CANYON SPECTRAL :ON CFR
£8,667.98 shipped With a big battery and relatively low weight, the Spectral:ON promises top performance
Canyon’s latest Spectral:ON avoids the usual trade-off between e-bike weight and range, sporting a full-power motor and enormous battery, yet tipping the scales at just under 22kg in this top-spec CFR form.
THE FRAME
The chassis is made from carbon, with stiffness boosted by a chunky swingarm with 15mm pivot axles, large bearings and a seatstay bridge. Cables are routed internally, via the headset. A four-bar Horst-link suspension system delivers 150mm of rearwheel travel, with a relatively linear leverage rate, which means the bike is only compatible with air shocks. The Shimano EP8 motor is a proven unit with 85Nm of torque, while the removable 900Wh battery is Canyon’s own. If preferred, you can opt for a lighter 720Wh battery.
This is a trail rather than enduro e-bike and its geometry reflects that. The ‘mullet’-wheeled (29in front, 650b rear) Spectral:ON has a 65.5-degree head angle, matched with a 76.5degree effective seat tube angle and 440mm chainstays. Our large test bike had a generous 485mm reach and 1,252mm wheelbase, paired with a lofty 652mm stack height and a BB that sits 334mm above the ground.
THE SPEC
It may have a steep asking price, but the CFR’s spec goes a long way to justify it. A top-tier Fox 36 Factory fork with 150mm of travel is matched to a Float X Factory shock. Also from the Fox den is the Transfer Factory dropper post, with 175mm of travel (large). The drivetrain comprises Shimano’s rangetopping XTR components and you get four-piston XTR brakes with 203mm Ice Tech rotors. Deep-profile, e-specific carbon wheels from Reynolds are wrapped in Maxxis rubber.
THE RIDE
To test Canyon’s ‘all-rounder’ claims, we rode the Spectral:ON on the widest range of terrain possible. Its low weight, fast-rolling tyres and high-capacity battery make it remarkably quick uphill so you can cover long distances rapidly with relatively little effort, even with the motor in its lower assistance modes. That big battery gives a reasonable increase in range, making it possible to exceed 2,000m of ascending on a single charge in mixed-mode usage.
The smooth, active suspension offers a traction-rich ride when ascending, with the chunky 2.6in rear tyre enhancing grip. Deeper into the travel, there’s plenty to push against, which helps the bike maintain its geometry on steeper climbs and means you can pump to build or maintain speed, your inputs not being sapped by soggy suspension.
On flatter trails, we found the seated riding position comfortable, but there was some front-wheel lift and wander on climbs, even fairly shallow ones. And despite the supple suspension, the bike has a ‘raw’ ride feel, especially over high-frequency, low-profile bumps, so it isn’t the comfiest. Reducing spring pressure helped take the edge off this but lowered the BB, upping the
frequency of pedal strikes and making it tricky to carry speed over rougher, chunkier terrain.
On smoother and flatter descents at low to medium speeds, the CFR feels brilliant, the supportive suspension and light weight giving it a poppy and playful character. This is amplified by the taut frame feel, which makes line choice accurate and precise. It’s the same story on flow or jump trails, where the supportive rear end helps with boosting take-offs and absorbing landings. You can hit banked turns with confidence, the tall stack height making weighting the front wheel intuitive and reducing the feeling of tipping over the front. Add in the low BB and supportive suspension, and changing direction is quick and easy.
While the Canyon’s geometry is wellsuited to red-graded or easier trails, it has clear limitations when tracks get rougher and faster. In steep sections with sharp turns, the relatively upright head tube leaves the front wheel feeling like it wants to tuck under, and on chunkier terrain the shortish wheelbase and chainstays reduce stability, leading to more pronounced pitching fore and aft. While the 3C MaxxTerra-compound tyres roll fast, they lack the surefootedness of the tackier MaxxGrip versions, so wet roots and rocks frequently caught us offguard. Also, the EXO/EXO+ casings are thin for an e-bike and required us to run higher pressures so the tyres didn’t burp air when pushed hard in turns. We found the high-volume rear tyre struggled to bite into hardpack or greasy ground when on the brakes, too.
That harsh ride we mentioned is also present on the descents. The Canyon lacks the ‘forgiving’ feel of the best bikes of its type and doesn’t insulate you from the trail, which makes the ride quite fatiguing. It also reduces traction, making the Spectral:ON more skittish on rougher trails, when combined with the firmer tyre compound. Reduce speeds, and comfort and traction are much improved, however. www.canyon.com
Great for tamer, slower trails, but its potential is limited by conservative geometry and a raw-feeling ride