Replacing a SystemSix with what?

[glitch]

I currently have a Cannondale SystemSix aero bike, a Carbonda 696 gravel and a Fairlight Streal steel road bike.
So all in all, a pretty sweet stable

Both the SystemSix and the Carbonda have been around for some time.
But on the gravel side I have been waiting for "big tire options" to become mainstream. Currently tempted by the Mondince FM366 but  I don't want to be a guinea pig so I'll wait a bit

The Fairlight is my all season bike with 34 mm tires and fenders during the wet season. I reckon it will be around for long.

So currently the bike I am having the hardest time to make my mind up about is the SystemSix.
It looks cool, can be blistering fast on a strong day, but on the dislikes side it is quite heavy, only clears 30 mm in the back (<34 is a squeeze up front), can be a bit harsh and "bouncy" on poor road surface with lots of cracks and uneveness and can be a handful on really windy days and can be quite tiring on rides longer than 3hr.
At the same time a lot of fun on the right day and a proper race bike.

I ride mostly solo, averaging 31-34 km/h over a few hours on fairly flat stuff. So time above 40 km/h is pretty limited. In terms of distance everything from a 30-60 km evening blast to longer 2-300 km rides.

The rational side of me says LightCarbon Lcr018 - but my fear is it won't feel as fast / racey and maybe become too similar to my steel bike.

On the other hand the LCR020 looks pretty neat and with bigger tire clearance probably will ride a lot smoother than the SystemSix.

Really like the Avenger R8RS mainly due to the aero bar integration, I ride with clip on aero bara quite often. But feel it is a bit too expensive.

Looked at the TanTan x68 as well because lighter and I can appreciate the allround approach but quality put me off..

Also considered getting a used Gen 4 SuperSix which can be quite cost efficient and has slightly higher stack for a bit more comfort, but no UDH and limited tyre clearance.(and gen 5 is overpriced).

So at the moment, I think its between the LCR18 or 20 but since the 20 does not yet exist - probably the smart thing would be to wait until there is some real world feedback.
I also travel abroad once or twice per year On those trips there tends to be a lot nore climbing than at home and when travelling lighter is always better.

Curious to get some thougts around this very convenient dilemma

[tyoac]

What tyre size are you intending to use? Cause the Supersix Gen 4 has "limited clearance" according to you but it takes up to 34mm according to the manual which is plenty for road usage in my opinion. And since you got the gravel base covered as well I reckon this could/should be enough.

[glitch]

I had in mind the SSE 4 had 32 as max clearance. So far playing around with wider road tyres for me the sweet spot has been around 32-34 mm (basically 30 or 32 tyres that stretched on a wide rim).
Going wider took away the road bike feeling / impact on handling and also felt slower.
However as I have 3 wheelsets (45, 50 and 60 height) I'd like to be able to swap wheels between bikes without needing to switch tyres, so somewhere around 34-35 mm clearance would be a plus.

If the SSE Gen 4 clears a 34 with some room that remains an option I suppose.

[tyoac]

New Gen 5 brought it down a little again and from the comments I read it's actually really tighter on the newest one.
Check the owner's manual here, it says 34mm measured for Gen 4: https://www.cannondale.com/en/owners-manuals/road
And possibly this post helps as well: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=171597&p=1796930#p1796930

[Sander2177]

Quick Pro ER ONE
Great bike not just hype, I love riding mine

[Da11as]

I was on the same boat as you for quite some time with aero bikes beating my ass and using CX bike for winter riding. You can try Speeder R-55. It is quite comfortable, fast and has good racy geometry. With 34 WAM tires I have 3mm clearance on the chainstays.

[glitch]

Thanks! Have looked at the Speeder as well. But it has a rather racey geometry with low stack similar to my current bike so might not offer that different experience.
Thinking a bit about wheelbase as well, the System6 is super snappy and responsive, but also skittish on poor road surface of which we have a lot. Thinking a tad bit more wheelbase would make it slightly calmer.
Had a BMC Timemachine TT bike for a while and that thing was fast as f***k but also super planted on rough roads with bumps, cracks.etc.
Sports a slightly longer wheelbase as well as slacker steering angle, yet super aero,. Similar wheelbase and trail as the Lightcarbon LCR018 (but much shorter chainstays and longer front center).

[Da11as]

Thanks! Have looked at the Speeder as well. But it has a rather racey geometry with low stack similar to my current bike so might not offer that different experience.
Thinking a bit about wheelbase as well, the System6 is super snappy and responsive, but also skittish on poor road surface of which we have a lot. Thinking a tad bit more wheelbase would make it slightly calmer.
Had a BMC Timemachine TT bike for a while and that thing was fast as f***k but also super planted on rough roads with bumps, cracks.etc.
Sports a slightly longer wheelbase as well as slacker steering angle, yet super aero,. Similar wheelbase and trail as the Lightcarbon LCR018 (but much shorter chainstays and longer front center).

Alright, I thought coming from SystemSix you wanted similar race feel that does not beat you... Than LCR018 may be a good choice for you. Nonethelss, I advise to read through the thread and note the (minor) issues people have with the frame set and decide for yourself if you are ok with it.
On the bigger brands side, you may check latest Giant Defy - it can clear 38 WAM tires, very comfy and fast. I often ride with a guy on this new Defy and he is really happy with it.

[Zottenpedj]

Ha, I'm in the same boat. I'm looking for a new bike, though I currently ride a SystemSix size 51 with a slammed -17° handlebar.
I have it set up with Knot 64 wheels and 28mm Pirelli P Zero Race tires, and I find it comfortable enough to do 200km+ rides on Belgian roads.
I wouldn't call it a nervous bike, though—it accelerates well, but I don't find it very snappy or nimble, if you know what I mean.

I ride on the hoods 90% of the time and almost never in the drops. I'm not the fastest rider, averaging about 28km/h solo. I do find it very hard to find a bike with same stack and reach.

following this thread to see what you get