FIRST LOOK: 2021 CANYON AEROAD

All new design to cheat the wind with more comfort

It was back in 2014 that Canyon first unleashed their sculpted Aeroad, which, as the name implies, was their entry into the aero road category of skinny tire bikes. The bike was an immediate success in both the world of WorldTour pro riders and all the recreational weekenders who dreamed of riding like the former.

Back in 2015 this was our first taste of a Canyon Aeroad .

Four years later, this Team Movistar version was used by the Movistar team. Photo: Dario Belingheri/BettiniPhoto©2019

Last week we decided to break with convention and drive down to the Covid shuttered Canyon headquarters to drop off an earlier Endurace test bike and pick-up the all-new Aeroad CFR. Inside the sizeable Canyon ground floor showroom we were reacquainted with a whole host of Canyon road and mountain bikes. And there just behind their Sender DH rig sat the all black Aeroad CFR equipped with a SRAM AXS Red drivetrain that would be coming home with us. Not that we would quibble with taking hold of their highest-end model (of three available), but still, all black. Alas.

The following is all that we got from Canyon, but you can look for our more in-depth First Ride review that will be posted tomorrow.

CANYON’S PITCH

This is our test bike… an Aeroad CFR Disc with SRAM RED eTap AXS including Power Meter, DT SWISS ARC1100 Dicut DB 62 wheels. Going price is $9000 for our (small) bike that weighed 16 pounds.

“Since its launch in July 2014, the previous Canyon Aeroad delivered an unprecedented combination of aerodynamics, comfort, stiffness, lightness – all built around an aggressive geometry. In short, it was one of the most complete road bikes ever made. And yet, the new Aeroad’s performance figures eclipse it in every way. It’s up to 7.4 watts faster. Up to 170 g lighter. Up to 14% stiffer.

“At the leading edge of the new Aeroad CF SLX and Aeroad CFR is a revolutionary, all-new CP0018 Aero cockpit, which features 15 mm of height adjustability without the need to alter the steerer tube length. In addition, the CP0018 is also width-adjustable up to 20 mm wider or narrower from the standard width as delivered. This unique feature, in addition to bike fit benefits, offers another advantage: to pack the new Aeroad ready for travel, the two cockpit ends can simply be folded down with no need to remove the handlebar.

A prototype Aeroad getting the wind tunnel test with a headless rider aboard. Photo: Rene Zieger

“What’s more, with their state-of-the-art design, the Aeroad CF SLX and CFR also have completely integrated cables and wires. The Aeroad CF SL features the previous generation Aeroad cockpit while adding frame size-specific wheel sizing: sizes 2XS and the CF SL-exclusive 3XS roll on 650B wheels, so smaller riders also benefit from the Aeroad’s same outstanding riding dynamics. The Aeroad CF SLX and CFR feature 700C wheels across all sizes, up to the largest size, 2XL. And thanks to chainstays that are 5 mm shorter, and a combination of a 25 mm front and 28 mm rear tire, the new Aeroad is even more agile. In terms of geometry, all three Aeroad platforms are identical.

A TRIO OF CFR MODELS