Canyon Commuter 8.0: bike preview | Martin Love

A radical new design brings multiple benefits to the humdrum city slicker

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