How the Kona Count Works
The count happens at Friday bike check-in. In Slowtwitch’s follow-up piece, Ryan Heisler explains that counters stand on one side of the pier while roughly 2,600 athletes walk their bikes in. Each counter logs one component — bikes, wheels, and so on — and is not allowed to stop athletes or ask questions. Pro bikes are not included.
Slowtwitch expects to undercount when athletes arrive in packs, warns of a small margin of error, and files any brand not set up before the count as “other.” The numbers show what age-groupers chose to race, not which bike is fastest.
Canyon keeps gaining
With the 2026 championship back to a single race day in Kona, Slowtwitch counted fewer bikes than in 2025, so its trends piece compares shares rather than raw numbers. On that basis Canyon went from about one bike in five to one in four in a single championship cycle, taking share from each of the next four brands. Further down, Ventum’s share rose 168% year on year, which Slowtwitch credits largely to its Tempus, and Scott moved ahead of BMC and Felt.
Canyon
Cervélo
Trek
Quintana Roo
Specialized
Power Meters, Groupsets, and the Rest of the Bike
Slowtwitch logged 1,486 power meters (our sum of its table). Quarq, the power meter in the SRAM Red and Force builds of the Cervélo P5 below, led with 532 (35.8%), ahead of Assioma (353, 23.8%) and Garmin (201, 13.5%). Shimano drivetrains outnumbered SRAM 1,511 to 913, and Shimano also led the crank and pedal counts. If your bike doesn’t come with power, our power meter guide compares the options — but every complete bike in this guide includes one in at least some builds.
Power meters by brand
Drivetrains by brand
DT Swiss led the wheel count (498, 23.9%), and Slowtwitch notes that OEM or house-brand wheels make up almost two thirds of it, which it reads as athletes taking race wheels with the bike. It sees spending moving to aerobars instead. Canyon’s own bars rose from 10.28% to 13.34% of the aerobar count, and Slowtwitch names the integrated cockpit on the latest Speedmax as part of what drives the brand’s growth.
Quick Comparison
| Bike | Brand at Kona 2026 | US | UK | Euro | Sizes | Power meter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Speedmax CFR (2026) | Canyon: 509 (22.5%) | from $12,499 | from £10,400 | from €11,000 | S–XL (4) | Every build |
| Canyon Speedmax CF 7 Di2 | Canyon: 509 (22.5%) | $5,999 | £4,649 | €4,999 | XS–XL (5) | 4iiii crank |
| Cervélo P5 | Cervélo: 387 (17.1%) | $10,650–$14,750 | £9,100–£12,000 | €9,999–€13,499 | 48–61 (6) | Red, Force, Ultegra builds |
| Trek Speed Concept SLR 9 | Trek: 311 (13.7%) | $13,999.99–$16,499.99 | from £10,300 | from €11,499 | S–XL (4) | SLR 9 AXS build |
| Quintana Roo V-PRi | Quintana Roo: 137 (6.0%) | from $9,499 | – | from €10,539 | XS–XL (5) | Every build |
| Specialized S-Works Shiv LTD | Specialized: 125 (5.5%) | Not listed | Not listed | €5,999 (frameset) | XS–L (4) | Frameset only |
Kona figures are brand totals from Slowtwitch’s count, which does not name models. Prices are the makers’ own store prices in October 2026; euro prices are from the German store (Quintana Roo: its store set to Belgium). Trek UK and German prices: store product data, not seen displayed. “–” means we could not read a price for that market.
Editor’s Picks
Most Raced Brand at Kona
Canyon Speedmax CFR
22.5% brand share · from $12,499 / €11,000
Best Value
Canyon Speedmax CF 7 Di2
$5,999 / €4,999 · power meter included
Best for Long Course
Quintana Roo V-PRi
from $9,499 · 5/5 stability (Triathlete)
Best for Technical Courses
Cervélo P5
from $10,650 · UCI-legal, 34mm tyres
Individual Reviews
Canyon Speedmax CFR (2026)
Canyon launched the sixth-generation Speedmax on 9 July 2026, just after its racing debut at Challenge Roth. The frame changed least: Canyon told Triathlete it is very similar to its predecessor, with new geometry, and the CFR frameset is 250 g lighter. The new range starts at size S on 700c wheels, dropping the old XS with 650b wheels. The CFR Di2 comes with Dura-Ace Di2, a dual-sided Shimano power meter, and an 85mm DT Swiss ARC 1100 front wheel with an ARC 1100 CSX rear, and Canyon says every new Speedmax ships with a power meter.
The headline change is the cockpit. AeroShield is a closed arm cockpit with raised sidewalls, adjustable in width, length, and grip angle; the monocoque AeroShield Pro upgrade comes in seven sizes and, by Canyon’s figures, is 300 g lighter and 3 watts faster at 45 km/h. Canyon also claims up to 7 watts from the AeroModule between the arms, and lists over 3,500 ml of fluid capacity including a 650–850 ml frame bladder, plus a tool pouch at the bottom bracket.
Triathlete’s Travis Mundell raced a $13,100 CFR in an Olympic-distance triathlon; his size M bike weighed just over 19 lb. He found the AeroShield Pro more stable than expected and the bike steady on the flats, with one drawback: the closed cockpit gets warm and sweaty quickly, often within 30 minutes. In Triathlete’s September 2026 best-bikes roundup the CFR scored five stars overall, five for value and fit range, and four for stability.
The new CFR costs from $12,499 in the US, £10,400 in the UK, and €11,000 in Germany. Canyon’s US product page says to check back in November 2026. Meanwhile the US store is clearing the previous-generation CFR Di2, still offered in XS with 650b wheels, at $9,799 (was $11,499).
Verdict: The most-raced brand at Kona and a five-star Triathlete rating. The closed AeroShield cockpit is the big change for 2026; ride it in warm weather before you race in it.
Canyon Speedmax CF 7 Di2
Canyon kept the cheaper Speedmax CF in the range alongside the new bikes. The CF 7 Di2 costs $5,999 in the US, and £4,649 and €4,999 in the UK and German stores, where it is listed as the CF 7 Di2 Race. For that you get Shimano 105 Di2, a 4iiii crank power meter, DT Swiss ARC 1600 carbon wheels (60mm front, 80mm rear), and a one-piece carbon cockpit with internal cable routing. Canyon lists 20.31 lb for a size M. Unlike the new CFR and CF SLX, it is offered in XS, which runs 27.5-inch wheels with 50mm rims.
Canyon sells the 750 ml front hydration system and the top-tube bento box separately. Its US store marked the bike as members-only when we checked in October 2026. We found no independent test of this build, so this pick rests on Canyon’s specification and the price.
Buying used? Canyon has a safety notice for older Speedmax CF bikes with the V21 Aerostem: after a severe impact the fork steerer can crack, and Canyon inspects and repairs them free at its service locations. Bikes with the one-piece cockpit launched in April 2024, the CF SLX, and the CFR are not affected.
Verdict: The cheapest complete bike in this guide by a wide margin, with electronic shifting, carbon wheels, and a power meter. Add the cost of hydration and storage.
Cervélo P5
The P5 is UCI-legal, so it doubles as a time-trial bike. The current version has a one-piece front end with up to 40mm of stack adjustment, a basebar 10mm lower than before, extensions that tilt from 0 to 30 degrees, room for 34mm tyres, and six sizes from 48 to a new 61. Cervélo claims the frame is about a watt faster than before, its Reserve 77/88 wheels and 29mm Vittoria tyres save about 4 watts more, and new seatstays cut vertical stiffness by about 22%. On its Dura-Ace build, Cervélo lists aero top-tube storage, a downtube aero bottle, a seatpost bottle mount, and a between-the-arms mount.
Triathlete’s Chris Foster rated it 4.5 out of five stars. He found its technical handling well ahead of rival bikes and the one-piece front end more solid than before, but said it isn’t the softest ride, even on 29mm tyres at about 80 psi. He noted Cervélo found only about one watt in the frame within UCI limits, and rated it best for short courses and technical ones with fast descents and punchy rollers.
In the US the P5 runs from $10,650 (Ultegra Di2) to $14,750 (SRAM Red AXS); in the UK from £9,100 to £12,000; in Germany from €9,999 to €13,499. The Red and Force builds use Quarq power meters in the crank, and Cervélo lists a power meter on the Ultegra build too. Cervélo was the second-most-counted brand at Kona, though its share slipped from 18.99% to 17.85%.
Verdict: The choice if you also race time trials or favour technical courses. Its tester found the ride firm, and the price starts above $10,000.
Trek Speed Concept SLR
Trek builds the Speed Concept SLR from 800 Series OCLV carbon with Kammtail tube shapes, an integrated bento box, storage inside the downtube, and IsoSpeed, which decouples the top tube and seat tube for comfort. It comes in four sizes, S to XL. Tyre room is tighter than on the P5: Trek lists a maximum of 28mm at the rear and 25mm at the front.
The SLR 9 with Dura-Ace Di2 costs $13,999.99 and is marked as a closeout in Trek’s US store; the new SLR 9 AXS, with a SRAM Red AXS power-meter crank, runs from $14,499.99 to $16,499.99. Trek’s UK and German store pages carry SLR 9 prices from £10,300 and €11,499 in their product data, though we could not see those prices displayed. The SLR 7 with Ultegra Di2 is listed in the US at $8,499.93 to $9,499.99 depending on the option, and at £7,750 and €8,499 in the UK and German product data; Trek gives 8.97 kg for a size M.
In 220Triathlon’s review (Jack Sexty, 90%, tested with SRAM Red eTap AXS), the bike felt stable on the extensions, climbed well, and left him noticeably fresh after rides of up to 90 km. Trek claims IsoSpeed makes it 30% more compliant and that it saves six minutes over the Kona course against the previous Speed Concept. Sexty liked the top-tube storage and 750 ml downtube bottle but found the hidden flat-kit storage a tight, slow fit. Trek was third at Kona, its share down from 16.17% to 14.35%.
Verdict: A comfortable long-course bike with well-integrated storage. The SLR 7 is the cheapest complete bike on this frame; if you want wide tyres, look at the P5 instead.
Quintana Roo V-PRi
Quintana Roo sells direct and through retailers, and calls the V-PRi the fastest and lightest triathlon bike it has made. The FuelBay bottle sits inside the frame (22 oz in size S, 25.5 oz in M and L), a second compartment holds up to six gels, and cables are hidden. Every build includes a power meter: 4iiii on the Shimano builds, a SRAM spider power meter on the Force and Red AXS builds. It comes in five sizes, XS to XL, and Quintana Roo claims it saves 6.2 watts at 24 mph over the V-PR.
Triathlete’s 2026 roundup gave it five stars overall and five for comfort and stability, but three for value; its size M test bike with Dura-Ace Di2 cost $13,760 and weighed 20 lb 12 oz. In his P5 review, Triathlete’s Chris Foster called the V-PRi, in his opinion, “the best new long-course bike money can buy.”
Prices start at $9,499 in the US with Ultegra Di2. The same build showed €10,539, with assembly, shipping, duty, and VAT included, when Quintana Roo’s store was set to Belgium. Quintana Roo was fourth at Kona with 137 bikes, its share almost unchanged (6.55% to 6.32%).
Verdict: Top marks for stability and comfort in Triathlete’s ratings, with hydration hidden in the frame and a power meter in every build. It starts below $10,000 in the US, but upgrades add up quickly.
Specialized S-Works Shiv
Specialized had 125 bikes in the count, but none of the stores we checked lists a complete Shiv triathlon bike. Its US and UK triathlon pages list only the S-Works Shiv TT Disc Module ($6,149.99 / £5,999), a UCI-legal time-trial frameset.
The German store lists the S-Works Shiv LTD frameset at €5,999: the non-UCI-legal Shiv Disc triathlon frame, with a Hydration Fuelcell hidden in the frame and a downtube Nutrition Fuelcell that Specialized says holds 10–12 gels. It comes in four sizes (XS to L) with the Shiv aerobar and seatpost; you supply the groupset, wheels, and power meter.
Verdict: A frameset project, not an off-the-shelf buy, and only listed in some markets. Unless you want to build one up, the complete bikes above are easier to buy.
How to Choose
- Fit before frame. Every brand here sells four to six sizes with adjustable cockpits. Cervélo’s size calculator asks for your arm-pad stack and reach and your saddle height, so have those numbers before you order. Our bike fit guide covers how to get them.
- The rider is most of the drag. Cervélo found about one watt in its new P5 frame, while Canyon puts the rider at over 70% of total drag. See budget aerodynamics before you spend.
- UCI or not. If you also race time trials, the P5 and the Shiv TT module are UCI-legal; the Shiv LTD frameset is not.
- Direct or dealer. Canyon sells direct; Quintana Roo sells direct and through retailers. Canyon’s product pages list a 30-day return policy and a 6-year warranty; Trek offers 30-day returns on online orders.
- Course and climate. Testers rated the V-PRi and Speed Concept for long-course stability and comfort, and the P5 for technical courses. Triathlete’s tester found Canyon’s closed cockpit warm within half an hour.
What We’d Buy
Most raced brand: Canyon Speedmax CFR. Canyon was on more than one in five age-group bikes at Kona, and the CFR got five stars in Triathlete’s 2026 roundup. From $12,499 / €11,000.
Best value: Canyon Speedmax CF 7 Di2. 105 Di2, a power meter, and carbon wheels for less than half the price of the new CFR.
Best for long course: Quintana Roo V-PRi. Top marks for stability and comfort from Triathlete, from $9,499.
Best for technical courses: Cervélo P5.UCI-legal, with 34mm tyre clearance and handling Triathlete rated well ahead of its rivals.
Fit right, then train right
Paincave builds training plans that match your fitness level and available time. No coach fee, no guesswork.
Sources
- Kona bike count: Ryan Heisler, “Canyon, DT Swiss, and Shimano Take Emphatic Wins in the 2026 Kona Bike Count” (Slowtwitch, 9 October 2026); Ryan Heisler, “Insights and Trends From the 2026 Kona Bike Count” (Slowtwitch, 13 October 2026).
- Makers’ pages (read October 2026, US, UK, and German stores where available): Canyon Speedmax range and product pages, the Speedmax CF V21 Aerostem safety notice, and Canyon’s Speedmax press release (9 July 2026); Cervélo P5 (US, UK, and German pages); Trek Speed Concept range, SLR 9, and SLR 7 specifications; Quintana Roo V-PRi product page and Ultegra collection page; Specialized triathlon pages, S-Works Shiv TT Disc Module, and S-Works Shiv LTD frameset.
- Independent tests: Travis Mundell, “Is This The Bike of the Future? We Raced The New Canyon Speedmax CFR” (Triathlete, updated 14 July 2026); Chris Foster and Travis Mundell, “The Best Triathlon Bikes of 2026” (Triathlete, 18 September 2026); Chris Foster, “We Review the New 2024 Version of Cervelo’s P5” (Triathlete, updated 10 July 2025); Jack Sexty, “Trek Speed Concept SLR 9 superbike review” (220Triathlon, updated May 2026).
Prices are the makers’ own store prices in October 2026 and change often; Trek’s UK and German prices are from its store pages’ product data and were not displayed to us. Aero savings quoted here are the makers’ claims. No affiliate links were used in this article.