Kahrpistols

If you had to pick between those three bikes, which would you pick and why? I'm looking to upgrade my ride to Ultegra with hydraulic discs sometime in the next few months and I've narrowed my choices to one of those three bikes.

tagaproject6

Barring fitment issues, I would personally get the Specialized Venge...just because it is so dang purty in red. My next choice would be the Aeroad. I am not a fan of Diamondback (bad customer service experience) plus it looks the ugliest of the 3.

Kahrpistols

I'm quite flexible as I came from a background of calisthenics and yoga for several years before I took up road cycling, so I don't think I should have any fit/flexibility issues.

I kinda agree with your order except that I like how the Canyons come ready with carbon wheels. If I go with the Venge, I'd have to cough up extra money because I feel like it's a sin to run the Venge with those DT Swiss wheels that come stock....

tagaproject6

Well, it looks you already know which one you want and since you brought it up, you are correct, the DT Swiss looks really out of place on that Venge Is Canyon very common in your area?
Pics after the purchase! Ride fun!

Kahrpistols

I live in the US so Canyon isn't here yet but theoretically they're supposed to open shop in July or August. Knowing them it may be later than that, though.

gsindela

Canyon

WhyFi

I just looked up the pic of the Venge - holy balls is that thing ugly. Gotta disagree with you.

OP - the Canyon looks cool if you can wait (and wait, and wait), but the DB doesn't look like a bad option at all, 'specially if you can get a good price on it (which is the good/bad thing about DB - you can get a deal, but the perception of the brand may suffer because the prices are slashed so regularly).

To throw out another option just to confuse things, why not something like the Giant TCR Disc?

Kahrpistols

You know, the bike that started this whole search was the Giant TCR Disc, actually. I ended up deciding not to include it in the final set mostly because the other three are either aero or at least have aero features. Another blow for the Giant is that there is no middle ground between $2400 and $4700; the Diamondback is appealing because it hits the sweet spot between those two price points and if I do get the Venge I'd be willing to spend the $$ because of all the R&D that went into it. I would love to see a Giant option with the TCR Advanced Disc frame but the components and wheels that come with the TCR Advanced Pro bike.

Another plus for the Diamondback is the fact that Rally cycling managed to win two stages at the Tour of California this year from two breakaways, stealing two sprint stages from World Tour teams. No questioning the racing ability of that bike now, even if the prices are consistently low.

As for the Venge, it is quite ugly with the DT Swiss wheels, but if you slap some 50 or 60 mm carbon rims on there, (https://www.bicycling.com/sites/bicyc...t_20160728.jpg) it looks quite good in my mind.

The biggest drawback to both the Canyon and the Venge is the aero handlebar - I live in a pretty urban area, and having a front light is quite nice even during the day as drivers are ... idiotic around here, to say the least. The advantage of a bike like the Giant or the Diamondback is that the normal handlebars allow for me to attach any of my existing lights, whereas I'd have to buy a light with a rubber band type mount for either the Canyon or the Venge (something I'm willing to do if I do get one of those bikes).

joejack951

The road disc 'standard' seems to be converging on 12mm thru axles front and rear and flat mount calipers. Personally, spending $3k+ on a bike I'd want it to meet or at least be convertible to that standard (so no QR wheels and no post mount calipers). I haven't looked at those bikes to know which do or don't but I'd cross any that don't off the list.

Kahrpistols

Yup, all three bikes meet that. I agree with you that it seems that those specs are becoming standard.

My current bike has disc brakes with QR, and I know that any future bike I get with discs will have thru-axle because I don't like how when I get out of the saddle I get a ping/ping/ping of rubbing rotors.

Dean V

Guy I ride with has an S-Works Venge Vias Disc. Nice bike and he is pleased with it. The standard Roval 64 wheels look and go well too.
I have a Madone 9.9 which is also very good(no disc though). Trek do a nice integrated mount front and rear for putting on lights and a computer on some of their bikes.
The TCR will certainly be lighter than a Vias or Madone. Don't know how heavy Canyon and DB are.

Shuffleman

That should seal the deal.
They are all good bikes. It should come down to which one fits you best and which one you like best. The Canyon is my favorite but who knows if/when they will arrive. If money is tight the DB is the best option.

vinuneuro

Canyon bikes look absolutely incredible in person. The reviews are consistently great as well.

nycphotography

For the record, the Venge Vias looks wayyy better in person than in pictures.

In pictures, they're all lumpy and weird, but in person they are just bad ass.

Kahrpistols

My wish would be to ride all three bikes before I buy but both the Diamondback and Canyon are only available online ... And who knows when Canyon will actually deliver in North America.

I can base my decision off of looks, but I'm reminded of the time I got on an aero bike for the first time, a Fuji Transonic, and from the moment I first pushed off I hated its feel. I rode another Fuji that day, can't remember the exact model, and I fell in love with it from the first pedal stroke.

I'm afraid of something similar will happen with one of these bikes ... I'll either hate it or love it and $4k+ is kinda a lot to spend on a gamble like that.

Danny01

Cervelo S3D is another one to take a look at.

BigPoser

That is a good looking machine!

joejack951

Unless he finds one on super-special, I think the asking price ($7400 per my Google) is likely a bit much. Perhaps the HED-wheeled version is considerably cheaper, though.

Mt. Tam

BMC Roadmachine

Mt. Tam

Sorry for the bad quality pic above.


Did you consider this model? (Ultegra di2)

joejack951

$7500 and RT-81 rotors? Sheesh! Pony up for some RT-99s, BMC! I'm glad I am reading this thread as I'm finally taking some time to look at the current higher-end disc road bikes on the market and realizing what a great deal I got putting mine together myself.