News: The new Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV 2022 – Unlimited trekking adventures guaranteed?

Canyon wants to send us on a journey of exploration and is launching a new Pathlite:ON SUV 2022. For the new season, the fully equipped trekking ebike gets the new Bosch Smart System including a 750 Wh battery, and is also available for the first time as a step-through version. What else is new? Read on and find out below.

Developments in the bicycle industry never stand still and ebikes are also constantly evolving in the trekking segment. It was almost two years ago that Canyon presented the first Pathlite:ON 8.0 to the public. Even at the time of its release, the trekking ebike concept of its predecessor seemed somewhat outdated to us. Now the direct-to-consumer company from Koblenz has reacted and given the new Pathlite:ON SUV 2022 a general makeover. It is intended to be the right ebike in the Canyon portfolio for a short gravel ride after work, a trekking trip to the nearby picnic site or a weekend bikepacking trip. At the same time, it should be prepared for all eventualities thanks to its fully equipped features for commuting through the city and in everyday life. We have summarised for you what big and small innovations you can expect from the new Pathlite:ON SUV.

The new Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV 2022 in detail

The new Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV gets the upgrade to the Bosch Smart System motor. The motor hardware remains nearly unchanged and the Pathlite:ON SUV can continue to rely on the powerful Bosch drive, but the periphery around the motor has changed considerably. First and foremost, the Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV now has only one battery instead of two. The predecessor had a total battery capacity of 1,000 Wh thanks to a 500 Wh battery in the down tube and an external second battery with 500 Wh. The new generation does not have a second battery. With the second battery eliminated in the new generation, the Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV 2022 draws its power exclusively from a 750 Wh battery in the down tube – without the dual battery option. This means a lower battery capacity, but for day trips with not too much vertical climbing, the 750 Wh battery is usually more than sufficient. Canyon has closed the large opening for battery removal on the underside of the down tube. Instead, the aluminium frame has an opening at the bottom from which the 750 Wh battery can be pulled out. Even though the battery removal seems to be nicely solved, it has become more cumbersome: while this is no problem for young people, it can be a challenge for older or less mobile riders who cannot or should not bend down. This is because the ebike, which weighs around 29 kg, has to be put to one side in order to remove the Bosch battery, which weighs around 4.4 kg – it is not possible to remove it while standing with the stand folded out. This can quickly become an obstacle when parking the bike in places where charging is not possible or not guaranteed (e.g. on multi-day tours on the popular Danube cycle path with different accommodation every day)! In order to create space for battery removal, the Bosch motor has been integrated into the frame in a position strongly rotated upwards.

The new LED remote and the Kiox 300 display are two further integral parts of the Bosch Smart System, they allow the connection to the Bosch eBike Flow app on the smartphone and thus further practical everyday features such as “locking” via smartphone. What it does not have, however, is a built-in navigation system, which was available on the previous Pathlite:ON 9 in the form of the Bosch Nyon display!

New in 2022 is a step-through version with the abbreviation ST, which now complements the diamond frame version in the Canyon portfolio. Cool! The low step-through is offered in frame sizes S–L, the diamond frame is available in sizes M–XL. The permissible total weight for both bikes is 140 kg. With a weight of 29 kg (manufacturer’s specification in M) for the Pathlite:ON 8 SUV, 111 kg remain for rider and equipment. If that’s not enough, you can pull an additional 50 kg behind you in a Croozer trailer because all Pathlite:ON SUV models are compatible with the Croozer Axle Nut XL trailer hitch. Also new is the move from large 29″ wheels to smaller 27.5″ wheels on the Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV 2022. The previous model only used the smaller wheels in frame size S, while frame size M and above previously used 29″ wheels.

The (fully) equipped and the different versions of the Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV 2022 in detail

The new Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV is available in two equipment versions, which differ only in the front light and drive: the Pathlite:ON 8 SUV for € 4,699 has a low-maintenance belt drive with Enviolo HD hub gears and an excellent Supernova M99 Mini PRO 25 front light with high and low beam. The lower-priced Pathlite:ON 7 SUV has a Shimano Deore derailleur with a 12-gear XT rear derailleur and a Supernova Mini 2 Pro front light, which is also good but not quite as bright in comparison. The Pathlite:ON 7 SUV comes at € 4,199. The rest of the equipment is the same for both versions. At the front, an SR Suntour AION35 EVO suspension fork with 100 mm travel filters out the roughest road bumps, while the rear lacks appropriate suspension elements. The climb is made easier by a lowerable Canyon Iridium seatpost with 100 mm travel. One upgrade compared to the predecessor that we are particularly pleased about are the tyres: the Schwalbe G-One Allround with its low profile have been replaced by the more strongly profiled MAXXIS Crossmark II tyre, unfortunately, still only in 2.25″ width. More voluminous tyres would have been useful not only for riding comfort, but also for traction and thus also for safety when crossing tram tracks and light obstacles off-road. The brakes are Magura MT30 with four-piston front, but only two-piston rear and small 180 mm brake discs. Particularly heavy riders who have to cope with long descents when commuting through the city or on their discovery tours can benefit from a four-piston brake at the rear and larger brake discs. Anyone who has ever ridden down Lombard Street in San Francisco or the Hasenbergsteige in Stuttgart knows what we are talking about!

The full equipment includes the aluminium mudguards that reach far down. A Supernova E3 rear light is mounted on the rear mudguard. The practical rear rack, which rests on the rear triangle and the mudguard, is compatible with the Ortlieb QL3.1 standard for rear panniers and is approved for a load of 25 kg. However, there is no child seat approval. A side stand at the dropout completes the full equipment package. The older Canyon Pathlite:ON models without the SUV suffix are still available from Canyon with Bosch Performance Line CX motor and battery capacities between 500 and 1,000 Wh at prices starting from € 2,499.

Diamond frame geometry

Size	M	L	XL
Top tube	597 mm	624 mm	653 mm
Seat tube	430 mm	475 mm	520 mm
Head tube	140 mm	166 mm	194 mm
Head angle	68.5°	68.5°	68.5°
Seat anglel	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°
Chainstays	460 mm	460 mm	460 mm
BB drop	65 mm	65 mm	65 mm
Wheelbase	1,138 mm	1,168 mm	1,198 mm
Reach	405 mm	425 mm	445 mm
Stack	650 mm	675 mm	700 mm

Step through frame geometry

Size	S	M	L
Top tube	567 mm	596 mm	624 mm
Seat tube	385 mm	430 mm	475 mm
Head tube	140 mm	140 mm	166 mm
Head angle	68.5°	68.5°	68.5°
Seat angle	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°
Chainstays	460 mm	460 mm	460 mm
BB Drop	65 mm	65 mm	65 mm
Wheelbased	1.106 mm	1.138 mm	1.168 mm
Reach	380 mm	405 mm	425 mm
Stack	631 mm	650 mm	674 mm

Our conclusion on the new Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV 2022

The new Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV is a step in the right direction, and we particularly welcome the new low-entry model in the Canyon ebike portfolio. Technically, some upgrades have been added, such as the new Bosch Smart System functions (e.g. eBike Lock), a lowerable seatpost and better tyres. Downgrades are the more cumbersome battery removal downwards, the missing integrated navigation function, as the Bosch Nyon display is not yet compatible with the new Bosch Smart System), and the fact that there is no longer a 1,000 Wh battery option is a downer.

The Pathlite:ON SUV is thus only a step and not the next milestone in trekking ebike history. In our eyes, the suffix in the model designation of the new Canyon Pathlite:ON SUV 2022 promises more than is currently technically possible. When we introduced the term SUV to the industry as part of our E-MOUNTAINBIKE Think Tanks and the term became strongly established in the following years, we had a clear picture in mind: full-suspension eMTBs with maximum riding safety and comfort, potential off-road capability and usability that was as simple and smart as possible – suitable for the target customer group.

We are convinced that apart from the price factor, there are no arguments for eMTB hardtails. The market of the future belongs to full-suspension trekking ebikes with full equipment, which can often offer more in terms of safety, riding comfort and off-road capability at a comparable price point. If you want to know more about what we mean by a modern trekking ebike, take a look at our opinion article.

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Words: Rudolf Fischer Photos: Canyon