Canyon Spectral:ON 7.0 review

The Canyon Spectral:ON has often convinced us before. Most recently, it secured the Best Value Tip in our 2019 high-end group test. But what happens when you tighten the budget? Can the direct-to-consumer brand still deliver a good overall package with the Canyon Spectral:ON 7.0?

For an overview about the test field click here: The best budget eMTB of 2019 – 8 models head to head

**Canyon** Spectral:ON 7.0 | Shimano STEPS E8000/504 Wh | 150/150 mm (f/r) | 22.38 kg | € 4,299

The core principle around which the Spectral:ON was developed seems to have been “form follows function.” The best example of this is the bottle cage, which they’ve been able to fit into the front triangle despite the external 500 Wh Shimano battery (the external battery keeps the centre of gravity lower on the bike). The saddle, the welds around the speed sensor or the USB socket in the top tube also look a bit rudimentary, but they improve the functionality of the € 4,299 Canyon Spectral:ON 7.0 tremendously. Canyon rely on different sized wheels, combining a 29″ wheel at the front with a 27.5″ wheel at the rear fitted with a super wide 2.8″ MAXXIS Minion to provide the necessary traction. The 22.38 kg bike comes with FOX suspension, providing 150 mm front and rear travel. Praise for the super-powerful and extremely reliable Shimano XT four-piston brake and the large 200-mm rotors. The thought that has been put into the development of this bike is also reflected in the tidy cockpit. Canyon combine the powerful Shimano STEPS E-8000 motor with the E7000 remote and display. We didn’t like the Iridium seat post, however, which had a lot of play even before we started riding. The Spectral:ON we tested also had problems with play in the bearings of the rear linkage. Canyon told us that in future they’ll be using a different material for the bushings, which should be significantly more resistant to wear.

Form follows function. The Canyon Spectral:ON is full of smart details, such as the bottle cage or the nicely protected speed sensor.

**Helmet** Giro Montaro MIPS | **Backpack** Ergon BA3 E Protect | **Shirt** POC Essential Enduro Jersey | **Shorts** Leatt DBX 4.0 | **Shoes** Five Ten Freerider Pro

The Canyon Spectral:ON 7.0 in detail

Fork FOX 36 Performance 150 mm
Rear shock FOX FLOAT DPS Performance 150 mm
Motor/Batterie Shimano STEPS E8000 504 Wh
Drivetrain Shimano XT 11 speed
Brakes Shimano XT 4-piston 200/200 mm
Seat post Iridium Dropper 150 mm
Stem Race Face Aeffect R 40 mm
Handlebar Race Face Aeffect Riserbar 800 mm
Wheels Alexrims EM30/XT 29″/27.5″
Tires MAXXIS Minion DHF/DHRII 25″/2.8″

**Neat**
Thanks to the STEPS E7000-Remote and the Iridium Dropper lever, all buttons and levers are easy and comfortable to reach without having to let go of the grips.

**Integrated**
The seat post clamp is integrated into the frame of the Canyon Spectral:ON. As a result, the dropper post is held securely in place without having to over-tighten the clamp.

**But(t) not for everyone**
The eMTB specific saddle Canyon developed provides comfort and support, particularly when the climbing gets steep. With its raised rear end and wide nose, however, it doesn’t suit everyone.

**Shaky**
The Iridium dropper post already had a lot of longitudinal play out of the box.

**See, it can be done!**
Canyon shows us how it’s done, managing to fit a bottle cage in the front triangle despite the external battery.

**Tool-less**
The rear axle of Canyon can be removed without the use of tools. The lever tucks away into the axle. Accidentally loosening the axle with your heel is a thing of the past.

Size	XS	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	420 mm	430 mm	440 mm	480 mm	520 mm
Top tube	582 mm	597 mm	616 mm	638 mm	660 mm
Head tube	100 mm	95 mm	100 mm	113 mm	125 mm
Head angle	66.0°	66.8°	66.8°	66.8°	66.8°
Seat angle	73.3°	73.8°	73.8°	73.8°	73.8°
Chainstay	430 mm	430 mm	430 mm	430 mm	430 mm
BB Height	33/24 mm	33/24 mm	33/24 mm	33/24 mm	33/24 mm
Wheelbase	1,151 mm	1,161 mm	1,183 mm	1,208 mm	1,233 mm
Reach	405 mm	425 mm	445 mm	465 mm	485 mm
Stack	605 mm	618 mm	622 mm	634 mm	644 mm

The Canyon Spectral:ON 7.0 in review

Canyon include their specially developed Canyon SD:ON saddle on all of the Spectral:ON models. With its raised rear end, it’s supposed to offer additional support on the climbs. And that’s a good thing, since the slack seat tube angle puts your weight far over the back of the bike, especially if you’re a tall rider. This puts a lot of weight on the 2.8″ rear tire, but it unweights the front, so when going up steep climbs with the Spectral:ON you’ll have to work hard at keeping the front wheel on the ground, despite the aggressive riding position. If you succeed in doing so, steep, technical climbs are doable. The MAXXIS Minion on the rear also helps, which, together with the sensitive suspension, generates a lot of traction even on loose ground. In flatter, less extreme terrain, aggressive riders are sure to have a lot of fun with the geometry and suspension of the Canyon Spectral:ON.

**Tuning tip:** dropper post | adjust the saddle all the way forward | possibly replace the linkage bearings if they’re old

When the trail starts heading down the mountain, the mixed wheel size reveals another one of its strengths. Thanks to the tall front end (29″ wheel) and the low bottom bracket, you feel nicely integrated into the bike. This instils beginners as well as experts with the confidence to push their limits and tackle new terrain. The suspension willingly absorbs bigger hits and still offers a lot of support for boosting jumps and pumping the bike through berms. For the latter, the Spectral:ON requires an active riding style due to the short chainstays, the long reach and the tall front end. Once you actively weight the front wheel you’ll be rewarded with agility and precision almost as good as that of the Conway.

The Canyon Spectral:ON demands an alert and aggressive rider. But then it comes to life on the downhill’s when other bikes have already given up.

Conclusion

The Canyon Spectral:ON 9.0 promises to please aggressive riders above all, agile in its handling yet offering a lot of reserves for bigger hits. More relaxed riders will also get their money’s worth though, thanks to the comfortable suspension. However, the bike has some weak points in terms of climbing capabilities, which is why it only just fell short of being Best Value.

Tops

cleverly specced
lively and agile handling
an eMTB for mountain bikers
bottle cage in the front triangle
value for money

Flops

play in the dropper post
play in the bearings of the rear linkage (according to Canyon they fixed this on the production models)

Riding Characteristics

Agility

sluggish
playful

Stability

nervous
stable

Handling

demanding
balanced

Riding fun

boring
lively

Motor feeling

digital
natural

Motor power

weak
strong

Value for money

poor
top

Technical Data

Size: XS S M L XL
Weight: 22,38 kg
Perm. total weight: 130 kg
Max. payload (rider/equipment): 107 kg
Motor torque: 70 Nm
Battery Capacity: 504 Wh
Travel (f/r): 150/150 mm
Wheel Size: MX (29" vorne, 275" hinten)
Price: € 4,299

Rider type

Touring Rider 1

Trail rider 2

Extreme rider 3

For more information head to canyon.com

The Test field