CANYON SPECTRAL CF 9
£4,799 (without shipping) Trail bike with a unique steering stabiliser
The 2024 Spectral CF is a refined version of the previous bike with a few key changes – the most noteworthy being the rolling out of Canyon’s KIS (Keep It Stable) steering stabiliser, debuted on last year’s CF 8, across the whole range. A travel reduction and tweaks to the suspension kinematics plant the latest bike firmly in the ‘trail bike’ category.
THE FRAME
While the silhouette may look familiar, there are plenty of differences ‘under the hood’. Canyon say they’ve kept mainframe stiffness high, to maintain a responsive feel between the rider’s feet and hands, but have slimmed down the rear stays to add compliance (engineered flex). A new one-piece rocker design helps minimise side loads, the number of parts in the pivots and seals has been reduced to simplify maintenance, and the seat tube diameter has been upped to 34.9mm.
There’s a flip-chip on the chainstays to maintain the geometry should you want to swap between a 29in and 650b rear wheel, alongside a shock mount chip, which gives ‘high’ and ‘low’ geometry settings. Tools and spares can now be stashed in a compartment in the down tube, and there’s an accessory mount under the top tube, plus all frames have room for a 600ml bottle in a side-loading cage.
Rear-wheel travel has been reduced to 140mm and fork travel to 150mm, to bring pedalling performance closer to that of the shorter-travel Spectral 125. A straighter leverage curve is said to preserve the bike’s descending capability, and anti-squat is lower, too.
The KIS system consists of two springs in the top tube, designed to bring the handlebar back to centre as you ride. You can adjust the strength of this effect using a slider on top of the tube. Canyon say it improves traction, combats steering deflection and minimises front-wheel flop. The Spectral comes with a blanking plate in case you want to remove the system.
There are five frame sizes. We tested the small, which has a sensible 450mm reach and proportionate 621mm stack height. The head angle is a capable 64 degrees, while the effective seat tube angle is a moderate 76.5 degrees. These give a 599mm effective top tube length. With 29in wheels, the effective chainstay length is a compact 437mm and the wheelbase 1,221mm. There’s a significant 36mm of BB drop. The short 400mm seat tube allows Canyon to fit a 170mm dropper on the small size.
THE KIT
The CF 9 gets RockShox’s latest Pike Ultimate fork with Charger 3 damper, plus a Super Deluxe Ultimate shock. SRAM provide their wireless GX Eagle AXS Transmission and powerful Code RSC brakes. It rolls on reliable DT Swiss XM 1700 wheels shod with triplecompound Maxxis Minion DHR II tyres. Canyon supply their own G5 cockpit kit, which is fine, although we’d prefer a higher-rise bar. The 34.9mm post boosts reliability and strength.
THE RIDE
We found the Spectral intuitive to ride, once we’d got the KIS system set up to
our liking. The geometry is balanced and the suspension refined, giving a comfortable and controlled feel. If you want to do everything, the Canyon is a Swiss Army Knife of a bike.
It takes time to fine-tune the spring tension, though. Set it too firm and it can be hard to initiate turns, with the bike wanting to ‘stand up’ in the corner, causing understeer and mid-turn panic braking. We started with the springs on their softest setting, but increased tension incrementally, and once we’d found the sweet spot, the negative effects were minimal. On steep trails, the KIS system adds front-end stability. It also helps with tracking when bouncing through rough sections. It’s a balancing act, but there are potential improvements in handling to be had.
The Spectral CF climbs much as you’d expect an aggro 140mm trail bike to, with a comfy seated position and good weight distribution. We had plenty of grip from the back tyre, while the front end remained loaded on steeper climbs. With the shock’s damping left open, the bike pedals well, although we did flick the climb switch to maximise pedalling efficiency on smooth ascents. It’s light on its wheels, and has plenty of pop and a lively ride feel, although it lacks a little small-bump finesse.
With the KIS system in a setting that felt comfortable in the corners, the Spectral CF 9 felt playful, but with a precision that meant we could ride aggressively. Its predictable handling and suspension boost confidence and help it handle harder hits, so it doesn’t feel overwhelmed in the rough.
Value for money is impressive, although those wanting to push its limits will likely want to replace the EXO-casing Minion DHR II front tyre with the tougher EXO+ version specced at the rear. Lighter riders may also need to fork out for a shock tune to eke out the most from the rear suspension. Overall, though, the Spectral CF 9 is a predictable, capable and brilliantly fun mountain bike. www.canyon.com
The new Spectral CF 9 is a great all-rounder but requires some set-up time to release its full potential