Canyon commuter 8.0: first impressions.

https://www.canyon.com/en-us/hybrid...rt-8.0/1960.html?dwvar_1960_pv_rahmenfarbe=BK
I just got a Canyon Commuter 8.0. I think I've only ridden to work once in my life, and now I'm retired.
So why in the world would I get a commuter bike?
Well, that's a long story. Let's just say I wanted a flat bar road bike with fatter tires than on my drop bar road bikes, but not as fat as on my MTB. I decided that what I wanted was a fitness bike. My first choice was a Trek with a carbon frame and 1X11 gearing, but I can't get one till next April.
I remembered seeing a write-up on the Canyon bike and was impressed with it. I have to admit that a lot of the attraction was the look. It looks like a charging bull. Very cool. This new model doesn't have any lights, like older models, but that's fine with me. I liked the idea of internal gearing (11 speed) and belt drive.
Initially, I was very worried about changing a rear tube on the road. It looked nearly impossible, but I saw a video on how to do it and, as long as you have a 15mm end wrench and a screw driver, it doesn't look that bad.
I like the way the bike rides and handles. The 35mm tires give a nice ride. The stem could be a tad longer and you can't change it, but riding position is fairly good for me. The seat is a modern version of an old tried and true model. Pretty comfortable. The grips are just round and not ergonomic, but seem pretty nice. Gearing seems pretty good, but I haven't given it a real test yet. I'm taking it out on a long ride this Sunday, with some good hills. I'll see how that goes, but I'm pretty confident the bike will perform.
It comes with platform pedals. I thought I'd give them a try, given the nature of the bike, but I just can't deal with them. I had some nice Shimano trail pedals, still in their box, and I put them on. So Sunday's ride will be the first time I've ridden the bike with cycling shoes.
Anyway, so far, I like the bike. Super cool. But I still have the Trek on reserve. I'll know by spring if I still want it..

 

I've had a chance to put some miles on it now.
There are pluses and minuses to the internal gearing. You need to stop pedaling to shift, which causes you to lose momentum on a climb. But being able to shift while stopped can come in handy.
I now have the Shimano Deore XT trail pedals on it. Now if feels like a serious bike.
Definitely faster, on the road, than my Pro Caliber 9.6.
Can't change the stem, but it seems to be a fair fit. I got the frame a size larger than they recommended and I would suggest doing that if you are trying to decide between two sizes. I got an XL and their chart said I should get an L. I would not have been happy with the large.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, but I'll probably still get the Trek fitness bike, when available.