Canyon Inflite AL 9.0 S
As part of our winter bike special, we take a closer look at the Canyon Inflite AL 9.0 S
Promotional feature with Canyon
The Inflite AL 9.0 S is based on Canyon’s alloy cyclocross frameset but is of course coupled to road-going components, to deliver a great all-round road bike to see you through the winter.
Cyclocross bikes make great all-rounders, with the clearance for wider tyres and the versatility to kit them out for dirty conditions.
Although this bike shouldn’t be confused with Canyon’s Inflite CF range — a dedicated carbon cross bike — the stable geometry needed to ride confidently off-road transfers well to a winter road bike too.
The 7005 aluminium used for the frame gives you a lightweight package for responsive acceleration.
It comes equipped with a Shimano Ultegra groupset with a semi-compact Rotor 3D30 chainset and wide-range cassette, giving you the low range to ride up steeper gradients and the higher ratios needed for speed on the flat.
And with Ultegra components, swapping to your winter road bike doesn’t mean that you will need to sacrifice shifting quality.
The Inflite AL9.0S comes with Conti’s high-end GP4000 slick tyres in 28mm width for comfort and grip. They sit on a quality DT Swiss disc brake-specific wheelset. There’s also a 27.2mm Canyon carbon seatpost for extra compliance, with a comfortably padded Selle Italia saddle.
Winter riding calls for safe stopping, regardless of the conditions, and the Inflite AL 9.0 S comes with Shimano RS685 hydraulic disc brakes for powerful, well-modulated braking, with comfortable, ergonomic levers.
Canyon fits its own ergonomic alloy bar, with the width and drop dependent on the frame size. There are even differing diameters to the tops, to ensure that the bars are comfortable for the varying average hand sizes of different-height riders.
The frameset comes with mounts to fit the 35mm mudguards developed by SKS specifically for the Inflite, including sturdy steel stays and wide mudflaps to keep wheel spray at bay.
Price: £1,649
Distributor: www.canyon.com
Frame: Canyon Inflite AL
Fork: Canyon F21 carbon
Size range: XS (47.5cm) – 2XL (62cm)
Weight: 9.26kg
Groupset: Shimano Ultegra, Rotor 3D30 chainset
Gear ratios: 52/36, 11-32t
Wheels: DT Swiss PR1850 Spline DB
Tyres: Continental GP4000 SII 28mm
Brakes: Shimano RS685 hydraulic disc
Bar: Canyon H17 ergo AL alloy
Stem: Canyon V13 alloy
Seatpost: Canyon S23 VCLS CF carbon
Saddle: Selle Italia X1
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Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
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