let me make your choice slightly harder. i'm about to send out a mailer to our audience for $1,000 off last year's $7,500 speedmax, taking it to $6,500.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

While it would be hard for me to give up on the convenience of Di2 on a tri bike since you have to go to aerobars to shift (not an issue with road bike), if I had to pick one I would take the disk breaks which make huge safety difference. I'm sure others will disagree

I would have a hard time passing up Di2 as well, but it's harder to upgrade to disc brakes vs. Di2 later down the road. Plus, if Shimano comes out with 12-speed this year you could snatch up a used Di2 grupo for a nice discount.

It seems this years Speedmax frame has a host of other attributes that would make it more attractive--storage, fit adjustment, etc.

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Human Person

I think it comes down to whether you want to keep on trend with the industry and get disc brakes and how much you train and race on this bike, and in what conditions and terrain.

If you live in a flat area and use the bike only in races and sparingly training, and never in the rain, you aren't gaining much from discs and DI2 would probably give you more fun and function.

If you train on the tri bike outside a lot, and either have hills or wet weather to deal with, discs will have good upside for you.

Or, to heck with all that and you just like having the latest tech, then get the new model with discs. Shimano looks to be coming out with a semi wireless dura ace, which will trickle down to ultegra in a few years. The rim brake di2 model could be "old tech" (as far as the industry says) in 2 or 3 years.

Thank you to everyone for the replies! Sounds like consensus of the newer model.

I'm really curious to see how Cervelo reacts to all the storage & improvements in the Canyon, for their next P-series DISC (P6 Disc) whenever that comes out...likely 2 years from now I'd guess? Just to see if they can do the same storage type stuff, adjustability & make it lighter. I wouldn't say the new Speedmax is a "light" bike by any means. Also, it would be nice if bike companies would start a bit of a larger color palette to choose from. The Canyon does have some nice features--loving the "bike wars" to make the best super bike....

I have the Speedmax 9.0 CF SLX w/o disc brakes and the Aeroad with Disc brakes.
The industry is going disc. In my opinion it is a money maker in new wheels and repairs. Good for the industry for sure.
On a Tribike the idea is to not stop. I have zero need for a disc brake on a Tribike. I love the Di2 on both bikes.
If I were to do it over I would Not buy my road bike with disc brakes either.
Caliper brakes have worked well for everyone for decades. If I rode in the rain and down the Alps, I might consider disc brakes, otherwise -no.
I know many will swear by disc brakes. Not me.

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Team Zoot So Cal

I went through this decision last year. I went with the new frame as I figured you can upgrade mech down the line and it was best to go with the new frame and it’s features. Would have been nice to have di2 but I figured it wasn’t going to make me faster on race day. No matter what your opinion is on disc brakes they are here now and there will be future development with wheel design.