Sad to see so many people saying endurance bikes are dying. as a older cyclist I like endurance bikes and would choose them always ahead of gravel or road bikes as I'm doing most of my driving in roads and can't really handle race bikes positions. Still would choose some other one over this new Canyon after this review.
With a gravel bike with appropriate geometry you are slick tyres away from it being a road bike really. And wider slick tyres will take the bumps out and save your back a bit more too.
My "gravel" bike is basically the same effective geometry as endurance road bike, it just can fit wider tires, and I run it with narrower (as in 32/34mm) slicks tires on deeper rims on the road, and wider tires on different rims on rougher stuff.
@@davethedogdude and you can get something like an Addict Gravel or Cervelo Aspero, a more race oriented gravel bike. Makes sense that endurance road bikes are dying. Unless you're riding at 35kph+ and alone to use the aerodynamic advantages.
I ride mostly on concrete trails. Yet at my age, I find myself more and more on my gravel bike because of comfort. There always appears to be a compromise with any road bike, including endurance bikes. So I’m doubling down. Instead of getting that super bike, I will build a super ENVE MOG gravel bike, with my dream components. If I need to go faster, I’ll slap 33 slicks on it and call it a day.
The shorter reach and higher stack on the Endurace enables me to get into an aggressive position and stay in it. Too many people buy race bikes like the Ultimate and then have to ride around on the hoods all day because they lack the flexibility and/or core strength to take advantage of the aggressive geometry. The reality is that they’d be faster on a slower bike. The Endurace (or its equivalent from other manufacturers) is the most appropriate bike for 90% of amateur cyclists, even those of us who like to ride fast.
That is a very good point and my comment on this didn't make the final edit - but better to have a taller front end if it means you can comfortable reach and use the drops which I know a lot of people on race bikes can't do because they're just way too low
nope. absolutely forgetting too much things in this point. only one thing is for ex, the power output on the hoods and the vo2 breahing efficency at that position. thats why it mdoesnt make you faster on endurace, it could be make you faster on very very lont term time blocks, for ex, you have to ride 1000km in 3 days, maybe than you are in endurace faster, i dontk think so but maybe. but wehen you ride everyday 200km a whole week, you are n ultimate faser. und thats the point.
another point is your absolute power output, when you sail under 200 watts around, than the difference is small. but wehn you put avarage 250-300 watt than you must take ultimate to get most of that wattage, that brings you further, endurace toasts them, yes you have better lower back, but you have to work.
He approached this from a strange perspective: do I want an endurance bike or or a gravel bike? Personally I want an endurance bike & I'm delighted to see the elements of lightweight and aero being incorporated into one. As a fit 56 year old I can't ride a race bike geometry for 100 miles so I need something more forgiving: but that doesn't mean I don't want it to be aero and lightweight too. Good for Canyon, well done!!
I agree with your comment completely Dan. Im same age...I don't want or need to be in a 'race' position while doing my 40-80 k rides. I have a gravel bike and a MTB. This is a different beast. For guys like us we want exactly this bike. It's forgiving and still aero enough to compete with road 'race' bikes. I could not take my gravel bike on a group road ride, I just couldn't produce and maintain the speed to keep up. Endurance is a perfect genre of bikes for most riders and will always be around.
Top observation. I am 63 and I have a Cervélo R5 which is a great bike and not too extreme geometry but I am looking for something a bit more forgiving (as my back and neck are not as flexible as when I was 25) but without sacrificing all the performance or fun. I am close to pulling the trigger on an Endurace. The top tube storage is probably a bit of a marmite issue TBH. Can’t say it upsets me all that much.
This is the most I've seen David annoyed with something - "Would I want my 9 grand bike to have something like a tv remote battery door on the top tube? Not so sure..."
Why can't the manufacturers have integrated carbon guards supplied with endurance bikes. I think they're lookin at the office sweety thinkin about finishing the bike and throwing a leg over. The office sweety not the bike
I've been riding the same carbon race bike for over two decades. I just bought an endurance bike. I don't have a ton of money to throw at a bike and thought the latest Canyon Endurace CF at $2k with mech Ultegra was a good deal. And I wasn't wrong! What a great bike. I plan on putting better wheels on the bike and using what's provided as light gravel duty wheels, maybe next year. The bike is so much more comfortable than my ancient bike (yes I know, duh). The wide tires are comfy. The bike is lively climbing. I can't believe the value at $2300 all in with taxes. I'm old now and cannot handle race geometry. I didn't think it would matter but boy was I wrong. The endurance geometry makes all the difference for me. I should also mention that I bought, and returned, a Trek Domane Gen 4 back last winter. I returned it after a few days. I hated that bike. It cost too much for my budget and it was very sluggish. This one is none of that.
Too bad Canyon decided to 'improve' the Endurace. The outgoing model seemed to be great. I don't know why people say the new model is a good deal... You can't get a mechanical group set. The mechanical Ultegra was a great option. This new one is about $1,000 MORE. Definitely not worth it. But they'll keep selling to people who get a new bike every 2-3 years. 🙄🤔🤣
@thecmcyclist this is the comment I came here to write. I also own an Endurace, a couple of models up from yours so with the wheel upgrade you mentioned - and I’m also really pleased with it, as is my ageing back! It has an aero cockpit (so this was available on previous models) with a similar arrangement for the bike computer. I have an out front mount which has a wahoo mount on the top and a mount for my cycliq light&camera underneath, solving that gripe of David’s. Good review from him - this definitely fills a gap for me. Oh, and I recently bought a Diverge which I mainly use for commuting but that has suspension in the steerer assembly so my gravel bike is also further along the comfort scale.
I thought exactly the same! I think there are a lot of people who want a fast bike with integraded cables, aerocockpit etc. but cannot tolerate the geometry of the aeroad or the ultimate. I think there is a market for that. Not everyone who can't fit an aeroad wants a comfort focused bike... so this is an excellent alternative! Way better than riding with 7cm spacers..
Entire cycling industry is catering towards middle aged men that want to look like 2x younger racers during the middle life crisis... And then everybody wonders how to make cycling more inclusive.
Also been waiting for this for ages .. anyone know how the di2 105 is 700g heavier than the ultegra vision. It has shallower wheelset .. surely lighter😂
Last year, i visited Sardinia and hired an Endurance. I was blown away by how smooth the ride was. I put this down to superioe road quality (not difficult when comparing with Surrey). This year I'm back on the same Sardinian roads but I brought my own bike, an Ultimate. I'm getting PRs on the Strava segments, but the ride quality is notably harsher. I suspect that for shorter rides, the Ultimate is faster, but for long days in the saddle, the extra comfort of the Endurace would make it quicker. Last year I ran 28mm tyres, this year I've got a mullet setup 30mm at the back, 28mm at the front. The comfort comes from somewhere else ~ magic source mixed into the carbon.
Interesting, I'm looking at moving away from my endurance bike to something a little more racy. Given that the Ultimate has such big tyre clearances, I'm leaning towards that
This light is awesome. Solves the light mount issue. The Ravemen FR160 Computer Mount COB LED Headlight is designed to sit between your Garmin/Wahoo mount and computer.
I run 30mm front and 32mm rear tires on my ADHX, with 303FC wheels. I can't say I felt a big difference going from 30 to 32 mm. But, the real advantage occurred the other day when I flatted, tubeless GP5000 STR's sliced, and the sealant would only seal below 30 psi. The extra width help me be able to ride 25 miles back home and not have to f@ck with tube or dart.
I'd agree that top-tube compartment seems a bit gimmicky - would rather just have a bolt-on top tube mount if anything. Other than that though, I hope they continue to exist as a category as I'm tall, long-legged and the geometry of the "endurance" bikes seem to suit me even with a reasonable drop to the bars from saddle. Yes, could get that from various gravel bikes - but I believe they have to pass more stringent strength tests, and as a result a little heavier?
I like concept, but id rather the opening be located below the top tube. These are emergency tools that doesn’t need to be always accessible. it’d be a waste of space to put it on external mounts
I rode a century last weekend, with a friend who was on a new CFR Dura Ace. It was perfect for him - first time out, and his weak ish back didn't grumble once. I was really impressed with the overall package, with a couple of caveats - storage would be better in the down tube (Diverge style) rather than the top tube - clearance is perfect - lack of mudguard mounts is pretty poor, albeit can be compensated for. - the gearing is not quite right. I'd spec 34/50 chainset, and 11-34 cassette, if given the choice. - crank length was 172.5 for a M - I'd have preferred 170. - lovely wheels, and tubeless ready, but came set up with tubes. It would have been great if they were tubeless out of the box (although, given the sales model / delivery direct to customer, I understand why it might be easier to ship with inner tubes) I'm still a fan of this kind of bike for 99% of riding. Whether "gravel" or "endurance", the above checklist is ideal. Manufacturers like Wilier and Look use the same frameset for both purposes. I've got an OPEN Upper, which for me is the perfect balance (NOT compromise!), with good road gearing and flexible tyre options.
Have the old Endurace. The fastest Endurance bike I have owned. Weight has not gone down but up a tiny bit. Nothing in the scheme of things but the price for the top end has gone up, which bucks the trend downward. Old €7500 v new €9799. This seems crazy given the USP of the CFR is weight but the old CF-SLX was lighter.
For comfortable and quick endurance riding mainly focused on streets and connecting fireroads etc. i would always get a sporty gravelbike theese days. throw a fast light tire between 35 and 40mm (depending on your needs) on and you have something that is super versatile yet not slower than an "endurance bike of old". a vitus venom evo for example. that is probably what the big majority of all recreational road cyclists actually needs.
35-40mm tyres are too wide and slow for the road, especially if that's 90% of your rides. Any MTB will still be much better off-road. Gravel geometry isn't for everyone either, it's not aero to sit so straight and high on the bike, definitely slower than endurance. Another issue is the single crankset, will be less efficient on longer rides. So the perfect bike doesn't exist, but gravels are really good for adventures
@@daniel6648 a 35mm tire does not roll slower than a 25mm tire, that should be pretty much known today. what you give up is the aerodynamic benefit of a tire/deep rim combination above ~32mm tire width because there are simply no deep rims wider than that. if you dont run deep aero wheels on thinner tires you basically dont give up anything going 10mm wider. as for the position on the bike: nowadays you can have anything from an almost upright 29" tourer gravel bike up to a pretty aggressive aero fit, dont generalise - thats the reason i wrote a "sporty" gravelbike.
I'm about to pull the trigger on this bike. The Trek and Specialized equivalents are 50-75% more expensive. I over 50 and want to do weekend rides with my friends, usually 50-80 km and a 3-5 grand Fondos per year of 75-125 km. I'm currently riding an amazing Cervelo R5 RWD, but its so stiff and the geometry gives me shoulder pain after anything longer than 2 hours. Also my feet go numb from the vibration. I've tried gravel bikes but I find them to feel sluggish.
They call it an endurance bike for a reason, for endurance rides. Lately I've been having fits getting g comfortable on my TCR, and i'm considering an endurance bike just for the relaxed geometry so i can actually get some miles in. I've hardly riden this year mainly due to comfort issues. I think k this bike will be perfect for someone who still loves speed, but can't quite deal with the race geometry.
I understand the dismissal of aero claims at 45 kmh tests by amateurs like us, I used to think the same until I saw Josh from Silca explaining it. It is air speed. So if you ride at 30kmh (ground speed) into a 15kmh headwind, then you face a 45kmh air speed. At least that's how I understand it, I may be wrong 😊
Generally a good bicycle with a major BUT. Those who ride for endurance would also appreciate the option to attach fenders. With the Ultimate/Aeroad, I don't need that, but here I would really like protection from the elements. The next point is the cockpit. Not a bad concept or design in general, but since the bike has become even shorter, I am certain that many would benefit from an adjustment in stem length. However, since these cockpits are not sold separately or you can't choose the length at purchase, this bike is only for those who are either very flexible in this aspect or know for sure that this geometry and stem length work for them. And then there's the price. With the previous model, there was still a version with a 'normal' stem/handlebar/seatpost for about 800-1000€ less. This price range (2000-3000€) is probably the most interesting for most people and, at least at the moment (maybe a 'cheaper' carbon frame' will come), it's not being served. Given the economic situation, this is somehow incomprehensible. If an aluminum frame is supposed to fill this gap, most customers then turn to Cube because here the price/performance ratio is even more distorted (carbon frame, 105Di2 for 2500€)
Just purchased a CF 7 after the last sale for $1799 here in the USA. I am super happy with it and ride it every morning. This bike looks like the exact upgrades I would want from my current bike down the road.
Hello David. I have a 2023 Trek Domane AL 5. I have a size 61. I modified it with Hunt 50 carbon wheels, Tubolito TPU tubes and Conti GP 5000 30mm tires. I have the weight with pedals and garmin mount and water bottle holders down to 21.5lbs. I have done 33mile group rides and averaged 19.5mph. I am now looking for a 2nd lighter bike. I have narrowed my choice down to either Canyon Endurace CF 8 Di2 or Canyon CF SLX 8 Di2. I really dislike the top frame remote control like storage on the SLX model. Would you consider the CF model, if I add the Hunt 50 wheels to it, as fast as the SLX model?
Marketed as the fastest endurance aero race bike of all time, but missing out on the option to put on aero/tri-bars. Big fail for ultracycling events like the transcontinental race where this bike could shine. Well Canyon...next please.
Since they place their CP0018 handlebar on most of their bikes now, I guess they're in process of designing a compatible extension ? Would be so absurd if not.
Wow, most critical review I’ve seen from you. Refreshing to hear a spade called a spade. I’m a fan of Canyon, I have an Ultimate (2017). Great bike but their frames haven’t really changed much in 7+ years. Still, some models represent good value for money in their range though.
Good vid man, yeah I agree, a gravel bike like my specialized Diverge with 38c panaracer sk tires is very good for all road. I do have carbon wheels with excellent DT Swiss hubs and a cobble gobbler seat post for maximum comfort. I inflate my tires to 40 psi for road and 35 psi for gravel, it’s all good!!
45 km/h doesn't refer to You needing to ride at 45km/h, it refers to a windspeed of 45 km/h, so riding into a headwind, 45 km/h windspeed is doable for most people.
If you should have only one 'do-it-all' bike, this bike is exactly that. I have both Giant revolt gravel and Canyon Ultimate; on the latter, I wish sometimes I could be more comfortable. On Giant, I wish I had to carry less weight.
I upgraded my Revolt, a lower tier Grx 600 carbon modell, with Prime carbon wheels, and 30-32 GP5000 str tyres, weighs 8.18kg, including pedals, bottle cages, Garmin holder. Most road disc brake bikes weigh more, and it's a "cheap" bike, costed 3000 euro with the upgrades. Factory weight was 10kg.
Great review David, thoughts on this bike vs the Roubaix in terms of comfort? Seat post looks effective but wondering if the future shock on the Roubaix tips the scales at all?
Great review David! Was wondering if you say, you are better off with a gravel bike, which bike would you recommend that’s almost as good on the road? Or commuting? Also how does the bike compare to your Giant TCR?? Thanks!
The geometry is more upright and comfort better than the TCR for sure, but Ergon does sell this seatpost so you could fit to another bike providing it has a round seat tube (TCR does not). The upcoming new Grail could be interesting then there are speedy gravel bikes like the 3T Explore, Scott Addict, Cannondale Topstone etc that with the right tyres would be pretty quick and comfy on the road. I'd only really go the gravel bike route if you do intend to go off-road, bikepacking etc, if you don't plan to then the Endurace is a really good pick
Nice review, thanks! If you would have to choose between the Endurace and the new Grail for approximately 90% road and 10% off-road riding (also occasionaly bikepacking)... which one would you go for? and why?
I have a 2017 CF SLX 8.0di2 which I paid £3500 during a TDF discount promotion. I love this bike despite having issues over the years and other than allowing for wider tyres wouldn’t change anything else. Why have they moved away from the H31 bar - I really don’t understand that, integrated storage - no thanks Canyon.
This is so nearly an excellent bike. Lack of fender mounts is a big negative, if Canyon had sense not only would they would include fender mounts but they would offer over priced fenders as well! I rather like the tool locker in the top tube, but as David said to offer that and not include the tools is just take the p*ss particularly at the price point. But it does look good. Possibly one for a rich casual long distance rider although I agree with David that the gravel bike is probably a better choice
aero benefits achieved at the speeds is the wind speed, so it's a combination of your seed and wind, not how fast you alone are going. When you look at it that way, 45kph is very easy to achieve
I love it too. I have an Aeroad CFR which is just a comfortable rocket ship. But looking to replace my old endurance Synapse HiMod which is my every day / winter ride. This looks perfect - apart from the cassette - which should have gears to climb mountains. Gravel is gravel - you can’t cross Endurance with Gravel - it’s just a nonsense.
I have the older endurace as a summer bike which it does a good job of. just replaced my winter bike with a new Cannondale synapse. The Synapse is way more comfortable and you can fit proper mudguards. Would have one as a summer bike over the endurace too. Not a fan of the integrated bar and stem either.
Will Canyon go to threaded bottom brackets at any point? Hate seeing pressfit on a bike like this. I also am not impressed by the top tube storage. My Domane uses the downtube for storage which allows me to not only have a multi tool attached to the door of the storage but the internal roll can hold CO2, levers, an inflator and a tube. The size of the storage compartment can also allow a small pump if one chooses (I don't) and some additional snacks if need be (I don't as I carry in my jersey). Using the top tube is pretty much a waste IMHO.
Definitely agree. I like the storage compartment on my Domane better. Enough room to hold what I need and no issues with the hatch staying secure even after several thousand miles.
Perfect bike for non pros everyday riding ….. also looking forward to the new Defy release. At the moment I have a TCR and a Propel … looking forward to selling them to get a new Defy.
You forgot an very important factor. The body proportions of the rider. I have very long legs compared to my body high. A new Aeroad with the "fixed" cockpit and the fixed length would kill my back. The disadvantages of this new integrated cockpits. I have a 2013 Aeroad with a 60mm stem, that works fine I ended up buying an Endurace, replaced the split seatpost with a splitpost without seatback and now the 100mm cockpit is OK for me. Second reasons was, that the "old" model has the possibility to swap the Handelbars, in case I want to mount a time trail extension. Not possible anymore with the new integrated ones from Canyon. For me my new Endurace has almost the same drop as the 2013 Aeroad, and I bike in a very sporty position. If you have short legs compared to your upper body, the Endurace might look ridiculous like you are on a Holland Bike :)
agree 100%. I have a canyon grail with a subcompact to climb any hill and wide tires for comfort. i also have a canyon ultimate and that's purely for speed (relative to my fitness). like you, i rue the day i take it up the wrong climb because i'm not wout van aert.
if anyone has ridden both models - would you rather go for the endurace or the ultimate from Canyon? I am looking for my first road bike. so far, I have ridden a CUBE gravel bike, but I am looking for something faster and more aggressive for the road. I wonder if the endurace is not "too close" to a gravel bike when it comes to seating position? Is the ultimate much "less comfortable" for longer rides? I noticed when riding the gravel bike that I often wish I could have a lower body position, which is why I am leaning towards getting the ultimate over the endurace as I believe the endurace's seating position is too close to the gravel's relaxed one. Thanks for any comments!
This is probably the one bike you get, if for some strange reason you can't have 5 or 6. It's a roadbike, gravelbike, commuter, probably there's a way to make it a tt bike as well. For sure the only bike you need, if you are being honest to yourself and not a very specialized rider who needs a specific "tool" like competetive hill climbing.
This bike is like $12,000 CAD. I bought an Endurace CF SL 8 a couple years back that was $3800 (okay, not Di2 and 11s) which came with a standard handle bar. So glad I bought it when I did.
Why didn't they put the TV remote battery flap on the underside of the top tube? Would have kept the same practicality of having it, but hidden it from view!
I dont know guys, this bike is beautiful! There are just so many good bikes these days. Hard to pic the next one for me. But MAN this thing looks good. Color scheme is on another level. Green and mat carbon. Hell yeah!!!
Wow I am really impressed of the weight! Pretty damn light for an endurance oriented bike. Agree with handlebar tape observations (if comfort is the objective then the bar tape is insufficient as is) and the top tube "storage" compartment (gimmicky at best). I would be interested in hearing your thoughts, if you compare this bike to other options available in the market, particularly the Trek Domane SLR?
Don’t know where you’re based, but in the US, I had great experience with their user support. They got back to me on email in a couple of hours and sent me a replacement part in a day
The bike looks pretty nice! Do you guys think it makes sense as a addition to XC mtb? I've been recently looking for a bike for longer rides (up to 80-100km) and been considering some racier gravel bikes with the idea of having around 35-40mm tires so that I can go pretty much anywhere if I need to. But maybe this Endurance can cover it better?
I wonder if Trek has a patent on having a storage compartment in the down tube. It just seems so obvious to put it down there since the top tube is so skinny there's barely room for anything useful.
Is this bike as comfortable as a trek domane? I’ve wanted a speedy feeling (responsive pedaling, stiff bb, etc) endurance geometry bike for a very long time
@bricep24 I went with medium based on the suggestion from Canyon customer service. I told them I'm 6 ft (~183 cm) tall with normal proportioned extremities. Just waiting for the bike to ship now.
I agree 45kph sounds like a lot, but this is airspeed as opposed to road speed. Riding 30kph into a 15kph headwind can ce quite realistic, though not that common
Could I have more of your thoughts about the seatpost? Do you feel like its a major improvement if you ride on bumpy roads? Any loss of power output? Thank you
The Seatpost is amazing - have been testing the Ergon version on other bikes for upcoming review. It adds loads of comfort with no loss of power and little weight penalty - only downside is you can't fit a Di2 battery into the bottom of it
It's weird when an allround road bike becomes a 'niche model'. I would probably get an ultimate. I don't get why the made the Endurance shorter and higher. To differentiate it more from the Ultimate? It would have made more sense to go towards gravel geometry. Or keep it where it was. And go for a more touring oriented set up (compact crankset, normal steerer+stem, wider tyres). Cheaper versions probably will. Then it will be a perfect allround road bike for the most of us. I agree that the storage in the top tube makes no sense.
I used to love Canyon, but feel they look dated and a bit behind the top brands. They used to be great value for money, but not so much anymore. Would rather a Domane or Roadmachine.
Have you seen the prices on the Trek Domane ? On the AXS Force version the CanyonCF SLX 8 is $3000 USD LESS than the Domane SLR 7AXS Gen 4. . How the hell do you say" they used to be a good value" ? BTW the Canyon is pound lighter while still having a double chain ring too.
@PhilipHuyghe yeh that's a fair point. I guess I mean.....the difference isn't as great as it used to be and I'd rather pay the premium, or, in that price point get a Giant or Merida. Having said that, there's something magical about Canyon that you can't put a price on. I think my view may have changed since I posted this a year ago :)
As much as I want to like the bike, I am sceptical of its use. In my opinion, the Endurace range is something for the everyday cyclist, and for fun, a true do it all bike. But the CFR? That should be for the TOP in the endurance range, and by that I mean Ultra-endurance, Orbits, Race across *random country*, Radonneurs with ambition. So why the proprietary top storage, where a top tube bag is perfect? Why not design a handlebar with the possibility to attach Aero Top Bars? (The Bars are an upgrade compared to the fixed bar from last year though). This bike is nice for ultra endurace if you don´t add anything to it, but its not enough to actually set itself apart from last years model for 1,6k less (!) while adding half a kilo. The new endurace slx, although more expensive, is nice and a good upgrade. But the cfr? A missed opportunity
I don´t get the idea behind the very slack seat tube angle in combination with the 13 / 25 mm offset seat post 🤔 . Even with a zero offset seat post the saddle will be too far back for some people.
I’m sure it rides well but it looks a bit ‘off’ to me. Not sure if it’s the tall head tube or space around seat tube but it looks a bit dated or something. Could just be that we see a lot more aero / race / gravel bikes getting reviewed these days I don’t know - I can’t quite figure it out!
Nice review. I have the new cheaper model, the Endurace CF SLX 8 in my basket right now but your thoughts on endurace vs gravel bikes is making me pause on the checkout 😅. How does the Canyon Grail geometry compare to the Endurace, would it be as comfortable ?
But they are outragously expensive. The endurance slx with ultegra di2 costs as much as a ostro gravel frameset 😅 i hope canyon brings the same value for their new grail or grizl.
How does a couple of watts of aero make a difference compared to the relatively huge cyclist on top, maybe wearing sub-optimal clothing etc. Agree the hatch is awful. I have a Diverge with the downtube hatch that is really good - opportunity missed. Be interested in a comparison with a Synapse.
The biggest difference between a gravel and endurance bike is probably the weight. Stack-to-Reach is the same. I would prefer a gravel bike and replace the wheels and tires for lighter and narrower parts.Prices are just insane and building your own bike isn't really cheaper.
David why do you keep reviewing these£9-12k bikes that 99% of normal folk cannot afford? Would it not be better when a manufacturer offers a bike for review to insist they send you a £3-4k model that ordinary riders in the real world can afford and may be thinking of buying something in that price range
I would imagine there is a quite large 'use case' of people riding on the road 90%+ of the time, but would like the capacity to do some offroad where it features in routes. Wouldn't this kind of bike better fit this use case than a gravel bike??
I do agree though the the lack of mudguard mounts and the race oriented handlebars don't fit this scenario. Also surely some aero benefit is worthwhile if you are riding long distances all day??
Great video David!! Question for you; if your battling a 30k headwind and your travelling at 30k are you getting the full aero benefits of the components as if they were tested at 60k?? 🤔
Yeah good question - if you're riding at 15kph into a 30kph headwind does it equal the 45kph testing by Canyon? Something to dig into for sure but always differences from wind tunnel to real world testing
@@davidarthur if you think about it, that's how Windtunnels work. You are standing still (going 0kph) and you have a headwind of 45kph. This is equal to riding 45kph in still conditions. As long as headwind and speed add up to 45, the same aerodynamics are applicable
It is an accessory option when you order - looks less than optimal though, mounting a bike computer on top is great but not being able to mount a light or GoPro below is remiss
Being a heavier rider getting back into fitness, I've gone larger width on the rear, all the 2 powered 2 wheelers do this so I doubt there is anything to loose.
Sad to see so many people saying endurance bikes are dying. as a older cyclist I like endurance bikes and would choose them always ahead of gravel or road bikes as I'm doing most of my driving in roads and can't really handle race bikes positions. Still would choose some other one over this new Canyon after this review.
With a gravel bike with appropriate geometry you are slick tyres away from it being a road bike really. And wider slick tyres will take the bumps out and save your back a bit more too.
My "gravel" bike is basically the same effective geometry as endurance road bike, it just can fit wider tires, and I run it with narrower (as in 32/34mm) slicks tires on deeper rims on the road, and wider tires on different rims on rougher stuff.
@@davethedogdude and you can get something like an Addict Gravel or Cervelo Aspero, a more race oriented gravel bike. Makes sense that endurance road bikes are dying. Unless you're riding at 35kph+ and alone to use the aerodynamic advantages.
I ride mostly on concrete trails. Yet at my age, I find myself more and more on my gravel bike because of comfort. There always appears to be a compromise with any road bike, including endurance bikes. So I’m doubling down. Instead of getting that super bike, I will build a super ENVE MOG gravel bike, with my dream components. If I need to go faster, I’ll slap 33 slicks on it and call it a day.
@@davethedogdudeWhat bike would you recommend or get next? I feel as an older rider that I am not comfortable with race like positions either.
The shorter reach and higher stack on the Endurace enables me to get into an aggressive position and stay in it. Too many people buy race bikes like the Ultimate and then have to ride around on the hoods all day because they lack the flexibility and/or core strength to take advantage of the aggressive geometry. The reality is that they’d be faster on a slower bike. The Endurace (or its equivalent from other manufacturers) is the most appropriate bike for 90% of amateur cyclists, even those of us who like to ride fast.
That is a very good point and my comment on this didn't make the final edit - but better to have a taller front end if it means you can comfortable reach and use the drops which I know a lot of people on race bikes can't do because they're just way too low
yes
nope. absolutely forgetting too much things in this point. only one thing is for ex, the power output on the hoods and the vo2 breahing efficency at that position. thats why it mdoesnt make you faster on endurace, it could be make you faster on very very lont term time blocks, for ex, you have to ride 1000km in 3 days, maybe than you are in endurace faster, i dontk think so but maybe. but wehen you ride everyday 200km a whole week, you are n ultimate faser. und thats the point.
another point is your absolute power output, when you sail under 200 watts around, than the difference is small. but wehn you put avarage 250-300 watt than you must take ultimate to get most of that wattage, that brings you further, endurace toasts them, yes you have better lower back, but you have to work.
He approached this from a strange perspective: do I want an endurance bike or or a gravel bike?
Personally I want an endurance bike & I'm delighted to see the elements of lightweight and aero being incorporated into one. As a fit 56 year old I can't ride a race bike geometry for 100 miles so I need something more forgiving: but that doesn't mean I don't want it to be aero and lightweight too. Good for Canyon, well done!!
I agree with your comment completely Dan. Im same age...I don't want or need to be in a 'race' position while doing my 40-80 k rides. I have a gravel bike and a MTB. This is a different beast. For guys like us we want exactly this bike. It's forgiving and still aero enough to compete with road 'race' bikes. I could not take my gravel bike on a group road ride, I just couldn't produce and maintain the speed to keep up. Endurance is a perfect genre of bikes for most riders and will always be around.
Top observation. I am 63 and I have a Cervélo R5 which is a great bike and not too extreme geometry but I am looking for something a bit more forgiving (as my back and neck are not as flexible as when I was 25) but without sacrificing all the performance or fun. I am close to pulling the trigger on an Endurace. The top tube storage is probably a bit of a marmite issue TBH. Can’t say it upsets me all that much.
This is the most I've seen David annoyed with something - "Would I want my 9 grand bike to have something like a tv remote battery door on the top tube? Not so sure..."
Yes! For David to say, “I’m not so sure” three times is his polite way of saying: This is f-king stupid.
I mean why? There’s a comparatively huge tube bellow it that you could fit so much more in.
Why can't the manufacturers have integrated carbon guards supplied with endurance bikes. I think they're lookin at the office sweety thinkin about finishing the bike and throwing a leg over. The office sweety not the bike
Dave on the spot, as always. I don't understand it either. And if you're paying 10k for a bike, at least through a CO2 cartridge in there!
@@mrbinc0 co2 ruins tubeless systems according to Francis Cade's mechanic, that's probably why
I've been riding the same carbon race bike for over two decades. I just bought an endurance bike. I don't have a ton of money to throw at a bike and thought the latest Canyon Endurace CF at $2k with mech Ultegra was a good deal. And I wasn't wrong! What a great bike. I plan on putting better wheels on the bike and using what's provided as light gravel duty wheels, maybe next year. The bike is so much more comfortable than my ancient bike (yes I know, duh). The wide tires are comfy. The bike is lively climbing. I can't believe the value at $2300 all in with taxes. I'm old now and cannot handle race geometry. I didn't think it would matter but boy was I wrong. The endurance geometry makes all the difference for me. I should also mention that I bought, and returned, a Trek Domane Gen 4 back last winter. I returned it after a few days. I hated that bike. It cost too much for my budget and it was very sluggish. This one is none of that.
Too bad Canyon decided to 'improve' the Endurace.
The outgoing model seemed to be great.
I don't know why people say the new model is a good deal... You can't get a mechanical group set.
The mechanical Ultegra was a great option. This new one is about $1,000 MORE.
Definitely not worth it. But they'll keep selling to people who get a new bike every 2-3 years. 🙄🤔🤣
@thecmcyclist this is the comment I came here to write. I also own an Endurace, a couple of models up from yours so with the wheel upgrade you mentioned - and I’m also really pleased with it, as is my ageing back!
It has an aero cockpit (so this was available on previous models) with a similar arrangement for the bike computer. I have an out front mount which has a wahoo mount on the top and a mount for my cycliq light&camera underneath, solving that gripe of David’s. Good review from him - this definitely fills a gap for me.
Oh, and I recently bought a Diverge which I mainly use for commuting but that has suspension in the steerer assembly so my gravel bike is also further along the comfort scale.
what exact model you bought
I love it, I still like to race but can't deal with the geometry of a race bike. It's actually exactly what I've been looking for.
I thought exactly the same! I think there are a lot of people who want a fast bike with integraded cables, aerocockpit etc. but cannot tolerate the geometry of the aeroad or the ultimate. I think there is a market for that. Not everyone who can't fit an aeroad wants a comfort focused bike... so this is an excellent alternative! Way better than riding with 7cm spacers..
You'll love it then Richard, it's really an awesome bike to ride fast in fantastic comfort
100% @@dariohug6669
Entire cycling industry is catering towards middle aged men that want to look like 2x younger racers during the middle life crisis... And then everybody wonders how to make cycling more inclusive.
Also been waiting for this for ages .. anyone know how the di2 105 is 700g heavier than the ultegra vision. It has shallower wheelset .. surely lighter😂
Last year, i visited Sardinia and hired an Endurance. I was blown away by how smooth the ride was. I put this down to superioe road quality (not difficult when comparing with Surrey). This year I'm back on the same Sardinian roads but I brought my own bike, an Ultimate. I'm getting PRs on the Strava segments, but the ride quality is notably harsher. I suspect that for shorter rides, the Ultimate is faster, but for long days in the saddle, the extra comfort of the Endurace would make it quicker.
Last year I ran 28mm tyres, this year I've got a mullet setup 30mm at the back, 28mm at the front. The comfort comes from somewhere else ~ magic source mixed into the carbon.
Interesting, I'm looking at moving away from my endurance bike to something a little more racy. Given that the Ultimate has such big tyre clearances, I'm leaning towards that
@@chrisforshaw6294 don’t get me wrong, I’d still pick the ultimate over the endurace, however, I am amazed at how comfortable the endurace is.
This light is awesome. Solves the light mount issue. The Ravemen FR160 Computer Mount COB LED Headlight is designed to sit between your Garmin/Wahoo mount and computer.
I run 30mm front and 32mm rear tires on my ADHX, with 303FC wheels. I can't say I felt a big difference going from 30 to 32 mm. But, the real advantage occurred the other day when I flatted, tubeless GP5000 STR's sliced, and the sealant would only seal below 30 psi. The extra width help me be able to ride 25 miles back home and not have to f@ck with tube or dart.
I'd agree that top-tube compartment seems a bit gimmicky - would rather just have a bolt-on top tube mount if anything. Other than that though, I hope they continue to exist as a category as I'm tall, long-legged and the geometry of the "endurance" bikes seem to suit me even with a reasonable drop to the bars from saddle. Yes, could get that from various gravel bikes - but I believe they have to pass more stringent strength tests, and as a result a little heavier?
The cheaper models still have bolt-on-top. Im also sceptical because I imagine the hole on the top will fill it with water on rainy days.
I like concept, but id rather the opening be located below the top tube. These are emergency tools that doesn’t need to be always accessible. it’d be a waste of space to put it on external mounts
I rode a century last weekend, with a friend who was on a new CFR Dura Ace. It was perfect for him - first time out, and his weak ish back didn't grumble once.
I was really impressed with the overall package, with a couple of caveats
- storage would be better in the down tube (Diverge style) rather than the top tube
- clearance is perfect
- lack of mudguard mounts is pretty poor, albeit can be compensated for.
- the gearing is not quite right. I'd spec 34/50 chainset, and 11-34 cassette, if given the choice.
- crank length was 172.5 for a M - I'd have preferred 170.
- lovely wheels, and tubeless ready, but came set up with tubes. It would have been great if they were tubeless out of the box (although, given the sales model / delivery direct to customer, I understand why it might be easier to ship with inner tubes)
I'm still a fan of this kind of bike for 99% of riding. Whether "gravel" or "endurance", the above checklist is ideal. Manufacturers like Wilier and Look use the same frameset for both purposes.
I've got an OPEN Upper, which for me is the perfect balance (NOT compromise!), with good road gearing and flexible tyre options.
Bike wasn't launched until last Tuesday.
Have the old Endurace. The fastest Endurance bike I have owned. Weight has not gone down but up a tiny bit. Nothing in the scheme of things but the price for the top end has gone up, which bucks the trend downward. Old €7500 v new €9799. This seems crazy given the USP of the CFR is weight but the old CF-SLX was lighter.
For comfortable and quick endurance riding mainly focused on streets and connecting fireroads etc. i would always get a sporty gravelbike theese days. throw a fast light tire between 35 and 40mm (depending on your needs) on and you have something that is super versatile yet not slower than an "endurance bike of old". a vitus venom evo for example. that is probably what the big majority of all recreational road cyclists actually needs.
35-40mm tyres are too wide and slow for the road, especially if that's 90% of your rides. Any MTB will still be much better off-road. Gravel geometry isn't for everyone either, it's not aero to sit so straight and high on the bike, definitely slower than endurance. Another issue is the single crankset, will be less efficient on longer rides. So the perfect bike doesn't exist, but gravels are really good for adventures
@@daniel6648 a 35mm tire does not roll slower than a 25mm tire, that should be pretty much known today. what you give up is the aerodynamic benefit of a tire/deep rim combination above ~32mm tire width because there are simply no deep rims wider than that. if you dont run deep aero wheels on thinner tires you basically dont give up anything going 10mm wider. as for the position on the bike: nowadays you can have anything from an almost upright 29" tourer gravel bike up to a pretty aggressive aero fit, dont generalise - thats the reason i wrote a "sporty" gravelbike.
Which sporty gravel would you recommend for long distance traveling in same budget as Endurace CF SLX 8 AXS Aero?
30-32 is still fast road tyre combination, anything above that is too slow and sluggish, and totally unnecessery for non gravel roads.
this bike fits 38s easy
I'm about to pull the trigger on this bike. The Trek and Specialized equivalents are 50-75% more expensive. I over 50 and want to do weekend rides with my friends, usually 50-80 km and a 3-5 grand Fondos per year of 75-125 km. I'm currently riding an amazing Cervelo R5 RWD, but its so stiff and the geometry gives me shoulder pain after anything longer than 2 hours. Also my feet go numb from the vibration. I've tried gravel bikes but I find them to feel sluggish.
Ha ha . That’s me too. Love my R5 but about to buy one of these. 👍
They call it an endurance bike for a reason, for endurance rides. Lately I've been having fits getting g comfortable on my TCR, and i'm considering an endurance bike just for the relaxed geometry so i can actually get some miles in. I've hardly riden this year mainly due to comfort issues. I think k this bike will be perfect for someone who still loves speed, but can't quite deal with the race geometry.
I understand the dismissal of aero claims at 45 kmh tests by amateurs like us, I used to think the same until I saw Josh from Silca explaining it. It is air speed. So if you ride at 30kmh (ground speed) into a 15kmh headwind, then you face a 45kmh air speed. At least that's how I understand it, I may be wrong 😊
Superb video David, thank you - great to see a bike “unveiling” release day video that genuinely analyses the bike
Glad you enjoyed it!
Generally a good bicycle with a major BUT. Those who ride for endurance would also appreciate the option to attach fenders. With the Ultimate/Aeroad, I don't need that, but here I would really like protection from the elements. The next point is the cockpit. Not a bad concept or design in general, but since the bike has become even shorter, I am certain that many would benefit from an adjustment in stem length. However, since these cockpits are not sold separately or you can't choose the length at purchase, this bike is only for those who are either very flexible in this aspect or know for sure that this geometry and stem length work for them. And then there's the price. With the previous model, there was still a version with a 'normal' stem/handlebar/seatpost for about 800-1000€ less. This price range (2000-3000€) is probably the most interesting for most people and, at least at the moment (maybe a 'cheaper' carbon frame' will come), it's not being served. Given the economic situation, this is somehow incomprehensible. If an aluminum frame is supposed to fill this gap, most customers then turn to Cube because here the price/performance ratio is even more distorted (carbon frame, 105Di2 for 2500€)
Just purchased a CF 7 after the last sale for $1799 here in the USA. I am super happy with it and ride it every morning. This bike looks like the exact upgrades I would want from my current bike down the road.
I got a CF 7 too! In red! Loving mine
@@SBEditsSame, I love the red!
I got the CF 8. What a great bike! And the prices for these CF bikes are just incredible.
@@TheCmcyclistI waited so long to pull the trigger and never expected to get the CF for the same price as the AL!
@@Druezy same! I was enticed at the base price… then it went down to 2k… then when it hit 1800 I ordered immediately lol
Hello David. I have a 2023 Trek Domane AL 5. I have a size 61. I modified it with Hunt 50 carbon wheels, Tubolito TPU tubes and Conti GP 5000 30mm tires. I have the weight with pedals and garmin mount and water bottle holders down to 21.5lbs. I have done 33mile group rides and averaged 19.5mph. I am now looking for a 2nd lighter bike. I have narrowed my choice down to either Canyon Endurace CF 8 Di2 or Canyon CF SLX 8 Di2. I really dislike the top frame remote control like storage on the SLX model. Would you consider the CF model, if I add the Hunt 50 wheels to it, as fast as the SLX model?
Marketed as the fastest endurance aero race bike of all time, but missing out on the option to put on aero/tri-bars. Big fail for ultracycling events like the transcontinental race where this bike could shine. Well Canyon...next please.
Since they place their CP0018 handlebar on most of their bikes now, I guess they're in process of designing a compatible extension ? Would be so absurd if not.
Wow, most critical review I’ve seen from you. Refreshing to hear a spade called a spade. I’m a fan of Canyon, I have an Ultimate (2017). Great bike but their frames haven’t really changed much in 7+ years. Still, some models represent good value for money in their range though.
David you sure get to review some cool bikes. It must be hard deciding on your personal bikes. That seatpost I can attest to, I recommend it.
Good vid man, yeah I agree, a gravel bike like my specialized Diverge with 38c panaracer sk tires is very good for all road. I do have carbon wheels with excellent DT Swiss hubs and a cobble gobbler seat post for maximum comfort. I inflate my tires to 40 psi for road and 35 psi for gravel, it’s all good!!
you can fit those tyres on this
45 km/h doesn't refer to You needing to ride at 45km/h, it refers to a windspeed of 45 km/h, so riding into a headwind, 45 km/h windspeed is doable for most people.
If you should have only one 'do-it-all' bike, this bike is exactly that. I have both Giant revolt gravel and Canyon Ultimate; on the latter, I wish sometimes I could be more comfortable. On Giant, I wish I had to carry less weight.
true do-it-all bike would be a mountain bike who can truly handle any terrain.
I upgraded my Revolt, a lower tier Grx 600 carbon modell, with Prime carbon wheels, and 30-32 GP5000 str tyres, weighs 8.18kg, including pedals, bottle cages, Garmin holder. Most road disc brake bikes weigh more, and it's a "cheap" bike, costed 3000 euro with the upgrades. Factory weight was 10kg.
Great review David, thoughts on this bike vs the Roubaix in terms of comfort? Seat post looks effective but wondering if the future shock on the Roubaix tips the scales at all?
Great review David!
Was wondering if you say, you are better off with a gravel bike, which bike would you recommend that’s almost as good on the road? Or commuting? Also how does the bike compare to your Giant TCR?? Thanks!
The geometry is more upright and comfort better than the TCR for sure, but Ergon does sell this seatpost so you could fit to another bike providing it has a round seat tube (TCR does not). The upcoming new Grail could be interesting then there are speedy gravel bikes like the 3T Explore, Scott Addict, Cannondale Topstone etc that with the right tyres would be pretty quick and comfy on the road. I'd only really go the gravel bike route if you do intend to go off-road, bikepacking etc, if you don't plan to then the Endurace is a really good pick
Nice review, thanks! If you would have to choose between the Endurace and the new Grail for approximately 90% road and 10% off-road riding (also occasionaly bikepacking)... which one would you go for? and why?
Grail, if you go bikepacking
I have a 2017 CF SLX 8.0di2 which I paid £3500 during a TDF discount promotion. I love this bike despite having issues over the years and other than allowing for wider tyres wouldn’t change anything else. Why have they moved away from the H31 bar - I really don’t understand that, integrated storage - no thanks Canyon.
This is so nearly an excellent bike. Lack of fender mounts is a big negative, if Canyon had sense not only would they would include fender mounts but they would offer over priced fenders as well! I rather like the tool locker in the top tube, but as David said to offer that and not include the tools is just take the p*ss particularly at the price point.
But it does look good. Possibly one for a rich casual long distance rider although I agree with David that the gravel bike is probably a better choice
aero benefits achieved at the speeds is the wind speed, so it's a combination of your seed and wind, not how fast you alone are going. When you look at it that way, 45kph is very easy to achieve
I love it too. I have an Aeroad CFR which is just a comfortable rocket ship. But looking to replace my old endurance Synapse HiMod which is my every day / winter ride. This looks perfect - apart from the cassette - which should have gears to climb mountains. Gravel is gravel - you can’t cross Endurance with Gravel - it’s just a nonsense.
I have the older endurace as a summer bike which it does a good job of. just replaced my winter bike with a new Cannondale synapse. The Synapse is way more comfortable and you can fit proper mudguards. Would have one as a summer bike over the endurace too. Not a fan of the integrated bar and stem either.
They should have implemented downtube storage like we've already seen on their gravel prototype.
I had the 2020 Endurace CF SLX. It came with a one piece handlebar and stem.
Endurace has it since 2016, and the older cocpit design is so much better.
Will Canyon go to threaded bottom brackets at any point? Hate seeing pressfit on a bike like this. I also am not impressed by the top tube storage. My Domane uses the downtube for storage which allows me to not only have a multi tool attached to the door of the storage but the internal roll can hold CO2, levers, an inflator and a tube. The size of the storage compartment can also allow a small pump if one chooses (I don't) and some additional snacks if need be (I don't as I carry in my jersey). Using the top tube is pretty much a waste IMHO.
Definitely agree. I like the storage compartment on my Domane better. Enough room to hold what I need and no issues with the hatch staying secure even after several thousand miles.
Good review and I agree with you: as someone who is planning to buy a bike for different kinds of touring, I lean more towards a gravel bike.
That trap door is just where we drop sweat 💦😮not good...how do you wash it out to avoid corrosion 🤔, should be on the down tube
Duh ! Carbon fiber is chemically stable, corrosion-resistant, and won't rust. That's why it works well in harsh environments.😅😅😅
I'd like a top tube compartment big enough to hold a 6 pack of beer.
I always think to myself a brand new bike hasn’t had a good seeing to until it has been thoroughly reviewed by David of JustRideBikes 👍
Right on!
Perfect bike for non pros everyday riding ….. also looking forward to the new Defy release. At the moment I have a TCR and a Propel … looking forward to selling them to get a new Defy.
Great video. Thanks a lot David. What is that saddle bag?
You forgot an very important factor. The body proportions of the rider.
I have very long legs compared to my body high. A new Aeroad with the "fixed" cockpit and the fixed length would kill my back. The disadvantages of this new integrated cockpits.
I have a 2013 Aeroad with a 60mm stem, that works fine
I ended up buying an Endurace, replaced the split seatpost with a splitpost without seatback and now the 100mm cockpit is OK for me.
Second reasons was, that the "old" model has the possibility to swap the Handelbars, in case I want to mount a time trail extension. Not possible anymore with the new integrated ones from Canyon.
For me my new Endurace has almost the same drop as the 2013 Aeroad, and I bike in a very sporty position.
If you have short legs compared to your upper body, the Endurace might look ridiculous like you are on a Holland Bike :)
Novice question alert. What are you supposed to do if you have lights (dont seen to fit the bars). Or am i missing something?
agree 100%. I have a canyon grail with a subcompact to climb any hill and wide tires for comfort. i also have a canyon ultimate and that's purely for speed (relative to my fitness). like you, i rue the day i take it up the wrong climb because i'm not wout van aert.
Hopefully new Giant Defy will drop any time soon with most of the features of this but for half the price and with mudguard mounts.
if anyone has ridden both models - would you rather go for the endurace or the ultimate from Canyon? I am looking for my first road bike. so far, I have ridden a CUBE gravel bike, but I am looking for something faster and more aggressive for the road. I wonder if the endurace is not "too close" to a gravel bike when it comes to seating position? Is the ultimate much "less comfortable" for longer rides? I noticed when riding the gravel bike that I often wish I could have a lower body position, which is why I am leaning towards getting the ultimate over the endurace as I believe the endurace's seating position is too close to the gravel's relaxed one.
Thanks for any comments!
This is probably the one bike you get, if for some strange reason you can't have 5 or 6.
It's a roadbike, gravelbike, commuter, probably there's a way to make it a tt bike as well.
For sure the only bike you need, if you are being honest to yourself and not a very specialized rider who needs a specific "tool" like competetive hill climbing.
This bike is like $12,000 CAD. I bought an Endurace CF SL 8 a couple years back that was $3800 (okay, not Di2 and 11s) which came with a standard handle bar. So glad I bought it when I did.
Why didn't they put the TV remote battery flap on the underside of the top tube? Would have kept the same practicality of having it, but hidden it from view!
I dont know guys, this bike is beautiful! There are just so many good bikes these days. Hard to pic the next one for me. But MAN this thing looks good. Color scheme is on another level. Green and mat carbon. Hell yeah!!!
Wow I am really impressed of the weight! Pretty damn light for an endurance oriented bike. Agree with handlebar tape observations (if comfort is the objective then the bar tape is insufficient as is) and the top tube "storage" compartment (gimmicky at best). I would be interested in hearing your thoughts, if you compare this bike to other options available in the market, particularly the Trek Domane SLR?
It is actually heavier than last-gen
Why not put the compartment in the down tube?? Much more space and you can fit whatever tools you want. Seems dumb to me..
Now imagine Canyon had decent customer support.
Don’t know where you’re based, but in the US, I had great experience with their user support. They got back to me on email in a couple of hours and sent me a replacement part in a day
I hope Giant will respond with a new Defy at the end of this year🙏👍
Just posted the same think a new Defy is imminent
I like the Canyon brand but wish they would incorporate a threaded BB instead of the press fit.
The bike looks pretty nice! Do you guys think it makes sense as a addition to XC mtb? I've been recently looking for a bike for longer rides (up to 80-100km) and been considering some racier gravel bikes with the idea of having around 35-40mm tires so that I can go pretty much anywhere if I need to. But maybe this Endurance can cover it better?
Take a look at the Time ADHX :)
I wonder if Trek has a patent on having a storage compartment in the down tube. It just seems so obvious to put it down there since the top tube is so skinny there's barely room for anything useful.
Specialized do it, think they were the first
Not sure you could patent a location for storage TBH
is it aero and lightweight?
I"ll buy an endurace al if they ever add in eyelets for rear attachments, but they don't have that yet.
Is this bike as comfortable as a trek domane? I’ve wanted a speedy feeling (responsive pedaling, stiff bb, etc) endurance geometry bike for a very long time
Thank you for this review! Are you happy with size M? How tall are you or crotch in cm? I'm 182cm and not sure to buy size L or M 😮
@bricep24 I went with medium based on the suggestion from Canyon customer service. I told them I'm 6 ft (~183 cm) tall with normal proportioned extremities. Just waiting for the bike to ship now.
I agree 45kph sounds like a lot, but this is airspeed as opposed to road speed. Riding 30kph into a 15kph headwind can ce quite realistic, though not that common
Could I have more of your thoughts about the seatpost? Do you feel like its a major improvement if you ride on bumpy roads? Any loss of power output? Thank you
The Seatpost is amazing - have been testing the Ergon version on other bikes for upcoming review. It adds loads of comfort with no loss of power and little weight penalty - only downside is you can't fit a Di2 battery into the bottom of it
Amazing review.😊
David what is your take on this bike versus the Cannondale 1 RLE
It's weird when an allround road bike becomes a 'niche model'. I would probably get an ultimate. I don't get why the made the Endurance shorter and higher. To differentiate it more from the Ultimate? It would have made more sense to go towards gravel geometry. Or keep it where it was. And go for a more touring oriented set up (compact crankset, normal steerer+stem, wider tyres). Cheaper versions probably will. Then it will be a perfect allround road bike for the most of us.
I agree that the storage in the top tube makes no sense.
I used to love Canyon, but feel they look dated and a bit behind the top brands. They used to be great value for money, but not so much anymore. Would rather a Domane or Roadmachine.
Have you seen the prices on the Trek Domane ? On the AXS Force version the CanyonCF SLX 8 is $3000 USD LESS than the Domane SLR 7AXS Gen 4. . How the hell do you say" they used to be a good value" ? BTW the Canyon is pound lighter while still having a double chain ring too.
@PhilipHuyghe yeh that's a fair point. I guess I mean.....the difference isn't as great as it used to be and I'd rather pay the premium, or, in that price point get a Giant or Merida. Having said that, there's something magical about Canyon that you can't put a price on. I think my view may have changed since I posted this a year ago :)
Finally an OBJECTIVE bike review.
Thanks Dave.
Compact ring or SRAM groups would have made a lot more sense here. Look at Specialized Aethos for a better executed option.
Seems to me every single new bike in the market is "the best" yet
That’s how the reviewers get a constant stream of new bikes to review
Nice review and almost the perfect 4 season clubrun bike, but the lack of fender mounts means I'm out 😆
As much as I want to like the bike, I am sceptical of its use. In my opinion, the Endurace range is something for the everyday cyclist, and for fun, a true do it all bike. But the CFR? That should be for the TOP in the endurance range, and by that I mean Ultra-endurance, Orbits, Race across *random country*, Radonneurs with ambition. So why the proprietary top storage, where a top tube bag is perfect? Why not design a handlebar with the possibility to attach Aero Top Bars? (The Bars are an upgrade compared to the fixed bar from last year though). This bike is nice for ultra endurace if you don´t add anything to it, but its not enough to actually set itself apart from last years model for 1,6k less (!) while adding half a kilo. The new endurace slx, although more expensive, is nice and a good upgrade. But the cfr? A missed opportunity
I don´t get the idea behind the very slack seat tube angle in combination with the 13 / 25 mm offset seat post 🤔 . Even with a zero offset seat post the saddle will be too far back for some people.
And frame top tube is longer now, 540mm for size XS????
I’m sure it rides well but it looks a bit ‘off’ to me. Not sure if it’s the tall head tube or space around seat tube but it looks a bit dated or something. Could just be that we see a lot more aero / race / gravel bikes getting reviewed these days I don’t know - I can’t quite figure it out!
how does this compare to the Trek Domane (with a way more practical in-frame storage system, comparable comfort features, but a higher pricetag ?)
David have you rode the aethos would like a review from you on that bike
very impressed with the weight of this bike. gimick top tube.
Nice review. I have the new cheaper model, the Endurace CF SLX 8 in my basket right now but your thoughts on endurace vs gravel bikes is making me pause on the checkout 😅. How does the Canyon Grail geometry compare to the Endurace, would it be as comfortable ?
Look at the Grizl instead. It's much closer to the Endurace than the Grail (with its double-decker bars).
Also there is an updated grail in the pipeline. do not get the double decker bars. i have this bike and would not buy it again due to the bars
Next Grail generation will be released soon - definitely worth the wait. Prototypes have been ridden at Dirty Kanza.
Is it possible to replace the integrated cockpit with a third party stem + handlebar?
The low weight and aero frame could possibly clinch the deal for me. Show me a gravel bike that would be as fast and light as this!
Factor LS or ostro Gravel
BMC Kaius, Specialized Crux
But they are outragously expensive. The endurance slx with ultegra di2 costs as much as a ostro gravel frameset 😅 i hope canyon brings the same value for their new grail or grizl.
@@Eirikkinserdal The ultegra version is 5k
@@Lander76 and the ostro gravel frameset is 5k. Ls frameset ≈3k
How does a couple of watts of aero make a difference compared to the relatively huge cyclist on top, maybe wearing sub-optimal clothing etc.
Agree the hatch is awful. I have a Diverge with the downtube hatch that is really good - opportunity missed.
Be interested in a comparison with a Synapse.
The biggest difference between a gravel and endurance bike is probably the weight. Stack-to-Reach is the same. I would prefer a gravel bike and replace the wheels and tires for lighter and narrower parts.Prices are just insane and building your own bike isn't really cheaper.
I am vacillating between the Canyon Endyurace, and the Trek Damone.
It’s almost a coin toss. I’m leaning toward the Trek.
Nice bike and a good weight. I can see the appeal of the endurance bike not so much the compartments. You could race that bike
Mathieu is an awesome rider and Canyon rep and mortal like each of us, tho' he may have felt like a mere mortal in that mountain bike race, arg.
Are those dimples on the fork for aero tripping 🤷🏻♂️?
I wonder if they were able to carry over the creak from the previous bikes 😂
No creaking from this one after several weeks including riding in the rain, touch wood ;)
David why do you keep reviewing these£9-12k bikes that 99% of normal folk cannot afford?
Would it not be better when a manufacturer offers a bike for review to insist they send you a £3-4k model that ordinary riders in the real world can afford and may be thinking of buying something in that price range
A normal consumer will do with a 1500 to a 2000 bike, the rest is losing more weight...
I would imagine there is a quite large 'use case' of people riding on the road 90%+ of the time, but would like the capacity to do some offroad where it features in routes. Wouldn't this kind of bike better fit this use case than a gravel bike??
I do agree though the the lack of mudguard mounts and the race oriented handlebars don't fit this scenario. Also surely some aero benefit is worthwhile if you are riding long distances all day??
Great video David!! Question for you; if your battling a 30k headwind and your travelling at 30k are you getting the full aero benefits of the components as if they were tested at 60k?? 🤔
Yes
Yeah good question - if you're riding at 15kph into a 30kph headwind does it equal the 45kph testing by Canyon? Something to dig into for sure but always differences from wind tunnel to real world testing
@@davidarthur if you think about it, that's how Windtunnels work. You are standing still (going 0kph) and you have a headwind of 45kph. This is equal to riding 45kph in still conditions. As long as headwind and speed add up to 45, the same aerodynamics are applicable
Where did you get the 3d printed mount? Just ordered this bike and wanted to get one.
It is an accessory option when you order - looks less than optimal though, mounting a bike computer on top is great but not being able to mount a light or GoPro below is remiss
Lack of mud guard mounts was a real deal breaker for me.
Sad if endurance bikes were to vanish. Best option road bikes for 90 percent of road amateurs😢
Why not review the slx for half the price? When is the new grizl or grail used at unbound etc coming out?
This is what Canyon provided me with, I always ask for mid-range models but don't always get. I've no idea on the Grail I'm afraid
Does this model have the snap apart/adjustable handlebars or a 1-piece setup?
Yes these are the width adjustable handlebars, used them on the Ultimate and the make packing the bike for travelling nice and easy
Any option for a normal seat post?
Being a heavier rider getting back into fitness, I've gone larger width on the rear, all the 2 powered 2 wheelers do this so I doubt there is anything to loose.
I like that bottle cages, what is it?
Canyon ones that came with the bike