The rider’s ride
Canyon Ultimate CF SL Disc 8.0 Di2 Aero, £4,449, canyon.com
I really couldn’t have asked for a more suitable bike for this ride than the Canyon Ultimate CF SL Disc 8.0 Di2 Aero – and the reason is explained in that ridiculously long name.
The Ultimate is Canyon’s go-to race bike, meaning it is every bit as stiff and responsive as you might hope for, which is handy on the short, steep climbs around this route. The ‘CF SL’ bit refers to ‘carbon fibre super light’, which the bike certainly is, and the ‘Disc 8.0 Di2’ bit relates to the spec, which is impeccable for the price (midway between the top-spec 9.0 and lower-spec 7.0), including a Shimano Ultegra Di2 Disc groupset and light, fast DT Swiss ARC 1400 Dicut wheels. Finally, the ‘Aero’ part refers to those 50mm deep wheels, plus the neat aero cockpit and windtunnel-optimised tube shapes – just what you need on the flat, exposed parts of this island ride, of which there are many.
Canyon’s own VCLS seatpost is designed to flex, and therefore makes the Ultimate a comfy perch. It seems that Canyon has thought of everything, and it comes at a price that few other brands would be able to match.