Interesting… what I read online suggested the “aero” features weren’t particularly well thought out (no wind-tunnel testing, etc) which is why the SLX would be the better bet (lighter and stiffer as you say). Did you ride your mates CF SLX before he wrote it off? Do you think the Aeroad is comfier for long days in the saddle? I’m looking for a bike both for sportives/long days out and strava-runs (so the moon on a stick really) and to be honest I don’t have the bottle to do 50 MPH+ downhill on the road so that capability might be lost on me! I also recall another thread where a Canyon rep allegedly said in an email that the CF [SLX] was right for 90% of their customers?
I bought the aeroad because I wanted a bike I could clip aero bars on and do TTs as well as sportives, big audaxes etc. I rode my mates bike and it was very stiff, and quite unforgiving, the aeroad, IMO is much comfier. but, with the aeroad, you get deep wheels (i replaced the cosmics with 38mm all carbon clinchers) and they add weight, and on uphills, especially with a cross wind can be very draggy indeed. If you have no desire to use the bike for improving your TT time then maybe the SLX is the bike for you. but, their alu Di2 bike for 2k looks stunning as well…