VERSATILE VELOCITY
CANYON ULTIMATE CF SL DISC 8.0 Di2 AERO
SPECIFICATIONS
Weight 7.54kg (58cm)
Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano Ultegra Di2 (52/36, 11-30) Brakes Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8070 with Ice Tech 160mm rotors Wheels DT Swiss A RC 1400
Finishing kit Continental GP5000 25 mm, Fizik Antares saddle, Canyon carbon post
HIGHS
Light; extremely fast; sharp handling
LOWS
Firmer front than rear; takes some getting used to
BUY IF…
You want a lightning-fast bike with speedy handling
We’ve ridden and rated the full gamut of road-specific genres. But the four that follow are unadulterated speed machines, looking to offer light weight and decent aerodynamics – but how do they perform on the road?
CANYON ULTIMATE CF SL DISC 8.0 Di2 AERO
£3749 Value-packed flyweight race machine
Canyon’s direct-to-consumer model cuts down on overheads and those savings are passed on. The most race-ready bike on test here, it rides better than past versions but retains lightness and stiffness.
The R051 chassis is lightweight (920g frame), but also shaped and sculpted for compliance. The angular front-end junctions add stiffness, while the straight-legged and skinny forks offer fore-aft compliance. The seatstays are incredibly skinny and meet lightweight carbon dropouts that blend into mid-sized, squared-off chainstays.
The bottom bracket is substantial but the seat tube
