LESS WEIGHT, MORE RANGE, MORE STOKE: CANYON UNVEILS THE NEW SPECTRAL:ON CF

KOBLENZ, 20 MAY 2022 | UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 24 MAY, 2022, 11:00 (CEST) — Following the release of the all-new Canyon Spectral:ON CFR models in April, the Spectral:ON family has now grown to include three CF versions. Featuring a full carbon frame at an aluminium price, the Spectral:ON CF 9, CF 8 and CF 7 models are now available with a choice between two brand new Canyon-engineered 720 Wh and 900 Wh battery options that offer an increase in range of 15% or even 42%. Weighing in at just 22.84 kg (Spectral:ON CF 9, 720 Wh battery, size medium), the all-new Canyon Spectral:ON is the ultimate E-MTB allrounder for all those who can’t possibly have enough fun thanks to its low weight, 150 mm of front and 155 mm of rear travel, playful ride characteristics, and thought-out spec.

Lighter. Stiffer. Stronger.

Starting from scratch, Canyon completely redesigned the Spectral:ON’s frame platform and cleaved massive weight from its chassis. All-new carbon layup schedules, an even more efficient frame architecture and a new, reinforced carbon rear end with burly ball bearings that revolve around massive 15 mm thru-axles enabled Canyon to gain strength and stiffness while shearing grams. Next to the CF frame that now only weighs 3,180 g/7lb, the Spectral:ON platform also received the CFR treatment for the first time which resulted in a frame as light as 2,880 g/6.3lb. However, stiffness, durability and core frame features remain the same across both the CFR and CF frame platforms. The weight savings on the CFR frame are purely achieved through material and layup differences. Furthermore, as befits a bike that’s designed to be rallied hard on the roughest trails, both the CF and CFR frames now meet the even higher and more rigorous “Category 4E” strength and impact resistance testing standards.

More range. Less weight. More stoke.

By arranging the battery cells horizontally, Canyon created a more compact and efficient battery layout. The battery placement within the frame itself was also optimized by tilting the Shimano EP8 motor upwards at a 30-degree angle which allowed Canyon to tuck the battery lower within the frame and in front of the motor instead of above it. The end result is a lower centre of gravity and an evenly balanced weight distribution that makes the Spectral:ON an absolute ground-hugging, corner-schralping ripper of a bike with the power to go all day long. Thanks to its massive 720 Wh or 900 Wh battery, the Spectral:ON casually eliminates range anxiety with a 15%/42% boost in capacity over standard batteries.

Still playful. Now more capable.

Let’s cut to the chase – yes, the new Spectral:ON is longer, lower, and slacker. But, no, this isn’t the slackest, longest, most progressive E-MTB on the market. And with good reason – Canyon wasn’t aiming to build an E-gravity or E-enduro bike. The Spectral:ON was created to be the ultimate all-rounder – a bike that’s equally at home on steep and technical trails as it is on flowy singletrack and the occasional bikepark visit.

The magic recipe? The Spectral:ON’s reach has grown by 25 millimetres per frame size to create a more balanced and centred feel on steep descents. Additionally, the head angle was slackened by a degree while the chainstays grew by a modest 5 millimetres to increase stability and overall balance. Lastly, Canyon lopped about 20 millimetres of length from the seat tube to create more room to manoeuvre when things get rowdy and to allow riders more opportunity to run longer dropper posts. Combined with the lighter and stiffer frame and the mullet wheels, these modest (but significant) changes create the Spectral:ON’s trademark lively and playful ride quality while simultaneously boosting its high-speed stability and confidence on steep, sketchy tracks.

They say that an e-mountain bike with outstanding, playful ride quality and massive range is impossible. We beg to differ. The all-new Spectral:ON is proof that you can have your cake and eat it too. FUN:ON.

Availability

The three Canyon Spectral:ON CF models as well as the two CFR models are available in all markets outside of the United States as of right now. Riders are now also able to choose between the 720 Wh and 900 Wh battery option on all CF and CFR models. However, all size Small Spectral:ON models are limited to 720 Wh batteries due to the size of their down tubes.

Canyon USA, on the other hand, will have a first batch of Spectral:ON CF 8 models available for consumers on May 24. Following the release of the first batch, Canyon USA will continue to drop CF 8 and, later on, CF 7 models throughout the summer. As for the top-tier models, Canyon USA expects to offer the Spectral:ON CFR models in late fall of 2022.

Details: Canyon Spectral:ON CF 9, CF 8 and CF 7

The Spectral:ON CF 9 (22.84 kg with 720 Wh battery/23.75 kg with 900 Wh battery) features Fox Performance Elite suspension comprised of a Fox 36 Performance Elite fork with 150 mm of travel at the front and a Fox Float X Performance Evolution shock providing 155 mm of travel at the back. The DT Swiss H1900 wheelset of the Spectral:ON CF 9 is driven by SRAM’s GX Eagle group and stopped by SRAM Code RS brakes while an Iridium dropper post moves the saddle out of the way. The build is rounded off by an in-house cockpit by Canyon that features partially integrated cable routing to create an extremely clean look.

The Spectral:ON CF 8 (23.04 kg with 720 Wh battery/23.95 kg with 900 Wh battery) comes equipped with a Fox 36 Rhythm Grip fork with 150 mm of travel at the front and a Fox DPS Performance Evolution shock providing 155 mm of travel at the back. The Sunringle Duroc wheelset of the Spectral:ON CF 8 is driven by Shimano’s XT group and stopped by Shimano MT7120 brakes while an Iridium dropper post moves the saddle out of the way. The build is rounded off by an in-house cockpit by Canyon that features partially integrated cable routing to create an extremely clean look.

The Spectral:ON CF 7 (23.04 kg with 720 Wh battery/23.95 kg with 900 Wh battery) features a RockShox Lyric Select fork with 150 mm of travel at the front and a RockShox Deluxe Select shock providing 155 mm of travel at the back. The RaceFace AR30/AR35 wheelset of the Spectral:ON CF 7 is driven by Shimano’s XT group and stopped by Shimano Deore MT6100 brakes while an Iridium dropper post moves the saddle out of the way. The build is rounded off by an in-house cockpit by Canyon that features partially integrated cable routing to create an extremely clean look.

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