Mathieu van der Poel said no to the Canyon Endurace at Roubaix – but real aero and real practicality mean CF SLX and CF could be a genuine option for your next bike

When Canyon launched the latest Endurace CFR a month ago, it garnered plenty of headlines as the weapon of choice for Mathieu van der Poel’s Spring Classic campaign and for the overhauling of the German brand’s premium endurance offering.

Although, racers don’t always do what marketing wants, and MVDP turned out for Roubaix on his old bike – in a remarkable race for all the wrong reasons – the Endurace range is still the cornerstone of of Canyon’s public road offer.

We figured that more Endurace flavours would follow, and they have, in the shape of the Endurace CF SLX and CF; the new additions complete the revamped family with the view to provide an Endurace for every occasion and a wide range of budgets.

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While the CFR is a racing thoroughbred the CF SLX has a wider remit. It still benefits from plenty of aerodynamic enhancements that we see on the CFR – indeed Canyon says this revamped CF SLX “tests even faster than most race bikes competing in the World Tour, recording just 209 watts of drag at 45 km/h in TOUR Magazine testing conditions” – but there looks to be greater versatility here.

This starts with the 38mm tyre clearance – 3mm more than the CFR – which allows for plenty of high-volume options designed to tackle a variety of surfaces. Then there’s the geometry, which is a little more relaxed than the CFR with a view to keeping the rider comfortable on long days and differing terrain. The higher stack, shorter reach combination that defines endurance bikes here equates to 586mm and 388mm respectively in a size medium; contrast that with the CFR which measures 563mm and 393mm in the same size frame.

The SP093 VCLS Aero seatpost is ‘borrowed’ from the CFR and is designed to blend aero enhancement with greater vertical compliance; Canyon says to the tune of “over 25% compared to a rigid equivalent”, helping to reduce road chatter, which in turn should help to keep the body feeling a little fresher after a few hours in the saddle.

The Pace Bar cockpit is another carry over from the CFR. The bars are designed specifically for the Endurace platform and feature 50mm of width and 20mm of height adjustment, achieved with only the TX25 tool necessary.

The CF SLX has genuine racing pretensions, and these likely include gravel events, with its suitability enhanced by the inclusion of some down tube storage. It’s an expanded system that’s well-suited to the self-sufficient nature of such races as well as acting as a practical solution for those of us who like to carry everything but the kitchen sink on a ride; the frame also features top tube and frame bag mounts. This practicality is echoed by the option of running Canyon’s full-length mudguard system, Defend.

Other notable highlights include a move to shorter cranks, 165mm on a size medium, and the inclusion of Canyon’s new ED 42 CF carbon wheelset on the CF SLX 7 AXS build.

The CF is the entry point to the new Endurace lineup. With Canyon’s direct-to-consumer model it’s genuinely been able to promote greater accessibility without derision from the skeptics. And the CF is another case in point. With the range starting at €1,699, it’s one of the most affordable carbon road bikes around, and the various build specifications suggest its good value, too.

That carbon frame eschews most of the aero features seen on the CF SLX, instead leaning into the endurance qualities that help give it its name. That means a frame that weighs less than 1000g, equipped with the same 38mm tyre clearance and frame mounting options as the SLX, including those for the Defend mudguards.

To assist the high volume tyres in the fight against road chatter, the CF comes fitted with a VCLS 2.0 flex seatpost; this is Canyon’s familiar design that uses its patented leaf spring to help absorb vibrations and provide greater comfort and reduce fatigue over longer distances.

The new Endurace CF SLX and Endurace CF are offered across a seven-size range from 2XS to 2XL. All CF SLX models feature electronic groupsets and carbon wheelsets, with prices starting at €3,999 for the Endurace CF SLX 7 AXS.

As mentioned, the CF lineup starts at €1,699 for the Endurace CF 5, with the build options featuring mechanical and electronic drivetrain options, with both carbon and aluminium wheel builds.