evo has been overwhelmingly praised in previous iterations as an ideal example of what an all-around race bike should be. So this might sound a bit repetitive, but the all-new SuperSix Evo is an ideal example of what an all-around race bike should be. It’s a featherweight that, thanks to beefy, round tube shapes, remains notably stiff. Refinements for 2015 include an even stiffer bottom bracket and a bit more compliance. (One knock against previous versions is that they delivered a bit too much road feel.)

But what really sets the SuperSix apart from its all-rounder brethren is its near-telepathic handling: It would be an exaggeration to say you can steer with your eyes, but sometimes it feels like it. Think about where you want to go, and the SuperSix takes you there.

Prices range from $4,260 for the 15-pound Ultegra model to $12,790 for the sub-13-pound Dura-Ace equipped Black Inc. ride.

Bike Design of the Year: Trek Madone

When Trek unveiled the Madone just before the start of the Tour de France, the list of innovations was almost exhausting to read: an integrated Di2 compartment, a new version of the IsoSpeed decoupler, aerospace-like “vector wings” that open up on the head tube to allow for brake clearance when turning. The launch event felt more like the release of a driverless car: This was something new entirely.

The Madone has also changed the narrative of aero bike design. What was once a compromise between comfort and stiffness has now become a race to combine the two.