Canyon has finally flipped the switch on its USA sales program, and the German direct-to-consumer brand’s bikes are now available to order on our side of the pond.
Founded in 1985 as a bike parts distribution company before evolving into a bike company late in the 1990s, Canyon's direct-sales model promises the convenience of ordering from your couch with all the performance of similarly-equipped bikes from brands sold through independent bike dealers (IBDs), but at lower prices. It seems to be doing something right because the brand is very popular in Europe. (Looking to become a better rider? Read our Complete Book of Road Cycling Skillsand level up your game!)
We've tested a number of Canyon models in recent years and have found the bikes offer comparable engineering, performance, and features to IBD brands. And based on our comparisons below, it does appear that Canyon’s bikes cost less–sometimes significantly less–than premium competitor’s bikes. However, Canyon’s price advantage is most noticeable for high-end spec bikes (Shimano Dura Ace; SRAM eTap), the advantage narrows as bike-prices drop.
RELATED: Canyon's Newest Road Models are Designed Entirely for Women
For our comparisons, we picked bikes that are a similar style, with comparable frames (engineering and materials) and parts. But there are always subtleties and exceptions, and there are more choices that what we show here.
We should caution that it is possible that Canyon is launching its USA line with extremely aggressive pricing, and its prices will go up in the future. It’s also possible that Canyon’s competitors will adjust their pricing down. Either or both would narrow the price gaps we found today.
RELATED: How to Buy a Bike Online
Shipping fees need to be factored in when evaluating Canyon's bike prices, too. Canyon’s shipping rates are $89 for ground, $150 for two-day, and $175 for overnight. Canyon also collects sales tax, and assembly is not included, either. Canyon’s bikes are brilliantly packaged and easy to assemble, so if you do the work it's “free,” but if you’re not comfortable assembling a bike, you’re paying someone.
When you purchase a Canyon, also realize that you're forgoing shop support. You're on your own to deal with shipping damage, warranty issues, bike sizing, and tune-ups. Canyon has been doing direct sales for a long time, and has a lot of the potential kinks worked out: its online support information is very good, and the company offers a customer service line. But it's still on you to deal with a lot of the potential hurdles that would otherwise be handled by a bike shop.
RELATED: Canyon Introduces a New Superlight Road Bike
Canyon's after-sale support is quite good (on paper at least). If a bike doesn't fit properly, Canyon will exchange sizes, but the wrong-sized bike must be returned to Canyon within 30 days, and you have to pay a shipping fee. Canyon USA offers a two-year warranty on the entire bicycle, while the frame and fork are backed by a six-year warranty (specifics available at the Canyon website). A three-year crash-replacement discount program is also offered for the frame and fork.
These are a few of the things to consider when buying a Canyon versus buying from a shop, but there are more. (Just apply the arguments made in the ongoing debates about Mom ’N Pop’s Corner Store versus Amazon.)
Stepping back from the bike world, what Canyon is offering—direct-to-consumer online sales—isn’t that radical. Unfortunately, Canyon’s arrival in the USA seems like a bigger deal than it should because the big bike brands and their dealers have somewhat slowly embraced online sales (if at all). Now that Canyon has arrived in the USA, we will monitor the big brands and their shops to see how–or if–they respond to Canyon’s prices, and shopping convenience.
Canyon’s USA Road Lineup
Ultimate
This is Canyon’s lightweight road racing frame. Like many of its peers, it’s primarily designed for stiffness-to-weight ratio, though it has small aerodynamic touches. Claimed frame weight is 780 grams, with a 295-gram fork. It’s offered in seven sizes: 2XS, XS, S, M, L, XL, and 2XL.
Like most of Canyon’s high-end road frames, the Ultimate uses a fork with 1 1/4” upper steerer diameter (1 1/2” lower), which limits your choice of stem. The Ultimate uses a standard 27.2mm round seatpost. The bottom bracket standard is press-fit BB86. The frame is not dual-drivetrain provisioned, but comes in versions dedicated for wired-electronic or mechanical.
Canyon offers this frame for rim brakes,or discs. The disc version uses flat-mount calipers and 12mm thru axles front and rear. Geometry is slightly different, too: the disc version has 415mm stays; the rim’s are 410mm.
In the USA, only the high-end CF SLX is offered, but Canyon does offer lower grade/less expensive frames in other parts of the world. These frames may be available here in the future.
Canyon also offers a higher-end frame called Ultimate CF EVO that has a claimed frame weight of 665 grams with a 270 gram fork. This model is not yet available to the USA, either.
At this time Canyon is only offering complete bikes, and not frame sets.
Ultimate CF SLX Disc 9.0 Aero ($7,300)
While the Ultimate CF SLX frame has small aerodynamic enhancements, Aero in this case refers the 65mm deep DT-Swiss PRC 1400 Spline 65 carbon-clincher wheelset. This bike is built with a full SRAM Red eTap HRD disc brake group, Canyon’s one-piece H36 Aeroco*ckpit CF bar/stem, and, like most high-end Caynon road bikes, comes with a Fizik saddle and Continental Grand Prix 4000 S II tires.
Comparable competitor: Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 Disc-Red eTap ($8,250)
Ultimate CF SLX 9.0 ($4,999)
This model comes with full Dura Ace 9100 mechanical drivetrain and brakes; DT-Swiss PRC 1400 35-millimeter deep carbon clincher wheels; and Canyon’s carbon H36 Aeroco*ckpit.
Comparable competitor: Trek Emonda SLR 8 Race Shop Limited(normally $7,500, currently on sale for $6,500)
Note: The Trek's USA-made frame is likely more expensive than the Canyon's Asian-made frame, however the Trek is equipped with less-expensive aluminum clincher wheels to the Canyon's carbon clinchers.
Ultimate CF SLX Disc 9.0 SL ($6,499)
Virtually identical to the 9.0 Aero, but this model has 45mm deep Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon C Disc wheels and Mavic Yksion tires.
Comparable Competitor: Focus Izalco Max Disc eTap ($7,000)
Note: The Focus is more expensive and has a downgraded DT-Swiss aluminum clincher wheelset.
Ultimate WNN CF SLX Disc 8.0 Team CSR($3,499)
Canyon’s WMN (women’s) bikes have some component spec adjusted for women (saddles, for example), but use same frames as Canyon’s unisex models. This model is built around Canyon’s top-of-the-line CF SLX frame and equipped with SRAM’s Force 22 Disc group with WiFLi 11-32 wide range cassette, and a DT-Swiss aluminum clincher wheel set. Wheels and tires (Schwalbe Pro One) are tubeless-ready. Bar and stem are Canyon-branded, and aluminum.
Comparable Competitor: Ridley Jane SL Disc Ultegra ($3,499)
Note: There are few other women's high-end, disc-equipped, carbon-road-race bikes available in the USA. This Ridley is close, but not a perfect comparison because it’s built with an aero-road frame, while the Canyon uses a weight-optimized road frame. The Jane is built with Ultegra Mechanical Disc, which is roughly comparable to SRAM's Force 22 disc brake group.
Aeroad
This is Canyon’s aerodynamic road-racing frame, with a claimed frame weight of 980 grams. The rim-brake version uses direct-mount brakes, while the disc-brake version uses flat mount calipers and 12mm thru axles. There is only one version of the Aeroad frame here, and everywhere: the CF SLX frame.
Compared to the Ultimate, the Aeroad’s geometry is slightly more aggressive, with longer reach and shorter stack.
This frame, like the Ultimate, uses a press-fit BB86 bottom bracket, and has a 1 1/4” upper fork steerer diameter. The frame is also only offered in dedicated wired electronic or mechanical shifting versions: it’s not convertible.
One unique feature found on the Aeroad rim-brake models is Rakeshift. Reversible chips in the dropouts lets the rider change the fork offset, which slightly alters the bike’s steering feel.
Aeroad CF SLX 9.0 LTD ($9,000)
This model is built with a full Shimano Dura Ace Di2 drivetrain and direct-mount rim brakes, and rolls on a set of Zipp 454 NSW carbon clincher wheels. This Aeroad uses Canyon’s H11 Aeroco*ckpit carbon integrated bar/stem. Compared to the H36 Aeroco*ckpit found on high-end Ultimate models, the H11’s handlebar has longer reach.
Comparable Competitor: Trek Madone 9.9 ($12,000)
Note: the Madone has Trek's comfort-enhancing Iso-Speed decoupler system, and, in some tests, has been shown to be more aerodynamic than the Aeroad.
Aeroad CF SLX Disc 9.0 LTD ($7,500)
This disc-brake version of the Aeroad is built with SRAM’s wireless Red eTap HRD group, 65mm deep Reynolds carbon clinchers, and Canyon’s H11 carbon integrated bar and stem.
Comparable competitor: Specialized S-Works Venge ViAS Disc eTap ($11,500)
Note: The Specialized is equipped with a Quarq power meter, tubeless-ready wheels and tries, and a carbon-railed saddle (the Canyon's saddle has tubular metal rails).
Aeroroad CF SLX 9.0 ($5,499)
This model is build with aShimano Dura Ace (mechanical) drivetrain and Mavic’s 64mm deep Comete Pro Carbon SL carbon-clincher wheelset, and the H11 integrated carbon bar/stem. This bike is equipped with tubeless-ready wheels and tires.
Comparable competitor: Cervelo S5 Dura Ace 9100: ($9,000)
Note: The Cervelo is spec'd with a more expensive wheelset, featuring USA made Enve SES 3.4 carbon rims.
Endurace
The Endurace is Canyon’s Endurance/Gran Fondo frame. Compared to the Ultimate, the 820-gram Endurace CL SLX frame’s reach is shorter, and its stack is higher, for a more relaxed position. But the Endurace is more aggressive than many endurance bikes, and still feels a lot like a race-oriented bike.
The Endurace is only offered with disc brakes, and has clearance for up to 33mm-wide tires (you can go a bit larger fit in dry conditions).
The Endurace is the only model coming into the USA in different frame tiers. The 1,020-gram CF SL is simply a heavier and cheaper version of the CF SLX frame.
Here's a closer look at the Endurance CF SLX:
The 1,350-gram aluminum Endurace AL frame has more relaxed geometry—taller stack, shorter reach—than the carbon frames, and uses a fork with standard 1 1/8” upper steerer diameter.
All Endurace models use flat-mount disc calipers, 12mm thru axles, and 27.2mm round seatposts.
Endurace CF SLX Disc 9.0 SL ($6,499)
This model is built with SRAM’s Red eTap HRD group, and Reynolds Assault LE tubeless-ready carbon-clincher wheelset with 21mm inner width. Up front is Canyon’s H36 integrated carbon bar/stem, and the seatpost is Canyon’s suspension-like leaf-spring VLCS post.
Comparable competitor: Cannondale Synapse Hi-Mod Disc Red eTap ($8,000)
Note: The Cannondale is spec'd with SRAM's wide-range 11-32 cassette and WiFLi rear derailleur (the Canyon has standard rear derailleur and 11-28 cassette); the Cannondale's Red crank is the lighter BB30 version while the Canyon uses SRAM's smaller diameter GXP axle.
Endurace CF SL Disc 7.0 ($1,999)
This model uses Canyon’s lower grade SL carbon frame (high-end frames are labled SLX), built up with Shimano 105 drivetrain with 11-32 cassette, and Shimano ST-BR 505 hydraulic disc brakes. The DT-Swiss aluminum wheel set is tubeless-ready. Bar, and stem are Canyon-branded aluminum pieces.
Comparable competitor: Diamondback Century 4 Carbon ($2,199)
Note: The Diamondback ships for free and water bottle cages are included in the purchase price.
Endurace AL Disc 7.0 ($1,499)
This bike is built with the same parts as the Endurace CF SL Disc 7.0, but this model uses an aluminum frame.
Comparable competitor: Fuji Sportif 1.1 ($1,699)
Note: the Fuji has a tapered-steerer fork (the Canyon's is straight 1 1/8"), and has rack and fender mounts (the Canyon does not).
Endurace WMN AL Disc 7.0 ($1,499)
It's an identical frame and similar spec to the Endurace AL Disc 7.0, but with some women’s oriented component tweaks.
Comparable competitor: Liv Avail SL 1 Disc: $1400
Note: The Giant is spec'd with Giant's Conduct hydraulic disc calipers (the Canyon uses Shimano Calipers) and tubeless-ready wheels and tires (the Canyon's tires are not tubeless-ready).
