1ST IMPRESSION
travel to reduce pedal kickback. Finally, you may have noticed that the chainstay pivot is now located in front of and below the dropout, which has improved the stiffness of the back end.
The visual updates to the Strive may seem subtle (aside from the elongated front end), but in truth every tube has been re-profiled. Canyon claims the new front triangle is 25% stiffer laterally than the old bike. Given the frames have all got longer, that’s a big improvement.
As a pure racing model, the Strive is only available in two builds, both constructed with Canyon’s ultimate
CFR carbon lay-up. With Shapeshifter, Canyon claims the frame weight is 2,700g, or just 100g more than its Spectral 29 trail bike.
At £6,099, the CFR comes dripping with high-end parts. Fox supplies the 38 Factory Grip2 fork and Float X2 Factory shock, while Shimano provides the XTR drivetrain and brakes. There’s a lightweight Race Face Next R crank and DT Swiss EX511 rims on 350 hubs shod with Maxxis Assegai/minion DHR II tyres. Canyon has walked the tightrope of weight versus protection here, speccing the new EXO+ casing rather than heavy-duty Double Down, knowing that whatever it chooses won’t be right for everyone. In terms of compound and tread pattern, the Maxxis rubber is absolutely top-notch.
Finishing the CFR is Canyon’s own G5 bar, stem, dropper post and grips. All of which are well designed and built. No complaints there. In fact the dropper post is a particular highlight, as it lets you fine-tune the stroke in 5mm increments.
HOW IT RIDES
In a word, uncompromising. Fast, yes. Forgiving, no. In seeking those extra percentage points of performance, the new Strive has become a more demanding machine to ride. If you’re strong and committed it gives all the speed and performance you could want. Back off and try to chill and it can seem reluctant to do your bidding. It’s a pedigree race bike, obstinance and all.
It took me a while to get into the groove on the bike’s launch on the trails around Finale Ligure. Not so much the suspension set-up, but my riding position. On the size Medium (I’m 178cm), I started out with the reach set at 480mm, but found that I wasn’t getting my weight far enough forward to push for grip at the front. This would get worse through the day as I became more tired. The bars are quite low, so I didn’t want to drop them further to add weight over the front axle. On day two I tried the longest reach on the Medium (485mm) and this did the trick. Now I could get low and weight the front end naturally. At this point the bike became laser-precise, accelerated beautifully out of turns and ate up the jumbles of square-edge rock in its path.
That also helped make sense of the short back end, giving it more freedom to get loose and help the bike to turn in. Win-win. But it does show that getting a good weight balance on the Strive might take some tinkering.
While super-supple off the top (the Strive is sensitive enough to sag under its own weight – rare for an analogue bike), the soles of my feet took a relentless pounding on Finale’s junkstrewn tracks. Finale is a tough place to launch a bike though, so I’m not going be too harsh on the Strive without trying it somewhere more forgiving.
Press the Shapeshifter button and put the Strive into Pedal mode and it really does turn into a different bike. The bike tips forward and the head angle suddenly feels quite steep. Which puts into perspective how much things have moved on, as even in Pedal mode the new bike is 1° slacker than the previous generation. Immediately it’s noticeable how much firmer the suspension becomes, and combined with the higher BB, this elevated position gives loads of pedal clearance. It’s just as useful for janky tech as protracted climbs and lunch-repeating sprints.
The new Strive has finally come of age, then. After criticising previous models for their conservative geometry – particularly when the Shapeshifter offered the chance to make fewer compromises on DH prowess – it’s safe to say Canyon has created its best enduro race bike to date. Over to you, Jack; no pressure.
HIGHS
Two bikes in one. Energy-saving tech that doesn’t compromise DH ability. Solid chassis. Adjustable fit.
LOWS
Takes a strong rider to ride fast. Short chainstays could make it difficult to find a balance on largest frame sizes. XTR brake pads rattle. (claimed) Size ridden Rider height Head angle Effective SA BB height Chainstay Front centre Wheelbase Top tube Seat tube Reach