Canyon Roadlite: ON 8 LTD

A beautifully designed lightweight commuter with a class-leading drive system

The Canyon Roadlite has been eagerly anticipated as one of the first models to feature the Fazua Ride 60 drive system. This slick and minimalist assemblage boasts serious stats yet is small and compact enough to integrate into subtle-looking e-bikes.

It’s a big step forward in technology. The whole system weighs just 4.3 kg, yet that weight includes a chunky 430Wh frameintegrated battery to provide serious range.

That low weight also means you also get a lighter overall bike. Canyon’s claimed weight of 15.66kg for the Roadlite is impressive, especially considering the system uses the better-regarded mid-drive format motor rather than a more lightweight hub drive. The motor claims 60Nm of torque, putting it on par with heavier systems such as Bosch’s Performance Line.

Although the bike’s three pre-set riding modes pack a punch, the Roadlite remains a sporty bike. It gives close to road bike speed but has more comfortable flat bars and practical utility features such as offroad-capable tyres and compatibility with Croozer trailers using an optional adapter mounted on the rear axle. There’s also an integrated phone mount as standard.

Elsewhere minimalism is the watchword when it comes to design. For one thing, the bike does without the added complexity and weight of the conventional suspension, instead relying on a carbon fork and clever leaf-spring seatpost to add comfort. These are then backed up by 40mm wide Schwalbe G-one tyres. The simple and sequential 12-speed gearing also does away with the need for a front derailleur and the attendant cabling. We’d still like to see lights, a rack and mudguards included, though.

As you would expect from a premiumquality e-bike like this, the rest of the spec measures up to the sporty all-around tag. This is evident in features like Magura’s hydraulic disc brakes and Shimano’s Deore XT 1x12 widerange derailleur, which round off a lightweight but high-performance package.

▶ From £3,649

▶ canyon.com