Anton Thelander Signs for Canyon CLLCTV
Press Release: Canyon
Anton ‘Cleanlander’ is back!
Where did he go? Well, after a breakthrough season in 2012, Anton went on to achieve multiple podium finishes on the FMB slopestyle circuit, with highlights including 4th place in Redbull Joyride - establishing himself as one of the top riders in the sport. But after a string of injuries, including a neck fracture, Anton made the tough call to step away from his career as a professional freerider at the end 2017.
In 2020, Anton Shared his reasons behind this decision, and the following journey which led him back to MTB.
Anyone who remembers Anton’s freeride career, or have followed his social channels since, may notice this will not be his first time riding a Canyon bike. After supporting Anton through his years of competing, we are stoked to have him back on our bikes again, and joining the Canyon CLLCTV.
With his focus no longer on competing, Anton will be taking on some fresh challenges within the MTB world, applying the knowledge and experience he has accumulated over the years. From judging the Crankworx Slopestyle Contests (post Covid) through to supporting and engaging with the CLLCTV Community, via online content or at events, expect to see a whole lot more of Anton in the future.
The Canyon CLLCTV is not only about race wins and contests, and Anton’s pathway back to MTB is a great example of how the sport we love can make have a positive influence in so many ways.
 | It’s amazing to be welcomed back in the Canyon family. They were my first ever pro sponsor & I’m honoured that they believe in me now again for this new chapter in my career. Very excited for the future on my Canyon bikes. Because honestly, there are no bikes I rather ride than Canyon. |
| Having Anton back in the Canyon family is a great feeling. It’s clear his passion for MTB is stronger than ever, and we can’t wait to start working on some projects with Anton in the near future. Also, it’s worth noting- the guy still absolutely shreds! |
In case you hadn’t guessed already, Anton will be riding more than just slopestyle courses on his Canyon bikes. From trail bikes to freeride, and even EMTB, we’re looking forward to seeing what Anton gets up to!
Want to know more about Anton? He has kicked off his new Youtube channel with a video about his background, including how he ventured into slopestyle and how he's spent the last few years rediscovering his love for two wheels again.
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
The New School thinks Y can be a vowel. I'm sticking with solid consonant status. I guess I'm an Olde Zoomer.
Maybe not. I do miss Vernon though, his articles were usually pretty good.
And - what?! I have to pay even more?
You’re fooling yourself. We’re living in a dictatorship.
@Canyon-PureCycling you need to change that asap!
The fact that the slopestyle bike is alloy is almost certainly nothing to do with strength or durability, but all about manufacturing volume. Canyon would sell 100 Spectrals in each size for every Stitched 720, and they simply wouldn't see return on investment from cutting carbon moulds for such a low volume model.
Even though tensile strength is only part of the equation, carbon bikes be 'overbuilt' for both tensile strength and impact resistance while still maintaining a significant weight advantage over alloy.
Tl;dr - there's no evidence that metal is better than carbon for bikes that take a lot of crashes.
Regarding crashes, there's far more to damaging a frame than just tensile strength. A crash that might bend an alloy frame, could cause slight splintering in carbon and cause it to fail much easier than the alloy, or alternatively, a strike from a sharp rock could slightly bend an alloy frame, but completely destroy a carbon frame. I've definitely seen, and know people first hand, who have had similar experience with carbon cranks, which have ended in broken ankles compared to alloy cranks which bend rather than explode/snap, was just trying to apply a similar idea to frames but yes, it might be invalid, but there's definitely some logic to back up the idea
My only point is really about how the OP said 'carbon is not as strong as metal (which in the real world is a fact)' - I am simply highlighting that this is factually incorrect. Ignore my comment about the frame damage then as that's an aside
Fact. If Santa Cruz marketing/bullsh*t dept wanted to prove aluminum was stronger than carbon they easily could by doing the same video the other way around. It was utter marketing bollox designed to sell their carbon bikes and charge a fortune for it as 'the new best thing'. What most people forget/don't know is that carbon fibre has been around for 70 years!!
Also want to add that I’ve only ever had a bike with a carbon rear triangle and it was a nightmare, so I stick with alloy and steel and will never get a carbon frame. I just hate seeing misinformation, bullshit and lies being spread about
Just because you choose not to acknowledge the facts, it doesn't make them less true.
My colleague who is also a Mountain Biker used to have the same arguments with me about carbon. That was until his carbon seat post snapped and he tore is scrotem open and ended up in hospital. He never rode carbon again. Would you find him amusing?
By your logic, someone who’s never been on a plane could just say that the earth must be flat because they’ve never seen the curvature of the earth other than in photos which you’d class as a conspiracy. You’re argument is the same as that, disregarding the facts because ‘I done this once and saw that so it must be the truth and anything else is wrong’. I’m happy to leave it here, you can take a horse to water but you can’t teach it facts if it can’t understand basic science and knowledge ????
A carbon structure is stronger, but metal and carbon do wear differently. For instance, I'm over carbon cranks, because I rub my foot on one crank arm and have worn through some pairs and they have snapped. That does not happen to metal cranks anywhere near as quickly. But frames and wheels where you are not literally rubbing them thin will hold up better to impacts and abuse.