Canyon Spectral:ON Review | A Better e-MTB In Almost Every Way

See the entire Canyon Spectral:ON review here: flowmountainbike.com/tests/ca...
Released earlier this year, the new Canyon Spectral:ON arrived with the promise of both lower weight and improved range over its predecessor. To achieve this, Canyon has developed an all-new carbon frame that will accommodate either a 720Wh or 900Wh battery. There have also been a number of updates to the geometry too, with the Spectral:ON becoming notably slacker and longer. This left us a little wary however. We were already big fans of the previous Spectral:ON, which remains as one of the most lively and fun-handling e-MTBs we’ve ever tested. Would the new model live up to the expectations? And how would its performance compare to the competition?
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Canyon Spectral:ON Video Contents
0:00​​​​ - Intro
0:33 - Canyon Spectral:ON Overview
1:11 - Motor & Battery Options
1:38 - Canyon Spectral:ON Size & Geometry
2:20 - Canyon Spectral:ON Price & Specs
3:16 - Canyon Spectral:ON Weight
3:44 - Strengths
6:30 - Weaknesses
8:49 - 720Wh Or 900Wh Battery?
10:22 - The Wrap-Up
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[@filipporostagno8994]

I've just unpacked the bike. Can't wait to ride it.

[@snowsue1973]

I love this bike, but I read that "Shimano’s latest EP8 electric bike motor, fitted to a host of brands’ bikes, is reported to suffer from a manufacturing defect that can cause the bottom bracket axle or spindle to develop cracks “with use and exposure to the elements”, and if left unchecked can eventually fail."

[@Djrblocks360]

great review! Also, I noticed that the wheels on my 2022 cf7 already tubeless ready! I just added a tubless stem and stans sealant...it gave me no issues whatsoever. the bike is amazing! Rides like a dream. the bike Brakes actually are the Hayes Dominion 4 piston brakes, great adjustability. listing show it comes with shimano brakes the cf 7, but mine came with the hayes brakes..

[@codefields]

Great review! Lot of info and balance between weaknesses and strengths

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Cheers mate, glad you enjoyed the review! [Wil]

[@ThunderStruckMTB]

Always great reviews Wil! I'm not a pedal assist type of guy and I still watched.

[@erickilpatrick4440]

Fantastic review! Thank you!

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Cheers Eric!

[@beijingbohaikangyuanmedica3804]

This is so helpful！

[@bimmerfan729]

Great review as always! Any notable ride characteristics with the longer rear travel vs the front? First time I think I've seen that before.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Cheers mate, glad you enjoyed the video! Nope, no oddness with the extra 5mm of travel at the rear. It doesn't feel under-forked, and the steering is really well-balanced for all-round riding. That said, it would be pretty easy to fit a 160mm air shaft to the Fox 36, and I suspect there'll be a lot of Spectral:ON owners contemplating that upgrade. The frame is also stiff enough to handle a bigger Fox 38/RockShox Zeb, though that would add a chunk of weight to the front of the bike, and I'm not sure I'd personally want to sacrifice its already ace handling. If you fancy checking it out, there's a bit more detail in the full review; flowmountainbike.com/tests/canyon-spectralon-review-2022/ [Wil]

[@bimmerfan729]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin Awesome! Thanks for the reply. Checking out the article for sure.

[@keganmowery4223]

What frame size were you riding, and how tall are you? I'm hesitant to order a small like the Canyon fit guide says. I'm 5'8" and usually feel comfortable on medium frames.

[@ralphvanhoek6421]

Hi Will. Great review. Have you had issues with the Bottom Plastic? Did you tuched the Plastic Casing from the Battery Pack Cover often? I'm thinking to buy my first embt and it's quite a lot of money spent, even i buy the lower priced version. I'm riding also technikal stuff in the swiss mountains so that issue is quite importand for me. Greetings from Switzerland

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thanks Ralph, glad you enjoyed the video! I haven't had any issues with the battery door, though I've not ridden in any really muddy conditions, which is where it might be more likely to be accidentally pulled open while riding. As for the lower skid plate, it's certainly copped some abuse while riding - there are quite a few gouges and marks from general impacts and where it's slid over the top of a rock. The motor hangs quite low on this bike, so it's definitely more in the firing line, but the armouring around this part of the frame seems to be up to the task. I did find there was a small gap between the skid plate and the motor casing on our test bike, which was due to the battery cord not being installed correctly from the factory. You can check out some more detail on that in the full review; flowmountainbike.com/tests/canyon-spectralon-review-2022/ Hope that helps! [Wil]

[@phantombigballs8165]

Curious what height and inside leg are you..? They size me as a small but the reach is then only 435mm which seems really short considering I currently ride a 455mm reach medium Trek rail....

[@oceanplayerfla]

great review Brother !seriously considering the spectral ON so this review helps a lot ! in the USA the spectral on comes Shimano EP 801 supposed to be quieter and smoother power ? what do you think about the MC4 Husqvarna ? Thank you for your help

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Funnily enough, we've just received a Husqvarna MC6 for testing - review coming soon! [Wil]

[@aleszverca]

Great review 🤟 and a nice bike with some like you said flaws which man should pay attention to. Can I ask what is the grade and legth of the road climb you do in your standardized test. Thanks. If I understand right you do the standardized test all in highest assist modes right? You mentioned the Fuel Exe in the review, looking at the range numbers of the Trek Fuel Exe I am impressed, that's just 27,5Wh/100m Altitude gain in Turbo mode. How did it feel when climbing with it in Turbo compared say to the Canyon Spectral On?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Cheers mate, thanks for watching and for the question! The standardised range test uses a road climb with just shy of 200m of elevation gain with an average grade of 10%. I test each bike myself, so the rider weight (68kg loaded up) is the same across all bikes, and I put the motor into its most powerful assist setting. Obviously you'll get more range from climbing on a tarmac road due to the reduced rolling resistance, and the motor will be operating at close to maximum efficiency with a steady gradient and cadence. But it removes some key variables and is a much more repeatable test to help us compare e-MTBs against one another. The difference in climbing speed is noticeable between those two bikes, with the Fuel EXe climbing at an average speed of around 14-15km/h, while the Spectral:ON is around 18-19km/h. Hope that helps! [Wil]

[@aleszverca]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin Hey thanks for a detailed anwser. It covers all of my questions✌. I love this kind of testing you do, where it's possible to get almost all possible variables out of the way to get a clear picture. I know it takes time but the results are a good starting point for a decision. ✌ keep up the great work 🤟

[@jasonbull179]

Hi Will, just about the best reviwer out there. Just got my first emtb, itching to find some good trails to try it out, where do you do your testing. Thks

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Cheers Jason! We test our bikes all over the place, and depending on the style of bike, we'll pick different trails and regions that suit the type of bike. For this Spectral:ON review, most of the footage was shot at the La Larr Ba Gauwa MTB Park in Harcourt - great spot with some fun and rocky riding! [WIl]

[@mikec3405]

I own emtb myself and yet it still amazes me how some ebikes cost more than a car. Nice review though.

[@bradsanders6954]

A really nice, latest tech, 12" travel, 46 HP dirtbike can be had for the price of an E-bike.

[@colin007a5]

can I fit a coil shock on it?

[@hambo76]

I saw Mick at the Reef to Reef today! I wanted to ask him if he'd recommend the Spectral 29 or 125 for Cairns trails.

[@razorree]

how is the handling and aggressivnes with HTA=65.5* ? modern bikes have 63.5-64 (Transition Sentinel), even new Turbo Levo has 63.5-65. Do you feel that Spectral is less aggressive and more difficult on steep and technical descents ?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

For sure you won't get the same level of stability on the descents as a bike with a much slacker head tube angle. It's admittedly a little different on an e-MTB, where the weight of the bike and the low-slung motor give it an inherent degree of stability compared to a regular mountain bike. And with the excellent suspension and high-traction rubber, the Spectral:ON does very well on steep and technical descents. It is designed to be an all-rounder though, and it continues to be one of the best-handling and most 'fun' e-MTBs we've tested, so I think Canyon has gotten the balance right. Personally, I think if you're going to have the much slacker and longer geometry, then you're going to want more travel too. You're also going to want a burlier fork and heavier duty tyres. Of course that ups the weight and will detract from the bike's agility and playfulness, so it depends on whether you're willing to compromise those. But if it's the steepest and roughest DH tracks you're primarily riding, then you'll naturally gravitate towards those slacker bikes with more like 170-180mm of travel. The Norco Range VLT and the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay being more that kind of style, or even Canyon's own Torque:ON. Hope that helps explain! [Wil]

[@Nickporter17]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin this is an epic reply

[@bradsanders6954]

In the US anyway, the bikes come with the 900WH battery, unless its a small, or its a CF7. Maybe the 750 WH battery can be ordered instead. Still shocking to think a 6500.00 US model is the cheap version.

[@zulhilminajmi8560]

After about 3 years the last Keurig stopped working kzbin.infoUgkxBrV-RbF5Nk0Rlt9i15aao-YMzqzTG8Vf initially was able to unblock, however eventually we couldn't fix. That one was a replacement unit sent by the manufacturer after we had problems with our very first Keurig. This works fine (lol, at least for now) however I didn't realize the water reservoir was so much smaller than our prior unit. With 2 people having one or two cups of coffee each morning, it seems like I'm refilling it daily. Otherwise just happy to have the convenience of pod coffee vs. making a morning pot.

[@harlanswan8184]

Before you buy! Just to let people know but you can't transport this bike on a rack unless the battery is in it.... The battery bolt's are needed to keep the cover closed and the bolts go directly into the battery. Not a huge issue but a pain in the ass if you have it on a roof carrier. It doesn't make for safe transportation either. I wish Canyon would come up with a clever solution because I haven't found one yet.

[@Pienimusta]

Finally release of the non-dentist models

[@lukejewman]

That’s anti-dentite speech

[@razorree]

so the difference between smaller and bigger batteries is about 900g. Can you feel that difference? I bet you can, especially that all that extra weight is close to your head tube ? any thoughts ? :)

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

There's a discussion on that very topic at 8:49 in the video. Hope that helps! [Wil]

[@darekgudra971]

Is the EP8 engine knocking audible? Will it be annoying

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

It is audible for sure. After a few rides you do get used to it, and we've found that it doesn't really bother us at that point. [Wil]

[@Ironie90]

im 172cm with 81cm inside leg length. What Size do you think will fit for me? S or M ? (with S i cant use the 900w)

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Hmm that's a good question. You're a bit shorter than me (175cm), but we have the same inseam measurement so likely a pretty similar saddle height. It'd be worth looking at the geometry chart at both the reach and effective top tube measurements of the Spectral:ON, and comparing that with your current bike and any others that you've ridden. The Medium size gets a pretty decent reach of 460mm and an ETT of 613mm, which is on the longer side. The Small size gets a 435mm reach and an ETT of 589mm. You could likely fit both, but it may come down to what kind of ride quality you're after. Does Canyon recommend the Small size? [Wil]

[@Ironie90]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin Yes Canyon recommend size S for me. But some ppl with my height gave me the advice to size up. So how does M fit you?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

I really liked the fit of the Medium frame and appreciated the extra reach over the previous generation Spectral:ON. The new bike is considerably more stable at speed, though it's still agile and poppy to ride. One thing to consider is fork travel. I believe the 2023 model year Spectral:ON bikes are coming with a 160mm travel fork, which will obviously lift up the front end a touch and slacken out the head angle further. It'll also shorten the effective reach slightly. [Wil]

[@powskier]

Can that fork be bumped up to 160mm?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Yep, you just need to purchase a 160mm air spring from Fox. [Wil]

[@Chr027]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin Can you tell a bit more. What do i need to buy exactly to have 160mm on my Fox 36 Rhythm Grip ? My Spectral ON CF 8 arrives next week

[@jbean7952]

6 months on mine and geometry and performance are good. That being said, quality leaves a lot to be desired. Lower skid plate broken, rear mud flap torn off, bike rattles like a jackhammer, rear suspension is mediocre at best, headset absolutely sucks. I like the bike from a performance standpoint but canyon need to do some serious work on making it more durable. Compared to my other bikes (yeti, evil, propain) the finish is seriously lacking. Great platform, just wish canyon took quality more serious.

[@wvjeepguy8178]

Too bad it isn't using a Bosch motor.

[@M0.1]

عندي تايه موتور 2014 تراوس

[@I3day]

Just purchased the Spectral ON, carbon frame arrived damaged and customer support has been a nightmare.

[@bamboo1078]

So many features copied from the 2019 Gen 2 Levo. Be interesting to see what specialized launch next six months. All other brands 2-3 years behind their tech & design

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

I guess you could also argue that Specialized copied Canyon, as the Spectral:ON has been using a mullet wheel setup since it was launched in 2018 (it wasn't until 2021 before the Levo went to a dedicated mixed wheelsize configuration). I agree though - Specialized has been pushing so hard with e-MTB development, and it shows with class-leading features like Mission Control and the MasterMind TCU interface. The current Gen 3 Levo is no doubt one of the best e-MTBs on the market, but geez you pay for it! We put together a comparison between the Spectral:ON and the Gen 3 Levo in the review if you're interested in checking it out; flowmountainbike.com/tests/canyon-spectralon-review-2022/ [Wil]

[@krispykruzer]

15k 😱

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

This isn't even the top-end model either - that one comes with RockShox Flight Attendant!

[@powskier]

False. On an e-bike you want the rear tire to be wider like the way a dirt bike is.

[@user-yd9qx9mq6u]

nope

[@aroukspondaik4455]

hahaha 14k! Its very nice to see a german company to sail towards its "iceberg"! HAHAHA Goodnight and good luck Canyon..."Winter is coming" ...

[@bradsanders6954]

These bikes sell just fine. The lower levels of course sell better. Under 10K American is a common price for a top level E- bike here in the states....I wont spend that much though.

[@finroddd]

Great review but this bike is totally overpriced. One can possibly find e-mtb with better components and geo at cheaper price.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

For sure - in the full review we compared the pricing with the Merida eOne-Sixty 10K, and even though the Merida is purchased through a shop (rather than online), the spec is actually a bit better while selling for a similar price to the Spectral:ON CFR; flowmountainbike.com/tests/canyon-spectralon-review-2022/ Of course both brands offer much cheaper models that feature the same geometry, suspension designs, motors and battery options. However, Merida starts at a much lower price due to offering the eOne-Sixty in an alloy platform. Unfortunately Canyon doesn't produce the Spectral:ON in an alloy variant, it only makes the Neuron:ON in alloy. Hope that helps mate! [Wil]

[@LastAphelion]

Wait for the Transition Relay. Not that I can wait agggghhh.

[@finroddd]

@@LastAphelion yes, I am very interested with Relay as well

[@TRISHYXX]

What about the lower end models of this bike? still not good?

[@bradsanders6954]

Good luck with that. Ive shopped around and that isnt much going to happen. Top shelf stuff costs top shelf money.