New carbon endurance bike: Di2/eTap discs

jaf.vanloon

Hello all,

After 4 years on a 2012 Giant Defy Composite 3 with Sram Apex, i am looking for something new to ride my routes on.
The current bike size is XL with 2cm spacers and I am very happy with the fit of the bike.

The type of riding I do is 100-120km rides every weekend in the Netherlands or in Flanders. I take my bike on European holidays in Europe (Sweden, Languedoc and Tuscany for instance). Pace is moderate (average in NL is 26-30km/h) and I like adventures, no racing.
The type of bike I am looking for is a carbon endurancce bike with the same or higher level of comfort then the Giant, ability to go gravel sometimes (so at least clearance for 30mm tryes). Disc brakes are a must have. Preferably i would like to have electronic shifting, but this is more of a should have. An alternative would be to get a SRAM group on the bike and wait for 1-2 years untill eTap HRD comes available in lower class groups or as a Wifli uopgrade HRD kit.. Tubeless wheels are nice to have. Budget is around €5000 euro (€ 4500 pounds)

I have already made a shortlist of bikes, but I am very open to suggestions .

My shortlist is:
1. Canyon Endurace CF SLX 8.0 Di2
2. Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0
3. Focus Paralane eTap
4. Rose X-Lite CDX 8810 eTap
6. Specialized Roubaix UDi2
7. Trek Domane SL6 Disc
8. BMC Roadmachine 02 Ultegra

I have the following questions:
1. Has anybode ridden one or more of these bikes? Escpecially interested in a review of the Rose X lite and the Paralane by one of the forum members.
2. Based on stack and reach the Rose is closest to my current bike, with Canyon being a bit more racy and especially Domane and Roubaix more upright. Does anyone here rode both a Defy and a 2017 Roubaix or Doame Sl yet? how do they rank up in geometry and comfort?
3. If anyone has another suggestion based on the requirements and the budget, please feel free to shout out!

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Regards,

Jeroen

alwayscycle

I like you had a Giant Defy but wanted to go disc and benefit from wider tyres. I looked at similar bikes to you but have ended up with the Paralane. It felt great on a test ride and I'm in a similar body position to the Giant. I think it's really great too that Focus include mudguards with the bike. I think more company's should do this especially on these types of bikes. It saves shelling out more after the expense of a new bike.

I'm sure the tech is good but I felt the approach of Focus on the frame design is the right way to go about ensuring its comfortable as opposed to the Domane and Roubaix solutions. They just seem like extra complication and potential servicing to me.

I liked the fact too that the Paralane wasn't a gravel bike but that it could take 35mm tyres. It seemed to me the first "road" bike that was properly embracing wider tyre clearance. I haven't quite understood (I'm no expert on bikes) why disc brakes have come along but endurance bikes have still largely limited to a 28mm clearance. I felt a couple of years back when discs and adventure/gravel bikes came along that there must be a time ahead when adventure bikes and more traditional endurance road bikes merged. I think the Paralane is a good example.

I think the bikes you have listed range between 28mm and 35mm tyre clearance so if you're clear on what sort of tyres you will need on your use of the bike that may help filter a few out.

To be honest all the bikes in your list are good and if it fits you well then I'm sure you'll end up happy.

daniel_b

No room for a Synapse on your list....?

I think they are incredible bikes, so much so I bought two.

Loads of good written, and video reviews online.

jaf.vanloon

@alwayscycle

Thanks for your insight. Can i ask what version you have of the Paralane?

@Danielb

I expect the Synapse to be updated this year. The bike has no rear thru axle, which I consider a must have wnhen riding discs due to disc alignment. I am thinking about getting a second wheelset, so I have one set with proper larger gravel tyres and one with 25-28 mm tires for riding on the road with my mates who just have regular road bikes ;-)

hsiaolc

I will go Trek Domane SLR

http://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/bikes ... 8000-2017/

Personal choice since you are going for comfort anyway so might as well go all out.

grenw

I've got that exact model of Canyon Endurace (bought last year so the spec may have changed a little) and came from an AL Defy 2015 model. The geometry is a bit more stretched out but maybe only be a cm or so. Possibly a little lower at the front too. Nothing that I really noticed unless I went looking for it. The integrated bars do mean that fit is a little more important though.

The bike is supremely comfortable, much moreso than the Defy. A lot of that will be down to the 28mm tyres (25 on the Defy) but it feels like it floats. The difference is particularly noticeable at the front so maybe the marketing guff about the integrated stem/bars is on the mark. Comes in at 7.4kg and it looks stunning in the red too.

Have probably put around 500 miles on it so far. It's not put a foot wrong and all I've changed has been the saddle. That's what I love about Canyons, even their lower models come with decent wheels and tyres etc.

dj58

GrenW wrote:

I've got that exact model of Canyon Endurace (bought last year so the spec may have changed a little) and came from an AL Defy 2015 model. The geometry is a bit more stretched out but maybe only be a cm or so. Possibly a little lower at the front too. Nothing that I really noticed unless I went looking for it. The integrated bars do mean that fit is a little more important though.

The bike is supremely comfortable, much moreso than the Defy. A lot of that will be down to the 28mm tyres (25 on the Defy) but it feels like it floats. The difference is particularly noticeable at the front so maybe the marketing guff about the integrated stem/bars is on the mark. Comes in at 7.4kg and it looks stunning in the red too.

The OP has a composite Defy 3 (Toray T600, Giant non longer use this for their CF frames), not an Aluxx model like you had, geometry is the same, ride characteristics would be different between the two. The Canyon CF Endurance may well be much more comfortable than his composite Defy 3.

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

Seen the Road Machine in the flesh in Evans warehouse store it looks a lovely bike.

The suspension bars would put me off the Roubaix. I am not over keen on slopey compact frames nor mail order nor active suspension\bump absorption gadgetry so most of the list gets written off on that basis.

I think I might exempt the Parlane on the basis it can take mudguards making it a proper all season bike. Looked at the Izalco Max Disc? That got a lot of cracking write ups in 2016 guise.

alwayscycle

jv- it was the carbon 105 Paralane I tested. I went for the Ultegra.

dj58

alwayscycle wrote:

jv- it was the carbon 105 Paralane I tested. I went for the Ultegra.

What are the largest tyres that can be used with the mudguards fitted?

alwayscycle

Officially it's 32's with guards but I guess as always it will depend on the tyre in question and the rims used.