Which bike

uberwolf

go on, humour me

CF SLX 8.0
€3K
Dura Ace through out
Ksyrium Elite
Better Frame - Much in it?
advertised weight - 6.8KG


CF 8.0
€2k
Ultegra through out
Kysrium Equipe
Advertised weight - 7.1KG

with 140 grams of that difference coming in the wheels. The €1K saving being spent on a pair of these Reynolds Assault which brings me a saving 120gr on clincher vs. clincher basis.

Now of course, I could go tub with those wheels, as I'd have a spare pair of Kysriums knocking about. (anyone know what weight saving I'd expect if I built up tubs?)

ednwireland

6.8 vs 7.1kg no competition is it

Lumen

I'd get the cheaper one with the Reynolds.

Lumen

As far as clinchers vs tubs, I chose clinchers as I couldn't be bothered with the faff of tubs and I thought I'd get more use out of them.

If I was getting tubs I'd pick up some 404s at the end of a season for €700 ish.

Thing is, you have to change brake pads for carbon braking surfaces. Since I'm incredibly lazy, I just end up leaving the carbon wheels on the race bike. If I feel like using carbon wheels on a non-race cycle, I just take the race bike out.

doozerie

I got a Canyon last year and was all set to get the CF 9.0 based on what I read about it at the time - it seemed to me like there was little difference between the CF and the CF SLX framesets other than some weight saving (they used to come with different forks, I think, but as far as I can remember both frames had the same fork when I was buying). In my case I ended up getting the CF SLX 9.0 purely because the CF was not due in stock for several months.

So, assuming that you are happy that there is little difference between the framesets (a big assumption, obviously - it suited me to believe this when I was buying but I may well have been wrong in my interpretation of what I read about them both), then the question becomes whether the groupset and/or wheels will swing the decision for you. Personally, I'd go for Ultegra over Dura-Ace purely for economical reasons as I would expect performance to be comparable for the kind of use I'd make of it (if money were no object, and I were buying Shimano, I'd go straight to electronic Dura-Ace). Admittedly I'm standing on shaky ground here though when I take about economy as I bought a Record equipped bike over a Chorus equipped bike rather than wait a few months for the Chorus one to be available again!

As for the wheels, I've not compared Ksyrium Elite and Ksyrium Equipe so I've never formed an opinion as to which ones are "better". It's possibly of no relevance to such a comparison but I have to say that while I've had no problems with my Ksyrium SL's in my few months of riding them, I'm not exactly hugely impressed either. It's hard to be impressed by wheels, mind you, and time will really tell whether the SL's justify their hefty price tag (around the 800euro mark from what I can remember), but I recently put a pair of Pro-Lite Lugano wheels (about 140euro worth of wheel) on my other road bike and despite their extra weight versus the Ksyrium SL's they roll very well and so far are fine on the climbs I've used them on. It's all very subjective of course, and after a few months of use I might even be swearing at the Lugano's and digging out my Ksyrium SL's again to give them a hug. This is a long winded way of suggesting that if the Ksyrium SL's don't stand head and shoulders above a fairly cheap wheelset then maybe the difference between the Ksyrium Equipe and the Ksyrium Elite isn't enough in itself to argue in favour of the CF SLX 8.0 if everything else is leaning you towards the CF 8.0.

Lumen

doozerie wrote: »

It's hard to be impressed by wheels

No. Look at them for a couple of minutes. Pick them up. Spin them. Do you feel a little bit sexy in your pants? That's the test.

doozerie

Lumen wrote:

No. Look at them for a couple of minutes. Pick them up. Spin them. Do you feel a little bit sexy in your pants? That's the test.

Not quite sexy, but I expect these wheels would make me feel more than a little sore in my pants after using them for a bit. Should add to my vocal range too, by a few octaves:

uberwolf

This is coming to a head for me tonight. Have to press the button in order to have it on time.

Leaning towards cheaper bike on pragmatic basis. Frame is main difference, so I could split it and build a bike with better frame 1500, ultegra 600, elites for 400 and finishing kit for 200. But that's only 300 saving.

fat bloke

Spend the money.

If you ever need to sell it you'll always shift a good frame with dura ace on it.

Only thing about the two bikes listed is the black one looks awfully....black. Bit drab and dreary looking in the photos. It's crying out for some colour - either in wheel decals or saddle or hoods or something.

The white one would look spanking with the reynolds on it too but.... -nah, get the right frame and groupset and ancillaries such as wheels will come. Buying a new set of rims is a nice way to refresh your bike for yourself in a year's time or so.

I put ultegra on my wife's cervelo and, call me a label junkie, but I really wish I'd ponied up the extra few quid for DA. To change it now would just be a complete pain in the a$$

DirkVoodoo

The gap between 6700 Ultegra and 7900 Dura Ace is now so marginal that the real question comes down to: "Will 300 euro spent make you happier?"

For me, I would probably spend it on the Dura Ace build, for no other reason than it would make me happier.

Of course, if you are looking at that 300 euro and thinking it would be better spent elsewhere, then you aren't really losing anything by sticking with Ultegra.

EDIT: Should have just said "Do you WANT to spend 300 euro or do you NEED to save 300 euro".

fat bloke

This is pretty mean looking and the white bar tape and saddle make a big difference (wheels are nice too of course)
http://img580.imageshack.us/f/img4628h.jpg/

But, again with the right wheels and a bit of colour in the decals, the white is smashing...




I see the SLX is available in white or black - only thing that would push me away from the white is trying to keep the damn thing clean. It's a much longer and less satisfying process cleaning my wife's white bike*, than it is cleaning my black and white one

(*Yes, I am just the best... )

Quigs Snr

I don't have a canyon but I do have the Reynolds Assaults in a clincher. I also have the 2008 version of the Reynolds DV46ULT of the wheel which is a tub and which at a glance looks identical. There is a weight difference of 1525g vs 1040g for the pair. Aside from that difference on paper, the only other difference I can notice is when I get a puncture. One costs me 5 euros to repair and takes 5 minutes, the other costs 75-90 euro's and I usually get someone else to do it following an unfortunate gluing myself to the wheel and bike stand incident.

On the road, I feel no real difference. Not even up hills.

Lemag

Go for the CF 8.0. Sell the Equips for about 300 and you've got about 1300 to spend on wheels. Definitely 'Black', btw. Who wants CANYON.COM on their downtube?

Edit: Isn't that the Aero in Fatbloke's pic?

uberwolf

Lemag wrote: »

Edit: Isn't that the Aero in Fatbloke's pic?

yes it is.

and definitely black. I'm on a white machine at the moment. PITA.

same discussion here

Lemag

uberwolf wrote: »

This is coming to a head for me tonight. Have to press the button in order to have it on time.

So..... ?

uberwolf

Lemag wrote: »

So..... ?

Yeah, about that...

My excuse is I got in off the bike too late last night.
Still unsure. Idea of cf and immediately upgrade wheels could work. The upgraded frame is stiffer and this is something of a one shot wonder for me as it'll be a few years before I go again.

doozerie

On the topic of colour, I prefer the look of the white personally, but my own Canyon is black. They were all out of white at the time I ordered, probably a measure of its popularity, but I was leaning towards black anyway as I'd read of people having issues with the white paint scratching easily and chipping off in places. Those tales were entirely anecdotal though so not reliable by any means. Also, I have a white bike already so was conscious of the effort involved in trying to keep it looking good (I gave up that battle a long time ago!).

I don't mind the black, mind you, it just doesn't impress me much aesthetically. Plus it creates a stark contract against my pasty white Irish legs whereas they'd have blended nicely into the background of a white frame. *sniff*

uberwolf

Pragmatism has ruled.

kennyb3

uberwolf wrote: »

Pragmatism has ruled.

Sealed deal?

Lemag

uberwolf wrote: »

Pragmatism has ruled.

Because you saved €1000 and went for the CF or because you went for the CF SLX knowing that you'd have it for years to come without any regrets?

cormpat

Uberwolf, I presume you have a race licence? Well, Canyon say they will knock €300 of the price of the frame when you buying.

Let us know how you get on as I'm thinking of taking the plunge myself, but my reasoning for the CF SLX over the CF was that Gilbert won Lombardia & Amstel on it & Evans the Worlds. I think it would be cool to tell my friends all the time that I had the same frame.:D

http://www.canyon.com/_en/service/sponsoring.html

fat bloke

cormpat wrote: »

Uberwolf, I presume you have a race licence? Well, Canyon say they will knock €300 of the price of the frame when you buying.

Let us know how you get on as I'm thinking of taking the plunge myself, but my reasoning for the CF SLX over the CF was that Gilbert won Lombardia & Amstel on it & Evans the Worlds. I think it would be cool to tell my friends all the time that I had the same frame.:D

http://www.canyon.com/_en/service/sponsoring.html

Wow, that's amazing - Incidentally, I also heard that (actually maybe it was Cannondale....) ... let's just say "another manufacturer" offers half price replacement frames if you crash and break your existing one.

uberwolf

CF ordered.

Given I'm upgrading from the bike lance piloted to tour victory, the idea of being on board a champions steed has tarnished somewhat over the years

uberwolf

cormpat wrote: »

Uberwolf, I presume you have a race licence? Well, Canyon say they will knock €300 of the price of the frame when you buying.

I had considered building the bike up from the above, but found I couldn't save money. Added flexibility in terms of set up, but nothing on price

cormpat

uberwolf wrote: »

I had considered building the bike up from the above, but found I couldn't save money. Added flexibility in terms of set up, but nothing on price

This includes whole bikes & not just frames. The website is a bit hazy about that but I've contacted them to clarify & they told me just contact them after you've made the purchase & with your order no & scanned copy of racing licence & Bob's your Uncle! €300 quid off!

levitronix

CF 9.0 SL with dura ace just cos it looks sweet on the black, and because i have one, make sure you speck the right stem size because they re very hard to find if you want to change the stem

uberwolf

cormpat wrote: »

This includes whole bikes & not just frames. The website is a bit hazy about that but I've contacted them to clarify & they told me just contact them after you've made the purchase & with your order no & scanned copy of racing licence & Bob's your Uncle! €300 quid off!

Just mailed them. If so I'll be upgrading the order.

levitronix wrote: »

CF 9.0 SL with dura ace just cos it looks sweet on the black, and because i have one, make sure you speck the right stem size because they re very hard to find if you want to change the stem

I thought it was a but strange I wasn't given the option of speccing crank length, stem length or handlebar width.

uberwolf

They've come back to me saying it's frames only...

cormpat

uberwolf wrote: »

They've come back to me saying it's frames only...

Really.....? This is the email I got in response from them when I asked a couple of weeks back.

Hi Cormpat,

Thanks for your email.

Canyon subisdises amateur racers by discounting some Canyon framesets to customers with a valid UCI / BCF racing licence. There’s more information available on the following web page:
http://www.canyon.com/_uk/service/sponsoring.html

To take advantage of this offer simply order the bike as normal. Then forward the order confirmation along with a scan of your valid BCF licence to uk@canyon.com. We will check the licence is valid and adjust the price before shipping the bike to you

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.

With thanks,

Cullen Ward - Canyon UK

Phone: +44 20 8501 2582
Web: http://www.canyon.com/_uk/

Forgot to add, Canyon presumed I was from the UK as my email is co.uk hence them asking for a British Licence.

uberwolf

My email was from the same chap. There's some ambiguity in his mail as he says frames originally and then says bike.

Would you mind going back to him and asking for clarification?

cormpat

uberwolf wrote: »

My email was from the same chap. There's some ambiguity in his mail as he says frames originally and then says bike.

Would you mind going back to him and asking for clarification?

Not at all. I'll email again & see what he says...

cormpat

Clarity is not his forte. This is the email he sent in reply when I asked him to clarify whether it was complete bikes or frames. I presume it must only be framesets....


"Hi Cormpat

Thanks for your email.

Yes, that’s right, Canyon discounts some Canyon framesets to customers with a valid UCI / BCF racing licence. There’s more information available on the following web page:
http://www.canyon.com/_uk/service/sponsoring.html

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.

With thanks,

Cullen Ward - Canyon UK"

uberwolf

As I was so. Thanks for checking in to it.

cormpat

Sorry to get your hopes up! It's such a shame to think you're going to get €300 saving only to have the goal posts moved!:mad:

Lemag

Has it arrived yet uberwolf? If so, what do you make of it? I meant to suggest to you to throw one of these into your basket if you thought that you'd be put off by the holey cap that comes as standard with the bike (the 2010 models anyway).

Lumen

Lemag wrote: »

I meant to suggest to you to throw one of these into your basket if you thought that you'd be put off by the holey cap that comes as standard with the bike (the 2010 models anyway).

If anyone else wants to do a group buy to share shipping costs, I'm in.

I don't like the gaping orifice.

Lemag

Lumen wrote: »

If anyone else wants to do a group buy to share shipping costs, I'm in.

I don't like the gaping orifice.

I'd jump in on that for an RD hanger.

christeb

Yep I need to fill the gaping oriface on my Canyon fork too. Group buy?

Lemag

An even cheaper way of doing this would be to piggy-back on a bike order as these parts are available at special prices when ordered with complete bikes.

Lumen, were you thinking to start up a thread on this?

Lumen

Lemag wrote: »

An even cheaper way of doing this would be to piggy-back on a bike order as these parts are available at special prices when ordered with complete bikes.

Lumen, were you thinking to start up a thread on this?

Maybe if we annoy Uberwolf long enough with this thread derailment, he'll move the posts into a new thread.

edit: oh noes, I think he's completely demodded himself. Training must be getting serious.

Lemag

Lumen wrote: »

edit: oh noes, I think he's completely demodded himself. Training must be getting serious.

..and with that you assume your old modding mantle?

uberwolf

Lemag wrote: »

Has it arrived yet uberwolf? If so, what do you make of it?

It has. Got an hour in on it Saturday, then raced yesterday on it.

I like it. Looks better in the flesh then you'd think. The black is lacquered rather than painted, so it's a little industrial looking, which mightn't be to everyones taste. Works for me.

In terms of what it rides like, too early to tell. I don't have it set up to suit me yet.

Lumen wrote: »

I don't like the gaping orifice.

Don't mind it myself tbh.

Lumen wrote: »

Maybe if we annoy Uberwolf long enough with this thread derailment, he'll move the posts into a new thread.

edit: oh noes, I think he's completely demodded himself. Training must be getting serious.

not serious enough given the performance yesterday :P

Lemag

uberwolf wrote: »

I like it.

Good. Are you happy with the stiffness? This was a concern of yours when deciding between the CF and the CF SLX.

uberwolf wrote: »

Looks better in the flesh then you'd think.

I doubt it. I have one Such is the esteem in which I hold Lumen, I've only gone off a bought Sram bits for it.

Will it be making an appearance in the 'images of beauty' thread sometime soon?