CANYON AEROAD
PRICE: R128 999 / CANYON.COM
Canyon has a reputation for delivering excellent value. The pro-spec Aeroad CF SLX Disc 9.0 Di2 is a case in point – it’s a World Tour race bike, but costs thousands less than some comparable bikes.
The Aeroad is the complete package: it’s light (7.1kg) and efficiently stiff, yet it’s still comfortable for all-day riding. And the top-flight component spec – Shimano Dura-ace Di2, with hydraulic disc brakes – combined with deep-section carbon wheels mean that it’s ready to win races without you having to upgrade a thing.
Unlike some aero road bikes, which feel brilliant on flat or rolling terrain but lose their lustre on the climbs, the Aeroad begs you to accelerate as the gradient steepens. Out of the saddle, the integrated aero handlebar/stem has minimal flex – a departure from some aero bars – and the oversized steerer helps keep the front end in line as you crank out the watts.
A note about the steering – it’s a seriously quick-steering bike. So quick that riders new to high-end racing bikes may find it disconcertingly twitchy at first. But once you get used to the feel and you learn to work with it, the handling is a pleasure, because it provides so much control and feedback.
The DT Swiss ARC 1100 wheelset is glorious: ceramic bearings, 62mm carbon tubeless-ready rims… Suggested retail price on the wheelset alone is nearly R60k, or almost half the price of this bike. Those luxe wheels are wrapped in Continental Grand Prix 5000 rubber – 23mm on the front and 25mm on the rear. The different tyre widths aren’t by accident: the idea is to shave a little off the front tyre in an effort to reduce weight and drag, while offering a wider tyre at the back for comfort and grip. And while the tyres look narrow on paper, considering current trends, they actually measure 26.1mm on the front and 27.2mm on the rear when inflated.
If you like a long and low fit and struggle to find a bike that offers the position you like, the Aeroad (in all sizes) offers one of the most aggressive fits around. This is not surprising, considering it’s the go-to Classics bike for Mathieu van der Poel and his Alpecin-fenix team, and the aero bike of choice for the riders of Team Movistar. A low stack favours a rider who likes his handlebar so low he can drag his knuckles on the ground – our size large test bike had a stack of only 570mm (the same as a size medium Cannondale Synapse endurance bike), complemented by 403mm of extra-long reach.
Ultimately, the Aeroad offers a beautiful combination of all-day comfort and instant speed – when you step on the gas, it responds at once. It feels lively out of the saddle, aided in part by the fact that there’s minimal wasted motion in the form of lateral movement. And the steering is supremely accurate, whether you’re ripping downhill or navigating the tight turns of a criterium.
It’s light, it’s stiff, it handles corners brilliantly, and it’ll make you feel really fast. What more could you ask for? – Bobby Lea