Current project 1 - Canyon Roadlite training/crit bike

Hibbs

This started off as Project Convert Winter Bike To Campag so that it would fit with a new best bike, for swapping training wheels, but then when new best bike got delayed and upgraded, it became Project Summer Training and Criterium bike, with the winter trainer completely relegated to winter base miles only when don't need the powertap.





I've got a mix of campag components to go on, mainly '09 Veloce but with a Mirage Ultra Torque chainset. Ritchey carbon seatpost and Pro logic bars. The stem in the picture is how it arrived from Canyon and I've got a Syntace F119 on its way from America, which when putting on I'll remove most of the spacers. White pro-lite titanium saddle, white bar tape and white Time RXS pedals. The powertap hub is currently with Derek from Wheelsmith, who is putting it on an Ambrosio Excellight SST rim, with matching front wheel being built up also. There's not much post showing as I have a long torso and so had to get a size 60 for the length, so it doesn't look as "pro" as it could. Never mind though, it'll do what I want it to.

I'm thinking of getting some coloured cables to give it a bit of colour, maybe orange.

Absolutely nothing on this bike was paid for at full price (except Derek's wheelsmithmanship, but then they'll also be used for Best Bike training so don't count!) so I'll be interested to see what it should have cost when done, what it has cost and compare against an off the peg. I'm trying to get a decent personalised build but for as much value for money as possible so I have more to put towards Project Best when that starts later this year.

Hibbs

So I've just compiled the build list to see overall cost and it's come to the following:

Frameset Canyon Roadlite New £320.00
Stem Syntace F119 New £61.79
Bars Ritchey Pro Logic New £29.99
Bar tape Ritchey (white) New £7.99
Seatpost Ritchey Pro Carbon Used - nearly new £11.01
Saddle Pro-lite Titanium (white) New £32.99

Levers Campag Xenon QS 10 speed (black) New £40.09
R Derailler Campag Veloce 10 speed (black) New £36.93
F Derailler Campag Veloce braze-on (black) New £17.95
Chainset Campag Mirage Ultra Torque (black) New £59.46
Bottom Bracket Campag UT New £11.99
Cassette Campag Veloce 10 speed New £29.11
Chain Campag 10sp ultra-narrow New £21.46
Calipers Campag Veloce (black) New £25.46
Pedals Time RXS Race (white) Used - nearly new £35.79
Cables Bontrager Orange New £19.99

Wheels Ambrosio Excellight/Athena/powertap New £225.00 *exc rear hub
Skewers A2Z Titanium (orange) New £19.99
Tyres Michelin Pro 3 (orange) New £47.50

£1,054.49

So if you take off the usual upgrades to a new bike (saddle, pedals, tyres), and the personalised extras of orange cabling and orange ti skewers, and including the ridiculous stem, that's about equivalent to an off-the-peg around £900. I think I've done ok there .

samuri

How are you finding the frame? I'm Looking to buy the full roadlite 7.0 ultegra directly from the suppliers in Germany.

Thanks.,

Hibbs

I've not had it on the road yet as I'm waiting for the wheels to come in from Wheelsmith. My winter hack is Shimano so I can't even stick those in to give it a whirl. First impressions from handling the frame along are very positive, though, as much as that's worth. Feels lighter than I was expecting, and very well built. I'm hoping to get the wheels back soon so I'll let you know how it feels after the first ride (it's been two weeks - how long does Wheelsmith usually take?). Supposed to be doing the peak district sportive this weekend, but I'm only going if this is ready. Will be a good christening if it is.

samuri

I might even have mine before you get yours up and running then if I'm lucky. i've no idea how long delivery will take but I've bitten the bullet after pouring my way painstakingly through a selection of French and German reviews and bought one.

Seemed like a bargain no matter how I looked at it. The Ultegra groupset alone is 450 quid, the wheels are another 200. Where in Britain can you get a high quality road bike with that kit on it for just over a grand?

ScottieP

Hibbs, have you managed to do much riding on this yet? I'd be interested to hear how you're getting on with it.

Thanks
ScottieP

Hibbs

ScottieP wrote:

Hibbs, have you managed to do much riding on this yet? I'd be interested to hear how you're getting on with it.

Thanks
ScottieP

Hi Scottie,

Nope, still waiting for the wheels, which is a shame as it's finished and ready to go as soon as they come back (subject to chain and cutting cable inners to length). Blurry photo below, I think the orange cables complement the Canyon top tube stripe rather well (quite fortuitously, the colouring of the cables is identical, very happy with that). Oh, and a couple of Elite gel cages which are on the way from Ribble.

excuse the mess :oops:

cozy

any update on how these roadlites actually ride? I know the ultimate CF/AL etc are very highly regarded but haven't read anything detailed on canyon's 'low end' bikes. I fancy getting one of the stock (105/ultegra) roadlites for my winter bike

also - any pics of the bike fully built up now? ; )

tim_wand

Sorry to jump on this post but you guys seem to be the only ones with any experience of Canyon.

Again read fantastic reviews across europe on the High end canyon stuff and they look incredible value.

I am considering a 105 equipped Caad 10 as a birthday present to myself in the New Year
(last Dale I had was Caad 5) not even seen a Caad 10 in the flesh let alone ridden one
price is £1299.


Cant look beyond the value of the Canyon though. Thinking of a roadlite 7.0. full ultegra ritchey wcs finishing kit and Mavic Askiums at 1199 euros or £1012 thats serious value.

Any opinions or experience of either bike out there. Will probably wait until the London show in a hope of seeing both.

I Lived in Germany for 4 years and would like an excuse to go back and buy a bike and I ve been impressed by what I ve seen of the Cubes.

Hibbs

Tim, sorry, only just seen your post. The Roadlite is great value. It handles and responds to imput well, felt competely at ease in road races and is comfortable enough for day-long rides in the saddle. What I would say, though, is if you can afford it go for the Ultimate-Al. The Roadlite is effectively a budget version of that frame, eg it isn't any more training-friendly (it was a struggle to fit crudguards to it, so much so that I ended up buying a new winter bike instead of using it through winter as planned), and the U-A is proven by Gilbert etc. I'll be using it as a budget summer wet training/crit bike next season to protect "best", for which it will be perfect.