Comfortable shooting: The Canyon Endurace CFR on test

It could have been a customised appearance: Weeks before the official presentation, the new Canyon model was already being rumoured in the media because it was ridden by the pros of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team in the classics through Belgium. Speculation was rife about a new aero bike that superstar Matthieu van der Poel would be testing in preparation for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix monuments. A victory with the new bike would be the best marketing for his supplier. Although this did not materialise, the campaign had achieved its goal: there was a lot of talk about the new bike in advance and even more after the official announcement that it was not a new aero bike, but a new edition of the Endurace comfort racer.

Clear competition claim

The use of such a bike in professional races is rather unusual. Specialized or Trek have also done this in the past as suppliers to professional teams when they wanted to present a new endurance model, which is actually aimed more at the majority of amateur cyclists, to the public. However, the bikes for professional cyclists were then modified in such a way that they had little to do with the available series material. This is different with the new Endurace CFR. The production bike, which rolled into our editorial office during the current classics campaign, has all the characteristics of a typical competition bike: Aero-design frame, race-ready riding position, high carbon rims, sporty gearing and power meter. Features typical of the genre such as luggage racks, mudguard eyelets or tool compartments? None of that. The new Endurace thus marks a departure from the claim of tailoring a model series specifically to the needs of recreational athletes. The very upright riding position and emphasised riding comfort had previously characterised the bike. So is the new Endurace now to be categorised as a race bike or an endurance racer?

Almost like an Aeroad

On the one hand, the features speak in favour of competition, but the positioning speaks for endurance. As it is now clear that the sporty orientation only refers to the top model CFR (cheaper and more comfortable versions will follow in May), the Endurace CFR will also remain an endurance racing bike for us. Just an emphatically sporty one. In the case of the CFR, however, the question arises as to what distinguishes the Endurace from the Aeroad. Visually, the bikes are extremely similar. The new frame of the Endurace CFR uses a head tube profile that aerodynamically corresponds to the Aeroad. The seat post, down tube, fork and rear triangle are also visually closer to the competition model than the more restrained design of its predecessor. Canyon's design engineer Chris Senn explains that the frame and geometry of the Endurace CFR are almost aerodynamically identical to the Aeroad. Even the aero performance should be comparable: In the same set-up, the Endurace should only be one watt slower than the fast Aeroad, according to internal wind tunnel tests.

Moving away from the leaf spring concept

One visible change is the taper in the lower part of the seat tube, which provides more tyre clearance and should also contribute to the suspension capacity of the frame. The CFR fits 35 millimetre wide tyres in the frame and fork. Although the seat post has the same shape, it is constructed differently: A recess at the front, which is covered by a plastic cover, is supposed to give it better suspension. The frame of the Endurace is also said to be more robust. We cannot verify the latter, but the comfort of the bike is beyond any doubt. However, this is only partly due to the elaborate support: with a measured 153 N/mm, the suspension capacity is slightly better than that of the Aeroad. For its class, however, this is average at best. This is a far cry from the fabulous values of the leaf spring suspension, which was found in the previous Endurace and holds the comfort record with less than 100 N/mm.

More differences in the tyres than in the frame

The tyres do the rest, Canyon uses the potential of the frame and fits 35 millimetre thick Pirelli tyres as standard. With the right tyre pressure, bad roads are almost a delight, potholes and ruts are no longer a fright. On fast bends, the thick tyres provide additional stability and safety. They also roll exceptionally well for their width. A better aero bike? If we had to choose, we would clearly favour the Endurace over the Aeroad. The bike is much more comfortable and versatile, but hardly seems less powerful. Sure, almost half a kilogramme more total weight and a slightly slower acceleration cannot be argued away. However, only a fraction of this is accounted for by the frameset, with the rims and wide tyres making up the lion's share: the wheelset weighs around 400 grams more than an Aeroad CFR. The additional 35 grams of the seat post are just as easy to get over as the remaining 50 grams on the frame.

Waiting for the comfort racer

Even demanding racers should therefore be happy with the Endurace CFR - especially when very long days in the saddle are on the cards. What the Endurace is not, at least not as a CFR, is a cosy bike for relaxed cruising, which is what the name Endurace has stood for up to now. If that's what you're after, you'll have to wait for the more affordable models, which will offer a more upright riding position and more suitable gear ratios for everyday use. They will even allow tyres up to 38 millimetres wide and mudguards. However, the more comfortable CF SL and CF versions will probably not have the highest quality equipment. Shimano's Dura-Ace and SRAM Red are reserved for the CFR variants, both of which cost €9,000 - the same as a comparable Aeroad.