CANYON’S GRAND UNVEILING

German direct-sale brand launch four new bikes for trail riders, kids and e-bikers

Offering some of the best bang-for-yourbuck on the market, it’s always exciting to see German brand Canyon update their most popular bikes.

For 2020, they’ve launched an updated, more affordable 130mm-travel trail bike, the Neuron AL. As well as looking like the carbon model, this new alloy version is claimed to have the same all-round performance, just with a lower price tag. The AL does have some features the CF bike doesn’t, however, including a wider main pivot, plus bigger and better bearing seals to help improve reliability. Prices start at 1,799 and rise to 2,199 for the top-spec model.

Canyon have updated the pedal-assist version too. The refreshed Neuron:ON now has an integrated battery, which sits sleekly inside the down tube, rather than above it – a move that the brand claim should help improve frame stiffness and lower the bike’s centre of gravity. Geometry remains almost identical to the outgoing model. Prices start at £3,349 and climb to £4,199 for the top model.

Its bigger brother, the Spectral:ON, is touted as a do-it-all, go-anywhere, ridealmost-anything trail bike, and Canyon say that the latest revisions to the frame – including an in-built battery and carbon construction – will both improve descending performance and give riders more control on technical climbs. They also claim that the carbon front end helps maintain the same level of stiffness as on the outgoing (alloy) bike, while helping to shave off an all-important kilogram of weight. The Spectral:ON costs from £4,299 to £6,499.

Finally, there’s also the Neuron AL Young Hero – Canyon’s first foray into the fullsuspension kids’ bike market. They’ve used their new Neuron AL chassis, but built the bike up with little-ripper-friendly kit. Using the adult XXS-sized frame, the children’s version has lighter wheels and tyres, shorter crank arms and a narrower bar. It also doesn’t come with a dropper post. Designed for kids from roughly 140cm to 160cm tall (4ft 7in to 5ft 3in), it has a custom shock tune optimised for lighter young riders. It costs 1,499 and weighs a claimed 13.6kg without pedals.

Canyon’s Neuron AL is said to have performance comparable to its carbon brother, but with a cheaper price tag

The Neuron:ON’s battery is hidden within the down tube to improve sti ness and lower its centre of gravity

With an XXS adult frame as its foundation, the Neuron AL Young Hero looks just the job for young shredders

An integrated battery and carbon front end mean Canyon’s latest Spectral:ON should ride better than ever