Welcome to Riding Nerdy, TNW’s fortnightly dive into bicycle-based tech, the place we go into an excessive amount of element and geek out on all issues associated to pedal-powered devices.
Over the previous few months I’ve been aboard the Canyon Final CF SLX, a no-holds-barred race bike, as my every day coaching and street using machine. I wrote my preliminary ideas down after a joyous few weeks of using the iridescent magnificence, however now, I’ve put over 2,500 fun-filled miles (4,020 km) on the machine and it’s time to determine how I actually really feel about using a $5,000 race bike 5 days per week.
By now, you ought to be sensing that I actually fairly prefer it.
If that wasn’t clear, although, I’ve discovered using a top-end race bike — one which’s mild, responsive, strong as a rock, seems to be nice, and urges you on at each twist and switch within the street — to be a joyous expertise. Given its price ticket, I’d be involved if it was something different.
Again in April, after a few hundred miles on it, I said that it was kind of expensive, but you get what you pay for. In hindsight, I really feel that assertion now sounds a bit of underwhelming. Although the Canyon prices $5,000, you get loads in your cash, and it has by no means left me wanting extra. In reality, it’s fairly good worth for cash.
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I think about the Final CF SLX one of the feature-complete race bikes in its class, and it does so at a worth that’s, 9 occasions out of ten, extra alluring than the competitors. Related bikes from rivals come out 5% to 10% costlier, or aren’t spec’d fairly as extremely because the Canyon.
The structural bits (body, forks, handlebars, and seat put up)
In addition to placing the bike collectively and promoting it, Canyon’s foremost accountability is to fabricate the body, forks, handlebars, and seat put up. On this explicit bike, Canyon has opted for Sram’s Power ETAP wi-fi gears and brakes — take a look at my ideas on that right here.
After residing with the Final for just a few months, I applaud Canyon for making a motorcycle with a practical strategy to border design. The brake hoses are internally routed by the body, however enter on the downtube. It’s changing into de rigeur to haven’t any cables displaying in any respect, which suggests they need to route by the handlebars, by the headset, into the downtube, and onward to the element they management.
It does imply bikes look clear, elegant, and minimal, however in relation to upkeep, it creates nothing however complications. Canyon’s downtube routing is way extra pleasant to the house mechanic. In the event you journey together with your bike, it’ll additionally save a number of time spent rebuilding your bike after a visit.
Canyon’s seat put up can also be top-notch. It’s a standardized dimension — 27.2mm, spherical form — which suggests replacements are straightforward to seek out. The seatpost additionally has a ton of flex, essentially the most I’ve ever skilled, which noticeably cushions the blow whenever you by accident hit unseen potholes or bumps within the street.
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It makes the bike really feel very settled, comfy, and succesful beneath you as a result of it’s the seat put up flexing and never the body. When components of a motorcycle flex, they take in power, slightly than transferring it to the street as ahead momentum. So I are inclined to favor consolation to be constructed into bits which aren’t vital to ahead momentum.
Imagine it after I say the seat put up is a blessing to the general bundle. The Canyon is a stiff out-and-out race bike. Whereas I discovered it extremely comfy and refined, it’s nonetheless loads stiff the place you want it. When laying out all the facility I might muster, the bike by no means twitched, sagged, or hinted that it was struggling to maintain up. In reality, it was in all probability the opposite method spherical.
That feeling is kind of refreshing. Using a machine that’s extra succesful than myself leaves no ambiguity that particular person efficiency is fully a assemble of 1’s personal potential. The bike is simply the medium that facilitates this expertise.
Due to the Canyon’s all-round functionality, it’s reinvigorated coaching for me. I’m excited to do excessive depth dash exercises as a result of the bike is so environment friendly. But I’ll fortunately sit on it for upwards of 5 hours on longer rides and cruise spherical in consolation at a relaxed tempo. It’s a jack of all trades.
The icing on the cake
I additionally wish to make a fast be aware in regards to the wheels. The DT Swiss DiCut Arc 1400s are the strong gold cufflinks and tie clip to a bespoke Savile Row go well with that’s the Final SLX. Their 48mm deep profile simply makes me really feel cool {and professional}; they’re imply, purposeful, and are tremendous up to date.
They carry out nice too. I’ve been testing these in Holland, the place it’s bloody windy, and so they’ve been steady in crosswinds that exceed 35 mph (56 km/h). They weigh below 1600 grams a set and are the most effective climbing wheelset I’ve ever used — sure, there’s a hill in Holland.
Whereas I’ve not performed any remoted testing of the wheels, on the Canyon I’ve been capable of sit on the entrance of group rides with my native membership at over 25 mph (40 km/h) with what appears like relative ease in comparison with what I’m used to. It helps carry the entire bundle collectively to create a motorcycle that’s aero-influenced and efficiency oriented, with few drawbacks.
The street to perfection
Whereas the Canyon Final is one heck of bike, it’s not excellent for me. There are just a few tweaks that I feel Canyon might make that might refine the bike’s efficiency and take it one other step in the direction of being the most effective bike for the cash.
One factor that received on my nerves was an inconsistent rattle. I narrowed it all the way down to one of many internally routed hoses. For complete transparency, the rattle solely occurs when using over brick cobbled roads, which induce high-frequency vibrations.
Canyon makes use of a clasp midway alongside the downtube to carry the hose in place, however it’s not fully efficient. The hose can nonetheless rattle round within the backside bracket and chain keep junction. I managed to silence this utilizing some pipe insulation, which price lower than 50 cents.
There are many skilled options for this widespread downside accessible that I wish to see Canyon implement. Jagwire, an organization that focuses on brake and kit cables, makes a easy foam-based liner that you simply slide over the skin of cable housing to melt the interface between cable and the within of the body. For the sake of some quid, Canyon might add this to each bike it makes, and make them much more refined. The remainder of the time the bike is silent, there have been no unnerving creaks below 1,200 watt sprints or up sharp hill sprints.
My solely different criticism is of the handlebars — which will be changed if it’s a giant problem for you. I like the form of the tops, and I like that Canyon specs its bikes with comparatively slender bars. Narrower means extra aerodynamic which suggests sooner.
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However my problem is with the drops; the curve from the tops to the drops feels a bit too steep. With this, I discovered my wrists had been angled a bit of extra harshly than I’m used to. I favor a handlebar drop that’s a bit of shallower.
That stated, I’ve received used to the handlebars, and their deep drop is nice for sprinting on. So it’s a little bit of a non-issue within the grand scheme of issues, however one to notice should you’re desirous about shopping for a Canyon with its built-in handlebars.
Closing ideas
I’ve just a few issues in relation to costly racing bikes. Typically talking, I fear that dear bikes sacrifice practicality and the way straightforward they’re to dwell with in pursuit of microscopic good points in lightness and pace — most of which the typical shopper would by no means discover or make the most of.
Think about having a tire that’s tremendous quick and tremendous mild. It’ll in all probability find yourself puncturing much more regularly than a extra strong tire that weighs only a handful of grams extra. Final time I checked, whenever you’re stood along side the street fixing a puncture, you’re not going that quick. In my thoughts, a motorcycle that’s in the actual world is a intelligent mix of practicality and efficiency, not a machine that’s designed for out-and-out pace.
This clever mix is one thing that I feel Canyon nails with its all-round Final CF SLX. But when pace is essential to you, and you’ve got your personal mechanic or can afford so many bikes that having one out of motion isn’t a difficulty, you ought to be shopping for the aerodynamic centered Canyon Aeroad.
That mix has had a pronounced impact on my enthusiasm for using. It’s helped me trip additional and sooner than I’ve ever performed earlier than with no stress about sustaining the bike both.
What’s extra, It’s additionally helped me take a handful of native Strava KOMs, which, while I don’t actually care about KOMs, has been a pleasant increase to confidence.
Over the course of a yr, I usually trip someplace between 3,000 and 4,000 miles on the street. At my present fee, by the tip of this yr I ought to have ridden over 5,500 miles, and I give many of the credit score for that to the Canyon.
Like opening your bed room home windows after a scorching stuffy evening to welcome in a cooling and refreshing breeze, the Canyon has reinvigorated my love for biking in essentially the most constructive method attainable.
It does so with out fuss or concern, and regardless of the actual fact it prices 5 occasions greater than I’ve ever spent on a motorcycle, I by no means felt insufficient or undeserving of the bike.
The most effective bit is Canyon’s vary has a motorcycle for just about each funds, and issues just like the bike’s geometry and well-thought-out design are constant amongst a lot of its street bike vary.
I’ve simply boxed the bike up and despatched it again to Canyon, and came to visit a bit of wistful and unhappy to see it go. We didn’t have a lot else to do right here within the Netherlands throughout lockdown, so I ended up biking — loads. I’d say that chance to trip and having the Canyon has given me the most effective summer season of biking I’ve ever had. I’ve taken Strava KOMs, bested my very own occasions, and performed my first 200km trip.
The Final CF SLX is a street racing, mile munching machine worthy of its title.
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Revealed October 5, 2020 — 18:00 UTC
