Red Hill and Silvan are far more what I want to be riding. 27.5", 29er or mullet bike setup? Short chainstays make it playful and easy to manoeuvre while a long wheelbase and slack head angle keep it stable on big drops and at high speeds. The Spectral 125 is a good bike, and largely succeeds at Canyon mission to make a playful, shorter travel all mountain bike. The alloy frames are also EWS-rated, and come in at a claimed 3,000g. And from what I can see, I can get a Canyon with X01 componentry for 2k less than any other brand I could find. Canyon says the Lux Trail is for those looking for light weight and speed uphill, while the Neuron gives the best balance between climbing and descending performance, for a comfortable all-day trail ride. I habe a brief summery of spectral vs strive: Size of wheels Inner tubing of cables in case of Strive, outer for spectral, but covered Frame suspension has shape shifter in case of strive, For riding the main differences: In both you sit very well, Strive: more fun when it is going steeper/faster. The Dissector rolls fairly fast for an aggro tyre. Let us know in the comments below. Compared to Bright and Maydena downhill, its a green. But with less travel and a different approach to the 125s rear-suspension tune, the character of the Spectral 125 is distinct from the 150mm Spectrals. I should love this bike. But after so many years of testing, my ass is pretty well calibrated and its telling me that my Spectral 125 is too firm and too progressive, even considering that its designed for aggressive riding. I think bikes of the Spectral 125s ilk are often overlooked because theyre not a lighter weight XC oriented trail bike like the Trek Top Fuel, but neither are they a bigger trail bike like the 150mm Spectral. I looked at the neuron, then dismissed it as the head angle is very steep. They had loads of 2016 models on their outlet store with big discounts. The frame profile and suspension design are the same, the geometries are close, the build kits are very similar, and the bike weights are similar as well. When I think about how smooth riding some of my favorite bikes with similar travel arethe Following, a Spot Mayhem 130, Yetis SB130, Treks Fuel EX, the Santa Cruz Tallboy, the Ibis Ripley AFand other bikes Ive sampled with similar travel like the Marin Rift Zone and Norco Optic, Im a bit puzzled by Canyons decisions because it feels like they built a 125mm bike with suspension tuned for huck-to-flats, not riding trailseven rowdy ones. I think many, perhaps most, riders will go with the longer travel bike when they see that the Spectral 29 offers more travel at almost the same weight as the Spectral 125. For more information, see the, Neuron:ON vs. Spectral:ON // Photo: Canyon.com. The 29in-wheeled 125 is said to be a rowdy trail bike that excels on technical descents yet climbs better than its longer-travel siblings. I'm torn between the Canyon Neuron CF 9.0 SL and Spectral CF 9.0 models. Im in the market for a new mtb around the 2k mark. Despite being lighter and less stiff than the 150mm Spectral, the Spectral 125 still meets the category 4 testings standards of Canyons longer travel and enduro race frames. In the Spectral corner, I think it's a more appropriate bike for the riding I like - gnar. Try 3 issues of Cycling Plus magazine for just 5! Having said that, there is some stuff I won't do on my bike (Granite Link and one of the drops on Follow Me) that I will on the new bike. That 64 degree head angle especially stands out among other 120 to 130mm trail bikesit is difficult to find anything in its class that is slacker. Spectral. By subscribing to our newsletter, you are agreeing to our, By choosing Accept Cookies you allow Canyon to collect device and browser information. Also didnt like the colour of the lower-specced spectrals. As far as water and tools go, and all sizes fit a small bottle inside the main triangle, and there's a set of bosses under the top tube for a tube/tool cargo mount. Unfortunately, a tight turnaround between receiving the bike and todays launch prevented any opportunity to run the bike with a different shock, or even experiment much with more sag (I ran it with the Canyons recommended 25-percent). Opinions? And my bike does ride like a bike that was fitted with the wrong shock. We like to keep the front end stiff, but in the rear triangle especially we were really precise to tune the flex and stiffness how we wanted it. The Spectral 125 also gets a much different suspension tune than the 150mm Spectral, which I break down in the suspension section below. Then theres plenty more to check out on Flow Mountain Bike, including all our latest news storiesandproduct reviews. This is kit designed to be raced at World-Cup level DH, so Canyon hasnt scrimped on strength. The spectral is still really fun even on tamer trails. Much like the frame, the Spectral 125s suspension details are influenced by the 150mm Spectral 29, but rethought to provide a ride experience that transcends the travel difference in the bikes. security, shopping cart features, and login). The result is increased control on bigger hits, but also ample support when you push your weight into the bike, giving it plenty of pop. Wil called the 2020 Spectral a Bonafide Hooligan Bike in his long-term review last year. Like with any mountain bike , when selecting your new e-bike you should think about the kind of riding youre going to be doing. The Spectral:ON uses a 29 wheel with a 2.5 tyre in the front and a 27.5 wheel with a 2.8 tyre in the back. When it is getting to fast for spectral the fun for strive begins, feels more secure. Check your inbox to confirm your subscription. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. The larger front wheel improves momentum and rollover ability while the narrower 2.5 rubber maintains agile handling. Theyre probably both a bit over biked for me but the same could be said for most stuff I own phone, car, pc all capable of more than me! SUMMER SALE | Try 3 issues of Cycling Plus magazine for 5 + Get a pair of Lusso cycling socks! Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? Generally speaking, geometry is near identical to its longer-travel siblings. Though Canyon states they tried to ensure it wasnt too progressive because, If the suspension ramps up too quickly on a short-travel bike, things quickly stop feeling awesome and start feeling harsh. Canyon did not offer a progression percentage, but based on eyeballing the charts provided, it sits around 27-percent, which is a lot (a Canyon rep later confirmed my estimate is correct) For contrast, a Norco Optica similar bike with the same travel figures as the Spectral 125has about 17-percent progression. Snowshoe, scene of some of the most dramatic DH racing of recent times but always in the dry. Contact UsPrivacyForum RulesClassifieds RulesLink RemovalLogin/cookie issues?Newsletter SettingsAdvertising, Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total). This kind of bikeshorter travel with long, slack geometry and a heavier duty buildis what I prefer to ride. So, the bike feels lively and nimble despite its length and sedate steering. The smaller rear wheel with wider rubber creates a larger contact patch to find next-level traction when scrambling up steep climbs or hitting fast corners. When it comes to putting down some power, whether thats on the flat or uphill, Canyon says the new bikes anti-squat numbers have been bumped up a touch compared to the longer-travel bike, giving it a slightly more peppy feel. Mechanics rejoice, the aluminum Spectral 125 does have a threaded BB shell. Bicycling participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. Three of the seven are aluminium, the top four using a carbon frame. Since they both use the lightweight EP8 motor, they're more differentiated by their handling than they are by kilograms. Sign up as a Singletrack Member and you can leave comments on stories, use the classified ads, and post in our forums, do quizzes and more. A Yeti SB130 with a similar build is $8,300, or over $3,000 more than my Spectral 125 CF 8 review bike. Id build my dream bikean Evil Followingthe same way. I do find Foxs Float X is firmer-feeling (but much better overall) than the outgoing DPX2 shock, and, with 27-percent progression, the 125's suspension is decidedly more progressive than most in the category. Alternatively, if you like a bruiser of a bike but dont live somewhere with big hits, and thus rarely push your suspensions o-rings to the end of the shocks shaft, Canyon reckons this might be ideal. The days of clunky e-mtbs are gone and while battery life and pedal assist are essential, its the handling that makes the real difference. We take a closer look at the latest Shimano motor and what it means for E-MTB riders. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Canyon has, however, avoided the new Spectral ramping up too quickly, because that can feel harsh. This short travel all mountain bike has a lot to love, but the extra-firm tune of our review bike's rear suspension left me puzzled. I ended up buying a 2016(new)camber650B from rutland cycling instead. Even after removing the volume spacer from the shock, I came up well short on using full travel; and I did much of my ride testing of this bike in Moab. Snipe, CGT downhill, Follow Me and Wallaby are fun, but even on my 100mm 70 degree hardtail they aren't a challenge. When you go down in travel its quite obvious that you lose traction from the suspension. Ive discussed this with Canyon and they too seem puzzled by my experience and floated the possibility is theres something wrong with the shock on my bike. The posted blacks are most really blues, and the biggest climb is under 150m. Head angle is, as I always caution, just a number and when you ride the Spectral 125, youre riding more than just one number. International pricing is to be confirmed. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Itll mainly be used for hacking around trails and some easy dh stuff but nothing extreme. Conditions were crazy this week! I'm not pro, but I'm far from slow. Which mountain bike wheel size is right for you? Get a Snycros iS Couple bottle cage when you subscribe to Mountain Biking UK today! You asked, we listened! The team at Canyon leaned into the fact that shorter travel bikes are livelier, quicker feeling, and have more pop than bikes with more travel. Canyons thinking here is its a costly pain in the butt to replace an entire front triangle if you strip out a shock mount. Canyon has, however, avoided the new Spectral ramping up. The geometry details below are for the carbon bike in its low setting. Canyon sent my bike with its own cargo mount with matching bag and an adorable mini toolI found all of them excellent and I plan to forget to send them back with the bike. Lot's of tree roots, and the downhills have some chunky braking divots. Jumps are all pretty simple, and only a few blue/black drops. Truflo Mini Shock Pump review: twofer bargain or double trouble? Hes also worked out that shaving your legs saves 8 watts, while testing aerodynamics in a wind tunnel. There are a whopping 11 new Neuron models in this 2021 release, which includes three womens models and the Neuron Young Hero for kids around eight years and older. Tom Marvin is a technical editor at BikeRadar.com and MBUK magazine. (Medium CF 8). If youre an aggressive rider looking for technical singletrack, this is your enduro e-bike! He is also a regular presenter on BikeRadars YouTube channel and the BikeRadar podcast. Price: $5,199 (CF 8, tested)Weight: 30.5 lb. Whether youre after long, epic rides out in the mountains or are more interested in shuttling all day to dial it in on the downhills, theres a Canyon e-mtb for you. Its ideal for aggressive trail riders who want a poppy, playful bike and arent afraid to be under-biked. Those familiar with the Canyon line-up might ask how it fits into the brands family of bikes. And though there is overlap, the Spectral 125 is its own animal. Five models will be offered at launch. All-new for 2021 is the Neuron CF LTD, limited to only 100 available worldwide. Which seems almost identical to the Spectral 125. So I'm asking here And if people want to suggest something else, that's OK too but remember I'm in Australia so we have less options. But the distinction lies in the nuances. When not riding he can be found at the climbing wall, in his garden or cooking up culinary delights. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, 30-Minute Indoor Cycling Workouts to Get Fit Fast, How Tour de France Femmes Riders Handle Tough Days, After Sudden Diagnosis, She Turned to Cycling, An Abs and Glutes Workout to Help You Crush Climbs. The leverage curve is also steeper, with a quicker ramp to give the 125 more pop than its 150mm sibling. With the incredible growth in Trail and Enduro riding, we've designed three specific ranges to tackle the varied terrain. So while theres nothing too new, the pricing is as sharp as ever, interestingly the top model is more modest than in the past. Longer, slacker, more travel: The Spectral:ON is built for the most technical terrain you can find flattening out rough singletrack climbs, and smashing big descents at will. But agree 100% on Lystey. The Spectral:ON is the lightest in our range of E-MTBs but only by a mere 1.5kg and this is largely due to its carbon frame. Lystey is 10 minutes away so I can just hop in the car and go down there on a lunch break, or get up early and hit it before work. With its head angle a touch more than 64 degrees (in low mode), 437mm chainstays, generously long reach, top tube, and wheelbase dimensions, and plenty of BB drop (35mm) the Spectral 125s geometry looks a lot like that of a longer travel bike. When I pulled this bike out of the box and saw the Fox 36 fork, Minion tires, the DT-Swiss 1700 wheelset, the wide bar, the four-piston brakes and big rotors, and its obviously rangy cockpit and wheelbase, I got really excited. This is thanks to a steeper, more progressive suspension curve, meaning the bikes suspension should ramp up earlier in its stroke to help meter out the travel in a controlled manner, without blowing your ankles off the pedals when you bottom out. So the Spectral 125 gets not just more anti-squat than the 150mm Spectral, it gets a generous amount, period. I spent a lot of time debating the two, but couldnt find a way to get a test ride so had to go off the reviews. Works fine for me trail centres local dh track and Snowdon etc. This guarantees consistently agile handling across the entire range. And, before anyone asks its not a downcountry bike! Will versatility add up to a useful tool? Twice a month I ride Red Hills or Silvan Reservoir. The result is increased control on bigger hits, but also ample support when you push your weight into the bike, giving it plenty of pop. And while the 125 has a lot to offer and a lot of potential, the suspension tune on the rear of our review bike held it back. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. With lots of anti-squat, I wasnt surprised to find the Spectral 125 pedaled well, though the firm shock likely plays a role as well. Canyon has yet another new trail bike, the Spectral 125. With more than twenty years of mountain biking experience, and nearly a decade of testing mountain and gravel bikes, Tom has ridden and tested thousands of bikes and products, from super-light XC race bikes through to the most powerful brakes on the market. After all, the Lux Trail has 120mm of travel, while the Neuron has 130mm. Strive is faster, more for racing, but you have to be a bit more active while driving. Current bike: 2016 Giant Talon 2 (XL) 27.5". Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. At a claimed 2,500g for the frame, its about 100g lighter than the longer-travel bikes, while still being tested to the Category 4 testing protocol put simply, its tough enough for EWS racing. If you prefer a bit more of the quickness, a flip-chip in the rear adds 0.5 degrees to the head and seat angles, and raises the bottom bracket eight millimeters. Id like to offer more feedback on this bike, but when a full suspension bikes rear tune is off by quite a bit, as it seems to be in this case, it makes almost everything else about bike hard to evaluate. Prices range from $2,349 for the Young Hero and run up to AUD 8,749 for the top model with the fancy SLX carbon frame, CF SLX 9. The Spectral 125 carbon comes in at about 2,500 grams for the medium frame with no shock, or about 100 grams lighter than the Spectral 29 carbon. This innovative setup was Inspired by motocross bikes and it works. Canyons new 125mm Spectral 125 looks a lot like the 150mm Spectral launched in December of 2020. The Takeaway: A big bike with shorter travel, the Spectral 125 is for riders who prefer a crisper bike that lets them feel the trails texture. Lysterfield has next to no real downhill. This set of Shimano XT disc brakes also (sigh) had strong case of wandering bite point, though, surprisingly I didnt hear the pads rattling. What do you think of the 2021 Canyon Neuron and Spectral? As is now customary, long, low and slack applies here. In the Neuron corner, I'm thinking 29er might be good for most my riding, and the suspension travel will be fine for my regular (Lysterfield). And if you havent already, make sure you subscribe to ourYouTubechannel, and sign up to ourFacebookpage andInstagramfeed so you can keep up to date with all things Flow! After all, the. Buying your first electric mountain bike can be overwhelming with the ever-expanding range available. Canyon Copyright 2022 Canyon Bicycles. Canyon is launching the bike with five models, the AL 5 and AL 6, and then the CF 7, 8 and 9. Hannah tries out the Truflo Mini Shock Pump that can take on tyres, shocks, Presta and Schrader. Canyon also says it has built the bike with a little more playfulness than the 150 and 160mm bikes, thanks to more progressive suspension, additional anti-squat and a bit of weight saving. Thanks for popping by - why not stay a while? The new Spectral 125 fits into Canyon's lineup belowin travelthe Spectral 29 that launched in late 2020. The neuron has a pretty steep head angle by todays standards. A gear editor for his entire career, Matts journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and hes been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. The responsive suspension is stable for easy climbing and supple enough to take big hits moving quickly through the mountains! DH World Cup Round 6 Snowshoe delivers drama! Sadly, there isnt room on either the carbon or alloy bike for a coil shock, nor can it be converted to a mullet, but you can squeeze a 600-millilitre bottle in there with a side-loading cage, as well as Canyons little tool caddy. The new Spectral 125 comes in five variants: two with an aluminum frame and three with a carbon frame. This time were giving you the chance to win a pair of snazzy Shimano ME7 shoes courtesy of Freewheel. For 2021 the Spectral remains much the same, just with two new colour options and an update for the 2021 spec lineup. As we saw with the longer-travel Spectrals launched late last year, such as the Spectral CF8 CLLCTV mullet, both carbon and alloy versions will be available. Get a Syncros iS Coupe bottle cage when you subscribe. Most of the frame details are the same in either material, though the aluminum frames geometry is slightly different. All bikes get the same EXO casing, MaxxTerra compound, 2.4in-wide Maxxis Minion DHRII and Dissector tyres front and rear respectively, as well as DH-spec Canyon G5 componentry. Comparing Canyons Spectral, Strive, and Torque ranges. Ill update this review if I get a different shock. Our buyers guide has everything you need to know to help you decide which Canyon e-mtb is for you. So to help you out we broke down the differences between our two award-winning models: the Neuron:ON and Spectral:ON. Canyon continues the wheel size for frame size fit system, where the three smaller sizes run 27.5in wheels, and medium to extra-large run 29in wheels. Only had chance to ride it once so far, but its perfect for me right now. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Geometry, suspension kinematics, chassis strength and stiffness all contribute to how a bike feels, as much as how far the rear wheel is free to travel. If you like gnar then I imagine you'll get bored of Lysterfield soon and frequent Silvan and Red Hill more as they're about 30-40 mins from there. The Shimano EP8 is now on board all our new E-MTBs and with it a whole host of benefits. The fact you say youll use it for easy dh makes me think youd be better off with the spectral or something similar. Canyon says suspension feel is key to how a bike rides, and despite having less travel, it appears the Spectral 125 should still be able to handle the hits. Both of our full-suspension electric mountain bikes rely on the state-of-the-art Shimano EP8 system for pedal-assist power. Beate Kubitz Classic Ride Print #117 Duddon Valley, Beate Kubitz Classic Ride Print #124 Isle Of Wight, Premier Partners for Singletrack issues & exclusive subscriber perks, Metcheck MTB Weather Forecasts At A Glance. I'm top 5% in Strava on most the downhill segments at Lysterfield, and have a few top 1% segments too. The front end is therefore long, which should give ample high-speed stability, while the compact rear end will hopefully keep handling relatively sharp. Here are a few highlights from the new 2021 range, which were told are all now available on the World Wide Web via your friendly courier. Weve had plenty of experience riding the Neuron, Wil recently tested the aluminium version of the bike when it was launched earlier this year, take a look at Wils in-depth review and video right here. For the 2021 season the Neuron scores a new top-level limited model, and the Neuron CF 8 scores a longer 140mm travel fork. I agree re colours, I want a black one really. I still think personally although great value a lot of euro brands like canyon lag behind a bit when it comes to modern geometry and progressive design. Thats at least what Canyon claims. Two least expensive models use an aluminum frame with the more expensive models using carbon. The Spectral 125 seems to overlap with two of Canyons existing bikes. I ended up disregarding the neuron as it was described as twitchy(not in a good way) going downhill and I ending up thinking the spectral would be over-biked for what I wanted to do with it. The opening price for a Spectral 125 is $2,899 with the most expensive model ringing in at $6,299. Red Hill and Silvan are weekend/day off only. A cycling community enthusiastic about mountain biking and all things related. Delivery up to 8 weeks. The carbon frame has a threaded bottom bracket plus, replaceable aluminum thread chips for the suspension bolts and axles. So Im not imagining things. It also includes Canyons new G5 dropper post, which has 25mm of adjustability in stroke length, all done via a stepped guide within the post, and changeable at home. My motorbike is about to sell (fingers crossed) which means I can now invest in my latest passion. Theyre not currently shown in Canyons USA store, but they should land there soon. The shorter travel bike is more playful, quicker feeling, and skips across bumps rather than flowing through them. Both the 504 Wh and 630 Wh batteries are all but sure to last a day's riding and the intuitive control system will keep you moving uphill or down at up to 25 km/h. This topic has 7 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated. Theyre designed from the ground up too, with their own tube profiles and shapes, rather than being attempted as a copy and paste of the carbon bikes shape. Alloy bikes get the slack head angle and low BB position of the low setting, but the steeper seat angle of the high setting the best of both worlds, perhaps. That should make it fun to hit jumps on, or exit berms with tons of speed. With 130mm travel out the back and either 130 or 140mm up the front it strikes a balance between the cross country race-ready LUX and longer travel Spectral. The size-large bike has a reach of 486mm, which is as long as many larger enduro bikes. Not that Strava means much, it's just an indicator. Press J to jump to the feed. Carbon frames come with double-sealed frame bearings, replaceable threaded inserts and fully guided internal cable and hose routing. Creating more compliance, especially in the rear triangle, helps to make up for some of that traction you lose from going down in suspension travel. Even so, Canyon says the Spectral 125 is optimized for an air shock and a coilover is not recommended. Anti-squat dictates how the suspension will act under pedalling forces. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. The real world looks extend to paper, where the shorter travel bikess geometry and dimensions, excepting travel of course, are very similar as well. This is paired with a slack 64-degree head angle, but relatively short 437mm chainstays. Fazit: Spectral is for trail bikers, that want a fast turning bike. There are two frame variants: An aluminum frame for lower priced bikes, and carbon frame for the higher priced versions. At just under 2.6 kg and its placement at the bottom bracket, your downhill performance will be improved thanks to a lower centre of gravity. This means marginally straighter lines, better suited to giving the engineers the strength, stiffness and weight they wanted in the alloy bike. The pivot bearings are double sealed and filled with a proprietary grease.