Canyon Endurance CF SL Disc Di2
For the summer of 2020, I was supposed to be riding a bicycle from Portland, OR to Portland, ME with a group of teenage boys and leaders. Given current events, it is no surprise that our bike ride was postponed until 2021, but my search for a bike to go the distance began before the world started shutting down.
For over 12 yrs, I rode a 2005 Cannondale R-1000 with Ultegra components a carbon seat post, forks, cranks. It was a solid ride, and took me over many miles through the years. However, with 53/39 chainring and rim brakes, I knew that keeping up with teen boys and the stopping power descending 10,000 ft mountain passes might not be up for the task. So the search began for a road bike that was built for long distances.
While on a ride overseas, I rode a Canyon Endurance aluminum framed bike and the fit was perfect. I began to research the brand and found that the women’s frame was designed specifically for those of us on the short side. With the Cannondale, I experienced toe strike when I would turn and my pedal was at the right position, meaning my road shoes had a nice wear mark from the tire rubbing during the turn. Most large manufactures take a men’s frame and put women’s components on to make the fit women-specific.
According to the Canyon fit guide, I was a 2XS. Because of the size of this frame, making it small for a 5’ 4” woman, the tires were downsized to 650c to avoid the toe strike that I experienced on my Cannondale. I was slightly concerned that the smaller tires would impact my ability to keep up with the big guys (700c), but so far it has not been an issue. The bigger difference from the Cannondale is the gearing.
While hills are still not my strong suit, the compact gearing has improved my ability to climb hills going faster than 2mph up steep inclines. At 50/34, I have a one-to-one gear ratio with the rear 11-34t cassette. This has made a huge difference in climbing. Now it’s just up to my body to get in better shape for tackling steep inclines.
On a group ride a few weeks ago, one of the teen boys locked up his brakes and as I navigated the turn, I watched him role up and over his front tire, ultimately landing right in front of me. I screamed, grabbed my brakes and quickly navigated around the crash. I know that without those disc brakes my stopping power would not have been as quick or responsive. When it comes to riding in the elements, I trust my disc brakes to handle the job. I know some might argue about the weight disc brakes add, but honestly for a 4,000 mile ride over mountains, through traffic, and in a group, I’m glad to have disc brakes.
The Di2 shifting and set-up took a little getting used to, but its very efficient and smooth. Just remember to keep it charged! Running out of power mid-ride will leave you stuck in the front chainring and a remaining 15 minutes of use of the rear derailleur. I just wish Shimano would play with a Mac for updating, I guess the next upgrade might need to be the wireless transmitter to make the connection with the app for updates.
Stock saddles never get the job done for me. I’ve tried dozens of saddles through the years looking for the perfect fit that would not have me dancing in the seat after 15 miles of riding. A good chamois can get you so far, but the saddle is foundational. With recommendations from two long distance riders, I switched out the stock fi'zi:k saddle for the Sella Anatomica X2. The change was worth the price, because from day 1 this saddle has been comfortable even with my less-than-ideal bike shorts.
Overall, the Canyon Endurance CF SL Disc Di2 bike has been a great ride. I’m improving my riding speeds and not experiencing any discomfort from the fit of the bike. From 10 miles to 100 mile days, I know that this bike will keep me rolling the distance.
The arrival of the bike in its special box!
Just some assembly required, but it was easy to figure out. A few screws, some lubricant, and all of the necessary tools were included.
