The Canyon Ultimate AL SLX

By Danny Shane UK
Follow @DannyShaneUK

What looks good...

Weight - the XS (47cm c-t) should weigh a few (40g) grams over 1kg
Seatpost width - 27.2mm, narrower - offering a little more refinement than the 31.6mm standard. (200g)
Fork - 300g full carbon fork.

A frame and fork weighing 1300g total is very light by any standard.

The frame has pedigree and has undergone refinement over the years. Canyon Ultimate ALs have been raced at the Paris-Roubaix by Team Katusha.

What you get...

Frame, fork, headset, WCS 4-axis stem, Canyon VCLS carbon seatpost, seatclamp

What you need to be aware of....

The fork steerer tube is 1.25inches not the much more common 1.125inches. This is the same standard as used by Giant under their Over Drive 2 standard (OD2).
Top-tube is deceptively long. It came with an 80mm stem - which was OK but I still swapped to 90mm via Canyon.
To give you an idea - these are the stems I have used on other bikes - 110mm (XS Scott CR1), 100mm (XS BMC Streetracer)

What is it like....

Complete build with Shimano Ultegra/105, RS81 C35 wheels is 7.7Kg including pedals.

Bottom bracket is very stiff. No noticeable flex.
Rear end is very compliant over most of the Surrey roads.
Handling is fast.
Short head-tube with some spacers - its on the race oriented side of the track.
And no problems getting the power-down - descending, rolling-terrain or ascending.

The competition....

Other top-end alloy frames - Cannondale CAAD10, Rose Bikes Xeon RS, Kinesis Athein

And the inevitable comparison with carbon....

An alloy frame will always draw the inevitable comparisons with carbon. And to which I have deliberately left to last. The Canyon Ultimate AL SLX is every bit as stiff when putting the power down as any carbon. Perhaps stiffer. There is no detectable flex in the bottom bracket or any other area of the frame when sprinting or climbing out of the saddle. Canyon have taken every design opportunity to build compliance into the ride - pencil thin rear stays, VLSC full carbon fork, 27.2mm carbon seapost, heavily machined and profiled tubes. On the road this transfers to a smooth ride over normal UK road conditions. Where it does lose out is over the more seriously deteriorated roads and markings - where a carbon frame would mute the feedback to the rider - more of the jarring is transferred. I can only stress these kinds of road and markings are very few and far between. It would also take a certain amount of deliberate action on the part of the rider to hit these - whereas normal response would be to avoid.
I would have no hesitation riding this bike on long rides. Its ride is that good - you don't even think about materials being alloy or carbon. And a frame this good - changes your perception of alloy altogether.
The strange thing is - being an alloy frame is now a break from the norm. And other riders seem to take a keen interest whenever it is parked up.

Enjoy!