CannondaleSynapse Women's
Origin
Introduced in 2008 alongside the men's Synapse, the Women's variant was Cannondale's take on a female-specific endurance road bike: shorter reach, taller stack, a women's saddle, narrower compact bars and women-identified colorways on the same BallisTec carbon platform. A major 2018 redesign integrated SAVE PLUS Micro-Suspension and disc brakes, shedding around 200g and earning praise as one of the fastest women's endurance bikes of its era. After the 2022 model year Cannondale discontinued the WS line, folding it into the fully unisex Gen 6 Synapse (2025) whose new 44cm size took over the small-rider role.
Specifications
- Frame
- BallisTec Carbon, SAVE PLUS Micro-Suspension, BB30a, flat-mount disc, 12mm thru-axle, internal routing, Di2-ready, removable fender bridge (2021 Synapse Carbon Women's 105)
- Weight
- kg
- Drivetrain
- Shimano 105 R7000 2×11 — 105 GS rear derailleur, 105 braze-on front, 105 hydro shifters; FSA 50/34 chainrings on Cannondale 1 BB30a crank, 11-34 cassette, Shimano HG601 chain
- Brakes
- Shimano 105 R7020 hydraulic disc, 160/160mm RT30 rotors, flat mount
- Wheels
- 700c — RD 2.0 28-hole alloy rims, Formula CL-712 front / RXC-400 rear hubs, 14g stainless spokes
The verdict
- SAVE PLUS Micro-Suspension delivers genuine endurance compliance over rough roads — praised across all Synapse generations
- 2018 redesign hailed by BikeRide as 'fastest women's endurance bike on the market'; ~200g lighter than prior WS model (BikeRadar)
- WS-correct out of the box: women's Fabric Scoop saddle + narrower compact bars + shorter-reach geometry, no fit adjustments needed
- Head tube ~1-1.5cm shorter than Specialized Ruby/Trek Silque — allows near-race position without an aggressive negative stem (BikeRadar)
- Reliable Shimano 105 R7000 hydraulic disc build with versatile 50/34 + 11-34 gearing for climbs
- Heavy wheels on lower-end builds (Formula hubs / RD 2.0 rims) blunt acceleration (BikeRide)
- Conical steerer spacer prevented fully lowering the stem on some builds (BikeRide)
- Restricted to WS-only colorways (iridescent white, midnight) — no neutral options
- Discontinued after 2022 — no new-bike support, WS-specific contact points now hard to source
- Vittoria Zaffiro Pro tyres are durable but slow/heavy — an obvious first upgrade
Versions & builds
Every official build side by side — differences highlighted.
| Spec | === LAST ACTIVE GENERATION (2021-2022) === | Synapse Carbon Women's Ultegra (€2,999 EUR — carbon, Shimano Ultegra 11s disc) | Synapse Carbon Women's 105 (Shimano 105 11s disc, iridescent white colorway) | Synapse Carbon Women's Tiagra (Tiagra disc, entry carbon WS) | Synapse Women's Sora (alloy, Shimano Sora, entry level) | === 2023+ STATUS === | DISCONTINUED — replaced by unisex Gen 6 Synapse (2025) |
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