Meet the New Stable of Super Bikes: Canyon Factory Racing

Canyon spins off a race-focused brand — Canyon Factory Racing — with an ‘illegal’ ultralight road bike for climbing and the brand’s fastest downhill machine for descents.

Specialized has S-Works, Cannondale has Black Inc., and now Canyon enters the world of branded, purpose-built, high-end racing bikes. Canyon Factory Racing (CFR) takes flight today, and, according to the brand, is the result of “decades of expert engineering and … years of refinement.”

“Why did we create Canyon Factory Racing? Because being the best always demands more of us as engineers, as athletes, and as lovers of the sport. Canyon Factory Racing is to step up to the next level: to force ourselves to go faster, be smarter, and build better,” Canyon announced in its press release.

The new brand comes out with a bang as well, with two “new” bikes christening the CFR monicker. On the road side, the CFR Ultimate builds on the 2019 Ultimate CF EVO Disc frameset with new componentry and a finished weight of 6.2-6.5 kg (13.7-14.3 pounds) depending on build options.

And for gravity junkies, CFR also upgraded the Sender downhill racing bike by shaving more than 650 g from the chassis, extending the wheelbase, and improving the kinematics.

Ultimate CFR: Build Specs

The Ultimate CFR comes in two builds — Di2 and EPS — or as a $3,549 frameset. According to Canyon, only a “very limited” number will be available to the U.S. market.

CFR Sender: Build Specs

While the Ultimate CFR bears a lot in common with its EVO predecessor, the Sender underwent some more intensive modifications. First off, CFR cut nearly 1.5 pounds off the frame’s weight.

It also built in more adjustability, allowing reach adjustments of +/- 8 mm and chainstay adjustments up to 10 mm. Plus, small and medium riders will rock a “mullet” setup — a 29-inch wheel in front, 27.5 in back — for better rollover performance on steeper courses.

Lastly, CFR repositioned the upper shock mount to lower the rider’s center of gravity and extended the wheelbase — both of which the brand says will improve handling.

Like the Ultimate CFR, the CFR Sender comes in two builds. But unlike its road cousin, the Sender will not immediately enter the U.S. market. While it goes live overseas August 11, the brand said it will hit American shores “soon thereafter.”