Despite everything thats going on in the world at the moment, I have been very lucky.
Here in the Netherlands, were still allowed to go cycling, so long as it observes social distancing.
Besides its catchy name, what does Canyon say about its Ultimate CF SLX Disc eTap 8.0?
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CF standards for carbon fiber and the SLX bit is Canyons naming convention for its super-light frames.
Naturally, it represents the stiffest, and lightest road frame in Canyons lineup.
From riding the bike, its evidently clear that its a very stiff and light bike.
It also has a power meter, as standard, which is something of a novelty.
So to see it bundled in as part of this off-the-shelf build is pretty neat.
The high-end carbon frameset is also dripping with trickle down tech from the industrys most talked about component brands.
After the frame, the SRAM Force eTap AXS drivetrain takes center stage.
At the top end of the road bike world, electronic shifting is all the rage right now.
After riding the Canyon, its easy to understand why.
The single biggest impact this has on the bike, is on its overall aesthetic.
There are no excess wires, cables, or fittings on the frame intended for gear cables.
All of these little details leave the Canyon looking smooth, clean, and clutter free.
It makes the bike look quite purposeful.
Its also kind of sterile.
You press a button, it changes gear, theres no feedback, theres no feel.
One thing that did stand out to me, is the chain noise.
Typically, chains should be audible but not to the point where the sound becomes all consuming.
A quick internet search appeared to show this isnt a one-off.
Many others claim a similarly noisy drivetrain on this particular groupset, its not exclusive to Canyon.
However, some do say it settles down in the first few hundred miles.
It might just need to bed in.
The wheels are shod with Schwalbe Pro One 25 mm tyres.
I usually refuse to use anything other than Continentals GP series on my own bikes.
If it aint broke, dont fix it.
The Schwalbes have saved my bacon more than a handful of times.
If anything could pull me away from my beloved Continentals, it could be these.
The paint job which Canyon calls Blue Tinted is just gorgeous.
It has a deep blue pearl effect that only shows in certain light.
In all other scenarios, its subdued and subtle.
as you ride past.
It also rides wonderfully, too.
I took the Canyon down some intentionally bad roads that have rough, broken surfaces, and cobblestones.
The Canyon is smooth in these situations.
Thats one of the prices you pay for top end performance.
The frame is pretty versatile though.
There are no nuts and bolts that cant be adjusted with a simple toolkit.
The seat post is a standard round size.
Should it get damaged, youll be able to find replacements quick and easy.
One thing to be aware of is the handlebars.
Theyre a one-piece unit, so their adjustability is limited.
But for what its worth, I quite like their shape.
Generally speaking, these components dont have to cost too much.
A quick look at a popular online bike shop shows theyre retailing at well over $140.
Whats more, the 12-speed system uses a non-standard mount for the cogs on the rear-wheel.
Indeed, I dont think this bike is for everyone.
Then Id say this bike is probably a tad aggressive.
Youd be far better served by Canyons fast and light endurance oriented models in its Endurace lineup.
Comparing it to other bikes around this price point and spec level its also very competitively priced.
Overall, Canyon has managed to balance performance with practicality with affordability.
A very tricky feat.
Canyons SL level bikes seemingly represent even better value for money.
It would also be cheaper to maintain.
Did I mention Canyon also makes ebikes, gravel bikes, and mountain bikes?
For me, two bikes will always be better than one.
Story byMatthew Beedham
Matthew is the editor of SHIFT.
He likes electric cars, and other things with wheels, wings, or hulls.
