One thing White has not accomplished yet—as far as we can tell—is a coveted Cyclocross Magazine bike profile.
Well, you know what, after White’s impressive attack midway through Sunday’s race at Rochester Cyclocross, he certainly deserves one.
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Curtis White celebrates his Day 2 win in Rochester. 2019 Rochester Cyclocross Day 2. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
Today we have a look at White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX with a muted white and forest green colorway and the new 1x SRAM Red 1 eTap AXS groupset from right after his win on Sunday in Rochester.
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Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX
The Cannondale SuperX has proven a versatile bike that fits all the seasons of our coverage here at Cyclocross Magazine.
Stephen Hyde’s red, white and blue Cyclocross National Champ’s bike has been a regular during the past several years, and we also saw young George Frazier win a Junior National Championship on an older frame in Louisville.
The SuperX has also proven its mettle on the gravel scene, especially before the launch of the company’s new Topstone Carbon gravel bike this summer. Kaitie Keough (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) and Ted King won the 2018 Dirty Kanza aboard the bike, and we also profiled Lauren De Crescenzo’s SuperX at the DK200 this summer.
Why, White even used his 2018/19 SuperX to grind some gravel in the Northeast this spring.
The SuperX has Cannondale’s Out Front geometry, which gives the bike a slacker front and increased fork rake compared to the typical cyclocross bike. Cannondale achieved more tire clearance in the rear with its Asymmetric Integration that moves the drivetrain outward.
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The SuperX fork has internal cable routing and plenty of room for wider tires. Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
The SuperX moved to its current design for the 2017 model year, and the new model represents the fourth generation of the company’s workhorse bike.
Each year, the Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld team unveils a new colorway for its team bikes, and this year is no different. White’s 2019/20 bike has more muted colors than past years, with a white frame and solid forest green fork. The logo is retro, going back a few decades to Cannondale’s made-in-Pennsylvania days.
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The Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld team bikes have a solid forest green carbon fork this year. Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
Each Elite rider has three bikes, and each of those has stickers for the riders, although chances are pretty good no one will confuse the White’s 58cm bikes with those belonging to teammates Hyde, Keough and Katie Clouse.
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Each riders’ bikes are labeled, but it’s doubtful White’s bike will be confused with his teammates’. Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
The biggest new addition for White this year is his 1x SRAM Red 1 eTap AXS drivetrain. The Cannondale team riders have historically ran mechanical 1x SRAM Force 1, even as Jeremy Powers and Wout van Aert were running Red eTap 2x, and with the release of the AXS system, the team has gone electronic this season.
White ran a Red AXS Power Meter crankset with built-in Quarq power meter to measure the big watts he was putting in to keep Diether Sweeck and Hyde at bay during his big move on Sunday. He ran a 42t X-Sync 2 12-speed wide-narrow chain ring.
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Curtis White’s power meter got a good workout during his big move on Sunday. 2019 Rochester Cyclocross Day 2. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
“The 1x system has been incredibly durable and predictable,” White said about the team’s choice. “We have the entire range of gears that we need, especially with the new upgrade to 12-speed, and we never have problems with chains dropping. The 1x system simplifies the process and allows for better clearance when the courses are muddy.”
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White’s 1x front used a SRAM Red Power Meter crankset with built-in Quarq power meter to measure his watts. Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
In the back, White ran the new Red eTap AXS rear derailleur with a 10-33t Red cassette. With the wireless derailleur, the internal cable port on the SuperX sat plugged and idle.
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White went electric this year with a SRAM Red eTap AXS rear derailleur. Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
White’s shifting and braking came via the Red eTap AXS Shift-Brake system. He had the Red eTap AXS levers paired with the derailleurs and flat mount HRD calipers.
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White controlled his shifting and braking with SRAM Red eTAP AXS Shift-Brake levers. Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
A quick look at the Sporza-style start line video for Saturday’s Elite Men’s race shows that only White and Hyde opted for file treads for the dry course at Genesee Valley Park.
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Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
The start began on grass and then transitioned to a long stretch of pea-sized gravel. Hyde had some trouble at the start on Saturday thanks in part to the file-gravel combo, but on Sunday, White again opted for file treads.
White said the biggest change he made from Saturday to Sunday was in his race tactics.
“For Saturday, I felt like the only issues I had were with my positioning in the group. The accordion effect was harsh on this course, and it paid to ride consistently within the top three in and out of the technical features. I let myself drift back a few times, but I corrected that error on Sunday.”
White ran Vittoria Terreno Dry tubulars mounted to his Zipp 303 Firecrest carbon rims. He ran the tires at 26.5 psi in the front and 27.5 psi in the rear.
“This year, the Rochester course incorporated more off-cambers than in years past. I think the typical file tread wouldn’t have held up quite as well, but I really like how the [Terreno] Dry tires ride in variable terrain,” White said about his tire choice. “I tested out the Mixes for a couple laps in the pre-ride, but I felt like I could hook up just as well with the Drys at lower pressure and be faster on the straights.”
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White opted for Vittoria Terreno Dry tires on both days of the Rochester weekend. Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
With Zipp as a team sponsor, White’s cockpit and seatpost came from the Indianapolis company. He ran an alloy Service Course SL stem with an alloy Service Course SL-80 handlebar.
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White ran a Zipp Service Course SL-80 alloy handlebar. Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
His carbon Zipp Service Course SL (20) 20mm offset seatpost held a Fabric Scoop saddle. Rounding out his contact points were Shimano XTR M9100 SPD pedals.
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White’s Fabric Scoop saddle is back with a new colorway. Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]
For a closer look at White’s winning Cannondale SuperX, see the photo gallery and specs below.
Photo Gallery: Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX
Curtis White’s 2019/20 Cannondale SuperX Cyclocross Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine
