Choose the superbike if my wallet allowed or else the endurace would do justice . think about what if you guys compared neck to neck the only different is the frame and the seattube!!🤔🤔🤔🤔 I think it would be a crazy test and a hard one for the mechanic too
Mid-range for sure. No need to go that expensive. If every second is important to you than sure. If you got money to spare than why not. If it's going to get you riding much more go for it. But for someone who loves cycling and doesn't care about mere seconds it's better to save a few thousand euros and maybe go for a epic bike trip than spend them on in my opinion an overkill of a bike.
Mark Jones I literally starting riding some weeks ago, i use it for recreational and for going to college, its an old huffy im trying to restore it, and then adding a brushless motor to the front tire.
I buy, fix up and sell bikes in my free time to create the extra cash to buy bikes I couldn't otherwise afford and to learn about everything new that has come out in the past decade or so. I have found a lot of value in that because I get to test out tons of bikes that I normally wouldn't have although it has taken me about 8 years to earn enough for a decent pair of bikes for the road and mountain seeing as I do it all in my spare time. It has taught me a great deal about bikes and what I like about different designs on them though. Some of the best bikes I have ridden for road are Giant TCR Advanced 1, Trek Emonda ALR 6, and a few Felt bikes. I found that If I want to go out riding for longer distances or on rougher roads and all conditions an endurance bike or Cyclocross bike was much more comfortable but when It came to pure speed the Giant TCR and Trek Emonda have been the fastest bikes Ive had. The TCR comes in tons of configurations so you can pick out the one that has the features you want most for your budget. You can prioritize weight all together, stiffness, disc breaks, carbon wheels, money as a whole or whatever you want. By far the best $/gram upgrade on any bike over $1000 is upgrading the skewers from quick release to titanium aero ones and the second best upgrade for me was to put super grippy pedals on it, for flats I run either Crank Bros Stamp, VP Vice or Xpedo Spry (look for pedals that you can replace the grip things with either grub screws or common machine screws, that makes it super convenient to replace them).
how can i love something if i dont? I love X but I can only afford Y. how can I love Y if I love X? I have a better idea: buy what you love, and worry about how you can afford it later. you will live much happier and motivate you to afford better things.
A lot of it is the rider. I used to commute past the aerodrome in Manchester and used to enjoy passing some people on serious bikes as they rode there and of course being passed by others then trying to keep up. One I will always remember was being passed by one guy where by the time I had considered trying to catch him he was too far ahead. We could have switched bikes, he would still have totally blitzed me.
You don’t know anything about them though. Are they on a 150k ride? Is this their 6th ride in a row? Is it a recovery ride? Are they coming back after an injury? Did they just finish a sprint? Riding past someone doesn’t mean anything.
Yeah for the rookies. Riding an expensive bike offers a ride level that one can't compare. The person riding the expensive bike could be just enjoying his ride, doing some extensive endurance and (like happens when one drives an awesome car) enjoyment speaks volume, not bothering to push the pedals hard all the time.
This is more true than most people realize. It increases your VO2 Max, Decreases O2 consumption, increases watts per kilo, and decrease nutritional demand. In other words, all that fat is not just like carrying a bag of sand around, it actually has physiologic requirements that steal from your muscles.
It's impressive the level of polish you bring to a video.... This is visually and audibly Top Gear level, no mean feat for a UA-cam channel. Not to mention your banter and crack seems a lot less forced
Their arguement is perfect. Mid-Range give you the most bike for your money. But getting to pro level - a 2.5min difference each hour is the difference between a pro and an amateur. Or between going home in the yellow jersey or beeing No. 25 on that day - if not even worse.
It is on a very steep road. On a flat road, pro or not, one kg dont make any difference. Only aerodynamics and pressure inside the tyres. But aerodynamics is 99% your body position on a UCI bike (without aerodymics helmet, disk wheel ... ) On a 6-8% road, the difference will be very small, espicially for a pro who is quite quick on a moderate slop (so aerodynamic is an important part) On a pro level it maybe more 30 sec / hour on a race like liege / bastogne / liege. Yes of course it make an huge difference for a pro. For an amateur, whatever his level, it is nothing.
Racing helps improve components and the trickle down technology means that Shimano Claris is as good as Dura-Ace from 15 years before. (edit well maybe 20 years or 105) Full carbon forks and excellent race tested geometry on entry level bikes. Good if you’re like me and only buys a bike after every ten years.
This just confirms what I've always suspected. And the thing to notice is that most people are not nearly as strong cyclists as you guys are, so the difference is even smaller. I suppose that's a bad thing to bike manufacturers, but for ordinary people it's just a good thing. They can buy a "cheap" road bike with confidence and it's going to be 90% as good as the most expensive super bikes out there. So instead of buying an expensive bike, get a mid-range bike and spend money on good shoes and clothes and saddle. I'm pretty sure that good and snazzy clothes will make a much bigger difference to the level of enjoyment than getting a more expensive bike. See you on the road!
the "Gains" are on a long stage race that's over 2 hours. A 4% gain on a 2 hour ride is huge, which is 10 mins. Kinda insane on a race. For the everyday person or people in group rides that are no drop? There's no point :P
@@kentwong3818 But that 4% gain is totally dependent upon the rider. These guys at GCN are very strong cyclists; Everyday cyclists, even ones who compete, unless they are pro in some fashion, wont be able to ride like them, so their improvement is most likely even less than 4%.
Wouldn't that mean they impact would be even bigger? Ie if I'm a weak biker, then not having to carry the extra 2kg over the ride is going to have an even greater impact when compared to a pro who trains to their max all the time.
I ride both an S-Works Venge w/Ultegra and a Roubaix SL2 with 105 and I love both but this got me thinking if I wasted money. Good thing my wife was in the other room when I watched this.
@@nanezferrer3565 I had my S works for 10 years. The only thing it got "clanky" is the external cables. At least is easier to change them once a decade.
I do love these comparisons. I’d love to see a comparison of a super bike today vs say a 5 year-old super bike. I purchased mine used for 1/5 the cost of a new and think it’s just as good as a brand new one.
In one of the top german roadbike magazines "tour", I recently read that a current mid range bike of about 3000 € is technically and qualitatively "worlds above" a ten year old bike of a pro team and I tend to believe that.
@@tchilp i have bought an endurace CF a year ago from the Canyon outlet and find them much better then my 10 years old AG2R pro team bike so i agree with the review they are world better
I've been riding a Specialized Allez Elite for my trainings since december. It's one of the best bikes I've ever riden... It feels fast, it's very fun to ride and it climbs really well and descends with no major problems.
This is really disappointing, I’ve been blaming the bike for years and now I’ve got no excuse, also no need for the upgrade I’ve been frothing over for ages.
kiffest Feel is a big part of it. I snagged a 2020 Roubaix Comp this year, and despite all the “more aero than ____” talk from Specialized there wasn’t much of a comparison to my Tarmac SL6 Expert. A race bike will always give you that visceral speed feeling, over a more forgiving endurance bike. Also, gearing is huge... a 11/30 vs a 11/34 which free spins on a decent. Endurance bikes can feel too easy. Personally I think a $4-5K full carbon race bike is a sweet spot for any cyclist. It’s a trim typically that you’ll feel good about, be able to brag about here and there, and would require very little extra cash to upgrade. They’re also typically spec’d with Ultegra, which is all any cyclist really needs.
@@paul_hd1875 You’re so wrong man🙂 An average cyclist doesn’t need a 4-5 k bike. It’s overkill. Comfort is the most important aspect for an average rider. So endurance bike for sure. Also 105 groupset is plenty enough. I wouldn’t recommend a bike that’s more than 2-2.5k. Everything above that is for racing purposes.
@@LukezyM not to mention 105 is far cheaper to service and there cassete last longer and the slightly heavier alu rims tend to be far more durable that those racing carbon rims got a felt ar1 with durace di2 and fulcrum Racing Quattro Carbon Clincher 7.2kg bike legit uci level race bike got hook on the bling and crazed after awhile sold it at a massive lost never had any fun on that stupid thing far to expensive not even that comfortable that stupid bike made me want to give up cycling the shitty road shoes are imposible to walk on until i to this old dude who been riding for ages and looks like his having far more fun then me on old bike with a group set god knows from what era he told me to just get a decent bike and spend the rest on group rides and riding trips so i got myself a decent brushed stainless vintage looking chromoly steel frame bike because i like the look with 105 and rs330 clinchers with xtr clipless pedal and mtb shoes and honestly i have far more fun on that vintage looking bike that my race bike i got the whole bike plus equipment for probably less then the wheels on felt ar1 that steel bike took the road like a champ pot holes bump did not faze the rs330 at all sure its a bit heavy but the comfort and the knowledge that its rock solid is truly a good peace of mind.
Hi GCN. Please try out a comparison on an old super bike, aerotype with ultegra- durace 10 speeds to a new super bike aero with 11 speed groupsets. Then check difference. That's cool right? Regards
I totally get what you guys mean by the "feel" of the bike! I just recently bought my first mid-range bike (a trek domane alr) and the staff let me have a go on the domane slr 8... holy cow does it feel good. It just felt like every piece of it was there just to help you cycle better
Really quite surprised at how close it was, especially on the TT, considering the shallow rims and much taller headtube - I guess you guys are just that disciplined about where you put your body regardless of where the bike might want you to put it. I know you get a lot of flak for unscientific tests but this more qualitative feedback is still super useful, especially when the margins are small. It's apparent that a lot of cycling is about feeling, and what this has made me feel is a lot better about the mid-range bike - especially making me feel more accountable about my performance on it, which i think is actually empowering. TL;DR - nice vid, see you in the geek corner.
mother trucker i haven't got any experience with tiagra (the groupset is the only difference to the 7.0), but i believe that it shouldn't be too bad. the brakes are good, it's only 10 speed and the shifting isn't quite as smooth as 105. but all in all, it is a great deal.
KingPlayer471 I've got the 2017 model AL 7.0 Disc which has an Ultegra 6800 groupset. To make matters confusing for 2018 model has been renamed as the AL 8.0 Disc with the Ultegra 8000 groupset. Would have thought this model would have been a better comparison especially with the braking.
Let me punch in an amatuer view. I use my bike for cardio a few days a week. The jump from an average 500€ bike to a cca. 1500€ road bike is amazing. So responsive, light and fast. I got a Giant Contend SL1 disc, fell in love on a first ride. It blew my mind how much faster u go trough inclines and straights. It rewards every bit of your effort you put in. It feels so rewarding, especially after a steep slope. The fast descent is amazing, the speed you gain when you tuck in is so exhilarating. For me best cardio workout you can get.
Great film guys. The £100 bike test was fun but this one is super good. I'm holding out for the new 105 and will be upgrading my Alu bike. I will buy a car with my super bike budget!
I have an instep bike with Sora gears for road and I will surely bye an aero bike in future but that is not important do quickly since I have a lot to do with the engine :). If I have to hurry to bye a new bike I will lost the pleasure see bikes on different event and bikes for sale. Most important are that I feel I sit well and ride is fun with the most different bikes. That is using your legs and in same time see the nature with different seasons in different weather who make you happy. That is cotton wool for your soul do that and especially with a clean bike and a new lubricated chain. Thanks GCN! You are best!
+1 for this comment. My bike is equipped with Altus 3x9 and M355 brakes (14 kilos). My mates bike is equipped with SLX M675 3x10 and Deore brakes (12 kilos). I can follow him on straights easily. And the important thing: We're both having fun!
Thank You sirs! This video helped me decide to my first road bike. Yesterday I received the Endurace AL 7.0.20 in Race Red colour. Now I wait for the summer and putting the bike out on the roads.
I do not have a super bike, I currently own a BMC Roadmachine 02, which I find very good. I would, if I had the money lying around happily Ride a super bike instead of a mid range one for a single difference: feel. It just feels different for the better, makes you wanna push harder and have more fun. Yes, numbers are important, but riding is more about feel for me. Thanks for the video!
Hi guys, I have a used bike business and i have ridden about 50 different bike from from the last decade. Mostly midrange and h- end but 5 years or older. I think the best buy is a super bike from a few years ago versus a new mid range. I bought a trek madone from 2008 thats weighs 15.5 lbs i paid 600 dollars. New it was 4500 dollars. It crushes it. Dura-ace everything. Carbon crank. Even carbon bars. Thanks for the nice videos
Nothing new here - the biggest difference between a super bike and a midrange home is in how it feels to ride, while the performance gains are negligible. Personally I like to take advantage of this by riding a midrange bike, since it's twice as fun to be fit and kick the butts of people riding super bikes on a cheaper bike!
You don't have to be going all out for that to make a difference. 4% or whatever the margin was will scale to whatever effort you are putting in (apparently for a club ride, that's 5 mins over 2 hrs). After all, if you're spending over £6k on a bike like that, you're probably pretty serious and care about either Strava or racing where these sort of margins matter. and fyi, F1 races are typically about 1.5 hrs long and are a good analogue for time-based margins as it's quite easy to visualize.
For pros it absolutely is. Someone whose profession includes competing in the Tour de France or Giro de Italia would be a moron to prefer mid-range to customized top of the line bikes. But - how many people actually earrn their livelyhood cycling? And racing only - not sales, mechanic, bike tour guide where it again wouldn't be relevant! Probably even less numbers than rare Formula drivers...
I bought the endurace (exactly the one on your video) exactly for those reasons. It is my first roadbike and I really thought it had the overall best compromise for the price (what canyon is usually good at). So far really really happy with it , and I think I took the right coice. So for sure the more expensive superbikes are worth the money, but certainly for someone that is a lot into the sport, because otherwise somebody like me wouldn't appreciate the higher level of the bike. So i would definetely recomend the endurace to anyone willing to get a decet roadbike for an OK buget. Plus I personally think it has a very nice design and color. Great video guys!
Do you want to let us know wheter the bike was a good choice as an entry roadbike? I mean there certainly were some issues during the last 3 years. I'm in the same position as you at the time you wrote the comment, that's why I'm really interested in your long-term experiences c:
@@elian145 i still use it today and i love this bike. I am not a pro and that's why anything more expensive for me would be nonsense. I would mybe go for the discbrake one today. But i really love it and did not think of changing it. I swapped the casette for a 11-34 since as i said i am not a pro and wanted 1:1 ratio for climbing, but it's not something really needed. I really still think it nails the compromise and many friends have bought it after i recommended it to them.
@@suicillo23 Sounds great tbh... how far did you roughly ride the bike since you bought it? I usually ride mine 50 kilometer per week with some extra kilometers if the weather is good enough And the durability of the bike is good as well? If I would spend this much on a bike, it should last for many kilometers to be worth it thanks btw for the fast response, have a nice day and good riding c:
Personally, I think one needs to stay mentally grounded when choosing a bike. If you are 130 pounds, racing on a world stage, and other people are paying for your gear, let the sky be the limit. But if your an aging Clyde like myself, you really need to consider diminishing returns. I have bikes that cost me $10K USD, $7K USD, but my favorite of my fleet is an $849 USD Ebay scored Pinerello Opera with 1997 Campy Chorus. Love every minute of being on it.
My favorite bike of all time is still my 1987 Bianchi Brava. It's easily the most elegant and beautiful bike I have owned, nothing ever goes wrong with it, and it's a joy to ride. Her name is George.
@@eduardolerro1 Right on dude. I have a completely restored Bianchi Brava Circa early 80s, Italian built. Bike has original Groupo, and peripherals, Gran cru wheels, Brooks saddle, and stitched leather handlebar wraps. Needless to say, it only goes out in perfect weather. Thanks for your comment, and enjoy your Brava. One excellent piece of machinery
That was one of the best, if not the best episodes, you've done. I think it vindicates my decision to buy a low/mid range Specialized Venge which has given me the aerodynamic frame and a pretty good group set without spending ridiculous amounts of money. It also explains why I don't feel that much slower on my aluminium framed Moda (which I love).
My bike is not even mid-range bike but it’s “cheap” bike which is Cannondale bike with Tiagra groupset. I just love my bike regardless of design and weight. Hoping to get upgrade soon but for next few years, i m going to stick on my bike! And ALWAYS thanks to GCN for uploading loads of videos full of informations.
Sometimes people do however: last few weeks I've been looking for preowned bikes on Ebay - as well as new ones on the Canyon and Rose sites, and in person at the Canyon showroom in Koblenz - for my first road bike. I've actually come across 2 superbike adverts where the sellers explicitly stated that they didn't feel a marked difference to their previous less high-end bikes and wanted to go back! One stated he already bought the newest model of his previous ride, even before selling off the €8.000+-superbike. And a third ad outright admitted that they bought into a hype about new tech he didn't actually value riding in practice, thus downgrading again... Technical term would be buyer's remorse, the high-end variant 😂
I think people actually scrutinize MORE when they're on an expensive bike. You can't just throw a big price tag on something and then THINK it performs well. It actually has to perform well.
I remember watching this when it first came out and ended up buying a second hand carbon bike and spent extra money on decent wheels ..... looking back at my level I feel this was the correct decision.... Great video
I mean... You have to make sure you put the same watts into each run. If you ride the same line a second time you might be tired, or have just gotten warmed up, so these variables can confound the true results. Especially with the margins here, er can't conclude anything at all without better data.
I believe that a bike is a extension of the riders body and the rider should just get the bike that he or she wants whether it’s cheap or expensive Aero or light It’s completly down to personal likes and dislikes which can’t be explained by a stopwatch
In short on should be extremely excited on how the mid level bike performed. What it tells us is that those that cannot afford a superbike can perhaps afford the next best thing. Moreover, swap out a few components and you narrow the gap between the 2 bikes even more. The question is: what was the price difference between the two bikes?
For some of us, we have 2 in the house that ride so the biking budget is divided by 2. So we have 2 (1 each) domane sl5, with the 105 groupset, and they are absolutely phenomenal bikes. As much as I would have loved to take the money spent on both bikes and get myself a superbike, these bikes are loads of fun and having my wife ride with me is worth more than ANY bike on the current market. So for now, I'll be riding, and enjoying, my mid-range bike. My point? Uve showed me that $5-$6000 bike may NOT actually be what I need. as long as I'm in the saddle, I'm golden. Thanks guys.
Great video guys, highlighting very nicely what we all suspected. Always seems that buying a second hand decent mid range bike and adding some more high quality components will put you right at the point at which you've got enough of the 'good feel' of the super bike and can still afford the coffee & the cake..!
These results don't surprise me at all. There's a phenomenon in pretty much every industry where the ratio of marginal gains in quality to extra dollars spent decreases as you go into the higher price brackets. Or in more mathy terms, the second derivative of a graph of quality to price is always negative (though the first derivative is hypothetically always positive). This phenomenon is true when it comes to computers, musical instruments, cars, and indeed bikes. That's why luxury is, by its very nature, an inefficient usage of money, although most of us are willing to pursue it regardless. I say if you can afford the super bike, then go for it. You'll be paying more than what a motorcycle would cost, but if that's your dream machine, it's your right to buy it. For practical purposes, I'd stick with bikes definitely under a 2k budget.
I wouldn't pay much for material, weight or marginal gains. But there are some features that only come at the higher end like various suspension systems or more gears. Spending more money to get those is quite justifyable for me. Though this raises the question when an improvement becomes a feature. I'd say on road bikes at 1500-2000$ you get most relevant features (good 11s shifting). On MTBs the bound is a bit higher as full suspension bikes are more expensive. In that case I'd set the limit at about 3k$
Great video, thanks. Would like to see the same for £2k/£3k bike, although I suspect at some point the differences become too small to be reliable - although that said, I think the point where it's tough to measure the difference is the most interesting price point to know...
Love this vid, particularly as I’ve had my Canyon WMN Endurace AL for about 2 months and I adore it. Of course I would have loved the carbon Ultimate but alas it is not now nor likely ever in the budget for me. So pleased with my purchase and even more so now seeing as the performance difference isn’t all that much!
Great editing! Now, about your question in the end. I use to race in the early eighties and I love bikes. To me they are not only a tool, but so much more. My "bikecollection" contains the full range of development from steel to carbon, but going out for that sunny sunday ride I always take my steelbike with 32 spoke wheels and tubular tires. It's supercomfortable and light for being steel, 8,5 kg. It absorbs vibrations and bad roads so much better than alu and carbon bikes and it's QUIET! I go crazy listening to the sound from my modern carbon wheels. With the old school bike it's really enjoyable riding around and a postive sideeffect are all the appretiative comments I get from other cyclist about my beautiful steelframe with lot's of chrome on it.
same here love my 1978 Raleigh Team Record.I updated the breaks ,7new cassette,thump shifter took out front derailleur dont need it and its quiet pleasant bike to ride.My Specialized Ellez is getting less love....
I bought an Endurace 7.0 half an year ago. Excellent frame I must say. Replaced chain ring and cassette to Ultegra, a much lighter/ comfy saddle and the best part - threw in a pair of brand new Roval Rapid CLX's with s-works turbo cottons 26m.. ( total setup now costing 4.300 Euro's) and there you have nearly a super bike plus the fact that it's uniquely your own creation. Ride feel is plush and super fast, closing the gap big time with a bike costing more than 6.000 Euro's.
Thanks,Matt and Si, great to see not much of a gap in performance between these two bikes and I actually prefer the looks of the compact frame, so give me the Endurace and I'll use the extra bucks to buy some parts, not that I dislike the high-dollar bike. And this brings to mind what American guys in the 1950s were doing as post-war prosperity meant their parents were ditching their old cars to buy new ones and all of a sudden, guys were making hot rods out of old Lincolns and Fords and Chevys--just bolt on some new parts and give it a fancy paint job and all of a sudden, you had a race car or a custom car or just something to show off and impress your friends and all the ladies--or at least try :)
I think Matt touched on a significant parameter that was not measured: *ride feel or quality.* You can have two bikes that are equally fast but one "feels" better to ride than the other. It might feel stiffer when you're pouring on the watts while also damping road vibration at the same time. It might fit a little better, too. I'm all for "super bikes" and I hope someone will figure out how to better automate the manufacturing of frames and wheels with composite materials so their price will come down. Right now, my strategy is to buy the best used bike that I can afford. By buying "used", I'm able to afford a much higher caliber of bike than I could buy new. So far, all of my family's carbon bikes have been purchased used via eBay. We've been very careful and we've achieved great results. But you have to do your research and you have to exercise the discipline to avoid "deals" from untrustworthy sellers. If you're your own bike mechanic like I am, "used" is the way to go.
I think you should include a test on the resistance in the hubs. I found that my old cheap bike wouldn't coast as fast as a more expensive bike. This resistance adds up over the miles.
Yep, same here - ordered it a few days ago and it feels even better after watching this. I think these disc brakes are a good investment as soon as it starts to rain. When will yours be delivered?
@@SaschaGutmann How is the big 52/36 crank felling? Can you ride the 52 chainring on the flat terrain and not having to cross chain to the rear bigger chainrings?
I was training years ago try out for USPS team. I used a trek 400 and it was great bike. 20 miles in 30 minutes is fast for extremely heavy bike. I would gone with mid range bike any day. Ripped pavement up. Still love it.
gorgeous video. it is for this reason that I am subscribed to the cgn "global" channel even though, being Italian we have cgn italia. But this is not a problem, since I understand very well what you say in the videos, and watching them always makes me want to take the bike and go out, even if it is currently raining. I have an xc mtb not a superbike, but a decent bike. I have already focused on the 1 year canyon endurance category, and seeing this video I want to buy it even more. Congratulations again.
It’s the bike and rider , there’s so much more to it than ride performance, I can spend hours looking at pro level bikes , love it and don’t feel rubbish that I can’t afford it . I can also ride my £1000 gravel bike for hours a love it just the same .
peebee1357 it’s mainly the rider 🙂 I have a £1000 bike and borrowed my kids £300 bike while mine was in for servicing. Still had a great blast on it and was still quick. Let’s be honest the 3% performance benefit of a bike costing £5000 more means that plenty of guys on £1000 bikes will leave those on superbikes in the weeds
Thanks for all the great videos. It seems that unless you're an elite athlete or at least semi-professional, a mid range bike will do all the things you want it to do and is a great value for the money.
That was a great video. I think you made a great case for BOTH a super bike and a mid-range. This shows why it makes a lot of sense to train on a mid-range and then pull out your super bike (or even your race wheels) on race day or any day that you want a little oomph. The really enlightening part of this was demonstrating with real numbers how inferior a low-end bike actually is. Great, great work and thank you!
Great Video as always. I have just come off my winter bike that is double the price of the average price Canyon, 2KG lighter and stepped onto my Superbike. It is quicker by about 1-2mph over any distance but thats not why I love it.... One thing that you can't quantify is the grin factor! It's when your grin wraps around your face to meet your ears, then you know that the extra money you shell out pays back in sure pleasure! You have to ride a superbike over a period of time to appreciate the difference in the way that it handles and the way the power transfer through to the tarmac, you simply can't put this into perspective.
15:35 well that just shows that it's not the difference between bikes but how much fitness does a cyclist have, Si beating Matt on 105 against Dura Ace aeroad although I'm sure Matt in his prime would beat Si's time
I just upgraded my 2015 Giant TCR Advanced 2, for a 2019 Merida Reacto 8000e, and the difference is enormous! The difference from mechanical shifting to Di2 is well worth the extra $$, and the aero aspect - freewheeling downhill on the same hill, the Reacto is 10km\h faster (40km\h vs 50km\h), and on the same 80km ride saved over 40min on the Merida.
Ease of replacement, ability to replace after it gets exposed to sweat & weather over the amount of time it takes to wear out a BB, (grease stays on threads better than it does with pressed in bearings) & the guarantee that with some gaffers tape & a strong arm you can prevent it from ever creaking.
I had to read the comments here to know the significance of that point. Makes sense. But if you can afford a super bike, you can probably afford to take it to a shop if you don't want to do it yourself.
its funny to me that you did these 2 videos. i had a raleigh until last year, because my first bike at 14 was a raleigh. but i just bought in the spring, its now december, an Endurace with disc brakes. and i see no reason to upgrade anymore. you made me happy. 8 seconds is nothing! i dont care about 8 seconds as i am not a pro or even racing. thanks!
I watched this again today, months after the first viewing and still think it's one of your most useful for new cyclists. Let's be honest, there are a lot of elitists in cycling and my LBS would much rather sell me the super bike. There was more hype about the clear superiority or carbon when life calmed a bit and I re-entered cycling. I've had a few bikes since then and the 2 absolute best have been a alloy Specialized Secteur, my first, and a carbon Volagi Liscio, my current and last. When I moved on from the Secteur I spent the next 6 years trying to find something, anything I liked as much. I'm pretty happy I met Robert Choi and bought the Volagi. It cost 4x more than the Specialized but I was happy again. My takeaway? I guess I learned a worthwhile lessons from my journey. If I had concentrated on how much fun I had with the Secteur instead my silly quest for the holy grail I'd be 10s of 1000s of dollars better off. Only gripe with the comparison is that Canyon, at least now, has a disc alloy bike for under $1500. That should bring the braking and descending much closer. But yes, this and the Emonda ALR and SLR comparisons should be mandatory viewing for anyone considering their first "real" bike.
Great video. Thanks. I'd be fascinated to see you do a test with a few different tires. I'm going to guess that there is about 7 watts difference in the tires between these 2 bikes. That would account for most of that difference.
I think we overlooked my favorite thing about a super bike...namely, when pushed to the max, it responds beautifully for like an uphill 15+ percent sprint and any sprinting max power situation. So I think super strong riders might enjoy these benefits more. Think about it, wouldn’t you dream about riding a super bike while being at your best fitness?! Going zero to 30 as fast as possible is is way too much fun!
For me, fun is the most important factor. I could get along, very well, with the almost-super bike and have a delightful time going faster, riding harder than most people. But your points on coffee stops are well taken. Thanks for the work it took to make this video.
As someone who is just about to buy a midrange bike this is wildly encouraging. I obviously don’t need to spend any more. Your results are reflected in nearly all purchases these days: cheap electric guitars are almost indistinguishable from those costing 6 times as much; you can get a good stereo for the merest fraction of a top of the range one which will sound only slightly better. Great news for the not uberly wealthy.
GCN delivers the best and most entertaining cycling-related content available imho. Big amount of high quality stuff to enjoy. I love it, it‘s a joy to watch you guys.
Sort of same here. I snatched last year model 6.0 than came with 105 for 800€. At least one good thing of being 201cm, my size is almost always available on sale. And the bike is great. Video too
This is an important video for anyone new to cycling or even the entry level racer wanting to move up. You DON'T NEED to spend +$5,000 to get an awesome ride that will let you cross the line first if you have the physical ability. I have a Cervelo S3 with eTap and deep carbon wheels as well as a Specialized Allez with SRAM Force and aluminum rims. I've chosen to race the latter on occasion with good results, and had a great time on it. There's something so satisfying about that!
I was very fortunate to get a Scott foil RRP £2,900, for £1300 in an end of line sale 3 years ago. It was the Best Buy I have ever made. The difference this made from my previous low range bike was huge.. I was riding 3.5 mph quicker within days. It is comfortable and so responsive and I can ride for hours comfortBly. Always spend the maximum you can afford. I always enjoy the advice on GCN and have used a number of their tutorials to help me. Thanks guys
Heck, you only live once (I think!?) That's why I went and got a Specialized Tarmac with Ultegra group, it out performs ANY bike I have ever owned... AND if I had the money, I would definitely go for an aero quality bike, with Dura ace for sure!!! Some folks spend that much in a year on drinks, and dinners with gals. Heck, it comes down to priorities, and what you love most to do in your free time. Definitely wouldn't mind having a second bike, an aero Canyon, Trek, Specialized, or topline Bianchi!!!!!! Huge difference between a cheap bike, to a mid-range, to a expensive topline aero bike. Great video guys!!
Only just came across this vid now so a bit late to the party. Just wanted to say, whatever anyone's opinion on the bikes, I thought you guys presented the test really well so thanks very much for your work.
I'd rather buy say a $3800 Giant Propel with Ultegra di2 ,aero wheels and integrated bar and stem, than the top of the line Propel which is $11,000, Dura Ace di2 and total integration. Why? Because with the extra $7,200 I could buy more wheels, aerodynamic kit, or an entire bike.
Great work Matt and Simon, an excellent test and using power to measure the differences is the best way to do it. Net result, buy the bike you can afford and enjoy it.
This helped out with the double guessing I had and if I purchased a good enough 1st bike. This helped alot and reinforced that this is to enjoy and get a family of 4 with all new bikes out of the house and off the couch. Great video
Extremely useful review. As I have the Al 7.0 on my shortlist, I learned that there is a difference in geometry between the disc and rim brakes version. So, around 7:45 you are discussing the comfort and position on the bikes the differences stem (pun intended) from differences in geometry, not the place bikes occupy on the ladder;-).
If you can afford a superbike, that's justification enough to get one. If 6000 euro meant the same to me as 600 to the average person, I'd certainly invest in the best bike I could get. But I'm happy with my 1500 euro Merida cyclocross.
Super bike, mid-range bike or cheap bike?
Which would you choose and why?
Definitiv Supee bike!!
If I have enough money which is impossible for now, I choose the Super bike
Choose the superbike if my wallet allowed or else the endurace would do justice .
think about what if you guys compared neck to neck the only different is the frame and the seattube!!🤔🤔🤔🤔 I think it would be a crazy test and a hard one for the mechanic too
Mid-range for sure. No need to go that expensive. If every second is important to you than sure. If you got money to spare than why not. If it's going to get you riding much more go for it. But for someone who loves cycling and doesn't care about mere seconds it's better to save a few thousand euros and maybe go for a epic bike trip than spend them on in my opinion an overkill of a bike.
Is that also suggesting that if I lose 1.5kg from my body I’d be 10 seconds faster off that climb? 😂
Buy the bike you can afford, ride it, love it.
Mark Jones I literally starting riding some weeks ago, i use it for recreational and for going to college, its an old huffy im trying to restore it, and then adding a brushless motor to the front tire.
I buy, fix up and sell bikes in my free time to create the extra cash to buy bikes I couldn't otherwise afford and to learn about everything new that has come out in the past decade or so. I have found a lot of value in that because I get to test out tons of bikes that I normally wouldn't have although it has taken me about 8 years to earn enough for a decent pair of bikes for the road and mountain seeing as I do it all in my spare time. It has taught me a great deal about bikes and what I like about different designs on them though. Some of the best bikes I have ridden for road are Giant TCR Advanced 1, Trek Emonda ALR 6, and a few Felt bikes. I found that If I want to go out riding for longer distances or on rougher roads and all conditions an endurance bike or Cyclocross bike was much more comfortable but when It came to pure speed the Giant TCR and Trek Emonda have been the fastest bikes Ive had. The TCR comes in tons of configurations so you can pick out the one that has the features you want most for your budget. You can prioritize weight all together, stiffness, disc breaks, carbon wheels, money as a whole or whatever you want.
By far the best $/gram upgrade on any bike over $1000 is upgrading the skewers from quick release to titanium aero ones and the second best upgrade for me was to put super grippy pedals on it, for flats I run either Crank Bros Stamp, VP Vice or Xpedo Spry (look for pedals that you can replace the grip things with either grub screws or common machine screws, that makes it super convenient to replace them).
David Figueroa
Thats cool dude
what do you think about making a video about it ?
how can i love something if i dont? I love X but I can only afford Y.
how can I love Y if I love X?
I have a better idea:
buy what you love, and worry about how you can afford it later.
you will live much happier and motivate you to afford better things.
Kevin Colt How much is the finance on your Ferrari?
You can go faster on a super bike, because your wallet is much lighter...
James Rounding ...and use the rest of the money to shave your head bold. Lighter wallet than before + aerodynamic head.
😆
That's one of the best comments i have read in ages
Best comment ever... ;)
hahahahahah
One of best feelings in the world is passing the guy on his $15k bike while riding my bike which cost just $1k.
I’ve seen a rider with $900 bike pulling dogma f12 , madone, and tarmac sl 😂
A lot of it is the rider. I used to commute past the aerodrome in Manchester and used to enjoy passing some people on serious bikes as they rode there and of course being passed by others then trying to keep up.
One I will always remember was being passed by one guy where by the time I had considered trying to catch him he was too far ahead. We could have switched bikes, he would still have totally blitzed me.
And beating him
You don’t know anything about them though. Are they on a 150k ride? Is this their 6th ride in a row? Is it a recovery ride? Are they coming back after an injury? Did they just finish a sprint? Riding past someone doesn’t mean anything.
Yeah for the rookies.
Riding an expensive bike offers a ride level that one can't compare.
The person riding the expensive bike could be just enjoying his ride, doing some extensive endurance and (like happens when one drives an awesome car) enjoyment speaks volume, not bothering to push the pedals hard all the time.
Also I must add, you guys put on a very professional, mature, educational videos. Very much appreciated. The best on the web by far!
Better way than spending $10k+ on a super bike to climb faster...drop that extra 10 lbs you ride with around your waist. Hills hurt, but couch kills.
This is more true than most people realize. It increases your VO2 Max, Decreases O2 consumption, increases watts per kilo, and decrease nutritional demand. In other words, all that fat is not just like carrying a bag of sand around, it actually has physiologic requirements that steal from your muscles.
It's after you lose the weight that you REALLY will want a lighter bike.
yep 100%
Just spend more money on quality EPO.
I'm 14 and this is deep
Everyone knows; it’s the colour of the bike that’s the most important factor! 😀 🚲
Girls just wanna have fun ;-D
red means faster read the rules
Black bikes look better in the shade.
How very true
I paid every for red
Checkout the 'Purple flip' color on Trek Emonda ALR5 and tell me if you don't fall in love, you're welcome 😉
Now THIS was insightful and a more realistic question that a normal buyer would be asking. THANK YOU.
Cheers Jimmer, glad you enjoyed the video!
and either way you gonna shell out that extra for no nonsense 8sec advantage... promotion paid
@@latsots people care about those 5 secs bro
There’s no gains for an average cyclist. It’s just the look that’s appealing. And the feeling you’re riding a “pro cycling” gear..
It's impressive the level of polish you bring to a video.... This is visually and audibly Top Gear level, no mean feat for a UA-cam channel.
Not to mention your banter and crack seems a lot less forced
Thanks, it is great to hear such awesome feedback!
Agree 100% it's like a BBC production.
Thats where attention is now. I know itv producers that are leaving their job and heading to yt etc.
100% correct
A Shaw 101 sonically*
Their arguement is perfect.
Mid-Range give you the most bike for your money.
But getting to pro level - a 2.5min difference each hour is the difference between a pro and an amateur. Or between going home in the yellow jersey or beeing No. 25 on that day - if not even worse.
It is on a very steep road. On a flat road, pro or not, one kg dont make any difference. Only aerodynamics and pressure inside the tyres. But aerodynamics is 99% your body position on a UCI bike (without aerodymics helmet, disk wheel ... )
On a 6-8% road, the difference will be very small, espicially for a pro who is quite quick on a moderate slop (so aerodynamic is an important part)
On a pro level it maybe more 30 sec / hour on a race like liege / bastogne / liege. Yes of course it make an huge difference for a pro.
For an amateur, whatever his level, it is nothing.
@@TEYRIS01 well said
@@TEYRIS01 X xx X dk32
2.5 min difference each hour is not the difference between the average pro and the average amateur lol
Racing helps improve components and the trickle down technology means that Shimano Claris is as good as Dura-Ace from 15 years before. (edit well maybe 20 years or 105) Full carbon forks and excellent race tested geometry on entry level bikes. Good if you’re like me and only buys a bike after every ten years.
This just confirms what I've always suspected. And the thing to notice is that most people are not nearly as strong cyclists as you guys are, so the difference is even smaller. I suppose that's a bad thing to bike manufacturers, but for ordinary people it's just a good thing. They can buy a "cheap" road bike with confidence and it's going to be 90% as good as the most expensive super bikes out there.
So instead of buying an expensive bike, get a mid-range bike and spend money on good shoes and clothes and saddle. I'm pretty sure that good and snazzy clothes will make a much bigger difference to the level of enjoyment than getting a more expensive bike.
See you on the road!
Exactly.
the "Gains" are on a long stage race that's over 2 hours. A 4% gain on a 2 hour ride is huge, which is 10 mins. Kinda insane on a race. For the everyday person or people in group rides that are no drop? There's no point :P
@@kentwong3818 But that 4% gain is totally dependent upon the rider. These guys at GCN are very strong cyclists; Everyday cyclists, even ones who compete, unless they are pro in some fashion, wont be able to ride like them, so their improvement is most likely even less than 4%.
Wouldn't that mean they impact would be even bigger? Ie if I'm a weak biker, then not having to carry the extra 2kg over the ride is going to have an even greater impact when compared to a pro who trains to their max all the time.
98%.....
I ride both an S-Works Venge w/Ultegra and a Roubaix SL2 with 105 and I love both but this got me thinking if I wasted money. Good thing my wife was in the other room when I watched this.
ahahaahha
yes you did....they're specialized bikes after all :-)
will they last for 5 years and above ? or they will get clanky ?
@@nanezferrer3565 I had my S works for 10 years. The only thing it got "clanky" is the external cables.
At least is easier to change them once a decade.
@@alinutzalin6346 what s works you have and year model ?
Matt showing his true cycling pedigree by having small, shaking arms whilst holding an 8.9kg bike!
🤣
Lol that's what I thought
That’s why a pro bike is under 7 kg. Else the pro will get stranded if his bike falls over.
I resemble that remark.
But I also like to think that my body was made for endurance, not heavy lifting.
Specialization at its finest.
I do love these comparisons. I’d love to see a comparison of a super bike today vs say a 5 year-old super bike. I purchased mine used for 1/5 the cost of a new and think it’s just as good as a brand new one.
In one of the top german roadbike magazines "tour", I recently read that a current mid range bike of about 3000 € is technically and qualitatively "worlds above" a ten year old bike of a pro team and I tend to believe that.
I'd like to see something like that too...or a midrange of 5 years ago vs a midrange today.
Me too, I buy 3 year old super bikes and 3 year old cars
I'd definitely like that too, but I'm pretty sure the show's sponsors wouldn't really be keen on that one ;)
@@tchilp i have bought an endurace CF a year ago from the Canyon outlet and find them much better then my 10 years old AG2R pro team bike so i agree with the review they are world better
I can see the problem of heavy bikes in the beginning. Lifting 9 kg with one arm obviously is the limit for a cyclist.
At least a roadie. A mountain biker should be able to lift that.
Tru
Hahaha :-) Lifting 22 here on one arm without problems (yes, a bike). But I'm not as aerodynamic as these guys :-)
@@jackfederski7646 A propper mountain biker will lift it many times over 17 times
and rip a lot of shit up.
Jack Feder SKI *sprinter
I've been riding a Specialized Allez Elite for my trainings since december. It's one of the best bikes I've ever riden... It feels fast, it's very fun to ride and it climbs really well and descends with no major problems.
This is really disappointing, I’ve been blaming the bike for years and now I’ve got no excuse, also no need for the upgrade I’ve been frothing over for ages.
kiffest Feel is a big part of it. I snagged a 2020 Roubaix Comp this year, and despite all the “more aero than ____” talk from Specialized there wasn’t much of a comparison to my Tarmac SL6 Expert. A race bike will always give you that visceral speed feeling, over a more forgiving endurance bike. Also, gearing is huge... a 11/30 vs a 11/34 which free spins on a decent. Endurance bikes can feel too easy. Personally I think a $4-5K full carbon race bike is a sweet spot for any cyclist. It’s a trim typically that you’ll feel good about, be able to brag about here and there, and would require very little extra cash to upgrade. They’re also typically spec’d with Ultegra, which is all any cyclist really needs.
@@paul_hd1875 You’re so wrong man🙂 An average cyclist doesn’t need a 4-5 k bike. It’s overkill. Comfort is the most important aspect for an average rider. So endurance bike for sure. Also 105 groupset is plenty enough. I wouldn’t recommend a bike that’s more than 2-2.5k. Everything above that is for racing purposes.
😂,well a lightestbike though
@@LukezyM not to mention 105 is far cheaper to service and there cassete last longer and the slightly heavier alu rims tend to be far more durable that those racing carbon rims got a felt ar1 with durace di2 and fulcrum Racing Quattro Carbon Clincher 7.2kg bike legit uci level race bike got hook on the bling and crazed after awhile sold it at a massive lost never had any fun on that stupid thing far to expensive not even that comfortable that stupid bike made me want to give up cycling the shitty road shoes are imposible to walk on until i to this old dude who been riding for ages and looks like his having far more fun then me on old bike with a group set god knows from what era he told me to just get a decent bike and spend the rest on group rides and riding trips so i got myself a decent brushed stainless vintage looking chromoly steel frame bike because i like the look with 105 and rs330 clinchers with xtr clipless pedal and mtb shoes and honestly i have far more fun on that vintage looking bike that my race bike i got the whole bike plus equipment for probably less then the wheels on felt ar1 that steel bike took the road like a champ pot holes bump did not faze the rs330 at all sure its a bit heavy but the comfort and the knowledge that its rock solid is truly a good peace of mind.
@@patthonsirilim5739 “just get a decent bike and spend the rest on group rides and riding trips” - good tip👍
I'd rather have a mid range bike so that when I come last to the cafe I still have an excuse. No excuses on a super duper bike
Conclusion, we want aeroad, but since I am not pro, I will go for endurance and I will be happy to have awesome bike too
Hi GCN. Please try out a comparison on an old super bike, aerotype with ultegra- durace 10 speeds to a new super bike aero with 11 speed groupsets.
Then check difference. That's cool right?
Regards
I totally get what you guys mean by the "feel" of the bike! I just recently bought my first mid-range bike (a trek domane alr) and the staff let me have a go on the domane slr 8... holy cow does it feel good. It just felt like every piece of it was there just to help you cycle better
Really quite surprised at how close it was, especially on the TT, considering the shallow rims and much taller headtube - I guess you guys are just that disciplined about where you put your body regardless of where the bike might want you to put it. I know you get a lot of flak for unscientific tests but this more qualitative feedback is still super useful, especially when the margins are small. It's apparent that a lot of cycling is about feeling, and what this has made me feel is a lot better about the mid-range bike - especially making me feel more accountable about my performance on it, which i think is actually empowering.
TL;DR - nice vid, see you in the geek corner.
Thanks Pratalax - hope you like the geek video 👓
This is a brilliant comment.
Great comment.
Great video guys! Especially for someone who just got their Endurace AL 7.0 in red 3 days ago :)))
Nice timing!
I love that bike and i really really wish to buy one. But i think im gonna go for al 6.0 bcz im low on budget, what do you think about al 6.0?
mother trucker i haven't got any experience with tiagra (the groupset is the only difference to the 7.0), but i believe that it shouldn't be too bad. the brakes are good, it's only 10 speed and the shifting isn't quite as smooth as 105. but all in all, it is a great deal.
Tiagra is a good groupset. Ride it, wear it out and then replace with 105 should you wish to upgrade.
KingPlayer471 I've got the 2017 model AL 7.0 Disc which has an Ultegra 6800 groupset. To make matters confusing for 2018 model has been renamed as the AL 8.0 Disc with the Ultegra 8000 groupset. Would have thought this model would have been a better comparison especially with the braking.
Finaly the video that most of us have been waiting for :)
Hope you like this one!
I have a 2018 Giant Contend 1 with shamino Sora components and I absolutely love it.
Let me punch in an amatuer view. I use my bike for cardio a few days a week. The jump from an average 500€ bike to a cca. 1500€ road bike is amazing. So responsive, light and fast. I got a Giant Contend SL1 disc, fell in love on a first ride. It blew my mind how much faster u go trough inclines and straights. It rewards every bit of your effort you put in. It feels so rewarding, especially after a steep slope. The fast descent is amazing, the speed you gain when you tuck in is so exhilarating. For me best cardio workout you can get.
Great film guys. The £100 bike test was fun but this one is super good. I'm holding out for the new 105 and will be upgrading my Alu bike. I will buy a car with my super bike budget!
Great to hear Scott!
I can tell already after 1 min and 22 sec that the editing is sick, love it GCN!
Thanks SwedishHouseFifa!
SwedishHouseFifa so true bro
Man kommer ihåg dina fifa videos ;)
I have an instep bike with Sora gears for road and I will surely bye an aero bike in future but that is not important do quickly since I have a lot to do with the engine :). If I have to hurry to bye a new bike I will lost the pleasure see bikes on different event and bikes for sale.
Most important are that I feel I sit well and ride is fun with the most different bikes. That is using your legs and in same time see the nature with different seasons in different weather who make you happy. That is cotton wool for your soul do that and especially with a clean bike and a new lubricated chain.
Thanks GCN! You are best!
Thanks Petinka!
Yeah that's definitely true. It kinda takes away the thrill doesnt it
buy*
+1 for this comment. My bike is equipped with Altus 3x9 and M355 brakes (14 kilos). My mates bike is equipped with SLX M675 3x10 and Deore brakes (12 kilos). I can follow him on straights easily. And the important thing: We're both having fun!
Thank You sirs! This video helped me decide to my first road bike. Yesterday I received the Endurace AL 7.0.20 in Race Red colour. Now I wait for the summer and putting the bike out on the roads.
Because of this video I bought the Endurace Al 7.0... works amazingly
Actually this is the best comment here by far.
I have a sneaking suspicion that this was one of the side objectives of the video, excellent comparison though it is :)
slam the stem and you have a superbike
How is going the 7.0 after a year??
@@prasannaJayaraman kya mee too?
These videos are more likely what we need 👍👍
mother trucker. Ya I like these videos too. Check out a video I did a few months back. ua-cam.com/video/N4ZQBwtBpM8/v-deo.html
I do not have a super bike, I currently own a BMC Roadmachine 02, which I find very good.
I would, if I had the money lying around happily Ride a super bike instead of a mid range one for a single difference: feel. It just feels different for the better, makes you wanna push harder and have more fun. Yes, numbers are important, but riding is more about feel for me.
Thanks for the video!
Would like to see the time differences for the descents
Hi guys, I have a used bike business and i have ridden about 50 different bike from from the last decade. Mostly midrange and h- end but 5 years or older. I think the best buy is a super bike from a few years ago versus a new mid range. I bought a trek madone from 2008 thats weighs 15.5 lbs i paid 600 dollars. New it was 4500 dollars. It crushes it. Dura-ace everything. Carbon crank. Even carbon bars. Thanks for the nice videos
Got to say, these two, and especially Si, are great presenters. Most likeable I've come across in ages. Great stuff
Nothing new here - the biggest difference between a super bike and a midrange home is in how it feels to ride, while the performance gains are negligible. Personally I like to take advantage of this by riding a midrange bike, since it's twice as fun to be fit and kick the butts of people riding super bikes on a cheaper bike!
2.5mins/hr isn't negligible. In a sport like F1, that would be like being lapped 2 or 3 times in a length of the race.
Ser Gerlan Tyrell well it's a bloody good thing cycling isn't formula 1 then.
Ser Garlan Tyrell but how often are you going to be riding all out 2.5 hours to see the difference?
You don't have to be going all out for that to make a difference. 4% or whatever the margin was will scale to whatever effort you are putting in (apparently for a club ride, that's 5 mins over 2 hrs).
After all, if you're spending over £6k on a bike like that, you're probably pretty serious and care about either Strava or racing where these sort of margins matter.
and fyi, F1 races are typically about 1.5 hrs long and are a good analogue for time-based margins as it's quite easy to visualize.
For pros it absolutely is. Someone whose profession includes competing in the Tour de France or Giro de Italia would be a moron to prefer mid-range to customized top of the line bikes. But - how many people actually earrn their livelyhood cycling? And racing only - not sales, mechanic, bike tour guide where it again wouldn't be relevant! Probably even less numbers than rare Formula drivers...
I bought the endurace (exactly the one on your video) exactly for those reasons. It is my first roadbike and I really thought it had the overall best compromise for the price (what canyon is usually good at). So far really really happy with it , and I think I took the right coice.
So for sure the more expensive superbikes are worth the money, but certainly for someone that is a lot into the sport, because otherwise somebody like me wouldn't appreciate the higher level of the bike. So i would definetely recomend the endurace to anyone willing to get a decet roadbike for an OK buget. Plus I personally think it has a very nice design and color.
Great video guys!
Do you want to let us know wheter the bike was a good choice as an entry roadbike? I mean there certainly were some issues during the last 3 years. I'm in the same position as you at the time you wrote the comment, that's why I'm really interested in your long-term experiences c:
@@elian145 i still use it today and i love this bike. I am not a pro and that's why anything more expensive for me would be nonsense. I would mybe go for the discbrake one today. But i really love it and did not think of changing it. I swapped the casette for a 11-34 since as i said i am not a pro and wanted 1:1 ratio for climbing, but it's not something really needed. I really still think it nails the compromise and many friends have bought it after i recommended it to them.
@@suicillo23 Sounds great tbh... how far did you roughly ride the bike since you bought it? I usually ride mine 50 kilometer per week with some extra kilometers if the weather is good enough
And the durability of the bike is good as well? If I would spend this much on a bike, it should last for many kilometers to be worth it
thanks btw for the fast response, have a nice day and good riding c:
those 5 minutes faster to get to the coffee shop... I'll save them drafting behind the superbike lol
Personally, I think one needs to stay mentally grounded when choosing a bike. If you are 130 pounds, racing on a world stage, and other people are paying for your gear, let the sky be the limit. But if your an aging Clyde like myself, you really need to consider diminishing returns. I have bikes that cost me $10K USD, $7K USD, but my favorite of my fleet is an $849 USD Ebay scored Pinerello Opera with 1997 Campy Chorus. Love every minute of being on it.
My favorite bike of all time is still my 1987 Bianchi Brava. It's easily the most elegant and beautiful bike I have owned, nothing ever goes wrong with it, and it's a joy to ride. Her name is George.
@@eduardolerro1 Right on dude. I have a completely restored Bianchi Brava Circa early 80s, Italian built. Bike has original Groupo, and peripherals, Gran cru wheels, Brooks saddle, and stitched leather handlebar wraps. Needless to say, it only goes out in perfect weather. Thanks for your comment, and enjoy your Brava. One excellent piece of machinery
That was one of the best, if not the best episodes, you've done.
I think it vindicates my decision to buy a low/mid range Specialized Venge which has given me the aerodynamic frame and a pretty good group set without spending ridiculous amounts of money.
It also explains why I don't feel that much slower on my aluminium framed Moda (which I love).
My bike is not even mid-range bike but it’s “cheap” bike which is Cannondale bike with Tiagra groupset. I just love my bike regardless of design and weight. Hoping to get upgrade soon but for next few years, i m going to stick on my bike!
And ALWAYS thanks to GCN for uploading loads of videos full of informations.
Cheers Kyle, we really appreciate your support!
My girlfriend rides a giant defy 2 with tiagra 4700. I gave her a decent set of DT Swiss wheels and the bike is a bomb to ride. ;)
Confirmation bias:. No one drops that extra money, gets on the superbike and thinks "well this isn't worth it."
Sometimes people do however: last few weeks I've been looking for preowned bikes on Ebay - as well as new ones on the Canyon and Rose sites, and in person at the Canyon showroom in Koblenz - for my first road bike.
I've actually come across 2 superbike adverts where the sellers explicitly stated that they didn't feel a marked difference to their previous less high-end bikes and wanted to go back! One stated he already bought the newest model of his previous ride, even before selling off the €8.000+-superbike. And a third ad outright admitted that they bought into a hype about new tech he didn't actually value riding in practice, thus downgrading again...
Technical term would be buyer's remorse, the high-end variant 😂
I think people actually scrutinize MORE when they're on an expensive bike. You can't just throw a big price tag on something and then THINK it performs well. It actually has to perform well.
Maaan, the music and editing is getting 10x better. Love you bros at gcn.
Thanks Einhander49!
I remember watching this when it first came out and ended up buying a second hand carbon bike and spent extra money on decent wheels ..... looking back at my level I feel this was the correct decision....
Great video
I mean... You have to make sure you put the same watts into each run. If you ride the same line a second time you might be tired, or have just gotten warmed up, so these variables can confound the true results. Especially with the margins here, er can't conclude anything at all without better data.
Re-watching old GCN videos with Matt Stephens in them :')
I believe that a bike is a extension of the riders body and the rider should just get the bike that he or she wants whether it’s cheap or expensive Aero or light It’s completly down to personal likes and dislikes which can’t be explained by a stopwatch
In short on should be extremely excited on how the mid level bike performed. What it tells us is that those that cannot afford a superbike can perhaps afford the next best thing. Moreover, swap out a few components and you narrow the gap between the 2 bikes even more. The question is: what was the price difference between the two bikes?
For some of us, we have 2 in the house that ride so the biking budget is divided by 2. So we have 2 (1 each) domane sl5, with the 105 groupset, and they are absolutely phenomenal bikes. As much as I would have loved to take the money spent on both bikes and get myself a superbike, these bikes are loads of fun and having my wife ride with me is worth more than ANY bike on the current market. So for now, I'll be riding, and enjoying, my mid-range bike. My point? Uve showed me that $5-$6000 bike may NOT actually be what I need. as long as I'm in the saddle, I'm golden. Thanks guys.
Great video guys, highlighting very nicely what we all suspected. Always seems that buying a second hand decent mid range bike and adding some more high quality components will put you right at the point at which you've got enough of the 'good feel' of the super bike and can still afford the coffee & the cake..!
These results don't surprise me at all. There's a phenomenon in pretty much every industry where the ratio of marginal gains in quality to extra dollars spent decreases as you go into the higher price brackets.
Or in more mathy terms, the second derivative of a graph of quality to price is always negative (though the first derivative is hypothetically always positive).
This phenomenon is true when it comes to computers, musical instruments, cars, and indeed bikes.
That's why luxury is, by its very nature, an inefficient usage of money, although most of us are willing to pursue it regardless.
I say if you can afford the super bike, then go for it. You'll be paying more than what a motorcycle would cost, but if that's your dream machine, it's your right to buy it.
For practical purposes, I'd stick with bikes definitely under a 2k budget.
I wouldn't pay much for material, weight or marginal gains. But there are some features that only come at the higher end like various suspension systems or more gears. Spending more money to get those is quite justifyable for me.
Though this raises the question when an improvement becomes a feature.
I'd say on road bikes at 1500-2000$ you get most relevant features (good 11s shifting).
On MTBs the bound is a bit higher as full suspension bikes are more expensive. In that case I'd set the limit at about 3k$
Great video, thanks. Would like to see the same for £2k/£3k bike, although I suspect at some point the differences become too small to be reliable - although that said, I think the point where it's tough to measure the difference is the most interesting price point to know...
Love this vid, particularly as I’ve had my Canyon WMN Endurace AL for about 2 months and I adore it. Of course I would have loved the carbon Ultimate but alas it is not now nor likely ever in the budget for me. So pleased with my purchase and even more so now seeing as the performance difference isn’t all that much!
how do you like it four years after this comment? I bought my first road bike once month ago; Trek emonda SL 5; love it!
Great editing! Now, about your question in the end. I use to race in the early eighties and I love bikes. To me they are not only a tool, but so much more. My "bikecollection" contains the full range of development from steel to carbon, but going out for that sunny sunday ride I always take my steelbike with 32 spoke wheels and tubular tires. It's supercomfortable and light for being steel, 8,5 kg. It absorbs vibrations and bad roads so much better than alu and carbon bikes and it's QUIET! I go crazy listening to the sound from my modern carbon wheels. With the old school bike it's really enjoyable riding around and a postive sideeffect are all the appretiative comments I get from other cyclist about my beautiful steelframe with lot's of chrome on it.
You nailed it. I love my vintage steel.
same here love my 1978 Raleigh Team Record.I updated the breaks ,7new cassette,thump shifter took out front derailleur dont need it and its quiet pleasant bike to ride.My Specialized Ellez is getting less love....
I bought an Endurace 7.0 half an year ago. Excellent frame I must say. Replaced chain ring and cassette to Ultegra, a much lighter/ comfy saddle and the best part - threw in a pair of brand new Roval Rapid CLX's with s-works turbo cottons 26m.. ( total setup now costing 4.300 Euro's) and there you have nearly a super bike plus the fact that it's uniquely your own creation. Ride feel is plush and super fast, closing the gap big time with a bike costing more than 6.000 Euro's.
Thanks,Matt and Si, great to see not much of a gap in performance between these two bikes and I actually prefer the looks of the compact frame, so give me the Endurace and I'll use the extra bucks to buy some parts, not that I dislike the high-dollar bike. And this brings to mind what American guys in the 1950s were doing as post-war prosperity meant their parents were ditching their old cars to buy new ones and all of a sudden, guys were making hot rods out of old Lincolns and Fords and Chevys--just bolt on some new parts and give it a fancy paint job and all of a sudden, you had a race car or a custom car or just something to show off and impress your friends and all the ladies--or at least try :)
16:18 Simon has an Adventure Time mug. I feel satisfied.
A video on the difference between an ultegra or 105 spec aero roadbike with cheaper less modulus carbon fibre vs a superbike would be interesting
Bravo, the quality of content on this channel and the amount of value one can get from these videos cannot be matched as it pertains to cycling.
Thanks J
the beeping sets this video apart and makes it memorable . TY
I think Matt touched on a significant parameter that was not measured: *ride feel or quality.* You can have two bikes that are equally fast but one "feels" better to ride than the other. It might feel stiffer when you're pouring on the watts while also damping road vibration at the same time. It might fit a little better, too. I'm all for "super bikes" and I hope someone will figure out how to better automate the manufacturing of frames and wheels with composite materials so their price will come down. Right now, my strategy is to buy the best used bike that I can afford. By buying "used", I'm able to afford a much higher caliber of bike than I could buy new. So far, all of my family's carbon bikes have been purchased used via eBay. We've been very careful and we've achieved great results. But you have to do your research and you have to exercise the discipline to avoid "deals" from untrustworthy sellers. If you're your own bike mechanic like I am, "used" is the way to go.
prices fall very fast for used bikes. so after 2 years a bike that once cost new 8k, will sell now at 2.5k used. buying used can spare a lot of money.
But they acknowledged that they had not properly fit the mid grade bike, so feel would have been off on that bike anyway.
I think you should include a test on the resistance in the hubs. I found that my old cheap bike wouldn't coast as fast as a more expensive bike. This resistance adds up over the miles.
I was thinking about getting the endurance al 7 (with disc brakes) before this video and now I know that it’s the bike for me
Yep, same here - ordered it a few days ago and it feels even better after watching this. I think these disc brakes are a good investment as soon as it starts to rain. When will yours be delivered?
@@SaschaGutmann How is the big 52/36 crank felling? Can you ride the 52 chainring on the flat terrain and not having to cross chain to the rear bigger chainrings?
I was training years ago try out for USPS team. I used a trek 400 and it was great bike. 20 miles in 30 minutes is fast for extremely heavy bike. I would gone with mid range bike any day. Ripped pavement up. Still love it.
Zane Ceo i came here specifically because it is time to replace my 420 😊
gorgeous video. it is for this reason that I am subscribed to the cgn "global" channel even though, being Italian we have cgn italia. But this is not a problem, since I understand very well what you say in the videos, and watching them always makes me want to take the bike and go out, even if it is currently raining. I have an xc mtb not a superbike, but a decent bike. I have already focused on the 1 year canyon endurance category, and seeing this video I want to buy it even more. Congratulations again.
BOOP BOOP BOOP BOOOOOOOOOP
Andy Williams legendary
BEEP BEEP BEEP BOOOOOOOOOP
It’s the bike and rider , there’s so much more to it than ride performance, I can spend hours looking at pro level bikes , love it and don’t feel rubbish that I can’t afford it . I can also ride my £1000 gravel bike for hours a love it just the same .
peebee1357 it’s mainly the rider 🙂 I have a £1000 bike and borrowed my kids £300 bike while mine was in for servicing. Still had a great blast on it and was still quick. Let’s be honest the 3% performance benefit of a bike costing £5000 more means that plenty of guys on £1000 bikes will leave those on superbikes in the weeds
Thanks for all the great videos. It seems that unless you're an elite athlete or at least semi-professional, a mid range bike will do all the things you want it to do and is a great value for the money.
That was a great video. I think you made a great case for BOTH a super bike and a mid-range. This shows why it makes a lot of sense to train on a mid-range and then pull out your super bike (or even your race wheels) on race day or any day that you want a little oomph. The really enlightening part of this was demonstrating with real numbers how inferior a low-end bike actually is. Great, great work and thank you!
Great Video as always. I have just come off my winter bike that is double the price of the average price Canyon, 2KG lighter and stepped onto my Superbike. It is quicker by about 1-2mph over any distance but thats not why I love it.... One thing that you can't quantify is the grin factor! It's when your grin wraps around your face to meet your ears, then you know that the extra money you shell out pays back in sure pleasure! You have to ride a superbike over a period of time to appreciate the difference in the way that it handles and the way the power transfer through to the tarmac, you simply can't put this into perspective.
15:35 well that just shows that it's not the difference between bikes but how much fitness does a cyclist have, Si beating Matt on 105 against Dura Ace aeroad although I'm sure Matt in his prime would beat Si's time
I just upgraded my 2015 Giant TCR Advanced 2, for a 2019 Merida Reacto 8000e, and the difference is enormous! The difference from mechanical shifting to Di2 is well worth the extra $$, and the aero aspect - freewheeling downhill on the same hill, the Reacto is 10km\h faster (40km\h vs 50km\h), and on the same 80km ride saved over 40min on the Merida.
You guys forgot to mention the middle range bike has a threaded bottom bracket. And that beats any super bike feature
This is an EXCELLENT point.
I'm new at this. What is the significance to that?
Ease of replacement, ability to replace after it gets exposed to sweat & weather over the amount of time it takes to wear out a BB, (grease stays on threads better than it does with pressed in bearings) & the guarantee that with some gaffers tape & a strong arm you can prevent it from ever creaking.
I had to read the comments here to know the significance of that point. Makes sense. But if you can afford a super bike, you can probably afford to take it to a shop if you don't want to do it yourself.
Such a good point.
its funny to me that you did these 2 videos. i had a raleigh until last year, because my first bike at 14 was a raleigh. but i just bought in the spring, its now december, an Endurace with disc brakes. and i see no reason to upgrade anymore. you made me happy. 8 seconds is nothing! i dont care about 8 seconds as i am not a pro or even racing. thanks!
I watched this again today, months after the first viewing and still think it's one of your most useful for new cyclists. Let's be honest, there are a lot of elitists in cycling and my LBS would much rather sell me the super bike. There was more hype about the clear superiority or carbon when life calmed a bit and I re-entered cycling.
I've had a few bikes since then and the 2 absolute best have been a alloy Specialized Secteur, my first, and a carbon Volagi Liscio, my current and last. When I moved on from the Secteur I spent the next 6 years trying to find something, anything I liked as much. I'm pretty happy I met Robert Choi and bought the Volagi. It cost 4x more than the Specialized but I was happy again.
My takeaway? I guess I learned a worthwhile lessons from my journey. If I had concentrated on how much fun I had with the Secteur instead my silly quest for the holy grail I'd be 10s of 1000s of dollars better off.
Only gripe with the comparison is that Canyon, at least now, has a disc alloy bike for under $1500. That should bring the braking and descending much closer. But yes, this and the Emonda ALR and SLR comparisons should be mandatory viewing for anyone considering their first "real" bike.
Si being almost 2 minutes faster up the climb from a former British National Champion.. what a beast he really is.
Pshhh British national champion 60 years past
Now we know what Si's alternate account username is.
The sign did say animals!
Age is a bastard!
I miss Matt.
Great video. Thanks. I'd be fascinated to see you do a test with a few different tires. I'm going to guess that there is about 7 watts difference in the tires between these 2 bikes. That would account for most of that difference.
I think we overlooked my favorite thing about a super bike...namely, when pushed to the max, it responds beautifully for like an uphill 15+ percent sprint and any sprinting max power situation. So I think super strong riders might enjoy these benefits more. Think about it, wouldn’t you dream about riding a super bike while being at your best fitness?! Going zero to 30 as fast as possible is is way too much fun!
For me, fun is the most important factor. I could get along, very well, with the almost-super bike and have a delightful time going faster,
riding harder than most people. But your points on coffee stops are well taken. Thanks for the work it took to make this video.
As someone who is just about to buy a midrange bike this is wildly encouraging. I obviously don’t need to spend any more. Your results are reflected in nearly all purchases these days: cheap electric guitars are almost indistinguishable from those costing 6 times as much; you can get a good stereo for the merest fraction of a top of the range one which will sound only slightly better. Great news for the not uberly wealthy.
GCN delivers the best and most entertaining cycling-related content available imho. Big amount of high quality stuff to enjoy. I love it, it‘s a joy to watch you guys.
Thanks so much, Hans!
I bought a Canyon AL 7.0 and it rocks. There is no doubt that you get nearly SuperBike performance for a great price.
me too : )
Sort of same here. I snatched last year model 6.0 than came with 105 for 800€. At least one good thing of being 201cm, my size is almost always available on sale. And the bike is great. Video too
This is an important video for anyone new to cycling or even the entry level racer wanting to move up. You DON'T NEED to spend +$5,000 to get an awesome ride that will let you cross the line first if you have the physical ability. I have a Cervelo S3 with eTap and deep carbon wheels as well as a Specialized Allez with SRAM Force and aluminum rims. I've chosen to race the latter on occasion with good results, and had a great time on it. There's something so satisfying about that!
I was very fortunate to get a Scott foil RRP £2,900, for £1300 in an end of line sale 3 years ago. It was the Best Buy I have ever made. The difference this made from my previous low range bike was huge.. I was riding 3.5 mph quicker within days. It is comfortable and so responsive and I can ride for hours comfortBly. Always spend the maximum you can afford. I always enjoy the advice on GCN and have used a number of their tutorials to help me. Thanks guys
I could save up for a superbike but it's still got my fat ass weighing it down 😂😂😂
5:39 Note that cyclo-cross bicycles are perfectly suited for most of Britain's atrocious roadways.
Dura-ace is rly light coz it empty ur wallet so mean less weight ti carry
Noe De la Croix Ahah this comment made me crack
haha good one! but for DA.. i would need to use my credit card.. so my wallet be same weight... empty haha
Heck, you only live once (I think!?) That's why I went and got a Specialized Tarmac with Ultegra group, it out performs ANY bike I have ever owned... AND if I had the money, I would definitely go for an aero quality bike, with Dura ace for sure!!! Some folks spend that much in a year on drinks, and dinners with gals. Heck, it comes down to priorities, and what you love most to do in your free time. Definitely wouldn't mind having a second bike, an aero Canyon, Trek, Specialized, or topline Bianchi!!!!!! Huge difference between a cheap bike, to a mid-range, to a expensive topline aero bike. Great video guys!!
Only just came across this vid now so a bit late to the party.
Just wanted to say, whatever anyone's opinion on the bikes, I thought you guys presented the test really well so thanks very much for your work.
Love the alloyz,, Thanks Si & Matt.
I'd rather buy say a $3800 Giant Propel with Ultegra di2 ,aero wheels and integrated bar and stem, than the top of the line Propel which is $11,000, Dura Ace di2 and total integration. Why? Because with the extra $7,200 I could buy more wheels, aerodynamic kit, or an entire bike.
Liam Sangaku of course, but some people can shell out the cash.
Exactly.
Great work Matt and Simon, an excellent test and using power to measure the differences is the best way to do it. Net result, buy the bike you can afford and enjoy it.
This helped out with the double guessing I had and if I purchased a good enough 1st bike. This helped alot and reinforced that this is to enjoy and get a family of 4 with all new bikes out of the house and off the couch. Great video
Extremely useful review.
As I have the Al 7.0 on my shortlist, I learned that there is a difference in geometry between the disc and rim brakes version.
So, around 7:45 you are discussing the comfort and position on the bikes the differences stem (pun intended) from differences in geometry, not the place bikes occupy on the ladder;-).
You guys upped your video editing game lately!! Matt!!MATT!!MAAATTTTTTT!!!!
Haha, thanks Robbert
Congratulations! Very good job! Very impressive the results!
If you can afford a superbike, that's justification enough to get one. If 6000 euro meant the same to me as 600 to the average person, I'd certainly invest in the best bike I could get. But I'm happy with my 1500 euro Merida cyclocross.
Great. This is the last video I needed to click the order button for “Specialized Alles Elite”. I think I will love it 😍
Great video chaps. That Draycott hill is a 'beast' so hats off to two flat out attempts!