It seems incredible that the basic ingredients of a bicycle – frame, wheels, saddle and bars – can be almost infinitely reworked to produce dynamic bikes of endless variety. Take a look at this one. It’s the new Commuter 8.0 from Canyon. The German firm, based in Koblenz and set up in 1985, has always championed cutting-edge design. But doing away with the traditional headset to create a ‘cockpit’, in which the handlebars, stem and lights all form a single unit, seems drastic even by its standards. It gives the bike a weird ‘neckless’ look. It looks like its lines were inspired by a hyena. However, it rides brilliantly and handling is ferociously direct. It benefits from a greaseless silicon belt drive, and a low-maintenance gear hub saves you money and hassle in the long term. Internal cabling and seamless welds also help create its clean and simple look. It comes in this ‘espresso’ colour or a cool grey. A powerful dynamo supplies electricity through clever contacts in the dropout points, which means your lights will never dim. It’s bright stuff! (canyon.com)
Price: £1,749
Frame: aluminium
Gears: Shimano Alfine 11 speed
Weight: 11.8kg
Wrong side of the tracks
Fans of the oval ball enjoyed Jack Whitehall’s take on the complicated rules of scrumming, hooking and being a total flanker. Now he’s getting ready for Rio with his unique take on what it takes to be a track cyclist. In this video he is joined by track legends Bradley Wiggins and Becky James…
Email Martin at martin.love@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @MartinLove166
