Canyon has released the lightest e-MTB its ever produced. The new Spectral:ONfly combines a TQ HPR50 motor with an e-MTB chassis capable of enduro-level riding, creating what could be its best e-MTB yet.
This isn't Canyon's first lightweight electric mountain bike; it released the Neuron:ONfly earlier this year, which is equipped with a Bosch SX motor. The latest Spectral:ON is Canyon's first bike with a TQ motor – a system that saves considerable weight compared to most leading e-MTB motors. Despite offering more travel and tougher enduro-proof Category 4E strength, the Spectral:ONfly is significantly lighter than the 19.1kg Neuron equivalent, coming in at a claimed 18.1 kg in its lightest configuration.
More than low-weight numbers make the Spectral:ONfly stand out: burly specs, aggressive geometry, and Canyon's K.I.S technology across all four models.
The Spectral:ONfly 8, Spectral:ONfly 9, Spectral:ONfly CLLCTV, and Spectral:ONfly LTD will be available worldwide except for the US, which will just get the Spectral:ONfly CF 8 and the Spectral:ONfly CF CLLCTV model for now. Sizing goes from XS to XL, while pricing is competitive and starts at €5,599 / £5,199 / €5,599 for the CF 8 model and tops out at €8,999 / £8,349 for the CF LTD.
Canyon Spectral:ONfly frame and geometry
The Spectral:ONfly frame follows a similar format to the analog Spectral and Spectral:ON, equipped with 160mm front and 150mm rear suspension, mullet wheel setup, and Category 4E frame.
Geometry is similar too with a capable 65-degree head angle, 76.5-degree seat angle, and 440mm chainstay across all sizes. Reach has been increased by around 10mm across all sizes and the bottom bracket has been lifted by 5mm.
Canyon offer the Spectral:ONfly in four sizes: S, M, L, and XL. Those sizes accommodate riders from 166 cm (5’4”) to 200 cm (6’5”) tall.
There are no flip-chips to change geometry or alter the characteristics of Canyon's Triple Phase, four-bar rear suspension which is said to "smooth over small trail chatter, poppy and efficient thanks to its supportive mid stroke, and bottomless-feeling on the biggest hits."
One significant feature of the Spectral:ONfly is that all models will come equipped with Canyon's K.I.S 2.0 steering system. This is similar to the system first seen on bikes like the Canyon Spectral CF 7 K.I.S and stabilizes handling by recentering the wheel when riding through rough terrain which is claimed to offer predictable handling, filtering out front wheel deflections, and lowering rider fatigue.
The system is adjustable and all bikes will ship with a blanking plate, should riders prefer to hit the trails without K.I.S.
This is Canyon's first TQ-equipped e-bike. The HPR50 is a compact motor that offers up to 50 Nm of torque and 300 W of power. While this output is less than that of lightweight motors from Bosch and Fazua, TQ's HPR50 motor weighs just 1.85 kg and should give the Spectral a more natural riding feel.
The motor is paired with a 360 Wh battery, which can be boosted by up to 44 percent with TQ’s 160 Wh range extender. Battery range is hard to predict due to various influencing factors; however, Canyon claims it's possible to pedal up to 1,000 meters of elevation gain (based on an 85 kg rider, using 65% mid and 35% eco mode) per charge.
Battery life and other metrics can be monitored via a display in the top tube, and the TQ system can be paired with the TQ smartphone app to tune power settings.
The combo of a compact motor and small battery means the Spectral:ONfly has a very svelte frame shape that's almost indistinguishable from the unpowered Spectral.
Our take...
While it could be easy to write off the Canyon Spectral:ONfly as yet another sub-20kg eMTB in a sea of lightweight eMTBs. Not only could this be the best lightweight e-MTB that Canyon makes, but the specs and features like K.I.S mean the Spectral:ONfly stands out amongst the competition.
The Spectral:ONfly is claimed to weigh between 18.1kg and 19.5kg depending on which build you choose, it's not enough to better something like Scott's Voltage eRIDE 900 SL which is claimed to weigh just 17.9kg. That said, lower in the range, the Spectral:ONfly CF 8 is lighter, cheaper, and better specced than the equivalent Scott Voltage eRIDE 920.
For further comparison, Trek's eXE with 150mm/140mm of travel is said to weigh 17.47kg, and Mondraker's extremely expensive NEAT RR SL with 160mm/150mm at 17.9 kg, both of which use the same TQ motor. YT's Decoy SN MX Core 2 comes in at 20.4kg and the Trek Slash+ 9.7 SLX/XT is said to weigh 20.38kg, although these are designed to be full-on 170mm enduro bikes. For an idea of how it compares to Bosch SX powered bikes, the Whyte E-Lyte 150 RSX comes in at 18.9kg and Haibike Lyke SE at 18.5kg.
Canyon Spectral:ONfly release, pricing and spec
Canyon kicks things off with the Spectral:ONfly 8 that's priced at €5,599 / £5,199 / $5,999 and equipped with RockShox suspension, Shimano drivetrain and SunRingle wheelset. The Spectral:ONfly 9 gets Fox suspension and upgrades to an XT groupset and DT Swiss wheels. The Spectral:ONfly CLLCTV is the burliest build with Fox 38 forks, rather than Fox 36, SRAM GX Eagle Transmission wireless drivetrain, SRAM Code Silver Stealth brakes, and DT Swiss HX1700 LS wheelset. Finally, there is the Spectral:ONfly CF LTD with Fox Factory suspension, SRAM XX Eagle, SRAM Code Ultimate Stealth, and Reynolds Blacklabel Expert wheels.
All markets outside of the United States will be able to choose from all of the Spectral:ONfly CF models from September 12th. Canyon USA will offer a smaller product line, both the Spectral:ONfly CF 8 and CF CLLCTV models will be available for consumers in the States, beginning the first week of October.
- Motor: TQ HPR 50 (300 W, 50 Nm)
- Battery options: TQ HPR V01 Battery (360 Wh )
- Fork: Fox 36 Factory, 160mm
- Shock: FOX Float X Factory
- Drivetrain: SRAM XX Eagle Transmission, 12-speed
- Brakes: SRAM Code Ultimate Stealth (200/200 mm)
- Wheels: Reynolds Blacklabel Expert
- Tires: F: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 Maxxterra, EXO, R: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 Maxxterra, EXO+
- Seatpost: Canyon G5 Dropper
- Cockpit: Canyon ON AL HB0057, 35 mm clamp (760 mm S, 780 mm M-XL)
- Colors: Dark Matter (P04)
- Bike weight: 18.3kg
- Sizes: S –XL
- Price: €8,999 / £8,349
Canyon Spectral:ONfly CFR LTD
- Motor: TQ HPR 50 (300 W, 50 Nm)
- Battery options: TQ HPR V01 Battery (360 Wh )
- Fork: Fox 38 Performance Elite (160 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float X Performance
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission, 12-speed
- Brakes: SRAM Code Silver Stealth (200/200 mm)
- Wheels: DT Swiss HX1700 LS
- Tires: F: Maxxis Assegai 2.5 Maxxterra, EXO, R: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 Maxxterra, EXO+
- Seatpost: Canyon G5 Dropper
- Cockpit: Canyon ON AL HB0057, 35 mm clamp (760 mm S, 780 mm M-XL)
- Colors: Stadtwald Sunset (P03)
- Bike weight: 19.5kg
- Sizes: S –XL
- Price: €7,299 / $7,499 / £6,799
Canyon Spectral:ON CLLCTV
- Motor: TQ HPR 50 (300 W, 50 Nm)
- Battery options: TQ HPR V01 Battery (360 Wh )
- Fork: Fox 36 Performance, 160mm
- Shock: FOX DPS Performance
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore XT, 12-speed
- Brakes: Shimano Deore XT (203/203 mm)
- Wheels: DT Swiss H1900 LS
- Tires: F: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 Maxxterra, EXO, R: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 Maxxterra, EXO+
- Seatpost: Canyon G5 Dropper
- Cockpit: Canyon ON AL HB0057, 35 mm clamp (760 mm S, 780 mm M-XL)
- Colors: Stealth (P01), Barely Olive (P02)
- Bike weight: 18.8kg
- Sizes: S –XL
- Price: €6,299 / £5,849
Canyon Spectral:ONfly 9
Canyon Spectral:ON CF 8
- Motor: TQ HPR 50 (300 W, 50 Nm)
- Battery options: TQ HPR V01 Battery (360 Wh )
- Fork: RockShox Lyrik Select, 160mm
- Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select+
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore, 12-speed
- Brakes: SRAM Code R
- Wheels: Sunringle Trail Expert 329/327
- Tires: F: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 Maxxterra, EXO, R: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 Maxxterra, EXO+
- Seatpost: Canyon G5 Dropper
- Cockpit: Canyon ON AL HB0057, 35 mm clamp (760 mm S, 780 mm M-XL)
- Colors: Stealth (P01), Barely Olive (P02)
- Bike weight: 18.9kg
- Sizes: S –XL
- Price: €5,599 / $5,999 / £5,199
