CANYON LAUNCH ULTIMATE CF SLX LTD ARTIST EDITION – DESIGNED BY TORBEN GIEHLER

KOBLENZ, 12 AUGUST 2021 | EMBARGO TUESDAY, 17 AUGUST 2021, 11 AM (CEST) – When you combine art and cycling in the form of special frame designs, the result is always something extraordinary. To celebrate this unique combination of aesthetics and functional design, Canyon created the Ultimate Artist Edition. After already releasing a special-edition Ultimate designed by photographer Tino Pohlmann in late 2020, and then a second designed by typographer Erik Spiekermann in May this year, Canyon are now proud to present a third bike in the Ultimate Artist Edition series. A world-class frame, adorned with a beautiful design created by artist Torben Giehler: the Ultimate CF SLX 8 Disc LTD.

Canyon and Torben Giehler share a deep-seated, long-term love for cycling, as well as a shared vision and passion for design and aesthetics. After studying at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and the New York Studio Program, Giehler started regularly joining in the group rides through the famous Prospect Park in New York, gaining inspiration from the beautifully diverse peloton, and the sheer depth and breadth of road cycling experiences he was exposed to. Today, Giehler lives in Berlin – and he’s continued to ride his road bike, going on regular training rides either alone or together with other riders from the Rapha Cycling Club. He’s taken part in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Belgian 280 km classic, twice, and completed the Haute Route stage race too. Now, his latest road cycling project is his most special yet: the Torben Giehler edition Ultimate CF SLX 8 Disc LTD. An homage to the iconic aesthetic and work of the artist, only 50 models of this special-edition bike will ever be sold – the first ever Canyon bike where each individual model is a truly unique piece, hand-painted and hand-signed by the artist.

The Torben Giehler Ultimate LTD was created by taking the Ultimate’s design concept and adorning it with the artist’s personal touch – an abstract composition in a bold colour scheme typical of his style. With its unique style, the bike challenges the viewer by presenting them with a range of new visual stimuli in a new, unprecedented way. Giehler explains: “It wasn’t simply about transferring a painting onto the frame. The frame is its own canvas. So I painted the frame using techniques familiar to me and evoke similar emotions to the ones in my paintings.”

Collaborating closely with Canyon graphic designer Lukas Beck, Giehler painted all the Ultimate frames always following the same process: mask, paint, dry, remove tape. The process is the same for every bike, but the designs vary from one frame to another. There is no fixed scheme or template to create the same shapes every time. Instead, every shape is taped individually and by hand, creating a unique composition on every frame. When painting the frames, it was important to Giehler that imperfections also occur during the taping process, such as letting the tape tear and getting paint to run under the masking. No two models are identical – every bike is a true one-off.

These special Ultimate CF SLX builds are rounded out with top-drawer components from top to bottom. SRAM’s advanced, wireless 12-speed Force eTap AXS disc groupset. Canyon-developed CP10 carbon cockpit. High-end Zipp 404 Firecrest wheels that combine perfectly with the bike’s aesthetic, wrapped in Continental GP 5000 rubber for a setup that delivers top performance at a low weight.

The limited-edition Ultimate CF SLX 8 Disc will be available in a limited 50-model run from Tuesday, 17 August 2021, exclusively at canyon.com. The bikes will cost €6,499* and come with a special booklet with detailed information about the story behind this extraordinary bike.

About Torben Giehler:

A passionate cyclist, Torben Giehler is an artist living in Berlin. From 1995 to 1999, he was a student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the New York Studio Program. After his studies, he moved to New York City, where he lived until 2009. In 2000, Giehler had his first solo exhibition at the Leo Koenig Inc. gallery, which was followed by numerous exhibitions at galleries and museums around the world. In 2008, he was honoured with the Falkenrot Prize and an extensive solo exhibition at Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin.

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