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 each day coaching and highway driving machine. I wrote my preliminary ideas down after a joyous few weeks of driving 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 driving 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 driving a top-end race bike — one which’s gentle, responsive, stable as a rock, seems to be nice, and urges you on at each twist and switch within the highway — 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 just a little underwhelming. Despite the fact that the Canyon prices $5,000, you get loads to your cash, and it has by no means left me wanting extra. The truth is, it’s fairly good worth for cash. 

[Read: Review: The Charge XC is a well-rounded ebike that folds flat for storage]

I take into account the Final CF SLX some of the feature-complete race bikes in its class, and it does so at a value that’s, 9 instances out of ten, extra alluring than the competitors. Related bikes from opponents 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)

Moreover placing the bike collectively and promoting it, Canyon’s important duty 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 — try my ideas on that right here.

After dwelling with the Final for a number of months, I applaud Canyon for making a motorbike with a realistic strategy to border design. The brake hoses are internally routed by way of the body, however enter on the downtube. It’s turning into de rigeur to haven’t any cables displaying in any respect, which implies they need to route by way of the handlebars, by way of the headset, into the downtube, and onward to the element they management.

It does imply bikes look clear, elegant, and minimal, however with regards to upkeep, it creates nothing however complications. Canyon’s downtube routing is way extra pleasant to the house mechanic. In case you journey along with your bike, it’ll additionally save a variety of time spent rebuilding your bike after a visit. 

Canyon’s seat put up can be top-notch. It’s a standardized dimension — 27.2mm, spherical form — which implies replacements are simple to search out. The seatpost additionally has a ton of flex, essentially the most I’ve ever skilled, which noticeably cushions the blow if you by accident hit unseen potholes or bumps within the highway. 

[Read: Canyon’s electric car-bike hybrid concept might just be crazy enough to work]

It makes the bike really feel very settled, snug, and succesful beneath you as a result of it’s the seat put up flexing and never the body. When components of a motorbike flex, they take up power, fairly than transferring it to the highway as ahead momentum. So I are likely to desire consolation to be constructed into bits which aren’t important to ahead momentum. 

Consider it after I say the seat put up is a blessing to the general package deal. The Canyon is a stiff out-and-out race bike. Whereas I discovered it extremely snug and refined, it’s nonetheless lots 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. The truth is, it was in all probability the opposite method spherical.

That feeling is sort 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 capacity. The bike is simply the medium that facilitates this expertise. 

Because of 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 word in regards to the wheels. The DT Swiss DiCut Arc 1400s are the stable gold cufflinks and tie clip to a bespoke Savile Row swimsuit that’s the Final SLX. Their 48mm deep profile simply makes me really feel cool {and professional}; they’re imply, purposeful, and are tremendous modern. 

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 underneath 1600 grams a set and are the perfect 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 convey the entire package deal collectively to create a motorbike that’s aero-influenced and efficiency oriented, with few drawbacks. 

The highway to perfection

Whereas the Canyon Final is one heck of bike, it’s not good for me. There are a number of tweaks that I feel Canyon might make that might refine the bike’s efficiency and take it one other step in direction of being the perfect 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 whole transparency, the rattle solely occurs when driving 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, but it surely’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 value 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 underneath 1,200 watt sprints or up sharp hill sprints.  

My solely different criticism is of the handlebars — which may be changed if it’s an enormous concern for you. I really like the form of the tops, and I really like that Canyon specs its bikes with comparatively slim bars. Narrower means extra aerodynamic which implies quicker. 

[Read: 4 ridiculously easy ways you can be more eco-friendly]

However my concern 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 just a little extra harshly than I’m used to. I desire a handlebar drop that’s just a little 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 for those who’re fascinated by shopping for a Canyon with its built-in handlebars.

Last ideas

I’ve a number of issues with regards to costly racing bikes. Typically talking, I fear that expensive bikes sacrifice practicality and the way simple they’re to reside with in pursuit of microscopic positive aspects in lightness and velocity — most of which the typical client would by no means discover or benefit from.

Think about having a tire that’s tremendous quick and tremendous gentle. 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, if you’re stood along with the highway fixing a puncture, you’re not going that quick. In my thoughts, a motorbike that’s in the true world is a intelligent mix of practicality and efficiency, not a machine that’s designed for out-and-out velocity. 

This clever mix is one thing that I feel Canyon nails with its all-round Final CF SLX. But when velocity is necessary to you, and you’ve got your individual 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 driving. It’s helped me experience additional and quicker 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 12 months, I sometimes experience someplace between 3,000 and 4,000 miles on the highway. At my present fee, by the top of this 12 months 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 sizzling stuffy night time to welcome in a cooling and refreshing breeze, the Canyon has reinvigorated my love for biking in essentially the most constructive method doable. 

It does so with out fuss or concern, and regardless of the very fact it prices 5 instances greater than I’ve ever spent on a motorbike, I by no means felt insufficient or undeserving of the bike. 

The perfect bit is Canyon’s vary has a motorbike 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 highway bike vary. 

I’ve simply boxed the bike up and despatched it again to Canyon, and came visiting just a little 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 experience and having the Canyon has given me the perfect summer time of biking I’ve ever had. I’ve taken Strava KOMs, bested my very own instances, and performed my first 200km experience.

The Final CF SLX is a highway racing, mile munching machine worthy of its title. 

So that you like our media model SHIFT? It’s best to join our SHIFT event track at TNW2020, the place you’ll hear how information, autonomy, and connectivity are fueling the way forward for mobility.

---

SHIFT is delivered to you by Polestar. It’s time to speed up the shift to sustainable mobility. That’s the reason Polestar combines electrical driving with cutting-edge design and thrilling efficiency. Find out how.

Printed October 5, 2020 — 18:00 UTC