American bike maker Cannondale positions its new project as an episode in a stated tradition of disruption.
This article was originally published on GearJunkie.
Since its 1971 founding, it said in a press release, “Cannondale’s non-stop rule-breaking and game-changing innovations have constantly pushed the industry forward.”
Enter LAB71, which seeks to continue on that tack. Teased today following speculation that stemmed from the badge’s appearance on the pro race circuit, common opinion holds that the lineup will begin with a mega-engineered road bike.
The line launches commercially on March 1, with road MTB, eMTB, and gravel releases to come. Images of the bikes were scant as of this writing, beyond what’s already been shared.
“The LAB71 product capsule is the best of the best of Cannondale,” said Richard Prenderville, chief marketing officer. “Our designers and engineers know that every finish line has a new start line. LAB71 is where we see them chasing the impossible and revealing their unbridled passion for development.”
Cannondale LAB71 Design: ‘Balancing Attributes’
Senior Product Manager David Devine heads up most of the company’s product development for pavement-oriented bikes. Cannondale’s sponsored team (EF Education-EasyPost) rides the SuperSix line, hi-mod carbon bikes that became acutely lightweight in a recent limited-edition release. That saw a frameset reach just 750 grams, and Cannondale also landed multiple SuperSix Evo rigs on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) approved list.
Devine said a “systemized” approach leads LAB71 forward.
“It’s about balancing attributes,” Devine explained. “A lot of times, you start with an existing design and start making changes to that. Then through ride testing and structural testing, you figure out pros and cons of changes you made. You can compare that to computer simulations and really start to figure out what a new material or process is doing.”
“LAB71 is where we let our engineers, designers, and product managers run wild,” said Henning Schroeder, Cannondale Senior Vice President of Product Development. “Where they get to build the bikes of their dreams. These bikes are what our athletes and fans dream of riding.”
