bruce19

I have 4 road bikes.They are all pretty light and I love each of them for their unique qualities. But recently I've been quite taken by a Canyon Aeroad. I love the paint scheme and aesthetics are important to me. It's something I can easily afford. Disc brakes and 11 sp Ultegra mechanical with a nice set of wheels that are tubeless ready,. So, it ticks all those boxes. Now, I am a 77 yr old recreational rider (obviously) who is challenged by elevation but can still motor on the flats. My question: is an aerobike really going to feel better or at least different, than a good road bike? Wondering if there are aerobike riders here who can comment?

RChung

Feel depends on how sensitive and perceptive you are. I'm a perceptual dullard, but you may not be; I have to rely on measurement rather than impression, and my measurements show my bike is faster than the non-aero bike I had that was stolen. I still have a steel bike from the 1990's that is pretty close to a full-race rig from back then. I enjoy riding that too, and the difference is great enough to overcome my perception threshold. Oddly, the steel bike sometimes *feels* smoother and faster but speedometer and stopwatch show it isn't. For me, "feel" is an unreliable metric.

That said, if the bike ticks all the boxes, why are you asking us?

rsbob 

I have two aeros and two steel racing bikes.

You only live once (or twice, if you are James Bond) so go for it since it checks all the boxes. You can’t quantify the pleasure aesthetics can provide, but you will gain a bit in speed, especially if you add aero rims. What’s wrong with going farther or faster or both and feeling good while you do it? Answer: Nothing. Go for it

tempocyclist

If you like the bike, buy the bike!

I have a Canyon Aeroad (rim brake, 60mm wheels) and a non-aero road bike (round tubes, 35mm wheels). The Aeroad is faster, that's a fact. Is it a MASSIVE difference? No, but it's a difference nonetheless.

That said, when I put 60mm wheels on my non-aero bike, the difference becomes a lot less.

tFUnK

Intuition tells me that speed gains from being more aero can be objectively measured and confirmed by your bike computer, but not easily "felt" (ie, subjectively perceived).

When I went to 60/88 wheels, I guess my straight line speed was marginally faster but what I felt was the heavier wheels being less responsive to sudden accelerations.

PeteHski

In your case I would just buy it and see how it feels. It is going to be objectively faster on the flats for sure, but the "feel" will depend on the geometry, fit, comfort etc. rather than the aero. I personally ride a Canyon Endurace, which would be objectively slower than an Aeroad, but I really value the comfort aspect of this bike with a slightly less aggressive fit, more seat post flex, wider tyres etc. I haven't ridden the Aeroad, but it has to be slightly less forgiving. Just something to consider, but with 4 bikes in your stable a full-on aero model makes sense as a 5th option. Just don't expect it to feel better in every way. Pros sometimes chop and change between the Aeroad and Ultimate.

datlas 

Most of the drag comes from your body, not the bike....so if you want more aero/faster see if you can optimize your position.

I expect the difference with an aero road bike is very modest.

That said, life is short and YOLO so if it's your call....don't forget to post pics of the new bike if/when you get it!!

datlas 

BTW if you really want to MOTOR on the flats, you could consider a TT/Tri bike that will definitely give you a real improvement, but the fit is a hassle and it's going to give you a sore back/neck (at 77 I am sure you have plenty of arthritis there) and you should avoid riding this in group rides and/or technical roads....

So forget that one.

rm -rf

It will save some watts. But that fairly small watt saving won't be much of a speed increase, I think.

Using this bike speed calculator, taking the defaults, but in the drops instead of hoods:
180 watts = 20.46 mph
200 watts = 21.30 mph.
Would an aero frame save 20 watts at these speeds? maybe.

saving 40 watts = 22.09 mph. There's no way the frame saves this many watts. (Maybe it does at 40 mph in a race finish line sprint!)

~~~~~
The bike appeals to you? It's worth it anyway.

Koyote

bruce19 : Seems like you want a new bike, and perhaps nothing else will scratch that itch. However, I will ask this Q: what sorts of jerseys do you wear? If they are club fit, or anything less than aero, then you will get a hugely larger 'bang for buck' by buying a very snug aero jersey, perhaps also an aero helmet. Additional benefit is that those items can be worn with any of your present bikes.

bblair

That's all we need to know.

At age 77, if you're not spending it on a wheel chair, might as well buy a new bike!

seypat

If he really wants to motor on the flats, he should get an ebike.

datlas 

eduskator

I think it's a nice to have, but not a necessity. Race bikes are very good for all-around usage even on flat terrains. Aero bikes are faster on flat terrains for sure (but would YOU even notice it, that's the question), but they are usually heavier and will be slower in mountains / hills.

''Aero-Race'' is an emergent road bicycle category that's been popular for the past few years - most manufacturers are now offering such bikes (Tarmac SL7, Teammachine, new gen Propel, Soloist, etc).

I have and like both (2021 TCR & 2023 Propel). They have similar specs, but the Propel is 1lbs heavier. Not sure which one I prefer though. Will be able to tell in a year or two.

Jrasero

If it's the Aeroad CF SLX 8 Disc eTap at $5300 100% an amazing value. I personally think aero everything has been greatly overrated and I prefer a lightweight bike that is also aero, but there is no denying pure aero bikes can be faster, just don't expect massive gains since these gains are at higher prolonged speeds

I think the issue especially with entry level aero bikes is that they are quite heavy around 18lbs-19lbs+ and at that point you really have be putting out some prolonged watts to see any difference. IMO I would go for an all arounder like the Cervelo Soloist, Tarmac SL7, or the Giant Propel. Even then one of my favorite bikes of all time was a 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SL 8.0 Disc. The aero cockpit and seatpost and the addition of some carbon aero wheels made that bike into an amazing all arounder, where at 16.3lbs the bike could climb and go fast. From a value perspective the Aeroad SLX is simply a better value for what you get though...

bruce19

I have two Castelli skin suits that I wear in warmer weather. And, generally Assos race fit jerseys.

bruce19

My wife has a 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 8.0 and I love that bike. My two main road bikes are a CAAD 12 w/mid-compact gearing and a 2017 Guru Photon that weighs 14 lbs 8 oz w/o pedals.

bruce19

I like that perspective.

PeteHski

Weight is not going to matter on flat rides like the OP was intending for this bike. It won't be particularly heavy anyway with 11-speed Ultegra mechanical. Fit and ride comfort are the two potential downsides to this bike, depending on what the OP is used to riding.

Jrasero

I would suggest just getting the new Canyon Ultimate SLX but it's just a bad value IMO for Canyon standards. The Aeroad SLX eTap version is $2700 less. You can find a Scott Foil RC 20 (Force AXS D1) for about sometimes on sale and that would just need a wheel upgrade as an alternative to the Canyon

Koyote

Okay, you've got that covered!

Assos makes my fave SS jerseys. That's my choice on race day.

bruce19

FWIW the Aeroad I was thinking about is $3999. and weighs (according to Canyon) 17.2 lbs I assume w/o pedals It's 11 sp Ultegra mechanical and disc brakes. and the DT Swiss wheels are tubeless ready. I'm a tubeless advocate.

eduskator

WO pedals, computer mount, bottle cages and sealant, you bet!

nomadmax 

Age 77, check
Still fit/healthy enough to ride, check
Have the money to buy any bike you want, check

Questioning what to do?! Aw hail naw. Or, as my beloved grandfather used to, "Go stand in road while I start the truck".

Caliwild

I honestly used to think all the aero claims were nonsense. But, this year I picked up a BMC Roadmachine and upgraded to deeper wheels (Enve 3.4) and aero bars (Enve AR). I'm now an aero convert. My average speeds are up and I set Strava PRs every time I ride that bike. It weighs 16.8 lbs. I have lighter bikes but aero truly trumps weight for general riding, IMO. My vote is to go for it, but I'm also known as an enabler...