New Canyon Endurace incorporates top tube storage and adjustable handlebar width

Endurance bike saves 7 watts at 45kph compared to predecessor

This competition is now closed

By Stan Portus

Published: August 15, 2023 at 10:00 am

Canyon has updated its Endurace CFR and CF SLX endurance road bikes with 35mm tyre clearance, improved aerodynamics, adjustable handlebar width and a top tube storage compartment.

Canyon says the Endurace range is its largest product family. The first generation was released in 2014 and the range was last updated in January 2022 with the aluminium Endurace AL.

The Endurace AL caters to the more affordable end of the market, while the new Endurace CFR is aimed at the top-end, costing up to £9,499/€9,999. The Endurace CF SLX is priced between £3,499/€3,699 and £5,249/€5,499.

How does it ride? You can read Jack Evans’ Canyon Endurace CFR eTap review.

‘CFR’ stands for Canyon Factory Racing. Canyon applies the acronym to bikes that feature its lightest carbon manufacture.

It’s not a surprise, then, that Canyon says the Endurace CFR is the “top-line Endurace” and it has applied the “same level of engineering excellence” to the new endurance bike as it does to its WorldTour bikes, the Canyon Ultimate CFR and Aeroad CFR.

Canyon says the Endurace CFR uses the “highest grades of carbon” and precision manufacturing to achieve a “class-leading” stiffness-to-weight ratio.

As a result, Canyon claims the Endurace CFR weighs 100g less than the Endurace CF SLX, but it hasn’t provided frame weights.

While the Endurace CFR and CF SLX use different carbon, the endurance road bikes share the same aerodynamic refinements.

Working with Swiss Side, Canyon says the new Endurace saves seven watts over the previous Endurace at 45kph.

This is due partly to the use of Canyon’s CP0018 Aerocockpit across all eight new CFR and CF SLX bikes, which hides aero-drag inducing cables and hoses.

The cockpit also enabled Canyon to create a narrower head tube, thereby reducing the frontal area of the bike.

Canyon has also refined the fork design for aerodynamics with a longer ‘chord’ than the previous Endurace.

Canyon uses the term chord to refer to the side profile of the fork. Ben Hillsdon, Canyon’s global communications manager, says the forks are sleeker in shape: “They are narrower and more aerodynamic to look at from the front of the bike but, to add strength/stability, they are wider from the side profile.”

Canyon says the down tube is more slender than the previous Endurace for aerodynamics, too.

The Endurace AL borrowed from the world of gravel bikes with two mounts for a top-tube bag.

It wouldn’t have been unreasonable to expect this feature to carry over to the new carbon fibre Endurace bikes, but Canyon has opted for a different solution.

Instead of providing mounts for an external bag, Canyon has integrated a small hatch in the new Endurace’s top tube, which opens to reveal an internal storage compartment.

Called LOAD Top Tube Storage, the new system enables you to stow tools in the top tube, inside a padded neoprene sleeve.

This is the first time road bikes from Canyon have featured internal frame storage and the brand says the neoprene sleeve can fit a Canyon 3-in-1 multi-tool, along with the necessary tools for fixing tubeless punctures.

All bikes in the range will be shipped with the neoprene sleeve, but you will have to order tools separately. Canyon says you will be able to buy tools individually or as a bundle when ordering.

As with the Endurace AL, Canyon has increased the tyre clearance on the new Endurace CFR and CF SLX from 30mm to 35mm, enabling riders to “get creative” with what surfaces they ride on.

Canyon says whether or not this makes the Endurace suitable for gravel riding depends on your definition of gravel.

The brand says the Endurace has road bike handling and riders looking for a “true mixed terrain setup” will likely be more at home on one of its gravel bikes, such as the Grizl.

All bikes in the new Endurace CFR and CF SLX range have a 30mm front tyre and a 32mm rear tyre. According to Canyon, this is because you transfer most of your weight through the rear wheel, so the extra volume helps to improve ride comfort.

The wheels used in the new range feature a 22mm internal rim width and are wrapped in tubeless tyres.

The CP0018 Aerocockpit used on the Endurace CFR and CF SLX originally featured on the Canyon Aeroad and is said to remove the complexity of single-piece integrated cockpits by introducing adjustability.

The width of the cockpit can be adjusted by up to 40mm in 20mm increments.

Alongside a set of spacers to adjust the handlebar height, Canyon says the CP0018 cockpit offers 12 configurations.

The T25 and 4mm Allen key bits needed to alter the fit of the cockpit are included with each purchase.

The Endurace CFR and CF SLX come with Canyon’s S15 VCLS 2.0 seatpost.

VCLS stands for ‘Vertical Comfort Lateral Stiffness’. The seatpost consists of two carbon blades, which act as a leaf spring providing up to 20mm of flex.

The blades are attached to a ‘floating’ saddle clamp, which is said to help ensure saddle tilt remains consistent as the post flexes.

Canyon says its seatpost avoids the complexity and weight of mechanical suspension or frame configurations.

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Canyon’s Sport Geometry has been a feature of the Endurace since its initial release in 2014.

The geometry is said to create a more ‘open fit’ to reduce the load on your back, shoulders and core.

In a size medium, the Endurace has a 27mm higher stack and a 15mm shorter reach than the Aeroad and Ultimate’s Sport Pro Geometry, creating a 1.56 stack-to-reach ratio. This is less aggressive than the Canyon Ultimate climbing bike, which has a 1.43 stack-to-reach ratio.

The Endurace range caters for riders from 152cm to over 200cm tall with eight sizes, from 3XS to 2XL.

Sizes 3XS and 2XS use proportional 650b wheels rather than 700c for “consistent handling across all frame sizes”.

Endurance bikes are suited to taking on long rides and winter training, but the Endurace forgoes one feature you’d expect on a bike for these pursuits: mounting points for mudguards.

Canyon says it opted against incorporating fender mounts in order to keep the wheelbase shorter for the “desired handling characteristics”.

The new Canyon Endurace comes in eight models, with prices ranging from £3,499/€3,699 to £9,499/€9,999.

The Endurace CFR bikes come with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9200, SRAM Red AXS or Campagnolo Super Record WRL. The CFR bikes also feature Schwalbe Pro One TLE tyres and either DT Swiss or Campagnolo wheels.

The Endurace CF SLX bikes use groupsets from SRAM or Shimano, including Shimano Ultegra Di2 R810 and SRAM Force AXS, and have DT Swiss wheels with Continental GP5000 S TR tyres.

All bikes feature power meters, apart from the Endurace CFR WRL.

Only selected models are available for the US market.

Content editor

Stan Portus is BikeRadar’s content editor. Stan works on everything from content strategy and breaking news to evergreen updates and long-form features on environmental and social issues in cycling. Stan started working in the bike industry in 2018, writing content for some of the sport's biggest brands, including Chris King, ENVE and Castelli. He has worked as a freelance writer and journalist for over seven years writing reviews, essays and interviews for many art, design and literature publications as well as appearing on radio. A road cyclist at heart, he can be found zooming along the lanes and roads of the South West and undertaking foolhardy pursuits such as overnight audax rides.

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