cycling: Endurance test: Canyon Aeroad CF SLX DISC 8.0 – "Fast disc racer, well thought out!"

The Canyon Aeroad has been one of the fastest wheels on the market for several years. This year saw a change to Canyon's aero racer with the introduction of disc brakes. We tested over many kilometers how the new setup affects the performance and handling of the Canyon Aeroad.

To begin with, let's take a look at the heart of a complete bike, the frame. Here racing drivers will find everything they could wish for, an attractive design paired with decent workmanship make a lot of things to look at. The carbon frame is a bit heavier due to the disc brakes, as more material is needed to properly attach the discs. However, with 8 kilos and despite discs and an aerodynamic frame shape, you can leave most of your competitors behind. The aerodynamics are also impressive. According to the manufacturer, the disc version of the Canyon Aeroad loses just 0,8 watts compared to its counterpart with rim brakes. As you can see, this vehicle is really designed to show the rear wheel to the opponents and to make up second after second at high speeds. The geometry also fits into the overall concept and is very sporty.

When it comes to the equipment of the Canyon Aeroad, it immediately catches our eye that even the "cheapest" CF SLX DISC 8.0 variant does not make any compromises and only high-quality add-on parts are used. Of course, a reasonable aero racer also needs high wheels. With the Reynolds Strike Carbon Clincher and 62mm rim height, there is no need to hide here. The Continental Grad Prix 4000s II, real all-rounders, are also used when it comes to tyres, which people often like to save on. The shifting group, a mechanical Shimano Ultegra, is a bit heavier than the Dura-Ace but is much more price-conscious without sacrificing performance. The seat post, stem and handlebars come from Canyon itself and are quite impressive. The Fizik Arione saddle takes some getting used to due to its extremely long nose. As always, everyone has to decide for themselves what suits them.

So much for the theory, but how is the Canyon Aeroad in practice? In the beginning we had a small problem with setting the bike to the correct dimensions, because the saddle angle cannot be adjusted or only very slightly. Even after a long search and trial and error, we didn't get it 100 percent as desired, but a small deduction. But if you sit on the bike for the first time, you will be completely blown away. The entire concept works, the racer lies quietly on the road and just runs along. The weight is hardly noticeable uphill and when accelerating and the Aeroad accelerates extremely quickly thanks to its great stiffness. In general, the good stiffness and aerodynamics give you the feeling that the power is converted directly into propulsion. The fast Reynolds also do their part and roll along smoothly. There is another plus point for the sporty geometry, which will initially be a bit uncomfortable for hobby riders, but an absolute must for ambitious athletes.

Now to the discs: These fit like a glove, in the overall package they fit perfectly into the picture and make the bike even faster, since everything can be maxed out on descents and corners in order to save crucial seconds and experience speed. The disc brakes were also fully convincing during our test rides in the rain, because especially when carbon wheels represent a significant weak point in the wet, you can enjoy the aerodynamic advantages and the best braking behavior here. The Shimano Ultegra successfully rounds off a well thought-out concept. We could hardly find any defects over the duration of our test, only the discs began to grind a bit after more than 100 hours, which can be remedied with professional maintenance.