The answer to "which endurance bike should I buy" has always been, and seemingly continues to be, the Giant Defy. No gimmicks, relatively reasonably priced, comfortable through geometry alone (well, and Giant's approach to seatposts) and actually pretty snappy to ride. Giant just don't have the same brand caché as some others for some reason. Also, I very much like the sound of a "gran fondue". 😂

Whatever, it's just brilliant to have all these options. Any one of these bikes will take you out of yourself and relieve the stress of daily life. They just each do so in a slightly different way...

Hi Paul, I know your view on endurance bikes differs from mine as you prefer the long straight motorway runs, but I can't see the Canyon Endurace as being dull. In fact it is a fairly light and nimble bike which I've been riding for five years now both on the flat and in the mountains. Must confess I chose a smaller size than recommended by Canyon as the larger one looked a fence. Don't mind the comparison to a Volvo, anything better than an suv. I bought the bike because it is very similar to a road race bike and at the time was one of the few which fitted larger tires. Would go for a racy type of gravel bike like an Open UP or a 3T if I were to buy a new bike today

I think it is important to be honest about what you want out of a bike. But often you wont know until you have ridden quite a lot and tried several bikes. Nice and thought provoking.

I have a Domane and a Emonda as fast as each other. The Domane does not have to be boring. A few upgrades and the bike can feel quite lively for a Volvo.

Not long ago, at age 61, I got back to riding after a ten-year span of riding only a handful of times. At that time I had a full-on race bike and a flat-bar hybrid, both aluminum and both over 20 years old. The race bike was the far more comfortable of the two. Since then, I've bought an "endurance" bike, with a bit slacker, geometry, a shorter reach, and a higher stack. It's comfortable and fast, but not twitchy like the aluminum race bike. It has become my primary ride. I guess that makes sense given the car analogies here, since I've been driving estates (Toyota, BMW, Audi, Subaru) since I my mid twenties, and since my reason to ride is to go further at a good speed rather than faster for a short distance.

I'm 50 years old and not exactly in race shape but don't want to give up & just cruise. So I just bought the new Supersix Evo! It has the higher stack, room for 32mm tires, and an oddly (for me) slack fork angle, but still feels racey & responsive! Coming from a 10 year old Madone, it's amazingly relaxed and comfortable!

I am so glad you made the Volvo vs bmw comparison. It told me everything I needed to know…

Can't wait for my next Gran Fondu🧀

I bought a custom titanium frame this year to build up a road bike, and I based the geometry on the Cannondale Synapse since that seemed to be a well regarded endurance bike. And it's been great. It feels fast and nimble (despite being at 9+kg all in not particularly light), but at the same time is incredibly comfortable - I've ridden two 12+ hour rides on it this year (294km and 351km) and it's performed remarkably well, with no discomfort at all even after all those hours in the saddle.

I think you missed the point in this video.... instead of focusing on the advantages and inclusiveness of endurance bike you proceeded to bash these bikes in general...and no ... This might he hard for you to believe... but there are perfectly fit people that want an endurance bike...not everyone gets boxed into buying one... for some its perfectly exciting to ride these bikes in comfort and enjoy the journey... matter of fact the endurance bike is what most people require...who needs a "race" bike if you arent racing... you lost a couple of points with this video...

Interesting take on analogous cars. My brother (66) rides a '20 Domane and I (59) ride a '23 Roadmachine. I find the Domane to be somewhat dead and sluggish but he's fitted it up with a brooks b17 and can just go all day on it and find bliss. I find the Roadmachine still gives me the response to pedal input I desire as well as no gimmicky frame couplers. A little seatpost flex and wider tires feels like luxury to me! But yeah, it definitely wants to go straight compared to my more race geometry bike. But the cool part is now two long-in-the-tooth brothers can each ride longer and more comfortably then if we stubbornly stuck to racing bikes. I've made peace with it may come at some avg speed and cornering agility.

Sometimes you have to look for a more relaxed geometry and to embrace it as comfortable riding may be faster. This is why some folks are embracing gravel vice road. Also, you should never buy a bike without a full on bike fit.

At 48, I bought a Canyon Ultimate rim brake setup. Currently running conti ultra sport tires measuring just under 30 mm. Yes you can fit larger than 28's on ultegra R8000. It's a little low in the drops but I'm still somewhat flexible at 49. I just like the feel of a race bike. My Ti Lemond Tete de Course cracked at the BB couple years ago and wanted a pure road bike. If I want to do gravel I'll use my Giant Toughroad (highly under rated bicycle).

With a decent stack and lesser reach the Domane would still be a racy position for my long legs/short body... Not all blokes are long body/armed apes with wee legs....

one problem with modern endurance bikes is the tubing profile. comfort and weight is compromised with aero shapes and disc brakes. to attain better comfort they try to fit wider 30c+ tires but it will add weight and reduce that energetic feel. 2012-2017 endurance bikes are the pinnacle of light endurance bikes with comfort-focused tubing with zero regard for aero. rim brakes and semi-internal cables with clearance for 28-30mm which is sufficient, they don't need gimmicks because the cylindrical main tubes and thin seatstays strictly developed for vertical compliance and lateral stiffness are just stronger and more comfy for all day riding, it's physics. also if you're in a group ride aero doesn't matter that much

We should look to an endurance bikes with wider tyre clearance and a NON integrated stem to allow an simple,broad range of fit adjustment.

Yes. Yes. Yes. This video matches exactly my experience buying a new bike 2 months ago. I went into the store wanting "the most comfortable endurance bike." Because of all the reviews I thought I was going to get a Cannondale Synapse. However, after test-riding it, my feeling was "meh" and all the fun of riding a road bike felt almost completely gone. Then I tried Cervelo Caledonia, which was also very comfortable but a bit more "fun" to ride. Finally, however, I settled down on a BMC Roadmachine and discovered I didn't really want "the most comfortable bike" but, instead, what I wanted was the best ratio of comfort and fun like good position, nimble handling, a feeling of direct engagement with the road etc. Now I've had my BMC Roadmachine for 2 months and absolutely love it. And that bike is at the most aggressive end of the so-called "endurance bikes."

Depends on the rider fit. Long or short back influences the how the riders preference.

Glad to have stumbled across this video in the back catalogue…am getting a bit underwhelmed with being told by reviewers and YT channels that I “should” ride an endurance bike because it’s comfortable. Or it’s what I “need”. Being pushed toward Endurace/Defy/Fray/Domane all seems a bit like being told I’m not worthy of having a racy bike because I’m north of 40, and/or don’t have a World Tour FTP (or flexibility). It’s great that these options exist, but what I need and what I want are sometimes two different things and - to continue the car metaphor - maybe I want to strut around in a 2seater sports car from time to time!

Spot on commentary based on my personal experience

In the end it depends on what you want to do with it. 200km might be a rather short distance . Most people I see around sit on their bikes horribly, mainly because they are too long. If Ueli Steck could climb the Eiger north face in light boots and no rope it does not mean we all can either. The same goes for bikes. Everyone has their own preferences though, so they should get what they like. But they should also know that fit is important, probably more than the quicker steering or 27 grams less weight

As a resident of Switzerland - im an absolute legend of the 'Grand Fondue's' - seriously , I m lucky enough to be able to chop and change my bikes, so have a Teamachine (s), road machine , pinarello k8-s ( that's quite a rare bike and probably more on the lines of you idea of a real endurance bike) - saying that , I felt there was room for an Endurace which is now on order - like the idea of having something very anodyne if the feeling suits me. I do regular routes and record on Strava so interested to see how this compares

Endurance is a term from before the dawn of road disc brakes. Rim calipers prevented bigger tires. Today it is akin to all road. Geo can vary but tire clearance is most valuable. If you can’t fit 35mm rubber you need to redesign your frame. Race bikes are still stuck in the aero game. Endurance tends to avoid that stuff.

Why I prefer CX bikes. Still racy easy to turn and react, yet most can do long days. Durable light frames. Wider tires are easy to use that can rougher roads/some trails. Now days might lose the widest but thoes are best for certain situations anyways. The only drawback for years till recently was canti's horrible braking in many situations off the cx race course. Now days not a problem with disc. Find a CX bike that takes more than UCI race tire limits of 33mm-35mm, which CX frames did andstill do, as their the so called fast/race gravel frames anyways but just with different name than CX frame. Crux, plus so many more former high end cx bikes now called gravel.

These videos are the ones worth waking up for!

Interesting, but the video playing in the background is so distracting that I had to stop watching before the end.

"car park appeal"... I recall you getting me to ride an ADHX around your car park! (It was great, of course...)

Great vid Paul in getting the core message across effectively, while simultaneously populating it with nuanced detail. Nothing missed …… learn about bike geo and why it matters, be clear about what types of riding you want to do, look after yourself. I agree 100% from my own experience. Speaks to all levels so great job 👍.

With the lousy weather coming to New England soon my miles will be cut, so the best thing I can do is heed your advice and get into the gym more.

Time would be my choice. For that classic look mostly, though I would use it as BMW, not the Rover. 2nd pick - Look.

63. 100kg. Fit. ALL my aches sorted by going lower and racier. Old school geometry, larger fame (steel). Those, "endurance " bikes ride like Raleigh Choppers

I ride the tween, Colnago C59 in 42S. Supposed to be endurance but it can be racy. I had the Colnago CX-1 in 45S before, that is a crit machine, extremely sharp handling with a shorter wheelbase. Surprisingly the 42S on the C59 is closer to the 45S in the CX-1, that is why I chose 42S. The C59 is not as sharp in handling compared to the CX-1 but it is not a slouch.

My first bike was all-road Scott Speedster 10 (alu., 2020), bought a new Van Rysel EDR 105 (Carbon, 2022) and while I like the stiffness or power delivery of the new one, I want my first bike back for long rides. It had larger tire clearance and didn't make me tired so fast.

Interesting. I ride a Caledonia 5 and a S3. They have the same stack and reach, so the Caledonia is a pretty aggressive fit for something “soft”. Other than on super smooth roads I’d take the Caledonia 90% of the time as it does everything so well.

Good morning, Team Mapdec 👋. Really insightful video with actual bikes together with clear descriptions for each genre. It's frustrating for cyclists as these lines blur and grey somewhat with marketing "words & details" for many of the top globally recognised brands. Thanks for the clarity: it's definitely food for thought.

I like my domanes position for commuting with a backpack 😅. Also I use it when I go to our ride dates with my girlfriend... I bring ALL the munchies with somewhat bearable back pressure.

Look I have a 2016 Trek Domane, which is classified as an endurance bike. Whilst this is an enjoyable bike to ride, and comfortable. I just find it shall we say to comfortable. So if I get the funds together for a newer bike, I would go for a more aero / race bike. Add some gel cork bar tape to the carbon bars, it will give some comfort in the hands.

For me Time nailed it with the ADHX. Currently running with 32mm road tires and it’s the most comfortable road bike i’ve ever ridden. Bit heavy with 1 kilo more than my 20 yo alu road bike, but it’s still faster despite the extra weight. Perfect do-it-all bike as far as I’m concerned. Not a competitive cyclist other than trying to beat myself, so i’ve got no need for the fastest and most aero bike out there. Wouldn’t trade it for anything, regardless of price. Done only short 2 hour rides so far, but I’m sure a full day in the saddle won’t be an issue. I have the XL/58cm. If I have to be really picky, with 1.93m I may have gone with a slightly larger frame if there would have been one.

Add me to the list of endurance bike owners. I bought an Orro Gold evo 105 via bike to work, then didn't ride for 9 months due to knee surgery. I've got fit, flexible and strong, and within 2 months of riding I've hit the limits of a badly fitting flexible endurance bike. It does not like corners, climbs ok, feels unstable at speed, already looking to trade up.

Very good video. I'm mid 50s riding Audax on a 12 year old steel frame with rim brakes. Bikes have changed

The Canyon Endurace is the perfect endurance bike 👍 Nobody apart from a racer should be riding the racing bikes and just having wider tyres won’t help.

Have to agree to disagree on this one. I ride a 2023 Defy and have put down multiple century rides and multiple 125+ mile rides with no gripes. I also have no problem on fast group rides where we are doing 20+ mph. In fact on a lot of my centuries, as a group, we have avg 20+ mph. I climb with the best and descend with the best, and do it with confidence. Just this year I took a KOM from an insanely strong rider on this Defy. I'll Have around 8,000 miles on this bike this year alone......would I trade for a TCR....nope.....would I add a TCR to my arsenal of bikes....maybe, but why?

My gravel/allroad bike is long and slack. I actually feel like it's too long. In terms of feeling powerful, my hardtail is the bike that feels like that, seems to put me more forward and " over the cranks" . I guess I should measure it a figure out what gives that feeling...

I don't buy into the idea of you're old / low fitness / ill health so get an endurance bike. The question of which bike to get is moot for me because I will likely never be able to get a new bike again, but I still like to watch the videos and hope that one day my situation will improve, and always what I want is a race bike that's fun. I have at least three, and almost certainly more chronic pain conditions (it's not actually possible to confirm with tests, so all diagnosis is best guess.) Pain issues are including my lower, mid and upper back and there are times when pain is so bad I am barely able to bend. Even so, I've spent a huge amount of time on the gym, Pilates and doing fitness classes trying to mitigate my condition and my flexibility is now extremely good compared to anyone. My core strength isn't ideal yet, I've been doing what I can to improve but it's impossible to be consistent, but that is my primary focus now. I'm hardly alone in this either, two of the fitness instructors I've worked with have their own chronic conditions, yet they are immensely strong and very flexible. And as I write this comment I'm also thinking about some of the older people in my gym and classes, in their 70s, 80s and in one case 90s, most of them lifting as comfortably and heavy as young people, and going to hard classes 3-4 times per week. Despite my issues I ride my flat bar hybrid regularly, and my main frustration is I often want to get much lower and longer when I feel relatively okay. When I do get low the main limitation is hyperextension of the neck when I need to look further down the road, that can get painful fast, so I will be working on neck strengthening soon I hope, and then I want to fit the 135 mm adjustable stem I have, after that maybe I can convert it to a drop bar bike.. My dream bike would probably be something like an all new Time Scylon (the current one dates back to 2016?) and honestly I don't think I would care if I could only ride for 30 - 90 minutes at a time as long as it's exciting. I'd rather get more range and speed from a motor and have the 'endurance' + extra miles that way. I see a couple of bikes like the new Wilier Filante with the Mahle X20 motor, and that very discreet TQ mid mount motor and think we're almost there with making the electric assist just disappear into the background. News reports say Toyota will launch solid state battery cars in 2026, so maybe it won't be that long before that tech makes its' way into bike as well and we'll have decent range from e-race bikes, but still have classic looks and lines we want. This turned into a long waffly reply, but bottom line is get the bike that you want to ride, work on strength and flexibility if you want to reduce the number of spacers under your stem.

'Inspired by David Arthur' there's a sure fire way to lose a shed load of viewers 😏🤣

Its almost as if the designers of 80's steel race bikes with horizontal rear dropouts and height adjustable stems knew what they were doing.

48yo ride a Domane SL6. Few upgrades from standard obviously but its best money I've evwr spent. Few KOMs and Cups plus 100s of PBs.

For me super expensive bikes way out of my pocket but you don’t have to pay a fortune for a good comfortable endurance bike I have a Giant Contend AR 3 it’s brilliant love riding it and a modest £850 in sale.

some of us don't like doing a 4 to 5 hour ride on a Sunday club run though and that is why I choose a race bike as my road bike. I want something I can go fast on doing a quick 40 mile ride and go home. Don't want to sit in the saddle all day and so I'd rather pick the TCR or even the TCX as my road bike and not bother if a Defy.

I’m an 90/10 road:gravel rider with a budget for one bike. I find myself wrestling between an aggressive gravel bike which can perform on the road and one of these all road types which might be compromised on gravel. Ah the deliberations of an impoverished cyclist!

Great video, very practical advise!

I admit to not knowing a lot about road bikes but as I am getting more and more into riding on roads instead of trails/MTB I have started to look for a road bike, and that is where the nightmare begins. Race, gravel, cross, endurance, fitness, all-round, seems to be some of the choices, and then in different sub-models with slightly different geometry, build materials, and not least design. Then comes all the components and you end up with an humongous equation with too many unknowns and your budget as the only known factor. I suppose it is great to be spoilt for choice but as a novice without a network of experienced riders or mechanics to give advice, and potentially departing with several many thousand GBP, it can be quite difficult and even daunting to narrow down the search for one particular bike that is, hopefully anyway, just the right bike for you.

Good video addressing salient points, in particular pointing out that too high a stack and you may as well get a flat bar fitness bike. I made a mistake buying a Fairlight Strael with the tall frame option. Ended up fitting narrow 40 cm bars and removing 30 mm of 40mm headset spacers. This whole subject can be overthought and over anylised, IMO just get out on your bike and enjoy it for what it is. A lot of cycling journalists clearly have to promote manufacturers and models.

Don't be too hard on David. It could be GCN, where their tech, product & presenter bike videos are nothing more than blatant advertising for their channel sponsors.

Maybe if you can get over an 80-90mm stem and 25-35mm of spacers most of the current race bikes can fit anybody- and with 32mm tires the comfort is there. trick is to find a bike that looks decent with that amount of spacer, some do some don't. Remember when you are riding the bike you cant see the spacers:)

Some dangerous car comparisons there Paul - BMWs and Range Rovers? Not perceived as the most cyclist friendly brands 😂. I think you're right about us older riders being steered towards 'endurance geometry' and videos like this help us understand what we really want which, as you point out, isn't always a Trek Domane (other, similar bikes are available). Full disclosure - I'm grey and pot-bellied and I've got a Ribble CGR SL, sold to me a couple of years ago when I was a babe-in-the-woods as a rider.

Late to the party here. 2022 bought a Fairlight Strael and their sizing metric suggested i get the 58 cm Tall version rather than Standard. Im 6'1" and long limbed. I found it too sit up and beg, so removed 20mm of 40mm headset spacers. Also changed 44cm wide handlebars for 40cm. At 63 years old but still fit, 82kg ftp 261 im not ready for pootling around catching the wind

Thanks. I've been looking to change from my 2013 Giant defy. It's good but not really exciting. I tried a Canyon Endurace and again it was good but I didn't feel it was exciting. I also tried a Canyon Ultimate. I loved it on the climbs and descents but rough roads felt harsh. I guess I am looking at the car equivilent of a GT / cruiser. I also want to try BMC Roadmachine / Teammachine and Ridley Fenix. It's just trying to find them in stock for a decent test ride and not just around a car park.

I need an endurance bike solely because the roads keep getting worse.

Hey Volvos are nice cars. In terms of the TCR and Defy, i should have bought a Defy because I use a really high saddle height but comparatively short reach, thus the longer/higher head tube on the Defy makes sense for me. (I use a size small TCR with the seatpost all the way up at maximum extension, so if I use no spacers the bars are REALLY low compared to the saddle. I'm fully flexible but I don't need them *that* low. That said, I didn't check other aspects of the Defy frame, like whether the steerer angle is different, if it had longer chainstays, etc. The stiffness and handling of the TCR are nice and I definitely don't want a noticeably flexy bike

That look geometry seems to be similar to what canyon did with the new grail. Longer wheelbase but slacking the head angle but maintaining a short chainstay. I'm actually considering that for my next all road. I'm mostly do ultra endurance (200-1200) and I've owned a giant propel and a cervelo Soloist. Yes they are exciting bikes but they are so stiff that even with tubeless comfort adjusted tire, I can feel the stiffness translating into fatigue after 300+ kms. So I believe in that context David is right, but thanks for putting more perspective to endurance Bikes. BTW I currently use BMC Road machine X for ultras. I used to have the Caledonia but I find it a tad bit stiff vs the roadmachine.

solution is go buy a super expensive Time bike , the frameset costs the same as Giant defy Canyon, ready to roll. Buy a BMW / Range rover and Time bike, u be fine. I think David A makes great videos and is very considered in his opinions, his channel is targeted to broader rider set, not just specialists and more elite riders

Haha.. Get a volvo :). And the carpark effect is so real buying a second hand bike - if seller has nice smooth hotmix outside the door.

67 here and I just like fast bikes :)

If everyone just bought a Gravel bike then the world would be a happier place. :)

Hey Paul! What are your thoughts on new Basso Astra geometry? It has super high stack and short reach, more aggressive angles. Mainly comparing it to Look 765 optimum 2, since i'm trying to decide which frame to go for ultimate comfort :)

Get to know your reach, head tube height, seat tube height, and get a bike that fits with those measurements in mind….could be ‘race’ or ‘endurance’…it doesn’t really matter!

Really good video. The Look looks great!

I’m actually tempted by the new Defy as it’s geo has gone closer to that of a TCR just not as low. My main gripe other than the eye watering price of these modern bikes is the 32 mm tyres. Are very really as fast as 28mm ?

Fabian Cancellara rode the Domane for virtually every road race he entered after it came out. That's for climbing stages and flatter stages he was trying to win. *It's always been one of my favorite biked with every iteration. But I refuse to buy another BB90 bike so I avoided getting one until this recent version and it's definitely my favorite bike

I've been riding for 40 odd years. I just ride a bike. Now Pinarell Prince. It's a bike that fits and is compfy. To be honest I wouldn't know the difference between a race and endurance geometry.It must be only tiny degrees.

I ride an endurance bike because I cycle in a city. I need a more upright posture so I can see the traffic around me.

The difference between an endurance bike and a TCR is f*** all... Lets be serious

Hey what are the options for endurance bikes like the Look you showed… I am interested in this category and any suggestions would be appreciated

Jeez it’s so damn hard. Been trying to decide for nearly 3 years now. Bike fitter says you need an endurance geometry, but the bikes are a bit uninspiring or now getting pointless gimmicks. I had actually pretty much decided on an ADHX after watching the Mapdec videos, coz they are a work of art. But now this new description has put me off 🙄😂. I don’t care about gravel. Really I wanna avoid these mass production brands, but at the end of day options are actually quite limited these days. Saying all this, I’m certain anything will feel gold over my old Focus.

I bought the TCR because it was just way better value than a Defy. I have 30mm tubeless tires at 55 psi on them and the bike is super comfortable. I do have the stem as low as possible. One odd thing with the Defy is the gearing choice. 50/34 by 11-36. I cannot imagine needing a 34x36 gear for any climb.

Domane rider here and yeah, I kinda agree. Went to a Domane after a bikefit because my hip is slightly twisted and I need the shorter reach and higher stack. In a really agressive position the twist is gone so my TT-bike is pretty agressively setup. That position is too agressive to keep riding for long times on a normal roadbike so it's either 'endurance fit' or aerobars for me. For normal cycling I opt for the first. I need a stack of about 580 and a reach of 370. My Domane fits great with a (standard) 9cm stem, but a Look 765 Optimum would fit just as great. So what is what? Are they both endurance bikes, or do they both have an endurance fit? I think there should be a difference between 'endurance bikes' and 'endurance fit', but I don't know for sure what it should be but I prefer the 'fit' over the 'bike'. My Domane is old, it's a 2015 model, I haven't replaced it because I don't like all the extra flexibilities the manufacturers added, that isospeed at the back of my Trek is fine, but the other parts? Flexible steeres? Pistons at the back? I don't see why they do it. Give me a bike I can fit on, if I want more comfort I will get bigger, softer tires.

This is very interesting and very popular topic now a days , i have tried every type of bike in existence and have to say at the end of the day one has so so many choices finding the perfect bike is pretty simple IF could try few and find what works best for you but that is less and less of a possibility, who will loan you a bike for a proper ride and give you a choice to buy it or not at the end? when you think all bikes use same components, wheels, accessories the frame becomes the most important piece and one a buyer must chose carefully.

I love these Bowers&Wilkins speakers with cevlar membrane in the background! Kudos for that ;)

Aww, mate. I’m a 62 year oldish roadie speed freak - gave up on cycling 4 years ago due to being riddled with arthritis and serious associated tendinopathy. 2 shoulder ops and intensive hip work & physio later I got me a Canyon hybrid - nice but ended up out cycling and selling it. Then tried the Canyon Endurace - good but didn’t strike the right balance for geometry and so sent it back. So got me a Domane. It doesn’t match my BMW X Series attitude (too many licence speeding points and i rarely go gravel but handy) and i’m getting some wonderful zippy miles in on it in comfort. Agree, it’s a bit cardigan and slippers but a Volvo 😂 Point being, it wasn’t sold to me I chose it because it’s right. Still, I miss the acceleration and pace of my old Bianchi - my shoulders and back don’t.

A lot of us oldies (I am 63) have had enough crashes to know that descending in the drops in a pale imitation of Tom Pidcock is near the bottom of our list of wants. Similarly can’t agree that endurance bikes necessarily flex when climbing. I had a Specialized Roubaix Expert for years and while it wasn’t light or aero it didn’t flex excessively even with Zertz inserts. You are criticising a market segment for being designed with specific goals and not excelling in all. Like criticising a 2 Ton X5 for not being nimble to drive. Claiming that the Look with its excessive reach and slammed stem is going to provide a better experience and a stronger more powerful ride is just crazy. Slammed bars and 150mm stems are for Pros and wannabes; most normal people cannot get the most from these designs due to not having a daily massage and time to achieve optimum flexibility. Calling the Canyon a Volvo is a bit silly really. Continuing the car analogy when I was young and stupid I ruined a perfectly good Golf GTi with a sports exhaust, big wheels and low suspension. I hated driving it for more than 15 mins but it looked cool Thankfully some stole it and torched it. I bought a “boring” BMW 320i which I drove for over 130k miles every one of which was a pleasure. By the way I don’t have a pot belly and my core strength is plenty good and my bike fitter was amazed at my flexibility and I still want a comfortableEndurance bike for my regular riding which is max 100km in a single ride.

Where do you think the Basso Venta sits in this category?

Anyone that has a Cervelo aspero with both gravel and road tires? Love to hear it

David Arthur will say anything that the cycling industry want him to say! Ask Hambini 😬😬

For me, an endurance bike needs to be able to accommodate the Continental 5000 AS TR in 35mm.

Nothing wrong with Volvo if you were one of those who used to watch them during the BTCC’s supertouring era

Fantastic breakdown. Which stem is that on your Look Optimum?

One other issue is that an XS bike will ride remarkably different to an XL bike, even if the family of bike is supposed to be the same. And even between brands, the difference between an XL Defy and XL Roadmachine is much more different than the difference between an XS Defy and XS Roadmachine. Thus my knowledge and experience as a 192cm rider doesn't translate to yours if you're 170cm, say.

Hopefully those bikes are more reliable than the BMW and Range Rover!

I'm 51, ride an endurance bike and drive a Volvo. I guess I'm half dead 🤷‍♂️

What pre-built endurance bike up to 3k€ would you suggest consider buying? I would like to have a custom built bike in your shop but you guys are too far away from where I live :)

What model is that Look? I missed you saying the model. Also love that BMC machine you pictured.

What a volvo hater xD Never knew volvos are hated that much. I actually always liked them since a kid. Especially in Scandinavia with their massive offorad headlights on the look sick

Great video, and a topic which i am currently entangled as i consider a new bike purchase, can i get you take on the geometry of the Basso Astra?

I think the manufacturers are giving the customers what they think they want, how many bikes do you see with short flipped stems? Whenever I ask what's going on regards the position and the answer is, I have a bad back. Speaking from personal experience of back pain, sitting upright on the bike isn't necessarily the best solution, stretching out for me was part of my managing my back.

thank you for your assessment. As a person with long legs (90cm for a height of 180), I need a bike with a long head tube so that I don't have a spacer tower or neck pain. Which bike with a long head tube and short top tube is fast and agile and not an SUV or a Volvo?

I want something like Dodge Durango SRT. What bike would you recommend?

Here's a video topic: race bike geometry is stupid. If you look at TDF photos from 40 years ago, the saddles are mostly level with the bars. With race bikes today, it's not unusual to see four or five inches of drop. They can do this because the head tubes are super short at every size. Literally just 2" of stack height difference over the entire size range (which could represent 8" in leg length.) Anyone with proportionally long legs and average flexibility is excluded from the entire class. You like race bikes because you're the opposite: average height, short legs, long torso. You fit without any physical gymnastics. A lot of us are stuck with "Volvo" bikes for lack of any mainstream alternative.

At age 59 I'm thinking my Addict RC is too sporty these days. My 12 year old Synapse and 5 year old Genesis Datum are back in favour.