Though the Canyon Endurace WMN CF SL Disc is a carbon road bike designed for comfort over distance, it doesn’t stint on performance if you’re looking to generate power and motion.
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Value for money is one of the signature features of Canyon bikes, facilitated by the German company's direct-sell model, which cuts out a lot of overheads associated with selling through bricks-and-mortar stores. This means you can expect some above-average parts for the price you pay.
With this version of the Endurance, you get a Shimano Ultegra groupset, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and some rather nice DT Swiss R 24 Spline wheels.
The flipside of this is that you won’t get that same personal touch you get from buying a bike from a traditional shop, though Canyon does provide an online service centre staffed daily if you have any questions or need additional information.
Unisex carbon frame
The Canyon Endurace frame is unisex, used across both the women’s and men’s/unisex ranges. Endurance geometry gives it a more upright position than its racier sister, the Ultimate.
As a unisex frame, it has a slightly longer reach by around 6mm than many women's bikes. It also has longer cranks (172.5mm as opposed to 170mm), which results in a slightly more aggressive, stretched-out feeling, which was noticeable over longer distances.
The aim of the game is comfort over long miles, and to this end Canyon has included a number of features to help smooth out that energy-sapping road buzz, including a carbon layup that is designed to keep the frame stiff enough to allow efficient power transfer when pedalling, yet compliant enough to absorb vibrations from the road.
Another feature in the comfort arsenal of the Endurace is the split carbon seatpost, which has what Canyon calls a ‘leaf spring’ design. This enables the post to flex and bend to absorb vibrations from the road, and it does it exceptionally well. Over long distances on some rough British roads, and the occasional gravel path, it made for a smooth, comfortable and controlled ride.
However, on bigger hits such as potholes and large bumps, the spring doesn’t feel particularly well damped, which results in a slight bouncing sensation.
The seatpost also enables an adjustable set back between 25 / 13 mm of the Selle Italia SLS Lady Flow saddle, which had predictably mixed feedback from our reader test panel, with some loving it and others not so much.
Quality groupset
The Canyon Endurace differs from the other bikes in the Women’s Road Bike of the Year test in that it features a 52/36t crankset as opposed to the more common 50/34t, with the usual 11-32t cassette at the back.
This gearing gives it a fair lick of speed on the flats, and while the range was plenty for the majority of climbs encountered, I found myself wanting just a tiny bit more after a long day in the saddle. However, overall this was negligible and counteracted by a number of other features on the bike.
The Shimano Ultegra 2x11 groupset is definitely a positive at this price point, and gives excellent smooth and reliable shifting. It also shaves weight off compared to bikes at a similar price as it’s lighter than the more budget 105 system.
Another major plus for the Endurace are the Shimano BR-RS805 hydraulic disc brakes, which in combination with the bolt-through wheel axles give wonderfully reliable, smooth and powerful braking with modulation that makes trimming speed for subtle control easy.
The action is easy to actuate, which means you only need to apply a little pressure to the levers to get a result, making controlling your speed on long descents a lot more comfortable. With powerful, reliable and consistent braking even in the wet, I was much more inclined to let the bike go for it on the downhills.
Crank lengths, handlebar widths and stem lengths are size-specific, with smaller sizes having shorter and narrower options, respectively. For the size medium tested, this means cranks of 172.5mm – slightly longer than the 170mm cranks seen on the majority of other bikes of this size we've tested – 400mm-wide bars and a 90mm stem.
Impressive wheelset
Canyon hasn’t stinted on the wheel choice, and at this price point it’s impressive to see a set of DT Swiss R 24 Spline DB wheels (not the most succinct of product names!). While these are alloy wheels at the entry level end of the DT Swiss road line, they have a lot going for them.
Robust enough to handle training, cyclocross or a little off-roading, the 18mm rim width also means that the 28c Continental Grand Prix 4000S II tyres have a fatter, more bulbous profile, which helps with both improving traction and giving a more cushioned ride.
Verdict
Comfortable, confidence-inspiring and fun to ride, the Canyon Endurace WMN is a great complete package. There’s little that springs out as needing an upgrade, so if you want a bike that’s ready to roll as it is then look this way.
I really enjoyed riding it, and found myself powering along and giving it more even when my intention had been a gentle spin. It feels so good with a bit of power behind it, it positively encourages you to go for it.
The Canyon Endurace was also a very popular bike with our reader test panel, who found it both comfortable and responsive when it came to putting down power on the flats or flying up climbs.
Price, sizing and availability
The Canyon Endurace WMN CF SL Disc 9.0 is available in sizes XXS, XS, S and medium, catering for riders from just over 5’1/1.58m to 6’0/1.84m.
Should any riders want a bigger size, there is of course the unisex/men’s Canyon that also has sizes L, XL and XXL. It has the same frame, plus a men’s Fizik Aliante R5 saddle.
Canyon offers an online sizing tool to help you get the right size bike. It takes you through a range of different measurements that you input and the tool will recommend a bike size as a result. Of course, this means you don’t get the fine-tune of a bike fit that many bike shops offer, but I’d always suggest getting a full fit booked in any case, to get the most out of your riding.
The bike is available to purchase now directly from Canyon, and as of the time of publication there was good availability in sizes S and M, though XS and XXS are currently sold out.
The £2199 / $3599 price excludes shipping and the cost of the special box that Canyon ships its bikes in, and which can be reused. The UK brand ships internationally including to Europe and Australia, though shipping to the US is currently not available.
How we tested
This bike was tested as part of BikeRadar's Women's Road Bike of the Year, run in conjunction with Cycling Plus magazine, also published by Immediate Media Co.
Testing took place over several months and was conducted in the South West of England, around the Somerset Levels and the Mendip hills. Each bike was put to the test on a variety of terrain, including climbs, descents, twisting roads and rough ground.
In addition, all bikes tested as part of Bike of the Year were put through their paces by a panel of six BikeRadar Women readers over several days in the Mendip Hills in South West England. Each bike has been ridden by at least three testers and their feedback and verdicts have been incorporated into the reviews and overall judging.
