Thankfully, several Team Movistar riders are racing almost the entire Tour de France on the new Ultimate, giving us an opportunity to grab some closer shots and a better insight into what the new bike offers.
Here’s a collection of photos and observations of the new bike we grabbed over the past week.
Carlos Verona is one of the chosen few let loose with the new Ultimate CFR. While Canyon are yet to announce any details on the new frame, it is clear the direct-to-consumer giant has retained the Ultimate’s lightweight raison d’etre. The new frame features only subtle aero ques amongst its lightweight-looking design.The seat stays are the only round tubes on the frame, but still the new Ultimate exudes lightweight vibes with a few subtle updates.Starting at the front, the most obvious updates are the new internal cable routing and the inclusion of Canyon’s CP0018 as used on the Aeroad.The CP0018 barstem neatly routes the cables through the bar tops and stem and, like it or loath it, through the headset. The CP0018 also features a quil-like cut-free height adjustable stem and adjustable width bars.The CFR logo on the top tube confirms this is a Canyon Factory Racing frame, meaning the new frame gets the same ultra-high modulus carbon fibre for a lighter, stiffer, and more durable frame.Tyre clearance is seemingly the second big focus in the new Ultimate. While the front forks seem to offer the tyre clearance height for 50mm tyres, the actual clearance width is likely between 32-38mm. For reference, Verona is racing with 25mm tubular tyres and, as we would expect, there is plenty of clearance all around with the now relatively narrow tyres.Out back, there is again plenty of clearance, with the 25mm tubular Verona prefers. Again, we could safely estimate even a 32mm tyre should still enjoy ample clearance all around.Another look at the tyre clearance on offer.With the move to disc brakes, modern seat stays can provide huge clearance and, dare I say it, even look a bit bare.Seems as if Canyon will stick with BB86 bottom brackets for the new Ultimate.A look at the chainstays on the new bike.One of the major changes to the frame is the shift from a backward-facing seat post clamp located between the seat stays to a forward-facing clamp in the junction between the top tube and seat tube.Speaking of seat tubes, the new Ultimate features a D shaped seat tube and post. The design might offer some marginal aero improvements but is more likely a bid to include some vertical compliance and improved ride comfort to the lightweight bike.The D-shaped seat tube calls for a new matching seat post, the SP0055.The seat stays are the only round tubes on the frame and take a very traditional route from rear drop out to the seat tube.The downtube features at least some aero tear-drop profiling and these veins extending back from the head tube.Enric Mas is riding this stripped back black Ultimate, presumably in a bid to shave a few more grams. We weren’t allowed to weight one, but this makes it likely the complete bike isn’t quite at the UCI 6.8kg minimum weight limit.The UCI frame approval code is the same on both the blue and black frames suggesting these are the same frame.That said, Mas’ smaller frame features a less truncated head tube.Mas is racing with a waxed chain, a lone marginal gain on a bike covered in more traditional tech choices. He forgoes a more aero frame and rolling resistance gains offered by tubeless tyres, instead focusing on weight savings with both frame and tyre choices.There are still some slight aero-ques on the new Ultimate, most notably the internal cable routing…and the aero profiling on the down tube more visible on the black frame.Another look at that seat post from a new angle.Read More
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