Originally Posted by
specialmonkey
I've been curious about the Endurace CF SL 8.0 Disc with Ultegra Di2. Which group did yours have? Have you sold it? Did it retain its value?
Did you turn the stem upside down? Apparently that will give an additional 6 degree rise. Did you end up replacing the stem? If so, with what?
I'm curious about the harshness? What bike did you ride before? What size did you get, did you go by the fit guide? The guide said I'm at the upper end of a small (54cm),
but I think I would get a medium, which apparently is 56cm, which is what I normally ride.
I have a Cannondale ST with large aluminum tubes, which I find to be quite harsh (compared to steel), but since it's from the late 80s, I expect a modern bike like the Endurace might be more forgiving (with its funky seat post and seat tube) ...
What were the unanswered pre-sale questions? Was the outcome of those satisfactory on receipt of bike?
I asked about the hubs (DT Swiss, didn't get model) and number of spokes (24) on the DT Swiss R1800s which isn't info included on their site, but the guy on the phone went to check and relayed the info.
I'm a bit put off by only 24 spokes on an endurance bike, but maybe wheels have gotten better?
I'd love to try such a modern bike but also worry about a harsh ride coming from mostly vintage lightweight steel bikes.
I had the CF 8.0, which was Ultegra, but not Di2. My previous ride was a 2018 Specialized Diverge Comp. It has a Praxxis crank set with the rest of the drivetrain being 105. The Ultegra was in a completely different league, as far as drivetrain goes. (I put this down to the Praxxis crank set, not the 105.)
I traded the bike in and got about half the current retail price. I'm sure I could have gotten more from it selling it myself, but didn't want to bother.
I did turn the stem upside down, and added some Specialized Hover Bars which increased the stack by 15mm, and that helped. But the stack was still 25-30mm or so lower than the Diverge which has a 12 degree stem on it).
The Diverge and now my Roubaix are both 56cm. On the Canyon I got the 54cm. Side by side, the bike frames look very close in size, so the Canyon definitely runs large. I too was a the end of the size guide's recommendation for the 54cm. I think a 56 would have been too large for me.
The unanswered pre-sale questions had to do with discrepancies with the stack specification. I don't recall the exact issue now. I should have insisted on an answer. Live and learn.
Yes, mine had the 24-hole DTSwiss R1800 wheels. I had no issue with them at about 250 pounds.
I really enjoyed riding the bike. I would say quality-wise it was equal in every way to my Specialized bicycles. I liked pretty much everything about it, but after about 2 hours of riding time, my body (my neck, shoulders and lower back) would be very tight and hurting. I should add that I start every ride with a couple of extra-strength aspirin to combat this. I'm not getting any younger and my body has a lot of miles (lots of off-road motorcycle riding).
During the winter I picked up a '96 Canondale R500, I think it was. Aluminum frame. Fun, but I simply could not ride the bike anywhere near as long as any of the modern bikes I have. I would classify it as much harsher than the Endurace.
Maybe you can find somewhere to rent a modern bike. I don't think of the Diverge or Roubaix as harsh at all. The Endurace never really *felt* harsh when riding, but as soon as I hit the 30-35 mile mark. I was looking for the shortest route home. I did a century ride on the Diverge this past January, and felt pretty good. I think the Roubaix will be near identical on long rides like that, perhaps better.