Looking at Buying Canyon Ultimate CF SL Disc 9.0

doodoo_voodoo
doodoo_voodoo Posts: 121
edited September 2017 in Road buying advice
Hi

I have had my eye on a disc brake road bike for a while now, and this has come down a bit in price:

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/ultim ... c-9-0.html

I did ride a non-disc version (Ultimate CF SL 7.0) for 40 or so miles in Spain and thought it was nice, and very comfortable.

Any comments on the Ultimate, good or bad, before I pull the trigger?

Also, curious how existing Canyon owners have got on with the sizing (I am around 5'7" (170cm) with an inside leg of around 31" (79cm)). The bike I rode in Spain was a S, but the Canyon sizing has me on the XS. The bike I rode in Spain may well have been from a different year though, so I'm not getting too hung up on that as I am guessing the Canyon sizing may have changed. That is, I wonder if the XS size is now the equivalent of the S size I rode in Spain?

Comments

  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    One of my pals has the current CF SLX Disc and absolutely loves it. He's up gunned the wheels though - but he's always doing that.

    Size wise he just so happens to be the same height as me - 171cm - and rides an XS post bike fit.

    I don't believe there can be a noticeable ride difference between his SLX and the SL you're looking at - it's just extra bling.
  • doodoo_voodoo
    doodoo_voodoo Posts: 121
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    One of my pals has the current CF SLX Disc and absolutely loves it. He's up gunned the wheels though - but he's always doing that.

    Size wise he just so happens to be the same height as me - 171cm - and rides an XS post bike fit.

    I don't believe there can be a noticeable ride difference between his SLX and the SL you're looking at - it's just extra bling.

    Thanks for the response. That gives me some confidence that I'm doing the right thing.

    Need to decide on colour. I do like the blue, is it too bling?
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Nah. Everything is black these days. Get some colour in your life!
  • doodoo_voodoo
    doodoo_voodoo Posts: 121
    I've deliberated so long that the price has just gone up £90. :cry:

    Still £180 off though.
  • jimmurray
    jimmurray Posts: 130
    I'd be a bit wary of the wheels on that model. Myself, and three friends, one a non Canyon bike, have all had issues with the rear hubs. Ok if you keep them from getting wet but three us us bought them on Inflites as winter bikes so have had issues.
  • doodoo_voodoo
    doodoo_voodoo Posts: 121
    jimmurray wrote:
    I'd be a bit wary of the wheels on that model. Myself, and three friends, one a non Canyon bike, have all had issues with the rear hubs. Ok if you keep them from getting wet but three us us bought them on Inflites as winter bikes so have had issues.

    Thanks for the warning. I will almost definitely be getting it wet!
  • mikeyj28
    mikeyj28 Posts: 754
    doodoo_voodoo wrote:
    jimmurray wrote:
    I'd be a bit wary of the wheels on that model. Myself, and three friends, one a non Canyon bike, have all had issues with the rear hubs. Ok if you keep them from getting wet but three us us bought them on Inflites as winter bikes so have had issues.

    Thanks for the warning. I will almost definitely be getting it wet!

    Have you bought the bike? Did you also consider the disc Aero 9.0 model too? As that has taken my eye.
    Constantly trying to upgrade my parts.It is a long road ahead as things are so expensive for little gain. n+1 is always the principle in my mind.
  • proylance
    proylance Posts: 27
    My best friend has had 2 Canyon bikes and I can honestly say they're great (having ridden them), my brother also owns one of there mtb's and really rates it.
  • mikeyj28
    mikeyj28 Posts: 754
    proylance wrote:
    My best friend has had 2 Canyon bikes and I can honestly say they're great (having ridden them), my brother also owns one of there mtb's and really rates it.

    Yes a good mate who does MTB XC racing with me has one and likes his HT a lot.
    Constantly trying to upgrade my parts.It is a long road ahead as things are so expensive for little gain. n+1 is always the principle in my mind.
  • doodoo_voodoo
    doodoo_voodoo Posts: 121
    mikeyj28 wrote:
    doodoo_voodoo wrote:
    jimmurray wrote:
    I'd be a bit wary of the wheels on that model. Myself, and three friends, one a non Canyon bike, have all had issues with the rear hubs. Ok if you keep them from getting wet but three us us bought them on Inflites as winter bikes so have had issues.

    Thanks for the warning. I will almost definitely be getting it wet!

    Have you bought the bike? Did you also consider the disc Aero 9.0 model too? As that has taken my eye.

    Not yet. Might actually get the equivalent Endurace. I'm an XS frame and the geometry differences look negligible. Also, I was thinking of swapping the cassette on the Ultimate to a 32 and the tyres to 28s, but the Endurace comes with these. So, it got me thinking I should maybe just get the Endurace.
  • doodoo_voodoo
    doodoo_voodoo Posts: 121
    Have you bought the bike? Did you also consider the disc Aero 9.0 model too? As that has taken my eye.

    Nope. Bit out of my budget. Looks pretty sweet though in the blue.
  • mikeyj28
    mikeyj28 Posts: 754
    doodoo_voodoo wrote:
    Have you bought the bike? Did you also consider the disc Aero 9.0 model too? As that has taken my eye.

    Nope. Bit out of my budget. Looks pretty sweet though in the blue.

    Yes I'm quite taken by it. Not sure I can spend the cash on it but I know if I am spending£400ish under on another bike, I may well regret it in a few months. Not sure what to do as my Ridley purchase is definitely not going ahead.
    Constantly trying to upgrade my parts.It is a long road ahead as things are so expensive for little gain. n+1 is always the principle in my mind.
  • doodoo_voodoo
    doodoo_voodoo Posts: 121
    mikeyj28 wrote:
    doodoo_voodoo wrote:
    Have you bought the bike? Did you also consider the disc Aero 9.0 model too? As that has taken my eye.

    Nope. Bit out of my budget. Looks pretty sweet though in the blue.

    Yes I'm quite taken by it. Not sure I can spend the cash on it but I know if I am spending£400ish under on another bike, I may well regret it in a few months. Not sure what to do as my Ridley purchase is definitely not going ahead.

    You know, if you can afford it and it makes you happy, then why not?

    No-one died thinking "I wish I'd spent less money on my bikes!".
  • mikeyj28
    mikeyj28 Posts: 754
    doodoo_voodoo wrote:
    mikeyj28 wrote:
    doodoo_voodoo wrote:
    Have you bought the bike? Did you also consider the disc Aero 9.0 model too? As that has taken my eye.

    Nope. Bit out of my budget. Looks pretty sweet though in the blue.

    Yes I'm quite taken by it. Not sure I can spend the cash on it but I know if I am spending£400ish under on another bike, I may well regret it in a few months. Not sure what to do as my Ridley purchase is definitely not going ahead.

    You know, if you can afford it and it makes you happy, then why not?

    No-one died thinking "I wish I'd spent less money on my bikes!".
    Haha, I like your thinking.

    Very true. I guess at the sums of money involved, I want to make the right decision.
    Constantly trying to upgrade my parts.It is a long road ahead as things are so expensive for little gain. n+1 is always the principle in my mind.
  • doodoo_voodoo
    doodoo_voodoo Posts: 121
    So, in the end I went for the Endurace CF SL 9.0.

    https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endur ... c-9-0.html

    A £270 price drop sealed it - and I think I might have bought the last XS!

    I'll post up some comments once it arrives and I've managed a few rides.
  • grenw
    grenw Posts: 804
    Great bike. I've had the SLX 8.0Di2 for just over a year now.

    Similar height to you (maybe an inch taller but same inside leg) but I went for the S which fits me perfectly. Canyon sizing is purely based on height so 1cm either way can swing their recommendation.

    I ride my wife's old XS alu Endurace on the turbo and it works. Just have more seatpost exposed (almost the max) and a much more upright position - fine on the turbo.
  • doodoo_voodoo
    doodoo_voodoo Posts: 121
    GrenW wrote:
    Great bike. I've had the SLX 8.0Di2 for just over a year now.

    Similar height to you (maybe an inch taller but same inside leg) but I went for the S which fits me perfectly. Canyon sizing is purely based on height so 1cm either way can swing their recommendation.

    I ride my wife's old XS alu Endurace on the turbo and it works. Just have more seatpost exposed (almost the max) and a much more upright position - fine on the turbo.

    Thanks for the comments. Looking forward to getting the bike.

    I looked at the reach and my saddle height and I'm fairly sure the XS is right for me. It looked to me that with the S, I wouldn't be able to get the saddle height quite right (I have a saddle height of 690 mm), or at least would have the saddle at the lowest possible setting. I needed to put my height to 172 (so same height as you) to move me up to the S.

    If it's not quite right, I'll send it back. I ordered three pairs of socks with it, so not all would be lost.
  • grenw
    grenw Posts: 804
    For me I have the saddle height at 5.5cm above minimum - middle or so of the adjustment. So anyone with over 29 inside leg should be fine on a Small. I'm sure the XS would fit me too just with more seatpost showing and a bit more drop to the bars.

    The reach is a little more stretched than my old Small Defy was, but after a couple of rides it wasn't even noticeable.

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