Canyon Endurace AL 7
£1,699 The gateway to race bike performance doesn’t need to be carbon
Weight 9.39kg (L/56cm) Frame Canyon Endurace AL Disc aluminium Fork Canyon FK0089 CF Disc Gears Shimano 105 R7000 (52/36, 11-34) Wheels Fulcrum Racing 900 DB, tubeless-ready Brakes Shimano 105 R7020 hydraulic disc Finishing kit Canyon H17 Ergobar aluminium bar, V13 aluminium stem, SP0057 VCLS carbon seatpost, Selle Italia Model X saddle, Schwalbe One tyres
THE CANYON ENDURACE
platform has been a value standardsetter for the past few years and the latest AL 7 model is still one of the best aluminium road bikes you can buy. The frameset is made using Canyon’s double-butting technique, for low weight and high stiffness (1,375g in a size M). It’s a good-looking frame with neat, smooth weld junctions and partial internal routing plus top-tube bosses for a bento box. Interestingly, the seatstays aren’t dropped one iota, and a 27.2mm diameter seat-tube means you can’t fit an aero post. The carbon fibre fork’s pronounced shoulders give good clearance for up to 35mm-wide tyres, which is bang on trend for endurance road bikes.
The Endurace AL frame’s geometry blurs the lines between endurance and race bike. In a size Large it blends a relatively steep 73° head-tube angle with a very tall 611mm total stack and 387mm reach. This should combine sharp front-end handling with more rider comfort. Spacers on top of the 186mm head-tube allow you to lower the front end, though. The shortish 1,006mm wheelbase means the Endurace can be whipped around easily.
Sharp handling
The overall handling is very sharp, with fast steering responses. When you’re out of the saddle, the bike accelerates with gusto, and it holds its speed remarkably well, giving an exciting ride. Just be aware the bike’s very playful, almost-darty, reactions require real concentration to make the most of them.
The aluminium frame feels almost as stiff as a carbon bike, while the front end also feels incredibly stiff but not punishingly rigid. The bike climbs well, thanks to this stiffness, but you may feel a little far away from the action when you’re out of the saddle, due to the high stack. When it comes to rough roads, the aluminium frame (with carbon fork) feels composed, but the wide Schwalbe One clincher tyres (700x30c at the front, and a chunky 700x32c at the rear) make up for any loss of compliance an alloy frame might bring by allowing you to reduce your tyre pressures for improved comfort and grip.
The finishing kit comes from Canyon. There’s a traditional two-piece alloy bar and stem, with external cable routing. The shape of the H17 bar’s drop is accessible, while the squared-edge style of the V13 stem is reassuringly muscular. For me, though, the handlebar width is excessive at 44cm on this size Large bike. The intention is to provide more control and stability when descending and cornering, but it feels odd here when the rest of the bike feels so racy. The 20mm setback carbon seatpost helps the wide tyres smooth road buzz, and I’m a big fan of the Selle Royal Model X saddle.
Impressive build
I’m very impressed by the build of the
AL 7: the Shimano 105 R7020 groupset is complete, with no cost-saving concessions. Shifting and braking performance is superb, and that indicates that the routing is well integrated. Canyon has opted for Shimano’s wide-ranging 11-34t 11-speed cassette, which brings excellent range, if a few largerthan-ideal gaps between the ratios. The chainset comes in semi-compact format, with 52/36 teeth chainrings. While the 36x34t smallest gear will be perfectly fine for most riders, the 52x11t largest gear might be more than most people need.
The tubeless-ready Fulcrum Racing 900 DB wheels feature an alloy rim with a 19mm internal width. They’re built to last and weigh a not-insignificant 1,950g for the set, but in tandem with the Schwalbe One clincher tyres, the ride feels engaging. The tyres offer impressive grip, road feel and roll pleasantly. Although they’re not tubeless, it’s nice to see a premium-performing tyre specced here. On an endurance bike, I’d argue that fitting 32c tyres front and back would boost comfort.
The Canyon Endurace AL 7 is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to valuefor-money spec, and it brings an overall ride quality that even some carbon road bikes can’t match. It sits on the racier side of the endurance bike spectrum, making it one of the most entertaining road bikes available this side of £2,000.
Verdict Still one of the best-value road bikes – a lively bike you won’t need to upgrade out of the box
“Out of the saddle, the bike accelerates with gusto, and it holds its speed remarkably well, giving an exciting ride”