Canyon up to date the Spectral:ON eMTB in 2022, redesigning all the motorbike round their in-house advanced batteries. Opting to retain the mixed-wheel platform with a 150mm fork up entrance, Canyon has added a little bit further journey within the rear, boosting it to 155mm. Probably the most notable adjustments, then again, are targeted across the engine room of this trail-oriented eMTB.
Creating their very own proprietary 720 Wh and 900 Wh batteries, Canyon has been ready to deal with the problem of vary nervousness whilst minimizing the burden penalty related to that boosted capability. Weight of the XTR-equipped Spectral:ON CFR in dimension small, with its 720Wh battery is 21.8 kg.
Paying nice consideration to the distribution of that weight, the Shimano EP8 motor observed around the five-model vary is tilted up thru 30° to permit the battery to tuck in entrance of the motor, positioning the burden as little as conceivable. For a deep dive at the motorbike’s building and the body main points that make up the brand new Spectral:ON, see our tech submit right here which additionally covers pricing and availability knowledge intimately.
To apply up on my First Trip evaluation of the Canyon Spectral:ON CFR (bearing on my revel in in Massa Marittima), I now have a closer evaluation with comments gleaned from over 500 km price of driving during the last yr on my native trails of the Tweed Valley. To get a complete image, the motorbike has observed the entirety from blue, pink and black-graded path middle to steep, herbal enduro trails or even a couple of DH tracks.
Complete disclosure: It’s not that i am a standard eMTB rider, however I’m a standard mountain motorbike rider, extra stoked on driving down hills than up them. So please, don’t be expecting this to be an in-depth account of the way the Spectral:ON compares to different eMTBs in its magnificence.
Evaluation: Canyon Spectral:ON CFR
Status at simply 5ft 4″ tall (163cm) I used to be provided with a Small Spectral:ON CFR, restricted to a 720 Wh battery because of its shorter downtube duration. On paper, the motorbike is fairly too large for me; the sizing chart recommends a rider top vary of 166-175cm, regardless that I’ve to mention its 435mm achieve felt suitable for each seated pedaling and descending. This one ships with a 760mm bar (M-XL get 780mm), so I did lower it right down to my most popular 740mm.
The seat tube duration, regardless that shorter than that of its predecessor, continues to be reasonably tall at 420mm. With the 125mm journey Fox Switch Dropper Seat Publish, I felt I had enough clearance to transport across the motorbike maximum of the time. When encountering very steep chutes, I felt the wish to transfer again to permit the saddle to return thru my legs in a manoeuvre extra frequently necessitated on short-travel XC motorcycles. Clearance was once nearly by no means a subject matter on graded path middle terrain.
Venturing onto the steeper, rougher sections of hand constructed path, I did to find the saddle interfering with my thighs and knees an excessive amount of. Observe: there’s a $229.50 USD repair for that. For the reason that the Small Spectral:ON does if truth be told have 199mm of seat tube insertion to be had, it does have capability for a 150mm OneUp V2 Dropper.
The CFR mannequin will get a Fox 36 Manufacturing unit fork with GRIP2 damper; one I’m aware of and really comfy on. A Fox Waft X Manufacturing unit surprise looks after the rear wheel’s 155mm journey. The carbon chassis rolls on a Reynolds TRE309/367 carbon wheelset with a 27.5″ x 2.6″ Maxxis Minion DHR II (EXO) at the rear and a 29″ x 2.5″ Assegai (EXO+) at the entrance. Whilst that prime quantity rear tire will have to permit for somewhat low pressures, the sunshine casing discouraged me from going too low. This can be a 21.8 kg eMTB; personally, Canyon in point of fact must have spec’d a DoubleDown casing. For a lot of the take a look at length, I did if truth be told switch out the EXO for a DoubleDown to cut back puncture possibility.
I ran the rear on the really useful 30% sag (130 PSI), with 70 PSI within the fork (really useful for my 60 kg). The Waft X Surprise is fitted with a nil,4 in³ quantity spacer as inventory. Whilst I reported widespread bottom-out occasions at the trails of Massa Marittima with the ones settings, that wasn’t the case on my native trails across the Tweed Valley. This actual surprise is impressively tuneable in relation to its air quantity, and thus end-stroke ramp, because of the life of 6 other dimension quantity spacers starting from 0.1 inches to at least one.01 inches.
Regardless that I every so often discovered the o-ring driven to its prohibit, there was once obviously enough ramp to stop any harsh bottom-out. The surprise provides each low velocity compression and rebound damping changes; I settled on 10 clicks (from closed) at the rebound, and seven clicks (from closed) at the compression facet.
Certainly, the Spectral:ON is reasonably a full of life motorbike, given its heft. I felt it was once somewhat simple to un-weight the front-end over rainy root-riddled sections. A 440mm chainstay duration isn’t tremendous brief in any respect, however the 19mm BB drop (from the rear axle) matched with the motorbike’s low middle of gravity provides it a playful really feel in that regard.
The suspension is supple off the highest (and remained so during the take a look at length), with a lot of mid-stroke improve to push in opposition to throughout the apex of turns. Thru tough, straight-line chunder sections, it felt forgiving in many ways, but in addition a little bit too energetic with most likely an excessive amount of comments sometimes. I discovered a couple of clicks of rebound damping to be recommended in calming it down.
The motorbike is, in some respects, reasonably nimble with regards to hopping across the path, switching from line to line, as an example. However, it does have a definite sluggishness in nook initiation. This was once most obvious when putting in for left-handers, with my most popular cornering path being reverse to that.
The Spectral:ON CFR does have a definite edgy-ness to its journey really feel. Rolling alongside on worn-out, hardpack trails, I to find myself noticing how the motorbike doesn’t achieve this properly at muting the low-level path chatter. It’s no longer tremendous easy, and sadly can really feel a little bit anxious even in this somewhat mellow terrain. It’s tricky to mention precisely what’s chargeable for that feeling, however for the reason that the fork and surprise gave the look to be sliding easily, I’m tempted to apportion blame to the stiffness of the chassis and its carbon wheelset.
The motorbike rewards a affected person driving taste, the place letting the path come to you ends up in a extra flowing journey. My revel in was once that there was once little to be received from a extra competitive manner. In all probability my higher frame energy has dwindled such that i’m no longer reasonably ready to muscle the additional weight of an eBike so properly, and in that regard I didn’t really feel like a lot of a pilot. The motorbike unearths its means down path middle singletrack properly sufficient, the suspension operating properly to hug the bottom and take care of constant traction throughout the much less well-supported corners, however the motorbike by no means reasonably left me feeling exhilarated.
Leaving the path middle in the back of to journey some more difficult terrain with steeper, extra committing corners and off-camber strains, I used to be left feeling a little bit inclined. I felt the front-end may do with being a little bit upper, regardless that the steerer have been lower such that the stem was once already at its best possible conceivable place. I performed round with the bar-roll, however couldn’t shake the insecurity in its front-end dealing with on those steeper tracks.
Including extra compression damping to the fork (5 HSC clicks from closed, and three LSC clicks from closed) advanced issues significantly, serving to to stop the fork from diving into its journey on low-speed steep sections affected by drops in short-succession. Nonetheless, I did have the misfortune of clipping the duvet at the underside of the downtube a couple of occasions, and on one instance the duvet if truth be told dislodged. Fortunately, there was once no fear in regards to the battery chucking up the sponge of the body; it’s held securely in position by means of two bolts.
One may argue that one of the crucial enduro tracks I examined the eBike on are above and past what it’s designed for, in the end it in point of fact is well-mannered at the mellower, manicured path middle singletrack. On the other hand, the motorbike’s journey and geometry numbers did inspire me to search for those more difficult sections of path.
All that mentioned, the Spectral:ON is licensed to be used with a 160mm journey fork, which might properly had been an ideal repair for one of the crucial abovementioned problems. Slackening the 65.5° HA off a little bit with an extended journey fork would most likely have advanced my self assurance on steeper trails, and raised the ground bracket a couple of millimeters leaving extra clearance between the downtube duvet and one of the crucial step-like options on positive enduro tracks.
At the ups, I had no qualms with the facility of the Spectral:ON to hold me up and over technical options. Rear wheel traction was once constant and, given suitable ranges of self-belief, would lend a hand energy me thru options that I won’t even hassle making an attempt on a standard motorbike. The Shimano EP8 motor supplies an intuitive journey really feel, and it didn’t take me too lengthy to familiarize myself with its energy output, harnessing it for some speedy, a laugh and attractive climbs on technical singletrack.
The motor does rattle, regardless that. On that, Shimano mentioned, “DU-EP800 might generate a mild damn noise from inside of when the motorbike is uncovered to vibration“. You’ll be able to learn their complete reaction within the Editor’s Observe on the foot of this text.
With the motor switched off, drag is minimum. I if truth be told idea the motorbike pedaled in point of fact successfully on lengthy, easy hearth highway climbs, and on multiple instance I used to be more than happy to pedal the motorbike’s 21.8 kg below my very own steam. It wasn’t the onerous revel in I had imagined it may well be.
A Conclusion of Trip Impressions
I rode the Spectral:ON CFR over all kinds of terrain all through the take a look at length, and feature concluded that it’s maximum at house on mellower, flowing path middle terrain the place gradient is constant. This is a path motorbike in the end, and if path middle trails make up nearly all of your mileage, then the Spectral:ON is worthy of attention.
I’ll say it once more; this eBike rewards a affected person driving taste, and I in my view didn’t get a lot out of my efforts to push it tougher. It doesn’t be offering essentially the most comfy journey, however traction is dependable and constant, up and down the paths.
Technical File
On most sensible of the motor rattle is a creaking noise produced below flex that has been provide during the period of the take a look at, sounding nearly just like the headset has been over-tightened (it hasn’t). If I flex the body laterally from the BB space by means of pushing down on one of the vital pedals, a creaking noise can also be heard. It’s very tricky to resolve the place that creak originates, however it’s provide nonetheless. That mentioned, it’s no longer so loud that I listen it whilst driving.
Extra regarding most likely, was once the lateral play that advanced within the spindle. This become obvious towards the tip of the take a look at length. All the crankset might be shifted from side-to-side; it was once not up to 1mm of motion, however it was once sufficient to be perceived whilst driving, giving the affect that one thing, someplace, had come unfastened. Taking a look again, this may occasionally properly have contributed to the nervous-feeling I discussed previous.
The Fox suspension parts of the Spectral:ON CFR had been supple during, and after 726 km of driving there’s no play detectable in any of the body bearings.
The headset nonetheless rotates easily, and so I’ve no longer had to take care of any cables routed throughout the Acros headset. The Shimano XTR rear brake did be afflicted by a wandering chunk level all through the take a look at, however a lever bleed was once enough to treatment the location.
Editor’s Observe: We were given involved with Shimano to feed again at the rattle of the EP8 motor. Here’s what they needed to say about it: DU-EP800 might generate a mild damn noise from inside of when the motorbike is uncovered to vibration whilst the gears within the power unit don’t seem to be loaded all through coasting. DU-EP800 is a product that achieves prime torque, gentle weight, compactness, quietness, potency, warmth resistance and occasional drag. All parts of the power unit are optimally designed to steadiness those efficiency necessities of the power unit at an overly prime point. This can lead to damn noise in positive scenarios, however this phenomenon does no longer impact the serve as and sturdiness of power unit. In response to the comments from our consumers, we’re making day by day enhancements to make our merchandise higher. The comments we won from consumers relating to damn noise can also be mirrored as knowledge to give a boost to the product.
We have been additionally involved with Shimano in regards to the lateral play at the crankset. An area Shimano Carrier Heart kindly shipped the motor off to Shimano for us, to research the problem additional. We have been confident by means of Shimano that the lateral play that was once felt was once inside of tolerance, thus the motor was once no longer eligible for substitute below guaranty. They’d the next remark to percentage:
“The power unit’s design compensates for diversifications to take care of a minimum quantity of drag within the machine, and this integrated generation, whilst no longer noticeable for the rider, can every so often be felt all through repairs when the spindle is driven by means of hand. Our engineers regarded as the results of those diversifications in temperature, all through the improvement of the SHIMANO STEPS power unit, together with the resultant thermal enlargement and higher drag: the result’s a small quantity of tolerance at the spindle which is in a position to dealing with the ensuing diversifications in measurement. As an example, when driving below a prime load, like mountain climbing a protracted, steep hill, the temperature within the power unit can upward thrust. An instantaneous impact of this upward thrust in temperature is thermal enlargement inside the power unit. This enlargement of the portions within the power unit can create undesirable forces at the spindle and bearings, which is able to motive for higher drag within the power unit”.
What in regards to the exact weight?
Smartly, we have been a bit of stunned by means of this one, as have been the parents at Canyon. Their claimed weight for a medium Spectral:ON CFR with a 720 Wh battery is 21.84 kg. In the meantime, we weighed our small Spectral:ON CFR with its water bottle cage at 21.8 kg on a Park Software scale, with out pedals.
Pricing & Availability
The 2022 Canyon Spectral:ON CFR eMTB reviewed right here retails at $10,500 USD (£8,099). On the other hand, more moderen releases of the Spectral:ON CF7, CF8 and CF9 have made this eBike extra out there to these with a smaller price range. Pricing begins at $5,999 USD. For extra main points on the ones extra reasonably priced fashions, see our earlier protection right here.
Specs of the Spectral:ON CFR Examined Right here
- CFR Carbon Body (lighter than CF collection frames)
- Fox Waft X Manufacturing unit EVOL Surprise – 230mm x 60mm
- Fox 36 Manufacturing unit Fork with GRIP 2 Damper – 150mm with 44mm offset
- Shimano STEPS EP8 Motor
- Battery: 720 Wh (900 Wh on Medium, Huge and XL)
- Shimano XTR 12-Velocity Derailleur
- Shimano XTR 1–51T Cassette
- Shimano STEPS HOLLOWTECH e-MTB Cranks – 165mm Crank Palms
- Canyon 34T Chainring
- Shimano M9100 XTR Chain
- Shimano XTR 4-Piston Brakes with 203mm ICE TECH FREEZA Rotors
- Reynolds TR 309 E and TR 367 E Wheels
- Maxxis Assegai 29″ x 2.5″ Entrance Tire
- Maxxis Minion DHRII 27.5″ x 2.6″ Rear Tire
- Canyon:ON eMTB Stem – 45mm duration
- Canyon:ON 30mm Riser Bar
- Canyon Lock-On Grips
- Fizik Terra Aidon X5 Saddle
- Fox Switch Manufacturing unit Dropper Seat Publish
