CANYON SPECTRAL AL 6.0
£2,346.98 Lightweight, lively and super-smooth all-rounder
Canyon’s Spectral has been the direct-sell all-rounder benchmark for years and this new version brings the awardwinning platform right up to date. Things are a lot more competitive in this category these days though, so staying on top is no walkover.
The frame
The cherry-red Spectral has the slickest-styled frame here and we like the way the control lines run through flush-fit plastic ‘armour’ sections bolted under the down tube. Other neat features include a plastic chainslap protector, mounts for frame storage and a pull-out lever on the rear axle. The position of the shock limits you to using a side-loading bottle cage, and experience suggests the press-fit BB won’t last as long as a screw-in unit. There are no ISCG mounts either, the dropouts are very thin and actual rear wheel travel is 5mm shy of the claimed 140mm. While the reach will be fine for most (460mm on the large), the extended seat tower makes it tricky to size up.
The kit
Although the Spectral’s spec is way ahead of anything you’ll get through a ‘proper’ shop for this price, the fancy frame clearly costs. The Canyon shares its GX Eagle gears with the Radon but, despite its higher price, gets a less sophisticated Pike RC fork. It uses the same basic SRAM Guide R brakes as the cheaper YT too, although they’re still way ahead of the stoppers on the other bikes. A 50mm stem and 760mm bar create a slightly restrained ride character. The DT Swiss wheels are relatively light and tough with an excellent ride feel, though, and the triple-compound Maxxis tyres are top-quality rubber. The metric RockShox Deluxe shock is sublimely smooth and potentially well worth the extra money.
The ride
We say ‘potentially’ because we had to add volume spacers to the shock to combat a very linear character that left the rear of the bike feeling unbalanced with the already high front end. Even with the progression sorted, the shock’s extra-long negative spring and the high positioning of the Spectral’s chainstay pivots meant we often found ourselves flicking the lowspeed compression lever across for a firmer pedalling feel under power. The fork also benefitted from an extra spacer (or two), so that we could lower the air pressure to sync with the rear, without losing support.
It’s worth spending the time getting the Spectral into its sweet spot, because it’s a thoroughbred at heart. Relatively low weight for
a reasonably long bike means it picks up speed easily. The highvolume tyres and fluid suspension help it carry speed across rocks and roots, and it clawed out of several seemingly unsaveable stalls during testing. That low weight also makes it easy to get dynamic – you’ll find yourself popping over funstoppers, hitting hips and diving onto downslopes at every opportunity to boost the bike’s already excellent flow. The DT Swiss wheels, 2.6in tyres and carefully-constructed frame have a smooth vibrancy that peps up the feel of the Spectral even further, keeping fatigue at bay for longer than on the other bikes here.
Even with the suspension balanced up, the Canyon’s more conservative cockpit kit, 66.5-degree (measured) head angle and middling reach mean it’s not as keen to get properly rad as the Whyte. Despite (or maybe because of) its triple rather than dual-compound tyres, the Spectral has a more vague trail feel and a tendency to slide out earlier under heavy cornering loads than either the Jeffsy or the T-130. The classic ‘grab the rear wheel and wrench it about’ test also revealed more rear end flex, which we put down to the skinny dropouts and narrower, offset mainpivot arrangement. These aren’t dealbreakers though, and the Canyon’s baseline buoyant, lively and forgiving feel made it the favourite for some of our test team. We can see a lot of riders viewing the kit/cost advantage compared to the Whyte and other shop bikes as a deal-clincher too.
THE HIGH VOLUME TYRES AND FLUID SUSPENSION HELP IT CARRY SPEED ACROSS ROCK SAND ROOTS, AND THE LOW WEIGHT MAKES IT EASY TO GET DYNAMIC