Canyon Speedmax 9.0 Ltd

When one of the fastest riders on the planet against the clock is prepared to switch teams just so he can race on it, a bike must be worth a closer look

Canyon says its Speedmax CF SLX range is designed for the complete spectrum of athletes, from the fastest racers in the professional peloton, to Ironman triathletes, to amateurs riding their local 10. A bold claim indeed, though we daresay if you turned up to your local club 10-mile on the 9.0 Ltd you’d be sure to turn some heads.

Impressive-sounding marketing speak aside, the spec on the Speedmax 9.0 is straight out of the top drawer. Zipp’s 808 NSW wheels are amongst the fastest money can buy, while Shimano’s latest 9150 Dura-ace Di2 reduces cable clutter and delivers precise shifting at your fingertips.

Worldtour pro and time-trial specialist Tony Martin is said to be such a fan of this bike that his switch from Quick-step to Katusha this season is partly attributed to the chance to race on it. For us mere mortals, it’s pleasing to note that Canyon’s design hasn’t just put speed at the top of the list at the detriment of everything else. The wheelbase is adjustable, thanks to the Rake Shift fork with its unique switchable dropout, allowing you to easily tailor the ride feel for additional stability on windy days or a more agile feel for a technical course.

Wolfgang Kohl, product engineer on the Speedmax project, adds that aesthetics were important too: ‘When taking the Speedmax from the drawing board to real-world testing, the aim wasn’t just to create the fastest bike, but the fastest- looking bike as well.’ Looking good, as we all know, is worth a few extra watts on its own, and we wouldn’t bet against the Canyon Speedmax CF SLX being ridden to a World Championship success by the end of the season.

‘The aim with the Speedmax 9.0 wasn’t just to create the fastest bike, but the fastest-looking bike as well’