Anyone have any intel on when the Exceed CF SLX 9.0 will be back in stock? Or is there a new model coming out by chance?
I bit the bullet and ordered a Canyon during their year end sale. I will report back here on the process 
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that’s really helpful. I’m 5"8" as well and was flabbergasted when the online tool said I should get an XS frame.
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It looks like we are getting a new Canyon Aeroad very soon, there are some pictures of Mathieu Van Der Poel riding one. Looks pretty similar to the old version with a cleaner front end and some wider chain and seatstays.
I am in Canada and the dont currently ship up here but chatting with support it looks like they will hopefully be starting that early next year.
Here are some pics of the new Canyon Lux…
A quick review and happy to answer questions as they arise.
The ordering process was easy. I DID have to pay sales tax on the bike which I wasn’t expecting and it actually caused me to reconsider but eventually my desire for the bike overwhelmed by concern about paying more than I wanted 
I used their traditional shipping, no expedited shipping or anything. It took a few days for the order to go from placed to shipped but from start to finish it was 5 days (I’m in Texas).
The box the bike came in is really a work of art. Everything is nicely packed in there with lots of instructions, about 50 reflectors on the bike and safety/warning tags and stickers everywhere. That was a bit much but I’m sure the lawyers got involved with that whole process. Unpacking and assembling was a super easy process. No damage everything was wrapped, protected and packed up nice and tight. The UPS guy didn’t even struggle getting it to the door even though the box is super sized.
I didn’t like a couple of things on the bike.
I hated the suspension lock out. It’s was a OneLoc I believe but I couldn’t stand it so I opted for the SRAM Twistloc. Wow what an awesome piece of kit. I know the reviews are not great but I REALLY like the twist to lock vs. using the thumb. I actually saw the idea on Pauline Ferrand Prévot’s bike and had to have it. No regrets.
They also sent me the full carbon KS dropper post which was a nice bonus. But, I hated the KS lever. I never could get the angle right and I didn’t like the cable running over the top of everything. I ran the PNW Loam lever on my other bike and after fighting with the KS for a bunch of rides and a race I decided it had to go. The Loam lever is 1) way easier to depress and 2) in a much better location. Also the KS lever it was hard to drop things “just a little” it seemed like it was all the way up or down. It doesn’t actually work that way but the lever and travel distance are both small so small adjustments during a race were basically impossible so I just left the seat up the whole race.
The suspension is definitely the best I have ridden. I’m not a suspension guru but that rear shock is amazing. It seems to travel a lot when you need it and not at all when you don’t. I don’t feel like I really need to lock the bike out unless I’m smashing out of the saddle on pavement. Otherwise it’s just nice and stiff and ready to mash. But when it gets choppy the travel is there, I really love it.
The geometry and head angle make the bike insanely quick. I would say it’s twitchy but not in a negative way. It is like an arrow, it goes where you point it and it goes fast. For tight switchback turns it’s the best I have ridden. Every bike I have ridden on a particular piece of local trail wanders out of one very off camber switchback. Regardless of how many times I’ve ridden that turn and how many different ways I’ve ridden it I end up wandering out of the perfect line. This bike just rails this corner like no other. It’s honestly like a digital camera, point and shoot!
The pics above show the bike fully loaded and ready to race. Tubeless, Quarq XX1, XTR pedals, cages, multi tool and head unit attached. I think it was around 22 lbs before I added those accessories. I run an S-Works Toupe’ saddle so not sure if that’s heavier or lighter than what came on it but not a consideration for me either way.
The last thing I will say, I have ridden and raced a lot of mountain bikes and to me I thought they were all race bikes. Mainly because I was racing them. This bike however, this bike KNOWS it’s a race bike. It comes with a 34 front chainring right out of the box and is truly the most race ready bike I’ve had the pleasure to ride.
It’s much faster than me and will give me more than enough bike to grow into for the foreseeable future.
Definitely a big thumbs up to Canyon for the ordering process, packing process and mostly the design on one bad ass bike.
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Wow- great write up and most impressive bike! That is the only bike I would consider if I do not go for another Spark!!!
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i’ve ordered a Ultimate in 2017 and a Speedmax just a few months ago, sizing was spot on both times.
The speedmax was ordered after a bikefit and the ultimate was fine tuned in the same fit, only minor changes where in place for the Ultimate after the fit (saddle 10 mm back and 10 mm up)
Service and maintenance is no problem as there is a LBS that is Canyon friendly and is affiliated with the Dutch office, replacement parts can be ordered right there.
There are a few ‘elite’ shops that won’t work on Canyon but as there are about 3 LBS within a 15 min drive service isn’t a issue anyway in this part of the country.
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Hi Matt I’m looking into buying the Endurace and have the same issue regarding the sizing. I’d be interested.to know how tall you are? I’m 183cm or 6ft tall and considering the large.
I am 6’2" and have always ridden 56cm frames (Cannondales). I was a little thrown off when they recommended the M, both on the website using measurements and also from talking with two folks on the phone. Figured with the return policy, I would be fine, so ordered it. The bike fits me perfectly. I am sure I would have been fine on a L frame as well, but I prefer a frame on the smaller side where I feel more in control and am very comfortable between hoods and drops. My brother is similarly proportioned, but 1.5 inches shorter and he is also on a M, so I am likely at the upper end of the size range. I also recommend playing around with some of the measurement inputs on the website to see what the thresholds are. For example, keep increasing your arm length to see at which point it switches you from one size to the next, and then make a judgment call for your riding or position preferences.
I have been very happy with the bike. The headset bearings are a little slippery, as in I can never seem to tighten it down enough to feel stiff. That’s really been the only gripe. Might have more to do with the wheelbase length or rake, though, that gives it a slightly twitchy feel.
I did BWR on it last year with 32 Gravel Kings and it performed perfectly. No issues. The only upgrades I have made are a pair of i9.45 wheels and the one piece stem/bar combo. That seemed to help the twitchy feeling.
The company was great to work with too. Every time I have called, they greet me by name, know my bike, know the rides I have done from past conversations. Great stuff.
Matt
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I’m 184cm and ride a size M Endurace, for what it’s worth. To provide more context to my fit, BB to Top of saddle is 773mmm and my saddle to handlebar is ~550mm. I run a Pro Stealth saddle.
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Do you have any problems getting the bike serviced?
You weren’t asking me but I have not had any issues with the local shop fixing mine. I haven’t really needed anything significant but for little things here and there they haven’t said anything.
I love my Grail CF SL 8.0 and Endurace CF SLX ETAP. The Grail has about 3000 miles under its belt. I bought it last year. The Endurace has about 200 miles on it. I just got it last week.
Sometimes when I bring it to my LBS, the owner made some off-color comments. But the mechanics, they love seeing the Canyon Grail. They always got excited when I bring it to the shop for service.
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Bought an inflite for last years cross season. It races brilliantly.
After the season the mechanic noticed some cracks around the seat post. I contacted canyon, they paid to get it collected to be checked. They noted the damage and swapped my frame for me. On the rebuild they swapped the chain, read wheel hub and handlebar tape free of charge.
Safe to say I’d highly recommend Canyon.
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Love hearing these stories. Hard to see me buying another brand as long as this continues. I’ve been super impressed!
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I just got my first Canyon last week, Lux 6.0 - super pleased with it so far, although as my first serious foray into mountain biking, it seems to be utilizing muscles I haven’t utilized much on the road! Will probably go with an Aeroad next year.
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Seat post or the crook area on the top tube, just shy of where it meets the seat tube? I had some cracking on mine 2years ago, they wanted it back and shipped me a new one (eventually… took 6 weeks as I recall). The new one started doing the same almost immediately on just road rides. I saw another inflite last fall that had the same markings.
I’ve decided it’s just superficial paint cracking. Turns out the paint primer layer is actually pretty thick.
None at all: my local shop were more than happy to work on it. Need to take it back for a bleed sometime when things are back to normal. Don’t really need brakes on the trainer 
I’m from Poland and I own 3 Canyon bikes: Canyon Ultimate CF SL, Endurace AL and Grail AL with GRX option. So far so good. Great bikes, race ready, fully equipped, with no cheap components that ruin all the build. And I have same comparison: Argon18 Gallium Pro (twice as expensive as the Ultimate CF) and Specialized Tarmac SL6 Pro (the same story with the price). No problem with servicing here in Poland. Actually, LBSes like those bikes.
One think you have to note is the steering tube dimension. 1 and 1/4 inch is the Canyon standard. So, you have limited options to change a stem or a integrated cockpit. And, from my point of view, the only disadvantage of those bikes is readiness for only one type of groupset: electronic or mechanical. But, same say that this is a big advantage for them: no extra holes in the frame when you buy the mechanical option.
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I received my Canyon Ultimate (dentist edition) a few weeks ago, and I am quite happy with it. Excellent value and top notch components. I might upgrade the frame to a brand that’s closer to the heart one day, but that’s purely emotional.
Shifting and rear disc brake needed some fine tuning. Beyond that, the only real annoyance was a big pink sticker on the frame that was way too hard to remove, leaving behind some micro scratches.
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