Which endurance bike is the best?

Giant Defy vs. Specialized Roubaix, vs. Canyon Endurace

The endurance scene has had an exciting September: three models have been newly released last month, each brought to you by none other than the three giants of the bike industry: Canyon, Giant and Specialized. Each bike combines the latest technical innovations and tinkering from the three manufacturers, but which one suits you best? The Giant Defy Advanced SL 0, the Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL8 or the new Canyon Endurace CFR? Shirin has closely examined the three models in our latest YouTube video and compared them to help you choose the right one. And we do it too in this blog post.

1. Geometry.

Short Endurance 1x1 in advance: Endurance bikes are designed for long days in the saddle, combining high speed and comfort in equal measure. In theory, at least.

Both the new Roubaix, as well as the new Endurace and Defy Advanced are designed for fast riding, but at different comfort levels. The Giant Defy manages the balancing act between sportiness and comfort best and offers a comfortable  seating position without sacrificing speed and aerodynamics, the Roubaix suggests a sporty riding style and emphasizes performance, while the Canyon Endurace will still offer a comfortable riding position even on the longest rides. All three frames are made of carbon manufactured to the highest quality and are also a bit lighter. Speaking of weight...

2. Weight.

The gold medal here definitely goes to Giant: With a frame weight of just 715 g, it is the lightest of the three models. How did Giant manage that? Quite simply, by staying true to their motto: Improving without complicating. The frame of the new Defy Advanced is kept minimalist, mounts for water bottles or mudguards are seamlessly integrated and the design is sleek and streamlined.

In second place with 734 g frame weight lands the Roubaix SL8. This is heavier than the Defy mainly due to the special Future Shock technology, which is integrated into the handlebars, and offers a striking number of mounting options on the frame. Which almost leads us to suspect a particularly light Gravel bike here...

The Canyon Endurace CFR is only another 4 g heavier and thus brings 738 g to the scale. A bit more weight, of course, but you also get a smart built-in storage compartment in the top tube, which we will discuss in more detail later.

3. Groupsets.

All three bikes are equipped with high-end components, no question. On the Giant Defy Advanced SL 0 you shift with a SRAM Red eTap AXS 12-speed system, on the Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL 8 as well. On the Canyon Endurace CFR, on the other hand, you have the choice between a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 12-speed, an SRAM Red and even the very first fully electronic Super Record groupset from Campagnolo. Which is an absolute highlight in our eyes.

4. Comfort.

Back to the essence: How comfortable are the three bikes really? Each bike uses its own genius features to stay as comfortable as possible, even on the longest rides. Firt off here are the handlebar designs:

Specialized sets a whole new standard here with the Future Shock technology, a spring integrated into the front end, which absorbs shocks during rough rides. The version 3.0 is now even more adaptable and offers the option to choose between a soft, medium or hard internal spring. All three come with the bike, as do five preload washers that can be installed at will. While the Future Shock technology provides compliance in the front, the Aftershock technology takes care of the rear. The drop clamp provides the Pavé seatpost with increased deflection potential to the rear and allows the direction and extent of the deflection to be precisely controlled. This provides optimal shock absorption without unwanted bobbing in the saddle.

The only drawback to this impressive feature? On the Roubaix, there is unfortunately no seamless cable routing due to the Future Shock technology. But that's about it.

Canyon meanwhile, provides more comfort with a customizable aerocockpit. The handlebar can be made slimmer by up to 40 mm and its height can also be reduced by up to 15 mm. So it's up to you whether you want to increase aerodynamics and speed with a narrow and low position or prefer to ride with a wide and high setup for more comfort. Speaking of aerodynamics: Canyon has equipped the Endurace with seamless cable routing, which further improves the elegant overall appearance of the bike. For even more comfort, the patented carbon seatpost in leaf spring design reacts flexibly to the ground and makes even the bumpiest trails pleasant thanks to 20 mm of suspension. But the highlight of the new model is definitely the top tube storage compartment integrated into the frame, which offers enough space for a few  spare parts or snacks. The tool bag effortlessly fits a Canyon 3-in-1 mini tool, a CO2 cartridge and tire levers and you know us well enough to know how much we always encourage you to have these items with you on every ride.

Back to comfort: Giant has also tweaked something on the seatpost to increase the comfort: The clever design of the new D-Fuse technology significantly reduces any vibration and provides a slight flex of up to 7 mm. The same technology has also been integrated into the handlebar, whose D-shaped design aims to improve compliance to the ground on the one hand, while increasing stiffness for sprints or climbing sessions. Last but not least, for a little extra aerodynamics and a sleeker design, the shift cables and hydraulic hoses are led along under the stem.

5. Wheels & tires.

The current trend in the industry seems to be equipping, endurance bikes with one or the other gravel feature and this is also noticeable in the tire clearances of the three bikes that are discussed here. With the Canyon Endurace CFR you get 35 mm, with the Giant Defy Advanced SL 0 38 mm and with the new Roubaix a whole 40 mm of tire clearance. All three are thus also suitable for rougher and Endurance-foreign terrain, as soon as you change the wheelsets. These are pretty nice on all three models, even in the standard versions: The Canyon is equipped with DT Swiss ERC 1100 Dicut wheels with 30 mm tires the Giant comes with CADEX 36 Disc Carbon wheels and 32mm tubeless tires and on the Specialized we've got Roval Terra CLX II wheels and 32 mm tires.

6. Price.

The cheapest of the three is the Canyon Endurace CFR, whose price starts at 9,499 euros depending on the version. But it is worth to spend 500 euros more, cause then you get the Endurace CFR WRL including electronic Super Record group.

The Endurace is followed by the Giant Defy SL 0 for €11,999 and the Specialized Roubaix SL 8 closes the list with the highest price of €14,000.

However, all manufacturers also offer somewhat cheaper versions of the models, which have less sophisticated components.

7. Summary.

So far so good: But which of these bikes suits you best? If you want to break speed records, the Canyon Endurace CFR is perfect for you. Its adjustable cockpit provides the perfect transition from aggressive road bike to a more forgiving endurance bike. And thanks to the storage space in the top tube, you'll be ready for any emergency on the track.

The Giant Defy is the perfect companion for true marathon riders, who sit in the saddle for a long time and seek an ideal balance between comfort and speed. The D-Fuse technology and the lightweight frame offer you exactly that. If you want to keep your options open in gravel terrains, it's best to reach for the Roubaix. The high tire clearance and the revolutionary shock technology make the new Roubaix a versatile bike, which performs both on tarmac and off-road, even bikepacking is possible thanks to the numerous mounting options.

With these bikes you get exceptionally low weight, innovative features and ideal comfort. These features can also be found in the older models and you can find them safely, quickly and easily (and a lot cheaper) on buycycle.com. Among the over thousand endurance bikes on our marketplace you will surely find the perfect one for you. Or you can get the right seed money for your brand new bike by listing your old bike  for sale on buycyle! For questions about the right Endurance bike you can always reach out to our team and for everything else around the topic of bikes it's best to stick around on the blog a little longer. For now though, we wish you, as always: Happy browsing, happy cycling!