TRIPRO wrote:
Yes, I have seen both, a lot, since I'm a fitter and do lots of Canyon's but we also sell Cadex.
To be honest we do a lot of Canyon's for customers send by canyon since they know we are completely honest in our advice.
I'm not going to tell you what you should get or not, just a few differences.
Canyon CFR:
- Max pad width is 20 cm measured center to center, if need more that is not possible.
- Aerobar is integrated and for most 'normal' people not easy to get a different model/shape so you better make sure you like the 'snake tongue' design.
Even with the spacer placed it is a small unit and for most almost impossible to ride it with thumbs on the inside instead of on top of the shifters
- Max tilt at default 12 degrees of aerobar tilt. German company Radsport Ibert makes a tilt kit though if you need more.
- You choose either flat or high rise bar, swapping means new bar.
- Hydration / water reservoir, it sucks (pun intended) it is pretty useless like most integrated systems
- If you need a different crank length you need to buy it seperately and that makes it expensive because the default is also equiped with a PM.
Cadex Tri:
- Pad width fore and aft range is huge.
- Normal 22.2 clamping system so you can decide what extension or cockpit you like. I personally didn't like the wrist position of the default extensions, but it is an easy swap to something else
- Aeobar tilt up to over 20 degrees, default they say up to 15 but I mounted 2 angled spacers on top of eacht other and got to around 23 degrees.
- You can choose all your parts specific to your request and use.
- Spare parts come at default to almost built two bikes, that many parts from derailleur hangers to armpads, spacers, seatpost clamp system, etc. It is there double sometimes even triple, like in extra armpads pillows.
- Hydration system, also sucks.....after some use the valves at the hydration bag will stop functioning. And the valve on top makes you suck, literally you need to suck like a wh...:-)
But I managed to overcome this issue by making my own hydration system with a Platypus 2 liter bag and use that in the frame. No refill option but 2 liters is quite good to carry. The valve is better, the straw has much better flow so overall it needs some work by Giant to fix this. If you join Cadex Tri Bike Owners on FB there I have pictures from how I made this and also already for some customers. It was very easy once figured out.
- Ride quality, it is super stable. I thought at first the 4 spokes would be very wind catchy but it is the contrary. They ride imensly stable. We had pretty much wind over this Sunday and it still amazes me how much more stable this bike feels compared to my previous P5 disc with 80/60 mm DT Swiss wheels.
- Very nice feature is the possibility to quite easy adjust the height of the base bar, depending on the type of race course.
- Packing is easy when you have done it a couple of times
- Another cool feature, I placed a JBL speaker in my nose cone and run a playlist from my phone to the speaker so I have music without having it on or around my ears :-). I can't tell you how nice that is during long rides.
Have good luck with your choice whatever bike that will be.
Jeroen
Wow thanks for such an in-depth feedback post Jeroen, really appreciate it!
Seems like the common theme on both bikes will be the sh*tty hydration resevoir, thanks for sharing your hack on the Cadex tri, ive joined the FB group (and will leave shortly as i dont own a Cadex yet, as per the rules :D) , it is probably somth i will look to explore though im a gel-heavy guy, maybe i can offset this with a gel aero bottle on the seat tube!
Is the spares box such a big headache? I've read that you need a tyre lever or something to yank it out, i understand from a friend that owns it this is his issue too, the cover is darn tough to get open.
On the wheels side of things, my LBS lets me choose between double 4-spoke and 4-spoke front + disc rear, as the difference is only $1000 singapore dollars, im inclined to get the disc config, any idea how does the disc wheel ride?
Coming from a Canyon, hearing that Cadex provides a shit ton of spares is music to my ears indeed. (Ofc more music to come with that nose cone speaker u got there :P)
I think as you can probably tell by now I'm sold by the Cadex, just hope to ask a few more questions as this is a huge purchase! thank you!
