Who has a Canyon Ultimate CF 9.0?

solboy

I want one so bad but its a lot of dosh and despite the web reviews still feels risky spending so much without being able to test/try one first. If you have one can you give me a breif review please.

ShutUpLegs

solboy wrote:

I want one so bad.

How do you know you want one?

tmg

I like the look of them and would conside one but if I were splashing that kind of cash then I would want to try before I buy

solboy

ShutUpLegs wrote:

solboy wrote:

I want one so bad.

How do you know you want one?

That my friend is actually a very good question.... need to think some more....

FransJacques

I've ridden a Ultimate CF just the std one not the SLX, back to back against a Cervelo R3SL and a Giant TCR Advanced and noticed the following:

The drivetrain stiffness and responsiveness while seated is amazing. Canyon have done a good job on the BB area to chainstay solidity. The hookup is fast and it feels really direct. It felt more efficient, superior in this regard to the Cervelo and more on par with the TCR Advanced which to me, is also superior to the R3SL. The BB isn't any bigger (it's bog std English 68mm threaded) so the carbon wraps/thickness must give it more stiffness.
You can feel the stiffness when you switch gears, it's more muted making me feel that the backend is just substantial. Not the most quantitative review I know.

Handling is a bit twitchy, the HT seems quite vertical and that's something coming from the Giant and the Cervelo which are both twitchy compared to a Colnago & Lemond I have. It felt direct but the steering is light. I didn't carve around any corners at speed as both tests were on climbs but I didn't come away with any impression that it was better or worse, just quicker and lighter - but I must admit I wasn't overly impressed b/c I like feel from the front end of a bike. But with different wheels, tyres and pressures it was hard to make a big judgement.

No comments on ride comfort - there was not enuf diffference, which I guess is a comment in itself. It rides like a stiff carbon bike.

The Ultimate CF to R3SL test took place on the Bosberg the day before Flanders. I rode it 4 times back to back to back, twice with each bike. The Canyon was a bit tall for me, maybe 1 cm or so but 1cm is not major.

The Giant test took place on Rowdow in Kent. I only did this one once with each bike - that thing was too killer to do any more :-)

Basically all 3 bikes were at 1 time or another pro-tour level bikes and certainly good enuf for us hobby riders and Cat 2/3/4 racers. Read some other magazine reviews and draw your own conclusions.

Tour mag, the german mag likes them and their testing is some of the most quantifyable out there. That to me adds some creedence to the public's general positive feel on Canyons. But at the same time, it cannot explain why a 2006 Giant feel stiffer than a 2009 R3SL which has much better "numbers".

cubicboy

Fantastic review feedback from the last poster.

I think you've probably made your mind up to buy one. To my eyes, they look amazing, and with the savings over other brands due to the direct sale, surely you can't go wrong?

Even if there was a very slight niggle when you received the bike, it wouldn't cost much to put it right either yourself or at your LBS. I know that this isn't the point, but perhaps it's a pragmatic view.

Buy it! You know you want to.

Gavin Cook

Hi
Hi have the canyon Ultimate 9.0 SLX with Campag SR. I am really pleased with the bike but Canyon are a nightmare to deal with if you have any problems. I had a serious incident with my Mavic R SYS SL wheels and 4 moths later I received a set of replacement wheels (Campag Bora) and a set of Conti tyres for clincher rims !!. I have been waiting for two weeks for a set of conti tubs to arrive. I have sent endless emails and spoken with Canyon in Germany without any joy. The buying experience was very good but the after sales expeience is very poor. I was lucky not to be seriously hurt when my rear hub collapsed but Canyon dont seem to concerned at all.

4kicks

Id agree with the above. Loved my older 2007 Canyon, not a direct data point for your review as its really a different bike than the new model, but they made no mention that the Canyon didnt fit Campag Eurus Wheels (despite Tour Magazin doing an article about it) and then, curiously, was told that the warranty on the bike frame woudl be voided if i used another stem apart from the one suppplied by them, and that it was "forbidden" to change it.

Great bikes and good vfm mind, wouldnt stop me from buying another. check out their discounted frames, and remember that their sizing isa a bit wierd, Im a 58 in Canyon, normally a 55 to 56 in the other 5 road bikes Ive had, and its got quite a tall ht relative to tt.