2022 Canyon

Spectral:ON CF 7

The redesigned Canyon Spectral:ON CF 8 is a high-value electric mountain bike with an excellent well-rounded on-trail performance. With a carbon frame...

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There aren’t many e-bikes designs that can boast the gen 3 tag, but because Canyon was in on the ground floor of e-bike development the Spectral:On is one such model – even if Canyon does not make a big deal about it. And oh my, but does its performance impress; so much so that it takes the crown of 2023 MBR Direct Sales Electric Mountain Bike of the Year and makes it into our shortlist of the best electric mountain bikes. Need to know: Bigger pivot bearings and hardware combined with better sealing increased overly durability of the Spectral:On frame Standard battery delivers 720Wh, but the frame has capacity to for a 900Wh upgrade Wireless SRAM GX AXS shifting reduces cable clutter on the bike, but adds an extra charger Canyon pairs a 150mm travel Fox 36 fork with Float X shock and 155mm rear travel But before we get into the current round of revisions that have transformed the Spectral:On into the sleek e-bike we see today, let’s take a closer look at the non-negotiables. First and foremost the Spectral:On has always been billed as a trail bike, Canyon has the Torque:On if you want something bigger hitting. All three generations have rolled on MX wheels, and while tyres widths have changed a touch over the years, the concept has proved a sound one – fit a 29in wheel up front to enhance roll over, paired with a smaller 27.5in wheel on the rear to increase wheel strength and prevent the chainstays getting too long. And since its inception, Shimano Steps has been the motor supplier of choice, first E-8000 now EP8. The big change then is that Canyon now has a custom battery. The Spectral:On CF 9 ships with a 720Wh battery but has space inside the thin-from-the-side, fat-from-above, downtube to take the massive 900Wh unit that’s available after market for £1,084.95. We’ve ridden the CF 9 with both batteries, and it’s safe to say that YOU are more likely to run out of steam long before the 900Wh battery goes into the red. The weight difference in the batteries is 900g, and because the extra weight of the bigger battery sits right behind the headtube, if you swap between them you’ll also need to change the pressure in the Fox 36 fork to account for the increased weight. And the battery capacity isn’t the only difference, the full carbon frame is altogether burlier than before, with a focus on improved durability too. Canyon has also changed how you remove the battery. It now slides out of the bottom of the down tube, rather than having a door cut in the underside, like on the YT Decoy and Vitus E-Sommet. Credit where credit is due, this approach was pioneered by Specialized and it allows for a lighter frame construction. It’s one of the key reasons why the Spectral:On CF 9 weighs only 22.34kg, and that’s with a bottle cage fitted. Canyon has also eliminated the wired in power …Continue reading »

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Thanks to a huge geometry overhaul in 2022, Canyon's Spectral:ON CF8 naturally excels when the terrain gets steep and technical. It’s one of the lighter e-MTBs around and this has resulted in it being a lively yet well-mannered bike and a genuine segment contender among the best e-MTBs. However, it is lacking in one area: its uphill behaviour.

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