Canyon responds quickly to safety concerns following van der Poel mechanical

By now, most cycling fans have seen the dramatic photos of Mathieu van der Poel racing Le Samyn with a broken handlebar. So has Canyon. The German direct-to-consumer brand issued a “stop ride” notice for select Aeroad models following the incident.

Canyon issued a press release, stating that the Alpecin-Fenix rider’s bars “quite obviously broke off during the race,” adding that “experts from the Canyon development and quality management departments immediately began analysis and testing to understand the cause of this incident.”

Canyon acknowledged that the mechanical could have resulted in an injury to the Dutch phenom. “Mathieu fortunately did not fall. We want to ensure with absolute certainty that no one comes to harm before we fully understand the root cause.”

Until the cause of van der Poel’s problem is determined, Canyon is “notifying all affected Aeroad customers and asking them to stop using their bike for the time being.”

Notice limited to Aeroad CF SLX and CFR

Canyon noted that the request, and problem, only apply to CP0018 and CP0015 cockpits. That means that only current Aeroad CF SLX and CFR are affected by the stop-ride notice. The Aeroad CF SL uses a different cockpit design, so it is still safe to ride.

The next step isn’t entirely clear yet. Canyon CEO Armin Landergraf says the brand is already working on a solution. “We are doing everything we can to equip affected Aeroad models as quickly as possible with a cockpit that meets both our and our customers’ demands for total quality and safety.” Since both use an integrated, non-traditional bar specific to the frame, it will be interesting to see what Canyon comes up with.

The proprietary bar integration means that until the problem is resolved, pro teams will be using alternative Canyon models. That means Alpecin-Fenix, Movistar and others won’t race the current Aeroad at Strade Bianche this weekend.

Canyon does have some experience problem solving in real-time, though. The German brand is working hard to resolve a seat-post issue with the recently-released Aeroad models. It appears to be close to a solution already.