Canyon Ultimate upgrade from Planet X

flight147z

Hi all - first post for me on this forum - have found lots of very useful advice on here in the past and now I'm hoping to get some myself!

I bought my first road bike in November 2014 - a Planet X RT-58 Alloy in basic form with Tiagra and cheap Shimano wheels. I spent £500 and it has served me well for the past 3 years and ~5800 miles. As it's just gone bonus season at work I'm now looking at treating myself to something a little nicer!

Given there isn't too much wrong with the bike I have and I don't expect that spending a lot more will necessarily make me any faster or give me a proportionately better bike I have "settled" on the Canyon Ultimate CF SL 7.0. In 2017 spec, it has just dropped to £1,259 which seems pretty good for the spec and weight.

Obviously this is the 2017 model - the only 2018 model CF SL is the 8.0 which is £1,999, has Ultegra, better wheels and is a little lighter (and is available in a nice blue shade too). Given the cost difference though I think the 7.0 is probably the better bike for me (but I'm open to other opinions!)

Looking at the 8.0, it doesn't look like the 2018 version of the 7.0 will change much from the 2017 model, though I expect there will be newer colours - however, I am not sure if there is a newer version of the groupset or the wheelset that I will be missing out on?

Obviously the price saving of £90 isn't massive, so I don't necessarily mind waiting, however, judging by the price of the 8.0 I think Canyon's prices are going up in 2018...

Please let me know your thoughts - is this a worthy upgrade from my current bike? The other bike I have considered is the Specialized SL4 Tarmac Sport in Red, but that is a £1,750 bike and although it looks nicer than the Canyon I don't think the spec is as good - happy to be contradicted on that though!

flight147z

Undecided on whether to go for the Canyon so would be keen to hear from anyone that has an Ultimate - particularly any CF SL.

fenix

Sounds like a decent upgrade to me. Ultegra is as good as anything anyone needs. Pro teams race on Ultegra when on a budget anyway.

Keep the old bike for winter duties with guards ?

And I'd buy sooner rather thn later. Everything is only going to get more expensive.

6wheels

flight147z wrote:

Undecided on whether to go for the Canyon so would be keen to hear from anyone that has an Ultimate - particularly any CF SL.

I've had a CF SL 9.0 for the last three years and compared to my Synapse and CAAD 10 it is very comfortable.In fact, you're buying the frameset for a very low price as it's the same through the CF SL range( or was).

diamonddog

flight147z wrote:

Undecided on whether to go for the Canyon so would be keen to hear from anyone that has an Ultimate - particularly any CF SL.

I have the Canyon CF SL and a PX Pro Carbon both of which I love to ride and are very good bikes IME. The Canyon I have has SRAM Force and has been trouble free from taking it out of the box and it is a lovely ride.

flight147z

Fenix wrote:

Sounds like a decent upgrade to me. Ultegra is as good as anything anyone needs. Pro teams race on Ultegra when on a budget anyway.

Keep the old bike for winter duties with guards ?

And I'd buy sooner rather thn later. Everything is only going to get more expensive.

Makes sense to go for a 2017 bike then? Why is everything likely to get more expensive?

diamonddog

Brexit, pound/euro exchange rate is dire.

flight147z

Well... I have just bought it! (CF SL 7.0 2017)

I know it's not a huge amount of money compared to what some people spend but it was a difficult decision. I went and watched the tour of britain go past yesterday so I think that's what inspired me

Should be with me late October/early November as dispatch is set for October 16th-20th.

6wheels

Excellent choice, hope you use it this year, and if you do , let us know what you think.

supermurph09

Great choice, I've had my SL 9 for over 3 years, I'd love to get something new when funds allow but it doesn't stop it being a great bike.

flight147z

Certainly looking forward to it arriving and fully intend on taking it out as soon as I can - what's the biggest difference I can expect upgrading from a first road bike?

Any reason NOT to use it this year?

wotnoshoeseh

flight147z wrote:

Any reason NOT to use it this year?

None whatsoever - you bought it, get out and enjoy it!!

deadlegs

flight147z wrote:

Certainly looking forward to it arriving and fully intend on taking it out as soon as I can - what's the biggest difference I can expect upgrading from a first road bike? Any reason NOT to use it this year?

I recently bought both these bikes. Canyon 1800km PX 600km... Excellent choice on the Canyon you won't regret it. I got both to replace Spesh Allez (frame written off). Stuck ultegra 6700 groupset from Allez on RT-58 & got 105 2017 version of Ultimate CF SL.

Canyon much lighter & stiffer. Big difference on flat as well as hills - Easier to maintain speed in big ring. Hills: beat most of my PRs without trying! Great fun throwing the Canyon around when out of the saddle. Feel less fatigued after long rides, I guess from carbon absorbing road bumps? Canyon has slightly longer wheelbase and feels less twitchy in corners. I preferred steering on Allez (& PX which is very similar geometry) but not an issue. Semi compact is no harder on hills compared to aluminium PX with 50-34.

Definitely use it when it arrives!

flight147z

Deadlegs wrote:

flight147z wrote:

Certainly looking forward to it arriving and fully intend on taking it out as soon as I can - what's the biggest difference I can expect upgrading from a first road bike? Any reason NOT to use it this year?

I recently bought both these bikes. Canyon 1800km PX 600km... Excellent choice on the Canyon you won't regret it. I got both to replace Spesh Allez (frame written off). Stuck ultegra 6700 groupset from Allez on RT-58 & got 105 2017 version of Ultimate CF SL.

Canyon much lighter & stiffer. Big difference on flat as well as hills - Easier to maintain speed in big ring. Hills: beat most of my PRs without trying! Great fun throwing the Canyon around when out of the saddle. Feel less fatigued after long rides, I guess from carbon absorbing road bumps? Canyon has slightly longer wheelbase and feels less twitchy in corners. I preferred steering on Allez (& PX which is very similar geometry) but not an issue. Semi compact is no harder on hills compared to aluminium PX with 50-34.

Definitely use it when it arrives!

Great to get your perspective given your two bikes are exactly the same as mine - was wondering how I would get on with the larger chainrings.

Do you find the Canyon much more stretched out or lower than the RT-58? I'm a large on both and changed the stem on the Planet X for a slightly shorter one not long after I got it. Interested in riding in a "faster" position now though but hoping I'll be flexible enough to enjoy the Canyon

deadlegs

I had a follow up bike fit when bikes arrived. So I have the same position on both bikes (stack & reach). Now I am not over-stretched at all (position on Allez before bike fit was awful and painful for 6 years!). Fitter was able to get same position on M Canyon and PX... Should be possible for you on size L.

For info: Canyon = easy to put together from box - only seatpost and bars to attach. Gears worked perfectly from first ride! Didn't need to adjust for 1000km.

flight147z

Deadlegs wrote:

I had a follow up bike fit when bikes arrived. So I have the same position on both bikes (stack & reach). Now I am not over-stretched at all (position on Allez before bike fit was awful and painful for 6 years!). Fitter was able to get same position on M Canyon and PX... Should be possible for you on size L.

For info: Canyon = easy to put together from box - only seatpost and bars to attach. Gears worked perfectly from first ride! Didn't need to adjust for 1000km.

How are you finding the 105 compared with the ultegra on your other bike? And the wheels on the ultimate compared with the RT?

deadlegs

To be honest no real differences between 105 and ultegra for me. I went from 10sp to 11sp - different shaped hoods, 105 250g heavier but bike probs 2kg lighter! Brakes not as good as 6700. I swapped pads for swissstop gxp which improved modulation (less grippy on front brake).

I took Aksiums straight off Canyon as I had an old set of Zondas. I use Shimano RS11s on PX bike - Only 300g heavier but feel like flexy lumps of wood compared to zondas . Aksiums are solid wheels and will roll well with your Canyon - I only swapped as I had upgrades already.

flight147z

Deadlegs wrote:

To be honest no real differences between 105 and ultegra for me. I went from 10sp to 11sp - different shaped hoods, 105 250g heavier but bike probs 2kg lighter! Brakes not as good as 6700. I swapped pads for swissstop gxp which improved modulation (less grippy on front brake).

I took Aksiums straight off Canyon as I had an old set of Zondas. I use Shimano RS11s on PX bike - Only 300g heavier but feel like flexy lumps of wood compared to zondas . Aksiums are solid wheels and will roll well with your Canyon - I only swapped as I had upgrades already.

I think my planet X rims have "r500" decals on the rims - no idea what the hubs are but they flex a lot and they aren't true anymore. Hopefully the rims on the canyon are better.

Have heard that 105 is the best value groupset and that weight is the key difference to ultegra - one of the reasons I thought the cf 7.0 was sufficient for me!

ravey1981

New 11spd 105 is better than old 6700 ultegra, shifting is much smoother and action is lighter than the old ultegra (improved cable routing etc). Having said that I still have 6700 on my best bike and its fine.

flight147z

Pedals, shoes and cycle computer to decide on next.

Still using SPD pedals on my Planet X - figure now is the right time to switch to SPL-SL and get new pedals and shoes. Will probably go for one of the sets of pedals below - anyone here using either of these? Haven't started looking at shoes yet.

http://www.wiggle.com/shimano-105-5800- ... sl-pedals/
http://www.wiggle.com/shimano-pd-r540-s ... rt-pedals/

Also looking at going for a Wahoo Elemt Bolt although I'm finding it incredibly hard to justify paying for it when I have been using my phone with the Strava app for 3 years without issue!

flight147z

Canyon emailed this morning to bring forwards the date of dispatch to 25-29 September, so I should get the bike a little earlier than expected.

Off on holiday over the original delivery window so it's nice that I will now get a chance to ride it before I go!

flight147z

Bike arrived Tuesday. Not had a chance to take it out yesterday as I ordered new pedals and shoes and the wrong shoes got sent! Only realised after I got it that the cassette is an 11-32 too so it should be nice for spinning up hills. Will report back when it's been on the road!

Also ordered an Elemnt Bolt - figured as I have a new bike I *had* to get a new computer too!