Pro bike: Joaquim Rodríguez's Canyon Aeroad CF

Pro bike: Joaquim Rodríguez's Canyon Aeroad CF

A custom machine for UCI WorldTour rider #1

2013 UCI WorldTour leader Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) will race the Giro d'Italia on this custom-painted Canyon Aeroad CF

James Huang/Future Publishing

James Huang

2013 UCI WorldTour leader Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) will race the Giro d'Italia on this custom-painted Canyon Aeroad CF - James Huang/Future Publishing
And don't you forget it! - James Huang/Future Publishing
Black, white and red are heavily overused colors in the bicycle industry these days but somehow this combination manages to look fresh. Sponsor names are tastefully applied to the stays while up front, the custom paint scheme carries over to the inside of the fork legs as well - James Huang/Future Publishing
Selle Italia gets into the game as well with custom saddle graphics. Note the years printed on the nose - James Huang/Future Publishing
Joaquim Rodriguez's (Katusha) Selle Italia SLR saddle isn't just custom in terms of aesthetics, either. The standard SLR is offered with cutout and non-cutout shapes but not with a full-length channel like this - James Huang/Future Publishing
Classic-bend bars are wrapped with grippy Ritchey tape - James Huang/Future Publishing
Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) is more of a climber than a sprinter, so the supplemental Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 buttons that are normally used on the drops are instead mounted up top - James Huang/Future Publishing
An all-aluminum cockpit for 'Purito' - James Huang/Future Publishing
Canyon builds the Aeroad CF aero road frame with a uniquely shaped bottom bracket - James Huang/Future Publishing
The standard Canyon Aeroad CF seatpost clamp is replaced with this team-only edition that features an integrated number plate holder - James Huang/Future Publishing
Teams often mark their wheels so that they're easier to retrieve in case a rider has to use one from neutral support during a race - James Huang/Future Publishing
Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) usually trains with an SRM power meter (as evidenced by the magnet glued to the chain stay) but will apparently go without on race day - James Huang/Future Publishing
Katusha mechanics went ahead and ground away part of the frame behind the bottom bracket in order to provide clearance for SRM's latest 11-speed Shimano Dura-Ace power meter. Needless to say, Canyon engineers weren't thrilled with the idea - James Huang/Future Publishing
Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070 derailleurs front and rear - James Huang/Future Publishing
The Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 cranks roll on a CeramicSpeed bottom bracket - James Huang/Future Publishing
A pair of Elite fiberglass cages take care of bottle duties - James Huang/Future Publishing
These tires are marked as Mavics but are more likely made by Hutchinson. The wheels are proper Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimates, though - James Huang/Future Publishing
A standard SRM PowerControl 7 computer for Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) - James Huang/Future Publishing
'Purito' uses a 100mm-long Ritchey WCS 4-Axis stem - James Huang/Future Publishing
A bit of tape is wrapped around the valve stem to keep it from rattling - James Huang/Future Publishing
The hourglass-profile head tube surrounds a 1 1/8-to-1 1/4in steerer - James Huang/Future Publishing
Just a couple of strips of electrical tape are used to secure the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 wire to the brake housing - James Huang/Future Publishing
The big chain stays provide plenty of room for sponsor placement - James Huang/Future Publishing
While the stays are quite tall, they're quite narrow when viewed head-on - James Huang/Future Publishing

Only a small handful of riders can rightfully lay claim to saying they're "number one" and Katusha captain Joaquim Rodríguez has more right than most. The Spanish climbing specialist has stood atop the UCI WorldTour rankings in 2010, 2012, and 2013 and given the custom paint job provided to him by Canyon, he wants everyone to know.

Canyon team liaison Andreas Walzer says that 'Purito' picked out the paint scheme himself, which follows the general graphical pattern of stock Aeroad CF frames but with a gloss white base coat, red logos, and giant red 'NO. 1 IN THE WORLD' lettering across the top tube – in two languages, no less. Similar graphics are splashed across the inside of the fork blades, too.

And don't you forget it!: - James Huang/Future Publishing

Selle Italia gets into the custom game as well with not only special graphics on the SLR Monolink saddle but also a custom shape, too. While regular SLR Monolink saddles are offered in cutout and non-cutout forms, Rodríguez gets a non-cutout version with a deep channel running the from tip to tail to relieve pressure. To go along with this, Canyon provides a special Monolink-compatible seatpost that uses a standard VCLS Aero carbon shaft but bonded to a custom machined aluminum head.

Selle italia gets into the game as well with custom saddle graphics. note the years printed on the nose, too:

Otherwise, Rodríguez is on a standard Aeroad CF frame in Canyon extra-small size. Aero tube shapes are used in several areas of the chassis – most notably in the head tube, down tube, and fork blades – and according to Canyon, the general design goal was to minimize the bike's frontal area. As compared to the company's more structurally efficient Ultimate CF SLX model, the Aeroad CF is certainly much narrower in profile along with a more compact rear triangle, a dramatically hourglass-profile head tube surrounding a downsized (for Canyon, that is) 1 1/8-to-1 1/4in steerer, and a more neatly integrated seatpost clamp that in this case also serves double duty as a number plate holder.

The standard canyon aeroad cf seatpost clamp is replaced with this team-only edition that features an integrated number plate holder:

One might wonder why a climbing specialist like Rodríguez chooses the Aeroad CF when the Ultimate CF SLX chassis is several hundred grams lighter, not to mention stiffer in both the drivetrain and in torsion. However, like many of the world's best climbers, Rodríguez stands a modest 1.69m (5ft 6.5in) tall and his XS-size bike barely meets UCI minimum weight requirements with a standard Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070 group, Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate wheels, and an alloy Ritchey cockpit installed.

Joaquim rodriguez (katusha) is more of a climber than a sprinter so the supplemental shimano dura-ace di2 buttons that are normally used on the drops are instead mounted up top:

In fact, we measured the bike to be slightly below the limit at 6.79kg, even with the computer head installed.

Given that, there's little reason not to give himself a bit of an aero edge – however slight – and with three podium finishes in his last four Grand Tours plus a strong field at this year's Giro d'Italia, 'Purito' will want any advantage he can get.

Be sure to visit Cyclingnews for complete coverage of the Giro d'Italia.

2013 uci worldtour leader joaquim rodriguez (katusha) will race at the giro d'italia on this custom painted canyon aeroad cf:

Complete bike specifications

  • Frame: Canyon Aeroad CF, size XS
  • Fork: Canyon Aeroblade SL
  • Headset: Acros, 1 1/8-to-1 1/4in tapered
  • Stem: Ritchey WCS 4-Axis, 100mm x -6°
  • Handlebar: Ritchey WCS Classic, 40cm (c-c)
  • Tape: Ritchey Logic EVA
  • Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000 w/ carbon-specific pads
  • Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000 w/ carbon-specific pads
  • Brake levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-9070
  • Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 FD-9070
  • Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 RD-9070
  • Shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-9070 w/ SW-R610 shifters mounted on bar tops
  • Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-9000, 11-25T
  • Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-9000
  • Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace FC-9000, 170mm, 53/39T
  • Bottom bracket: CeramicSpeed BB86
  • Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace SPD-SL PD-90000
  • Wheelset: Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate
  • Front tire: 'Mavic Yksion Grip Link' tubulars, 22mm (likely made by Hutchinson)
  • Rear tire: 'Mavic Yksion Grip Link' tubulars, 22mm (likely made by Hutchinson)
  • Saddle: Custom Selle Italia SLR Monolink
  • Seatpost: Custom Monolink-compatible by Canyon
  • Bottle cages: Elite Custom Race (2)
  • Other accessories: SRM PowerControl 7 computer

Critical measurements

  • Rider's height: 1.69m (5ft 6.5in)
  • Rider's weight: 58kg (129lb)
  • Saddle height from BB, c-t: 690mm
  • Saddle setback: 55mm
  • Seat tube length (c-t): 489mm
  • Seat tube length (c-c): 450mm
  • Tip of saddle nose to center of bars (next to stem): 520mm
  • Saddle-to-bar drop: 93mm
  • Head tube length: 109mm
  • Top tube length (effective): 527mm
  • Weight: 6.79kg (14.97lb, with computer and cages)

James Huang

Former tech editor

James Huang is BikeRadar's former technical editor. After leaving BikeRadar in 2016, he worked at CyclingTips and Escape Collective. He now runs the Substack cycling publication N-1 Bikes.
This website is owned and published by Our Media Ltd. www.ourmedia.co.uk
© Our Media 2025