You can now ride a bike just like Mathieu van der Poel's Worlds winning cyclocross machine

Canyon has updated the Inflite, with the cyclocross race bike receiving its elite-level Canyon Factory Racing designation for the upcoming season. 

Canyon offers a CFR edition - designed for its pro riders but made commercially available - of its three race bikes, the Ultimate, the Aeroad and the Endurace, and the Inflite will join them, utilising the brand's top-tier carbon layup.

The new Inflite CFR takes notes from models ridden by five-time World Championship winner Mathieu van der Poel, including at the most recent 2023 edition in Hoogerheide.

Of course, top-end bikes come with a top end price tag, the Di2 equipped model coming in at £7,149 / €7,499. However, updates have also been made to the more reasonably priced models within the range. 

“The Inflite’s handling is beautifully predictable,” says Van der Poel, who, understandably is always going to gush about the bike.

Given this sentiment, though, the Inflite CFR doesn’t stray far from the path. But while the geometry stays the same, and the distinctive top tube shaped to make carrying the bike is still present, the CFR is the first Inflite to feature fully integrated cabling - first seen on the prototype that MVDP rode to victory at the World in 2023.

This cleaner and more aerodynamically efficient look is aided by an adjustable CP0018 Aerocockpit and updated forks. As well as routing the cables internally, the cockpit offers 40mm of width adjustment in what Canyon describes as “three distinct positions” alongside 15mm of height adjustment - with no cutting required.

Canyon says the result is a cockpit that can meet the demands of a variety of race set-ups - wider for greater leverage on technical courses or narrower for aero gains when speed matters most. The German brand also says users can “switch as often as they need between setups” because of the ease of adjustment.

The Inflite CFR is offered in two builds. Decked out in a Team Alpecin-Deceuninck colourway, the Shimano-equipped Inflite CFR Di2 Team uses 12-speed 9200-series Dura-Ace Di2 shifting with a 46/36 chainset, including a Rotor Aldhu 24 Inspider power meter, and an 11-34 cassette. The wheelset is DT Swiss’ carbon CRC 1100 Spline.

Alternatively, the Inflite CFR Team LTD comes equipped with a SRAM Red AXS setup that pairs a 40t chainring with a 10-36t cassette and includes an integrated Quarq power meter. The wheelset remains the same as the Di2 Team model and both bikes also feature Canyon’s shock-absorbing S14 carbon comfort seatpost and a Ceramic Speed bottom bracket.

Both the Shimano and SRAM-equipped Inflite CFRs will retail for £7,149 / €7,499. The bike will be ridden at the upcoming UCI Cyclocross World Cup by Van der Poel, Del Carmen Alvarado, Puck Pieterse, Zoe Bäckstedt and Maghalie Rochette.

The existing Inflite CF SLX and SL line-up, which Canyon describes as a “pro design for privateer racers” benefits from a refresh for 2024.

At the top end, the CF SLX 8 is offered with both SRAM Force AXS and Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupsets. Both models benefit from crank-based power meters and a DT Swiss CRC 1400 wheelset and cost £4,799 / €4,999 and £5,249 / €5,499 respectively. 

Alternatively, the CF SL 7 comes equipped with a 1x SRAM Rival AXS groupset, including a Quarq power meter, DT Swiss CRC 1600 wheels and a H31 cockpit. At £3,849 / €3,999 Canyon describes this Inflite as “arguably representing the best value available in a cyclocross race bike today”.

For more information on the Canyon Inflite visit canyon.com