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For those who can't wait or read it all:
Very comfortable bike.
No loss of yield.
Very efficient Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8150 with good battery life, but no removable battery.
The DT SWISS wheels and Continental GP5000s TR 30mm tires are efficient, high-performance and comfortable.
The 4iiii power sensor RAS, very good, does its job.
Very high performance Shimano MT800 brake with whistling after a big descent.
The Fizik Tempo Argo R3 saddle is the big negative point for me.
The “emotion” test
When a human being buys a bicycle, whether it is his first or not, there is a special excitement. We find ourselves in a carefree state that children have with their toys.
A bike is freedom, a bike is owning a machine that will make you travel (even just to the end of the street), that will make you dream… But for some, a bike is also beautiful mechanics, a work of art that we look at, respect and maintain…
And this “little” extension of oneself, well, the pink helmet received one…
With the #raceacrossfrance project coming up, we needed an endurance bike that was very comfortable and, above all, one that we could share time with.
The choice was:
The Canyon Endurace CF SL 8 Aero …
A barbaric name: Endurace for endurance, CF for carbon frame, SL for monobloc cockpit, 8 for the configuration of the components and Aero because aero rim...
Here it is, and more precisely the components are: Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8150, 12-speed, DT Swiss ERC1400 Dicut. 4iiii power sensor, Fizik Tempo Argo R3 saddle and finally Continental GP5000s TR tire, 30mm.
It weighs 7kg47.
It's okay not to give more, this bike is worth the trifle of 4,749 CHF, which is the same in euros that I was able to afford by selling my old bike and electric scooter.
The bike paid for (no sponsorship, so objective test), I receive one fine morning in a pre-assembled box the object so awaited for 5 months. It is necessary to assemble the handlebars, the front wheel and the pedals (not supplied with).
The beast's matte green color allows me to immediately give it the nickname Lady Green.
At Le Casque Rose , we advocate fitting for all bike purchases and for all types of bikes. So I went to Mybikefit.ch with Lady Green (a story about this experience coming soon) and came out with a custom-made bike.
Before the RAF, I did 2850km with this bike in 3 months, with short and long rides, in the sun and heat, but also in the cold and rain storms… So I was able to get to grips with Lady Green.
Unparalleled comfort, top cruising speed and high quality components. The aero handlebar is very easy to handle and knowing that it is wider than normal, we can put our hands flat on it.
I have to say, I was afraid at first of the 30mm tires and the comfort frame for performance, but no. It's comfortable and it's powerful.
I regularly climb the Salève which is a mountain on the French-Swiss border with its climb via Annemasse. 14km for 881m of D+ with an average gradient of 6.29% that Strava qualifies as “HC”.
The ride time with this bike or the ultimate I had before is exactly the same…
Ok the test is over. But no because there are still many other things to say…
Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8150
This is the first time I've used Di2. It's revolutionary. You no longer operate the lever with the sensation of moving 20cm with your fingers on the side, but you do operate 2 small buttons to change gears as well as 2 buttons on the top of the hoods to scroll the screen of your meter... The geek in me is happy ... It's fast and efficient and I use the semi-automatic mode which compensates for my tempestuous temperament when I change chainrings without changing the sprockets. It puts the sprocket in the right place to keep more or less the same force... Canyon announces 1000km of autonomy, and I was more at 1250km I think. I haven't changed the two small batteries in the hoods yet (more than 3000Km).
The geek side is also at its peak when you discover at the end of the ride, the number of times you have changed gears on your bike. It is useless, but it is terribly cool . And of course we can update the system in Bluetooth with the appropriate application and also manage the functions of the buttons
on the hens (you can also do it with a Garmin).
There is a significant negative side for me and for all those who want to do ultra of more than 1000km with it. To charge it is done by cable and directly on the bike. There is no battery like the SRAM system which would allow to have two batteries and to juggle with recharges on powerbank while riding.
DT SWISS wheels and Continental GP5000s TR tire, 30mm.
They allow you to ride fast, and the Conti tires are comfortable and I haven't had a flat once in 2,850 km. Everything is very rigid and I don't have a feeling of heaviness under the machine... I'd rather say that you need legs because the wheel/tires combo always wants to go fast and even faster and faster.
The Fizik Tempo Argo R3 saddle.
The seatpost is made of carbon with the Canyon double-blade damping system which provides even more comfort. The people who ride behind me tell me that it's impressive how the saddle moves up and down when I pedal, but my back thanks it.
The Fizik Tempo Argo R3 saddle… I'll be honest… At first, I found this ultra comfortable… After 2500km I was starting to have doubts because every time I rode it I came back with an increasingly sore butt. I can't find my position on it despite the fitting. I'm always too far forward and despite the contained width (135 mm) which normally goes with my ischial bones I find it too wide. A week before the RAF I decide to change it but at the last minute and after a discussion with Peter Cornish from Mybikefit.ch I tell myself that it's not reasonable so I'm keeping it. I came back from this race with horrible blisters and for 2 weeks my skin was in tatters… I wanted to ride it one last time to go from Geneva to Megève but I feel like I have no power on it… I'm going to change it. For me and my physique (1m84 and 79kg) it's the big weak point of this bike.
The 4iiii power sensor
This works well and does its job, that is to say to give the power, the number of pedal revolutions and that's it. This sensor is on the left crank and does not allow to follow the dynamics of the cyclist, but it works. With more than 3500km with it I still have not changed the batteries. There is an application for system updates.
Shimano MT800 brake
Dixit Canyon are high-end Center Lock brake discs that include Freeza temperature management technology that ensures consistent braking and increases brake pad life for a weight of 133 g.
I confirm, it brakes well and strongly even in the rain despite perhaps a longer braking distance in the rain which is normal.
On the other hand, I noticed that after a descent of Ventoux via Bédoin, the brakes whistle terribly loudly... But as soon as the temperature drops it no longer makes this noise...
In conclusion:
Now is the time for my emotional conclusion.
An end of article, but not of life, because Lady Green makes me Gaga without being Lazy. This ferocious beast all in carbon totally meets my need. I don't even understand anymore why even more racy frames exist for ordinary mortals who want to have maximum pleasure on a muscular machine.
Comfortable, no vibration, you can ride for hours with this bike (and a new saddle for me) without feeling any fatigue.
Lady Green will accompany me on my next long distance races and road trips without any worries.
And I will never forget the cable to recharge my Di2 during a good coffee break...Next to a socket :)
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