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Bike Perfect

Lifestyle

Richard Owen

Canyon boost the Spectral:ON e-MTB with extra travel, a new motor and more

Shimano RockShox SRAM DT Fox Swiss

Canyon's excellent Spectral:ON range was given a redesign and a new frame last year to make it one of the best electric mountain bikes around. The Spectral:ON squeezes in between the Strive:ON e-enduro charger and the more everyday trail-orientated Neuron:ON. For 2023, the highly capable yet relatively lively e-MTB has been given a couple of key updates across all five models in the range which look like making them even more of a riot to ride.

The bikes in the range are upgraded to a 160mm fork except for the CFR LTD which stays at 150mm (Image credit: Roo Fowler / Canyon)

The biggest upgrade to most of the bikes is a switch to a 160mm suspension fork from 150mm on the 2022 models. However, the RockShox Flight Attendant equipped and top of the line Spectral:ON CFR LTD model is sticking with a 150mm fork, which Canyon say was "a choice based on the characteristics of the fork with the Flight Attendant features."

The increased travel across the rest of the range not only means enhanced hit absorbing capabilities for the front end, but the longer fork also changes the bike's geometry. Canyon say the extra fork travel slackens the front end by 0.5 degrees to 65 degrees which should help to make the bike more stable. This will also slightly affect the wheelbase length and bottom bracket height. Canyon hasn't supplied new numbers here, but we wouldn't expect these changes to make any noticeable difference to ride feel – particularly given the low BB height of 340mm on the 2022 models. Mixed wheel mullet setups (29in front and 27.5in rear) continue across the range as do full carbon frames.

Every bike in the range now runs Shimano's new lighter, quieter and more powerful EP801 motor (Image credit: Roo Fowler / Canyon)

The other significant change comes in the form of the bike's motor. The Shimano STEPS EP8 gets an update to the EP801 – a second-gen incarnation which enables peak power to reach 600 watts (up from 500w on the original). The new motor is claimed to be 300g lighter than the previous version and weighs in at 2.7kg. The EP801 is also said to be quieter and has improved heat management for more consistent performance on long climbs. The STEPS EP801 motor will feature on all the bikes across the range as will options for a 720Wh or a 900Wh battery.

Check out the CFR LTD's one-piece bar/stem and the space disco paint (Image credit: Roo Fowler / Canyon)

Topping the Spectral:ON tree is the CFR LTD model which comes with all the latest SRAM MTB tech, including hangerless XX AXS Eagle Transmission, RockShox Flight Attendant auto-adjusting suspension and wireless AXS shifting. It comes in one color only, but it's a stunning looking black to silver-gray sparkled fade that Canyon are calling Deep Space.

Alongside the new Spectra:ON, Canyon has released a new app that acts as a setup and maintenance information hub, the app will also be able to track your Spectral:ON with GPS should it go missing.

The updated models all sport fancy new paint jobs and Stealth (aka black) options will be available over the CF builds. They are all fully compatible with the new setup and maintenance Canyon App which is released today.

2023 Canyon Spectral:ON release, pricing and spec

Pricing for the 2023 Spectral:ON range starts at £4,799 / €4,999 for the CF 7 model with a 720Wh battery and maxes out at £11,799 / €12,399 for the flagship Spectral:ON CFR LTD with a 900 Wh battery. We'll update this article with full pricing, including US, as soon as we can.

Four of the five 2023 Spectral:ON models are available to buy from Canyon today, while the CF 9 version is late to the party and will be released on June 13.