Canyon Ultimate AL - updated w. new pics

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djm
Posts: 1403
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 12:19 pm
Location: Norway

by djm

I bought a Canyon Ultimate AL, my third Canyon, in March 2013. It came complete with 6770 Ultegra Di2. I was running it stock except for crankset, wheels and saddle this season:

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The bike saw over 17 000 km since I bought it and I thought it was time to upgrade it somewhat, given the long waiting time for my new Aeroad CF SLX, delayed for the fourth or fifth time last week. Delivery of it is still unknown. Now changing the 10s for 11s as the derailleurs and levers were due for replacement after a few crashes. Also trying to put on some sensible, slightly lighter parts.

Preliminary build list:
Brakes: DA9000
FD/RD: Ultegra Di2 6870
Saddle: Selle Italia Flite 1991
Seatpost: stock VCLS, adjustable setback
Stem: 130 mm or 120 mm Ritchey 4-axis
Bars: 3T Ergosum LTD
Bottle cages: King Cage titanium
Cranks: SRM DA9000 FC-SR70
Seat clamp: stock
Headset: stock Acros, open cap
Wheels: Undecided, either Shimano RS81 or DA9000 C24 CL.
BB: Shimano PF SM-BB91-41B
Head unit: the old trusty Edge 800, my fourth one replaced under warranty just this week. Mounted to Barfly 2.0.
Bartape: Specialized Phat without gel inserts
Number holder: black and simple, brake mounted, from Van Eyck in Aalst.

So far most exchanged/upgraded parts except for the saddle are lighter than the old setup.
I can easily alternate saddles between the Flite and the pictured SLR as I ended up with two posts after having my previous Ultimate AL crashed into by a blind(ed) driver.

I am undecided on the wheels. My RS81 are in the process of being warrantied with Shimano, as the rear has its lacquer peeling off several places. For supported races I'll be running Mavic CCUs, and the clinchers for kermis or unsupported races where I'll bring a tube and pump.

Pictures to follow as I finish it up..

UPDATE

Returned the C24 wheels and received a new pair - front in perfect balance this time.
Swapped saddles. Next up; replacing these photos with some taken in daylight.

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Last edited by djm on Thu Jan 15, 2015 11:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

by Weenie


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NilesCrane
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 6:01 pm
Location: Uppsala

by NilesCrane

Looks stunning! Love the gumwalls!


Did you order a Complete Aeroad or a loose frameset?
I'm really tempted by the 7.0!

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djm
Posts: 1403
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 12:19 pm
Location: Norway

by djm

Thanks!

I ordered a complete one, 8.0. Latest word is it won't arrive until some time next year, at the earliest towards the end of January. I ordered mine on September 7th. Yet the website still says if you order now it will ship week 52 (last week of the year), which is odd.

NJ78
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 1:59 pm

by NJ78

I bought a Canyon and it went fairly smoothly but there's lots of tales on forums of very frustrated people who have had issues with Canyon repeatedly pushing back delivery dates and not being able to give an accurate view on when a bike might be shipped.

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djm
Posts: 1403
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 12:19 pm
Location: Norway

by djm

Image

I had some difficulties installing the front derailleur. In order to mount the self adhesive aluminium frame protector for the front der. alignment bolt I had to resort to a liberal amount of glue... The old derailleur was set up for a standard crankset, and I'll be running compact rings for a while. The derailleur had to sit lower, and a recess in the frame appeared at the new mounting point preventing perfect positioning of the plate. Something I'll just have to pay attention to, to make sure the protection plate doesn't fall of.. Shifting seems to be on par though and there's no movement in the shifting body/motor.

Also caught off guard by the new E-tube wire routing on the new derailleur. Fortunately there was enough excess wire in the frame to hide the wire behind the derailleur. To my delight there also was a pinch/snap-style holder to keep the wire in place on the backside of the derailleur.

Awaiting brakes, chain..

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btompkins0112
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Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:04 am
Location: Mississippi

by btompkins0112

Damn perfection....I can't believe I passed on one of these on eBay last month....so pissed

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djm
Posts: 1403
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 12:19 pm
Location: Norway

by djm

Image

DA C24 CL wheels arrived, however with a major imbalance in the front wheel, so they will be going back to the store. Rocking the RS81s for a while.. :)
Considering swapping back to an SRL. Setback is at 90 mm, but with the Flite mounted with the setback adjustment/seat post head all the way to the back it looks as if the saddle setback is smaller.

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thencameyou
Posts: 301
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:27 am
Location: Nu Zild

by thencameyou

I could jump straight on this as it is (size looks perfect). Really like the build. Any idea what it weighs with the C24?

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Tinea Pedis
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Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2009 6:08 am
Contact:

by Tinea Pedis

Sensational.

That is all.

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Powerful Pete
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Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 10:22 am
Location: Lima, Peru and the Washington DC area - it's complicated.

by Powerful Pete

I love it. Perfect.

Love the alu Canyons and am impressed by the saddle to bars height... holy flexibility batman!
Road bike: Cervelo R3, Campagnolo Chorus/Record mix...
Supercommuter: Jamis Renegade...
Oldie but goodie: De Rosa Professional Slx, Campagnolo C-Record...
And you can call me Macktastik Honey Pete Kicks, thank you.

ryan0380
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu Feb 20, 2014 3:27 pm

by ryan0380

Very sweet ride, really like the gum walls. Considering building the same frame, what size is yours?
It looks as if you are a powerhouse going by the size of the frame, any flex in the frame when the power goes down?

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djm
Posts: 1403
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 12:19 pm
Location: Norway

by djm

Thanks for the compliments all :)

I really like the bike as it is set up now. The bars do a much better job at dampening the ride even further, compared to the old al Ritchey bars. I will be sure to post an updated weight once the build is 100 % complete with the new wheels, and perhaps some latex tubes.

The frame is a 58/L. The frame doesn't really budge much under load and feels very responsive and stiff. I've never experienced brake rub on this frame. It feels very safe descending at high speed, even in strong crosswinds. I've clocked maybe 30 000 km on two Ultmate AL frames, and like it extremely well in both training and racing.

When mounted on the home trainer the frame flexes almost nothing compared to my other bikes (however all inherently more flexing aero frames). Compared to my old '12 Aeroad the Ultimate AL is far stiffer. I'm 190 cm and at the moment I'm 78-79 kgs, legs at about 94 cm so I need a fair bit of post, also at a 92 cm shirt sleeve I'm in need of a little reach :-)

Here a picture of me on it, albeit with the old build and a slightly different fit.

Image

I'm continuously considering installing an internal battery to it, as I would love to run tires wider than 25mm. The frame itself will easily swallow 28mm tubulars, but the Di2 battery interferes with that plan, where it sits on the NDS chain stay.

ryan0380
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu Feb 20, 2014 3:27 pm

by ryan0380

Thanks for the feedback

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djm
Posts: 1403
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 12:19 pm
Location: Norway

by djm

Updated with new photos in the first post.

by Weenie


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Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

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WillT
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 2:20 am
Location: SC, USA

by WillT

Beautiful build! Can't think of one thing that I would change on it.

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