Aeroad CFR Disc Di2
An aero bike that doesn’t feel like one
Canyon claims its new Aeroad is now the benchmark for aero race bikes. Of course it would say that, but it backs up its claim with numbers, suggesting this latest version will save 5.4 watts at 45kmh with a rider on board and bottles installed compared to the already-pretty-damned-fast previous version. Canyon also points to its collaboration with aerodynamics experts Swissside, which it partnered with for the first time on this project.
Personally I was prepared to accept Canyon’s claims based on the bike’s looks alone. Pretty much every tube is deeper than on the previous Aeroad, yet head-on it is as skinny as an old steel racer. My test period with the bike did nothing to dispel the claim either. At high speeds I felt like I was floating forwards with uncanny ease. Yet in many ways the new Aeroad’s aerodynamic efficiency is just the tip of the iceberg. For a bike with the Aeroad’s pedigree, being fast is a given. However it is the details below the waterline that make this bike special, and they all stem from a rather unusual tyre choice.
Mixed messages
With most premium manufacturers having access to much the same carbon fibre for making frames, tyre choice (or more accurately, tyre size) is playing an increasingly important role in defining a bike’s ride characteristics. Aerodynamics and light weight can be promoted through the use of narrower tyres, whereas grip and comfort can be boosted using tyres that are wider. Canyon has attempted to blend the best of both in this new Aeroad, which has been designed around a mixed tyre pairing of 25mm front and 28mm rear.
This isn’t simply a token gesture in the spec list, but rather a concept that Canyon has committed to fully. The supplied DT Swiss ARC wheels, which again the Aeroad was designed around, are different widths – the front uses an internal rim width of 17mm to support the narrower front tyre, while the rear is 20mm wide internally in keeping with the 3mm wider rear tyre.
Moving up from there the frame has had to be adjusted to suit the choice of tyres. For example the bottom bracket height has been shifted to compensate for the extra height at the rear of the bike.
The narrow frontal profile instigated by speccing the 25mm front tyre is well supported higher up with some equally skinny frame
architecture. To achieve that Canyon uses a reimagined quill stem design rather than a stem that clamps onto a fork steerer. A smaller shaft coming up from the fork slides into a tube extending down from the stem, which sits on top of normal spacers. The assembly is then wedged secure using a clamp. This setup creates space for cables to be routed internally without increasing the head tube’s frontal area. The mechanism is easy to use and also has the advantage of being height adjustable by up to 15mm. That means if the rider is so inclined they could slam the front end for a Saturday race, before raising it for a Sunday social.
The way Canyon has blended performance with practicality here is particularly impressive and that theme continues into the bar itself. Either side of the stem, ‘wings’ (comprising the drops, levers and half of the tops) are secured with Torx bolts and can detach, which makes packing the bike particularly easy. It
This bike blends the nimbleness of a lightweight racer with the comfortinducing squish of an endurance bike
also means bar width is adjustable by 40mm. This isn’t something I personally found valuable in terms of performance, but having the option with no penalty can only be a good thing.
Low-key cushion
Where efficiency is the name of the game at the front of the bike, the rear is all about augmenting the comfort generated by that 28mm rear tyre. Chiefly, extra compliance in the frameset is taken care of very effectively by the Aeroad’s smart seatpost. Despite looking like a true airfoil, structurally speaking the post is only half as deep as its appearance suggests. The rear half is essentially a wafer-thin carbon sheath that extends the aero profile above the frame (the rear portion of the post inside the frame is totally cut away). That means the post is lightweight and flexible despite being aero.
There’s no denying that eking out tangible improvements in a bike as accomplished as the Aeroad was going to be a tough task. However, by building around the concept of mixed tyre sizes and supporting that with innovative frame features, Canyon has created a bike that blends the nimbleness and efficiency of a lightweight racer with the comfort-inducing squish of an endurance bike.
In my opinion the German brand has shown that instead of sliding towards obsolescence, the aero road bike could legitimately be developing into the most relevant bike you can own.