Updated Synapse Neo gains a carbon frame and dedicated road and all-road specs

By Jack Evans

Published: Tuesday, 09 April 2024 at 13:00 PM


Cannondale has updated its Synapse Neo electric road bike, adding a lighter, more powerful Bosch motor and switching to a carbon frame. 

The brand claims the Synapse Neo, which is based on the Synapse endurance bike, combines “low weight and superlative performance.” 

Cannondale specs the Synapse Neo’s “ultra-smooth-riding-frameset” with its high-end road components, including the internally routed Conceal Stem and HollowGram carbon wheels. 

The Synapse Neo costs £6,000 / €8,499 with the top-spec, all-road version priced at £6,000 / €6,999.

A lighter, more powerful motor 

The Synapse Neo now has the Bosch Performance Line SX motor. – Cannondale

Cannondale has tried to make the Synapse Neo ride and look more like the non-assisted Synapse. 

The endurance road bike topped its category in our 2022 Bike of the Year awards. As its WorldTour pedigree would suggest, the Synapse has tended to be racy for a long-distance machine. 

Accordingly, the Synapse Neo now uses the Bosch Performance Line SX drive unit, which is claimed to be the brand’s lightest electric bike motor

Bosch says the mid-drive Performance Line SX provides up to 600 watts of assist and 55Nm of torque while weighing just 2kg. This claimed weight includes a 400Wh battery, which is housed in the down tube. 

PowerMore 250 range extender on Cannondale Synapse Neo
The range extender battery attaches to the down tube bottle cage mounts. – Cannondale

To increase range, you can carry a 250Wh secondary battery. 

In accordance with electric bike laws, the Performance Line SX helps you up to 25kph in Europe and 28mph in the US. 

The previous generation electric bike used a 3.2kg drive unit with a 250W motor. 

Full carbon road and all-road builds 

Cannondale Synapse Neo Allroad
There are now dedicated road and all-road versions of the Synapse Neo. – Cannondale

Cannondale has switched from alloy to carbon for the new Synapse Neo frame. 

Cannondale hasn’t confirmed the weight, but this should make it significantly lighter. The old model weighed 18.6kg in size L with an alloy frame and carbon fork. 

Seatpost and seat stays on Cannondale Synapse Neo
The thinner seatstays are now dropped like the original Synapse’s. – Cannondale

The latest electric road bike also looks more like the non-motorised Synapse. It now has skinny, dropped seat stays, a pencil-thin top tube and a slimmer downtube. 

Cannondale says the Synapse Neo will help riders go further and faster on the road while the Synapse Neo Allroad enables longer adventures off the beaten track. 

Cannondale Synapse Neo resting on kickstand
The kickstand is included but mudguards are not. – Cannondale

Both builds come equipped for commuting and touring with a kickstand, as well as mounts for mudguards and a rear rack. 

Cannondale Synapse Neo

Cannondale Synapse Neo electric road bike
The Cannondale Synapse Neo gets carbon components and Ultegra Di2. – Cannondale

The Synapse Neo is built around a Shimano Ultegra R8170 Di2 groupset with a 50/34t FSA Bosch crank. 

HollowGram carbon wheels are wrapped in 700x30mm Vittoria Corsa tyres. 

Cannondale Synapse Neo Allroad

The off-road version comes in two specs – the premium Synapse Neo Allroad 1 and the cheaper Synapse Neo Allroad 2, which is available in most territories apart from the UK.

Cannondale equips the Synapse Neo Allroad 1 with a 12-speed SRAM Force AXS XPLR groupset, its own alloy GXD10 rims and Vittoria Terreno Dry tyres. 

The Synapse Neo Allroad 2 comes with a 12-speed Shimano GRX RX820 groupset, Cannondale GXD10 wheels and Terreno Dry tyres. 

Cannondale Synapse Neo Allroad 1

Cannondale Synapse Neo Allroad
The top-tier all-road model comes with SRAM Force AXS XPLR. – Cannondale

Cannondale Synapse Neo Allroad 2 

Cannondale Synapse Allroad 2
The Synapse Neo AllRoad 2 has 40mm-wide tyres and a 2x drivetrain. – Cannondale