Posted on April 5, 2022 by Jessie-May Morgan
Canyon has released a lighter, longer-range Spectral:ON eMTB with downtube capacity for a 720Wh or a 900Wh battery. Still very much a trail-oriented eMTB, slotting into the lineup below the longer-travel Torque:ON, Canyon are sticking with the mullet wheelset configuration and 150mm fork while the rear wheel-travel is boosted to 155mm.
The major updates to the Spectral:ON are centered around reducing range anxiety while keeping the bike nimble and playful. Generally speaking, more range requires a larger, heavier battery, with the knock-on effect of altering the bike’s handling. There is always compromise of course, but Canyon set about redesigning the entire bike to keep that compromise to an absolute minimum.
Luca Shaw and Mark Wallace riding the 2022 Canyon Spectral:ON CFR LTD
Some notable geometry changes came along with that but it was battery development that sat at the heart of the process; Canyon’s proprietary eMTB batteries, along with an updated carbon swingarm, has allowed them to drop the frame weight by a massive 800g; claimed weight for the new XTR-equipped Spectral:ON CFR with a 720Wh battery is 21.84 kg, 610g lighter than its 630Wh battery-rocking predecessor.
Canyon’s proprietary 720Wh and 900Wh batteries are approved by Shimano so consumers can use their service centers for warranty issues or parts replacements. Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency.
We got all the details from Canyon at Winter Bike Connection in Massa Marritima, Italy, where we also spent an afternoon riding up and down the Trail Brothers’ singletrack barely breaking a sweat. You can read our first ride review now, or keep reading for a deep dive on the new Spectral:ON. We have everything you need to know on its geometry, battery technology and well thought-through frame details right here, as well as a full breakdown of pricing and availability.
The range-topping 2022 Canyon Spectral:ON CFR LTD with SRAM AXS and RockShox Flight Attendant Suspension. Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency
The Deep Space colorway is only available on the Spectral:ON CFR LTD model. Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency.
The Canyon Spectral:ON is available in sizes S-XL with 5 models to choose from; three run the heavier CF frame while two more expensive options run the CFR frame, said to be 300-400g lighter depending on frame size. It runs the same suspension platform seen on its predecessor, though it now delivers a tad more rear wheel travel; 155mm.
The new Spectral:ON meets the same strength and impact resistance standards as their Strive enduro race bike, but with a slight twist –Canyon subject the Spectral:ON to more testing cycles than normally called for in their in-house Category 4 testing standard. They call this “Category 4E”. Both the CF and CFR frames meet this standard. Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency.
The new model maintains a 150mm travel fork up front and the mixed-wheel configuration. For those considering swapping that 27.5″ rear wheel out for a 29er, Canyon don’t recommend it for clearance reasons, also stating it would upset the geometry too much.
There are no surprises on the geometry front, only a continuation of the longer, lower, slacker trend. The head angle relaxes to 65.5° and reach is extended by ~25mm for each frame size, coming up at 485mm on the large. The frame is approved for use with a 160mm fork for folk who want to go slacker.
Riding ideas: The test mule process is a fairly new one for Canyon. They combine 3D Printed parts with CNC Machined parts and cut-to-size carbon tubes; this way, they are able to turn around ideas within 3 weeks and ride them on the trail.
Chainstays grow by just 5mm, now 440mm across the size range, permitting clearance for a 27.5″ x 2.6″ DHR II WT. The engineers at Canyon tell us they did consider taking the proportional approach to chainstay length, altering the rear-centre length in proportion to the front-center using their “Frankenstein” test mule, but concluded there was no tangible performance advantage to be gained; they credited that to the bike’s low center of gravity. The bottom bracket is a touch lower, now dropping 19mm from the rear axle.
The 2022 Spectral:ON is updated with a carbon swingarm bridged at the chainstays and seatstays for the desired lateral stiffness
Canyon chopped 20mm off the seat tubes on the new model, allowing riders to run those longer travel dropper seat posts, leaving them with more clearance to throw shapes in the cockpit. Seat tube angle is stated at 76.5°, two degrees steeper than the previous iteration.
Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency.
The 2022 Spectral:ON gets a very similar suspension kinematic to its predecessor, though Canyon tells us they have tweaked the anti-squat figure somewhat, reducing it for improved climbing traction. The leverage curve of this eMTB is said to be suited to the spring curve of an air shock only. Canyon recommend riders resist the urge to swap it out for a coil shock as the forces transmitted to a shock via the clevis mount shock extensions and rocker can be too much for the smaller diameter damper shafts used in coil shocks.
Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency.
Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency.
The Spectral:ON CFR LTD cockpit is a rather neat and tidy affair thanks to the integrated handlebar-stem combo and the custom Acros headset that sits atop the oversized headtube, allowing cables and hoses to entire the frame via the headset. The bar has a 50mm reach. The small frame runs a 760mm wide bar while the M-XL frames get a 780mm bar.
Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency.
The Acros headset uses a drag seal around the outer perimeter to prevent dirt ingress, and there are 12 sealed plugs that allow it t be customized to each rider’s individual setup. If you have a SRAM AXS dropper seat post, for example, you don’t need a port on the non-driveside; you can replace the port for a blank insert.
In eMTB terms, there aren’t too many wires to worry about on the new Spectral:ON. The wire running from the Shimano display unit also enters the frame at the Acros headset, leaving very little bare wire to get snagged on something during a crash.
Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency.
A second wire can be seen exiting the non-driveside chainstay where it tracks to the speed sensor near the dropouts.The third and final wire connecting the motor to the battery is tucked away underneath the motor’s protective cover.
To position that 900Wh battery (or 720Wh) inside the downtube in a weight distribution-friendly manner, Canyon has taken a similar approach to what Norco did with the Sight, Range and Fluid VLT eMTBs. Tilting the Shimano EP8 motor up at a 30° angle has allowed them to slot the battery in front of the motor so it actually extends right down to the lowest point of the downtube.
At the Winter Bike Connection event, the Canyon team were armed with a 2022 Spectral:ON frame with cut-outs at key locations to showcase its important design features. Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency.
The folks at Canyon may resent me making that comparison, because they’ve gone more than a few extra miles with their engineering in this department, at least. Their proprietary batteries get a vertical cell-arrangement, as opposed to a train orientation, that gives them a thinner profile than they would otherwise have. The innovative arrangement of cells allow for a thinner downtube, maintaining good ground clearance to keep rock strikes to a minimum.
That’s not all. The new battery design also allowed Canyon to make a lighter front triangle; here’s why. The previous Spectral:ON ran an off-the-shelf Shimano battery, requiring the positioning of a charging port on the seat tube, itself necessitating a port at that location that needed to be reinforced with additional material.
Credit: Rupert Fowler – Bike Connection Agency.
Canyon’s new batteries are charged directly, removing the need for the seat tube charging port, and thus the extra material. This played a big part in allowing them to make a medium CFR frame weighing just 2,880g; that’s 800g lighter than the previous model.
Cable routing is internal with carbon fibre guides running throughout the front and rear triangles for ease of cable and hose replacement
The lower link is well-protected, with a neat mud-flap extending from the back of the seat tube over the small gap between it and the chainstay bridge, well-placed to prevent stones getting stuck in this otherwise vulnerable part of the frame.
15 mm thru-axles at both the main pivot and seatstay pivot increase the frame’s torsional stiffness
We did wonder why Canyon hadn’t bothered to make the protector a couple of millimetres wider to cover the bearing. They deemed that unnecessary as this main pivot bearing, as well as the Horst-Link bearing, features an additional brass-backed seal to further prevent water ingress to the ball bearings. They reckon this additional seal makes it safe to pressure wash the bike, even.
The new Spectral:ON’s motor and battery area is protected by a 4mm thick bash guard made of fiberglass-reinforced Nylon
The engineers at Canyon were able to give us a peek under the hood, so to speak, to get up close and personal with the Spectral:ON’s anatomy. The battery is removable for charging on or off the bike, accessible via the motor’s protective fiberglass panel.
The production version of the downtube/motor region protector features a silicone seal to prevent water ingress. Canyon fine-tune the amount of fiberglass in the downtube protector to keep it from being too brittle. It is replaceable if cracked.
The battery itself is secured via two bolts for redundancy; note the magnets on the underside of the protective casing for keeping the bolts safe when removing or installing the battery.
The battery then slides right out so you can charge it off the bike if you so wish
Exactly which of the five Canyon Spectral:ON models are available depend on whether you are based in the US or elsewhere. Canyon USA will offer three Spectral:ON models for 2022:
Canyon USA will have Spectral:ON CF models in stock come late spring and should have CFR models in the Fall of 2022. In the US, customers aren’t able to choose which battery to run; all M-XL CFR and CF 8 models in the USA will have 900 Wh batteries (small frames only fit 720 Wh batteries due to the shorter downtube length). All entry-level CF 7 bikes will be fitted with a 720Wh battery. Canyon USA will also offer a limited number of 900 Wh batteries as a limited-availability upgrade.
The pricing listed above pertains to the M-XL frames which will run 900 Wh batteries (CFR and CF 8). The Small bikes come in at $350 cheaper as they run a 720 Wh battery.
The 2022 Canyon Spectral:ON CF 8 in Green Vastness, available in the US with a 900 Wh battery only
Pricing for the 2022 Canyon Spectral:ON starts at $5,999 USD for the Spectral:ON CF 7 (not pictured); in the US, this one is only available with a 720 Wh battery. It is built up with a RockShox Lyrik Select Fork, Super Deluxe Select shock and Shimano XT 12 speed drivetrain.
The CF 8 (not pictured here) rocks a Fox 36 Rythm fork with GRIP damper, DPS Performance Shock and Shimano XT 12 speed drivetrain.
The 2022 Canyon Spectral:ON CF 8 is also available in the Stealth colorway
The CF 9 (not pictured) tops the CF range; we’re awaiting pricing info on this one. It boasts a Fox 36 Performance Elite fork, Float X Performance Shock and a SRAM XX1 AXS 12 speed electronic-shifting drivetrain. A more complete list of specs can be found below.
There are two models running the CFR frame, the most expensive one of which is the CFR LTD (shown throughout this article), the retail price of which is 11,299 €. This one is all-singing all-dancing, decked out with a RockShox Lyrik Ultimate Flight Attendant Fork, Super Deluxe Ultimate Flight Attendant Shock, SRAM XX1 AXS Eagle 12 speed drivetrain, DT SWISS HXC 1501 carbon wheelset, Canyon’s integrated carbon cockpit and a RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post.
The final model is the one we tested at the Mountain Bike Connection Winter Event; the Spectral:ON CFR rocking Fox Factory suspension, a Shimano XTR 12 speed drivetrain, Fox Transfer dropper post and Reynolds TRE309 carbon wheelset.
All five models of the Spectral:ON will be available outside of the US with the option to choose between the 720 Wh and 900 Wh battery. The CFR LTD and CFR models with the 900Wh battery only (to begin with) are available now. Come the month of May, the 720Wh option will be available too, as will all three of the CF models. Head to the Canyon website for a more complete list of specs and pricing in your region.
Jessie-May Morgan is the UK & Ireland Tech Editor of Bikerumor. She has been writing about Mountain Bike Riding and Racing, and all the technology that comes along with it for 3 years. Prior to that, she was an Intern at the Mountain Bike Center of Scotland, and a Mountain Bike Coach and Leader in the Tweed Valley, and prior to that, a Biological Research Scientist at the University of Edinburgh. Based in Innerleithen, Scotland, Jessie-May can regularly be seen riding the Tweed Valley’s Enduro and Downhill Tracks, often with a race plate tied to the handlebar.
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Norco Range and Sight VLT have already been selling a similar bike for years now. Also the Norco size small is a true size small, yet the Canyon small size is really a somewhat shorter medium size for standover. Reviews fail to report on this.
Ya, Norco does have the Sight VLT2 with a 720 Wh battery priced at $7900 with a low end spec, Sram SX drivetrain and SLX brakes. The Canyon Spectral CF 7 with a 720 Wh battery is $5999 with XT components…
You’re right, Jose. A 420mm seat tube is long for a small frame (125mm dropper). I rode the small at the Winter Bike Connection event – read the review here. I’m 5ft 4″, and had no issue with clearance when rolling down steep rocky features or cornering. I think the 165mm cranks do give a bit more clearance in the standing descending position as they allow you to stand that little bit taller.
what does this mean if I’m ordering the CF 8 that should include the 900Wh battery already?
‘Canyon USA will also offer a limited number of 900 Wh batteries as a limited-availability upgrade.’
“all M-XL CFR and CF 8 models in the USA will have 900 Wh batteries” – yes, that is correct, unless you order a small which will have a 720 Wh battery. The 900 Wh batteries will be an optional upgrade for customers buying the CF 7 which comes with a 720 Wh only.
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