Why I Swapped An Aero Bike For An All-round Bike! | Canyon Ultimate CF SLX

[@gcntech]

Is Ollie's bike cooler than Alex's? Which one do you prefer, the Aeroad or the Ultimate? 🧐

[@panjimoulana]

I prefer the Canyon Grail CFR

[@chrisvanbuggenum871]

But if the bikes are about the same weight, wouldn't you rather an aero advantage? Sounds like you are missing out on free speed.

[@Nehpets1701G]

Rode both - both great bikes. Got the Ultimate - looks more traditional and feels more nimble and stable on the decents.

[@Rob-el8ti]

question why not a british brand ?

[@chrisvanbuggenum871]

@@Rob-el8ti they are sponsored by Canyon.

[@dzezydzerk]

i have a feeling that gcn presenters change theirs bikes once a month.

[@iyadkamhiyeh527]

Depends on how often is a manufacturer paying

[@Chunky246]

Shilling innit :)

[@iyadkamhiyeh527]

@@Chunky246 GCN has become an advertising agency

[@FlourescentPotato]

Why he swapped bikes: because he didn't pay for a penny of it apart from the tubes, and Canyon want to sell more ultimates. end of.

[@dzezydzerk]

@@FlourescentPotato amen

[@zerocharlie]

It’s ironic to mention heading to a local bike shop to try bike sizes when advertising Canyon. I am a big fan of the all around bike, though. I recently purchased a Cervelo R5 instead of the S5. “All around” bikes are incredible in basically every situation. And, I agree - body position and fitness is what counts.

[@azoique]

The geometry and overall stance of that bike is absolutely 🔥

[@charlesblithfield6182]

Incredible backdrop to your presentation! I imagine Canyon has the best per unit margins on their top tier bikes but the highest overall margins on the second level or mid tier ones because they probably sell more units of them. The tech on mid tier is IMO the best because its performance may be near identical to the top tier, the biggest difference probably being weight, but the price is substantially less. You really have to pay more per gram to save those last few grams of weight

[@schrodingerthecat]

I love my Canyon Endurace CF SLX 8 Aero. It's super comfortable and fast, and was worth every penny. Thanks for the vid!

[@lesflynn4455]

Alex's bike is exactly what I would choose, if I had the choice. Just a size or two smaller. It's mint. I'm no boomer, but I've always preferred bikes with full length seat stays. I love the parallels on Alex's bike. The main reason I prefer the all round bike is I'm not fast enough to get much use from an aero bike.

[@prestachuck2867]

I prefer Alexs’ bike over Ollies’. If I was still less than thirty-five years old, I would probably prefer the Aeroad. More precisely though, if I was going to purchase a Canyon bike today, it would be an Endurace. In my opinion, that is the real all-arounder! . Great bike, and great video, Alex and GCN! Keep on doing your thing!

[@albertkikstra]

Love the way you’re trying to defend Canyon’s policy of no choice in crank length, stem length bla bla. Other manufacturers are jumping on this and Canyon will loose customers because of their inflexibility. Truth is people that know what they want can’t generally get it from a stock Canyon. My Aeroad I purchased last year, stem length too short, crank length too long. Great bike but impossible to change these things at purchase.

[@macvos]

Par for the course for most brands, unfortunately. Which widely available (not only the UK or US) and supported (local LBS) brands do offer choices in individual components?

[@colorona8456]

@@macvos Orbea does

[@Meno0583]

​@@macvosorigine does too but no team sponsorship.

[@Jean-jk4zv]

Yes I had to order a Grizl + a Canyon Stem last year ☹️

[@cb6866]

Thanks Alex and crew.....cool horse !

[@mitch_smith]

I've ridden force for about 15 years now. I absolutely love it!

[@MicroageHD]

For Carbon Rim Brake bikes I go 100% tubeless these days. Removes any risk of blowout even on the craziest descents. 80kg rider down the steepest mountains in the alps is no problem for my rim brake bike with carbon rims. Braking is also very good :)

[@clas683]

Have an Ultimate 8.0 since 2019 and love the ride. Very precise and nimble still steady and relaxed. I’m 190 cm, pretty normal proportions with slightly long arms. The bike is size L and I ran the H36 cookpit with 130 stem (saddle hight 81 cm with a 10,5 cm drop). Perfect fit.

[@ericschmit7502]

Just got this exact machine last month! Definitly the right upgrade for me!

[@scottbradbury4094]

Yours is the bike I can afford, Ollie's is the bike I lust after.

[@fotmheki]

I'm quite shorter than Ollie (173 cm) but my saddle hight is only 2 cm shy compared to his (74 cm with 172.5 mm crank), and I'll be on a size Small with a Canyon. Body position is the first thing when choosing a bike 👏

[@stuartdryer1352]

in my experience, 36 g TPU tubes solves the puncture resistance issue that you can have with 24 g ones.

[@nikolakostic4710]

Which one you have?

[@Gianniz27]

@@nikolakostic4710 Pirelli is a good option, but not the cheapest.

[@stuartdryer1352]

@nikolakostic4710 Ride Now. Make sure you get the new version with white valve stems.

[@ivanyhtang]

​@@stuartdryer1352good tip to go slightly heavier weight. But what's the difference with the white valve stems? Thanks!

[@stuartdryer1352]

@ivanyhtang The ones with black stems had a high rate of failure at the junction of the valve and the tube. The newer version with white stems don't have that problem.

[@wenjtu]

Did you explain why you didn’t pick the CFR?

[@robertthomson4042]

I'm fortunate enough to own this exact bike except with Ultegra di2 and I love it! I do wish Canyon could accommodate two more spacers to be able to raise the stack just a touch.

[@10ktube]

If 99 percent of my tire issues weren't caused by staples and very small objects, I'd be off tubeless in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, sealant works wonders with the little stuff like that and as much as I hate it, it works. Tires have gotten so very good, especially with the lower pressure/wider casings, good tubes can pair up nicely and you aren't nearly as hosed as the older stuff.

[@PK-qq1lz]

It looks great. Classic design, love it.

[@superwoofer9251]

Aeroad is faster, but Ultimate is more enjoyable to most of us.

[@gcntech]

But we enjoy going faster; what is the correct answer then? 🤔

[@libbykeiron]

Put deep sections on the ultimate and u have the best of both worlds

[@MicroageHD]

​@@libbykeiron40mm probably best for the Ultimate

[@maratshoranov8239]

100% agree that all-rounder is a better choice for amateur riders. The only thing that makes me confused - why Alex piked up the Sram Force instead of Shimano Ultegra? The last one, as I know, has additional bottoms on the top of leaver hoods. They are quite helpful easer for shifting while keeping an aero position or for changing pages on your computer.

[@aligooya8514]

I love my Ultimate cf sl 8.0, ultegra group set in gray, since 2021. I love it.

[@bubblesezblonde]

liked the breakdown Felix!!!!

[@awol555]

They say a change is as good as a holiday! So I'm not surprised you both switched! And I never ventured to tubeless, but totally agree cheap tpu inner tubes have been game changing!

[@comedyman112]

How cheap are they?

[@brxchtbe4871]

I live in belgium and almost flat where i live so i choose ollie's bike. The new canyon aero 2024 is my go to. Great looks and great performence in different ways

[@charlescushman8625]

Your colorway is much better. So clean looking

[@ChristopheDeBoeck]

Stunning colour, excellent choice!

[@reinholdachleitner2069]

Very nice frameset and groupset,excellent colour to.Have a blast on it.💯👌🏻✌🏻🚴‍♂️

[@dhtmbowen]

Love the steering stop idea

[@dougstump2520]

Bonus points for the chalk horse

[@PedroGonzalez-ef3zv]

That is a dream bike truly

[@Twitchp7]

Definitely prefering your bike, because I have the exact same one 😃

[@renegadeflyer2]

I had built a endurance bike a few years back, using a open mould frame from velobuild. A chinese factory. I bought the rim brake frame, but they also had a disc brake version, if I wanted . It looks so simular to Alex's bike. It doesn't have the steering stops and the cables are not fully internal. Thanks to UCI our bikes looks very similar.

[@suhdud4646]

Seeing the pink valve tabs makes me wonder if the tubes being used start with “Ride” and end with “Now”

[@adunford2664]

Interesting that you both picked canyon. I’d like to here more about your experiences with this bike as I’m looking at buying one now

[@kennyvdh]

sponsor we call that.

[@simonsepic]

How alex manages to wangle a dream titanium and now any choice of his dreams baffles me. So lucky haha

[@andrealexander3186]

I got the Canyon Inflite SLX9 (CX bike) as an all rounder. Good on the road with some Vittoria Corsas and back to knoblies for the CX season. Can even take tyres for public footpaths, which I think some here call "Gravel Riding".😁

[@loeffelm]

Next week on GCN: Why i Swapped an All-round Bike for a Gravel Bike!

[@iyadkamhiyeh527]

Haha true 😂

[@gcntech]

Stay tuned for when that day comes 😎

[@jeansebastienroy5456]

I have been using tpu tubes from Amazon for a couple of months but I find out that, after a couple of weeks, they tend to lose air more and more… On one of my wheels I inflated to 80 psi and found it at 20 the next morning… no visible hole… and it happened more than once… so I am thinking going back to regular butyl tubes.

[@mathewrose2951]

Thank you for mentioning that height isn't an absolute guide for frame size. I'm 6'1" in imperial measure, and almost always prefer a frame in a size M range (55 or 56 cm) to something in the L (57-59 cm) range. Also, the answer to the question of which bike is better is "both" (assuming your spouse/partner is on board).

[@caillou450]

How about traveling with it? Is the section handle bar a feature that helps fit the bike in a travelling box?

[@biftekification]

got both ultimate and Aeroad. Their geometry is meant to be very similar (feels like the Aeroad has a slightly longer top tube ) . They both equally fun to ride, sure the aero is noticeably faster above 40kph but the Ultimate feels a lot snappier above 10%. Would be interesting to see how much this is down to the wheels (Zipp 353 vs DT Swiss 62) rather than the frame…

[@EsotericBreakfastBuffet]

I’ve tried a few times to buy an Aeroad SLX here in the States but Canyon US has always struggled with inventory. I have an Ultimate SLX that I love and will never sell. Which is good because I think that Aero bikes in general are aesthetically speaking too similar in design..and some are perhaps unsafe to ride

[@markgalanter1171]

So GCN released a 12 minute Canyon Ultimate commercial. Don't get me wrong, I ride a Canyon but I don't come here for infomercials.

[@iyadkamhiyeh527]

GCN has become an advertising agency, almost every video is an AD

[@schrodingerthecat]

Then don't watch.

[@iyadkamhiyeh527]

@@schrodingerthecat I am not watching their crap Ads

[@matthewknotts901]

To be fair this is GCN tech, not that main channel

[@plefevre]

Ollie's bike does have a better paint job but I prefer the Ultimate, a great bike in all terrain. I've also noted that even though the Ultimate is not as aero as an Aeroad, it's still more aero than a lot of the bikes out there. I freewheel a lot more than my riding buddies when in the bunch.

[@paulgordon7526]

I'm using the 48-35t Chain ring its fine with the power meter built in :-)

[@n3rd_kram910]

Unpopular opinion here, which you gladly pointed out in the video. I think aero bikes are not the best choice for the majority of riders. I see a lot of people riding aero bikes while sitting upright, wearing flappy clothing, and non-aero helmets, etc. Changing those aspects would be much more important than changing the bike. Not optimizing these things while still riding an aero bike also means less comfort and more issues with side wind. Aero bikes are for the pros who have optimized everything and then gain additional benefits from riding an aero bike. But because all the pros go for those bikes, people want them too. Admittedly, they seem to look cooler in the eyes of most riders, and that’s fair enough. But if you want to purchase a nice comfy bike (that is still aero enough, no worries), then go for a nice Ultimate. The Ultimate is basically the logical bike for most riders. Still, it seems most people go for the aero bikes because of hype and marketing. And If you meet some of those Aero riders during a group ride wearing a flappy jersey, they are wasting the small aero benefit already while riding less comfy then you.... Even if you meet a full Aero Pro, just go a little lower and the difference is gone...

[@Andy_ATB]

Not unpopular with me - hits the nail on the head. How many people actually buy a bike that suits them, or fits them? They've been taken in by adverts, and copying the pros.

[@macvos]

The real motivation is usually looks. They look better. And while they don't provide any tangible speed benefits for most average riders, the "riding a sexy bike motivates me to ride more" argument isn't a false one. People aren't logical in their behaviour. We only pretend we are.

[@smudger404]

Why I swapped for a bike with wrong crank lengths - because it was free as part of our deal with Canyon, and they didn't have the right parts available. I know the ownership has changed of GCN and budgets are probably very different now so I suppose you have to do the ads to pay for the more interesting overseas challenge videos.

[@BigBoyWoogie]

Use that cassette and chain ring combo on my Endurace. Even around the blue ridge where I get in plenty of mountain rides I can stay in the big ring where it basically becomes a 1X for me unless I've hit a wall or something an need an emergency gear to drop off. Kind of miss more gear though on the top end descents.

[@sublimety]

I Have bought the same Ultimate last may, only with DI2. But if I have the chance, Ill wan't to try the new Aeroad too.

[@gapianaconda1996]

So why didn’t you pick the CFR model? And did not go with the best groupset available?

[@macvos]

They probably offered him this one

[@blinzi69]

love my ultimate

[@nem3th]

Road tubeless imho are not such advandage, because, when you got puncture almost always all air goes out, because for road there is so less air volume into road tyre, compared to MTB tyre, where tubeless shines. TPU for road, tubeless for MTB/Gravel.

[@ChrisSpriggs-rj2ys]

Hot whip 😊

[@divinemercy7036]

nice bike and setup but I can't seem to get over the beautiful English countryside behind you.

[@divyagarh]

What is that computer mount?

[@chrisjames1924]

What's the point in the Endurace?

[@bradrogers2427]

Endurance bikes have a less aggressive (more upright) geometry.

[@poonwailok5424]

Nice bike , I have just got this bike too

[@wcmeneer]

+1 for the Ultimate, but that might change if you throw the Endurace in the mix. Why would the Ultimate be more all-round than the Endurace?

[@erlendsteren9466]

Is the Ultimate more spacy in the forks? It looks like it can take larger tyres, and if thats true its a better bike in my opinion.

[@living4adrenaline]

Very cool, in the market for an XXL full suspension MTB, unfortunately canyon doesn't sell XXL size for MTBs, and their reach is too short for me in XL

[@garbanzomeme]

Dammit Alex I just convinced my self to buy an Aeroad.

[@johannesteich478]

You ride my bike (purple, Ultegra, Stock Wheels, 30mm Pirelli P Zero Race retro). Why you changed the Wheels? I really love the DT Swiss Arc 1400!

[@joystation1]

He changed the wheels because GCN are sponsored by Elite Wheels who make the Drives. Elite Drives are also good wheels.

[@darkhorse291]

Shout out to the Westbury massive!

[@christiankeim]

I went from aero to all rounder/endurance bike. Bmc Roadmachine 01. I road race it and crit race it. I have a 50/34t front ring setup. For road its just fine, those young kids tho in the crits are fast so i outspin my gearing from time to time. Im 38. Having a slammed cockpit these days is just a bit much. Good for Cavendish for keeping it slammed since day one? Idk. Lol 😂

[@smithy1011]

I was going to buy the Aeroad this month as my current Giant contend SL 1 Disc seems very similar to ultimate……my issue is do I spend the money buying an Aeroad or try to upgrade my Contend SL1…I’m happy enough with Shimano 105 group set, wheels are ok …maybe I could get carbon set for €1500 and new saddle for better comfort? Also handle bars are to far from my body so maybe new stem and aero bars ? Can you an Ollie do a performance test at similar wattage ? And also compare comfort and max speeds/ average speeds ???

[@Loekie-de-leeuw]

I am not 100% sure, but the geometry of the ultimate and aeroad are the same right? Biggest difference would probably be road feel, little more weight and tire clearance. If you really would like an all-round bike the Endurace is the better option.

[@alexharbron]

Forget the bike - what saddle bag is that please????

[@lukhasz1]

asking the same question

[@kurtallen8837]

Do you carry around your dura ace crank in your saddle bag 😂

[@ginoaco5764]

Ollie's Pinarello 😊

[@arnau_seix]

And why not the Endurance one? What’s really the difference?

[@Oldguy-k3t]

Can you put a little sealant in tubes?

[@CanTURKeyed]

cf slx + force : clever

[@harleypurcell7766]

Top teir presenters can get away with a second tier. Congrats Alex, you’ve graduated now Manon has quit showing you how its done ;)

[@ltrtg13]

Does that mean. As Alex's new bike has the bump stop in the steering. He now has to learn to do a 180 endo to get around tight narrow turns?

[@macvos]

Try and ride (not walk) a tight turn and look at your steering angle. It isn't anywhere near the max.

[@nb-ii2rb]

What height in cm is Alex and Ollie?

[@Dimashoey]

Isn’t the steerer ‘limiter’ will break the frame and:or fork in case of crash?

[@narisevansangynriivaama9903]

Without watching the advertisement (or "video"), I suspect the answer is that money told you to.

[@kurre_kallkvist]

I prefer Conors new bike 😊

[@MrMars121]

What tire pressure are you running with those tubes?

[@GGori_99]

You guys are kiddin me.. been using the Tera for 3 years now..

[@jessibanez-v9r]

good day mates im jess ibanez from the country of the philippines i've always watch ur vlogs gcn tech and the gcn i've always dream a road bike like yours guys i love cycling but the problem is i dont have a bike to ride with thank you for inspiring me guys hope someday ill meet you guys and have an ultimate bike like yours guys keep it up

[@robbchastain3036]

Next vid by Ollie, More Aero than Alex Ever Was. 😀

[@user-d32658]

Canyon bikes became too expensive for a brand without any wholesalers or retail outlets. They must be making insane margins with their Specialized-prices.

[@Marc-fk4sd]

I don't really understand the position of the Ultimate (race-climbing) between the Aeroad (race-aero) and the Endurace (endurance-all-round). The pro teams sponsored by Canyon almost exclusively ride the Aeroad and only change the rim height and gearing depending on the route profile, as the weight difference between the Aeroad and Ultimate (SLX 8 AXS) is around 400g. The geometry of the frames (Ultimate/Aeroad) is identical, isn't an aero frame always much better than a 400g weight advantage?

[@JackMott]

Yes the aero frame is always better outside of a hill climb TT (depending how fast you are and how steep it is!) or road race with a big climb finish, but people like to be contrarian.

[@superwoofer9251]

Even on a steep climb, 400g weight saving gives you only a tad bit of advantage.

[@JackMott]

@@superwoofer9251 Really for the me the biggest advantage of a round tube bike is the seat post clamp system is less likely to be finicky =)

[@felixe5816]

The Ultimate may be 16w slower than the Aeroad but it’s more affordable (esp. entry level), can fit wider tires in real life and you look less hideous when getting dropped. Plus Tadej‘s V4RS is only 3 watts fast 😄

[@EsotericBreakfastBuffet]

@@JackMott I have to politely disagree with you. If you are riding or racing in crosswind conditions then you will experience a net loss of wattage riding an Aero bike…If you are riding and racing in a group or more specifically riding in a pace line then aero advantages are largely neutralized..

[@bastiaanvanneer3948]

What is the tire clearance?

[@pedroorpheus]

what saddle bag is that?

[@ichor20]

Lol Next to my dura ace cranks 😂

[@JonReid]

In which situation is the Ultimate superior to the Aeroad? You state that for most people, the Ultimate will be the superior bike in most situations. That implies that there are situations where it is superior. Is it comfort? In that case, why not go for the Endurace? I have an Ultimate myself, but I struggle to see where this fits in the lineup now that the Aeroad is just as light.

[@Loekie-de-leeuw]

Geometry is the same as well, and with the new aeroad fitting up to 32mm tires, the difference between the ultimate and aeroad is even smaller.

[@n8torious309]

Why I swapped for an Ultimate - because they gave it to me and paid for this video /video

[@Hans-sb1ko]

At this point, GCN consists of Canyon ads and some occasional cycling tips that you can find in every cycling book in your library.

[@georgemannjr]

where has the 4k video option gone?!

[@timhands6681]

Alex’s bike looks better and tpu for the win.

[@kurtkurtkurt1979]

Whats the name of the bottle cages?

[@ae232]

But…why did you not choose the top spec version?

[@ianparkes5097]

Because Arbuthnot has been slated too long and too often for being elitist, a shill for sponsors, and out of touch with people who can't afford or don't want top of the line pro bikes. As he actually said, on this bike he can do videos for the people, as a more credible man of the people.

[@zarehekmek]

Ultimate all the way

[@jared0967]

Yes why the slx vs cfr?!

[@DilbertMuc]

TPU tubes for €10,- on Amazon? Where and what brand please...!?