After 3 years with my 2018 Spectral, the lower shock mount helicoil unthreaded itself during routine maintenance. I simply needed a new aluminum seatstay, a bolt-on part. They said they didn't have spares, and I had to ship the entire bike in for "crash replacement evaluation". Shipping destination was 30 miles from my house, so I said I could easily drop it off. They said no, I had to pack it, box it, and ship it. Canyon can blow me.
That sucks, I hear good things about pivot and their warranty, too bad they are crazy expensive. I head about another one too can't remember now though
Thank you Jeff for reviewing the canyon as a bike, not focusing on all the little gimmicks, and actually telling us how the bike truly rides! Too many reviewer's see canyons little gimmicks like KIS and focus their whole review around that instead of actually talking about how the bike rides!
Thanks for notice that Spencer! Your comment made my morning! It's a great bike- despite Canyon's best efforts to include all the bologna. It's a 19 minute video, and a whopping 3 minutes are dedicated to KIS.
Great review as usual! KIS system seems nice for all the times I'm not riding the bike. Like loading and unloading from the car rack, in the work stand or just moving it from the garage to the basement. Keep that front wheel from flopping around. But, turn it off when riding.
I really liked the knock block on the Rocky Mountain Altitude- and a few other bikes. That was something I thought would be silly, but its nice on teh slack bikes.
I own a 2021 Spectral 29 so previous gen, overforked it to 170mm with a Zeb and I have overstroked it to 65mm of rear shock stroke to give me 163mm of travel (as seen on Jesse Melameds Spectral in Tasmania last year). Its pretty spot on for me, does everything from local trails to bikepark. But I'm glad to see the Spectral going back to its trail bike roots with this new one, although maybe a bit less versatile than the previous gen. And the frame storage, no headset tourism (lol) and mullet compatibility are cool additions!
@@teamrders3145 170 fork wasn't a bad idea but to be fair going from 160 to 170 didn't make as much of a difference as going from 36mm stanchions to 38mm. Overstroking : hard to tell if it's worth it because I also changed to a completely different brand of shock whilst doing it so I guess it could be coil Vs air that felt better. I don't think I ride anything more gnarly now Vs before. If you want to upgrade suspension sure, get the travel boost, won't do any harm. But if you want to upgrade for more travel, I don't think it's worth the money.
Thanks Jeff, sums up about what I thought of the KIS system to a tee. As for Canyon bikes, my friend Cliff has two, and older Spectral and their Strive...saying that, he rides his Trek Fuel EXe most of the time now as it is his newest bike. He had their Torque emtb but the frame cracked (that's basically how he got the Strive) they were really good about working with him I might add. Your review sums up my overall thoughts perfectly, but then again, you know what I ride. 😉 Cheers!
It rode well! I had a great time on it, even though I'm a bit between sizes. Glad to hear your bud had a good warranty experience! The dual link suspension is better, but I do think suspension in general isn't as key as good geo. I prefer my Ripmo as well, but the Spectral is solid!
Had a 2020 spectral, cracks developed in the frame in its third year. Canyon warranty however was fantastic, supplying a new frame for free, not including postage cost. Yes the creaking issues are common with a lower pivot bearing. A small shim can be installed to allow for adequate torque to be applied, otherwise frequently checking tightness and regreasing generally sorts the issue.
Nice to see you testing a European direct to consumer brand like Canyon, I do have a 2022 Neuron and I love it. Looking maybe to sell that one and get a Spectral and a hard tail Exceed on the next Xmas. I would like to see you testing a Commencal as I have seen a lot of reviews on that one
Right on jordo! Spectral is fun, Ripmo AF is great too. I prefer the Ripmo Carbon over all them. I wish the Ripmo AF was as torsionally stiff as the Spectral, but the suspension and sizing is better on the Ripmo (for me). cheers!
So Canyon finally decided after the previous EWS to fully differentiate the Spectral from the Strive with the shorter travel. I own a 2023 160/150 Spectral 29, and somehow I don't mind buying it a full 6 months before the update.
I own a 2022 Spectral 29 (the 150/160 version) and I am extremly happy with the choice. Durability wise I also had some squeeking somewher in the linkage but solved it by greasing around every bearing in the linkage and putting it back toghether. Something that I really hate are those stock somewhat oval spacers, that seem to not be working with other stems than the canyon one. Obviously I do not have the KIS and totally agree that it is not needed. So in the future I would love to see canyon going back to normal round spacers, topcap and stem.
Thanks Jeff, always love your vids, and you are very translucent about pros and cons. I've been using the Ibis Ripmo AF as a reference point, but was drawn to this due to it's lower price and lighter weight. I'm a bit concerned about durability and even QC with DTC brands though. I sometimes liken them to the way Amazon does biz, sell you on little features more than overall performance and long term reliability. I certainly don't feel I'd get the latter with a 6 yr vs lifetime frame warranty. I'm also looking at the YT Jeffsy, which many say climbs well, but it has only a 5 yr frame warranty. As far as your saying it lacked square edge bump compliance, I'm wondering if that has anything to do with the damping tune they have the Super Deluxe setup with. Guy Kesteven rode the CF 7 model that comes with the Fox X Performance. He said his fellow test riders got the higher up model with the Super Deluxe, and NONE of them liked the damping on it. Guy on the other hand said his was using all it's travel, even without big drops, and he even had to put the next largest volume reducer in it. He said then it climbed with little to no bob (seated no doubt), without compromising sensitivity. Design doesn't matter much if your bike craps out on you though, and 6 yrs isn't much. In fact they actually call it a 2 yr warranty, with a 6 yr guarantee that piggy backs onto it. That sounds a lot like legal mumbo jumbo to dodge frame replacements to me. As much as I've seen a few people complain about the Cane Creek 40 headset Ibis uses creaking, I was pretty put off by Canyon's use of the Acros, which just uses as far as I know bearings pressed into the head tube, with mere glass fiber reinforced plastic bits relegated to loading it, not cool. I'm sure that's why some say they loosen up.🙄
internal cable routing. go from the head tube. i just did it on my spectral. easy as. no kinks, went straight through with no resistance. bike is awesome.
Great video as always! Do you have some thoughts on how the Spectral compares to the Kona Process 134? At least on paper they seem to have some similarities in the geo (mainly the short rear end), but how does the steeper head tube angle of the Kona compare on the trails?
I had Canyon Spectral 29 CF8 and currently ride a 2023 Strive CFR. Both are fantastic bikes and the Strive is the most capable I've ever ridden and suits my riding style perfectly (most days). Both have been/were 100% reliable with 0 issues. I really loved the Spectral as an all around bike and was more fun that the Strive on more boring trails and still can shred more difficult stuff without giving up much to the Strive. I think this new updated Spectral is very compelling though, I am looking to pick up a 130/140 rear travel bike at the end of this year like a Santa Cruz 5010, Forbidden druid V2, Yeti SB140 LR or maybe this new Spectral depending on sales at the time and build kit options. I am not in the KIS, but thankfully it can be removed, so I will not complain about it as the price points on the bikes are great for what you get.
I plan on having a Spectral as my first nice "real" mtb. Right now I own a Schwinn s29 that I built from the frame up with okay parts, but suffices for my southeast Michigan trails. I would've done the same thing as you with the Sram drivetrain on that Spectral because I honestly don't trust theirs due to all the horror stories I've heard LOL. The bike definitely doesn't need the KIS system or even the Sram axs wireless derailleur, but the downtube storage system would be ideal for those on longer all mountain trips like say, Singletrack Samplers trip to Peru. You could store snacks there or any emergency kits and be ready for anything for the entirety of a long mountain bike ride. Great review.
I’ve never ridden a Canyon and have only ever seen one on the trails, so this was a really cool to see. I’m not a gimmick guy so that spring thingy would probably annoy the heck out of me…but, it would be nice to have when the bike was in the stand.😉 I gotta tell ya, it really looked like that tree limb was going to take your head clean off in that one shot. GoPro effect or spot on timing? Keep em coming 🤙
Drove to Duthie from Bham and forgot my shoes. Went to a local shop and figured I’d try Endura after your endorsements, and I’m absolutely loving them. Happy accident- I’m happier with these than my fiveten’s. Cheers, Jeff!
I have had the same squeaking issue whit my second spectral frame. Spraying some silicone in to the hole behind the bottom bracket solved this. The internal cable routing tubes were rubbing the frame , bottom bracket and each others ( I think they are just too thing in there) and the silicone keeps it silent you just need to do it again and a gain. I did try some Vaseline but it juts pick up all the dirt in to the frame.
I try to do most of my own wrenching on my bikes so the KIS seems like one more thing to worry about regardless of any benefits or downsides with ride quality. I prefer KISS (keep it simple stupid) with most things in life. Buddy picked up the 2023 Spectral and absolutely loves it for WA riding. Nice looking bike too.
also the first time for a review of a bike that is actually "locally available" here. Besides Orbea bikes maybe- those are also relatively common around here.
I am currently riding the 2022 Spectral AL 6. Love the price / performance ratio when I purchased it back in Dec 2021. There wasn't anything by other brands that had similiar offering to what Canyon was selling at that time which was the main reason I got the bike. The geometry and ride feel was much better compared to my Polygon. It is a lot of fun with the Spectral. Very comfortable on the descends and quite alright on the climbs. My problems with the bike started when I got to maintenance. The bearings on the frame are somewhat hard to pull out and some almost seized onto the frame. Also, the flanged, extended race bearings which not are only expensive, are hard to come by at my local bike stores. Creaking sounds on the Spectral is quite a common issue apparently and sorting it out took me weeks of trial and error until I just gave up and kept on riding. While the online purchase only business model seems convenient, getting spare parts can get quite expensive due to the flat shipping cost. For me, it was $99 to ship a $10 part to my country. So for those considering to purchase a Canyon bike, I would highly recommend ordering the spare parts (linkage hardware, frame bearings, frame guards..etc) altogether when purchasing the new bike to save on the shipping costs.
@j9ui3sz8u I wish I was. I apologise if I wasnt clear in my earlier comment. The $99 is the flat rate shipping cost to my country. So if you include the cost of the part $10, plus shipping $99, its $109 total. Yikes.
With so many high pivot bikes released, now even in trail category like optic or sight. Would love to know your take on a high pivot trail/enduro bike.
Have you ever heard of Esker? I have the Elkat and it’s a 27.5 enduro/trail bike. I love it and it has been the perfect bike for me. I’m looking to get a new one but I have no idea what all the numbers like reach and wheelbase mean. I also have not ridden many different bikes so I have limited knowledge. If you know anything about them what are some similar bikes to the Elkat? (I’m looking for a jumpy, playful enduro/trail bike) Thanks
I'm looking for a middle quiver bike at the moment and this would be on my list except for the KIS system!? To be fair I haven't ridden it but I'm pretty sure I'd have a similar opinion of it as you. I know I can remove it but I don't see the point in paying for it and having an extra hole in my top-tube for something I don't plan to use. If they did a non-KIS version of the frame I'd seriously consider it.
As a German living 10 min away from Koblenz - their headquater - i loved to see a differentiated review from you Jeff- no rubbing them canyons balls ... Yes the canyon an the spectral has is weakness but 8 years ago the bike lead my way into mountainbiking in a affordable away. Today i will not buy there bikes again. Better ask #hambini or better "long lives the hairdressers"
This bike looks a LOT like a Polygon T series. I wonder how much different the ride is. I've been riding a Polygon T7 for 2 years and absolutely love it. This Spectral is the first bike I've seen since that makes me want to sell the Polygon. But I won't because I'm going to buy a Strive:On this summer and probably wont even touch a normal MTB enough to warrant spending money on another one. 🤣
Canyon bikes need to be checked over every bolt when they get delivered. My BB had very little grease and wasn't threaded in all the way. I think they rush them out too fast. The lack of LBS show room floor tune shows.
Canyon has really done a lot for the european mtb community in terms of price / performance. You used to have rather little choice for budget oriented full suspension bikes and companies are catching up.
i think that a 77* STA and 65* HTA would have been better. A steeper STA would improve climbing and a steeper HTA would reduce wheel flop. I'm OK with the shorter 140mm rear travel but I think that the bike should come with a 160mm fork. If you already have the heavier larger stanchions of a 150mm fork, you might as well go ahead and get that extra 10mm of travel.
I disagree. Having ridden this bike for nearly a month, I really appreciated the balance of the 76 and 64 angles. 76 climbs technical stuff much better than a 77. I have absolutely zero issues with "wheel flop" on a bike this small, yet it corners nicely with that slack angle.
JEFF!!!!!!!!!!😳😳😳 I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, I ALWAYS HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT SUSPENSION…….. seemingly wanting to keep bottoming out for those rare big hits or mistakes!!!! However 😢 watching pros ( and you 😉) it seems like y’all come real close to bottoming out pretty often on the trail. I can’t help but wonder if there is a strong disconnect between what people say your suspension should be set up and how they actually do it. Kinda like the scooping pedals thing you did a video on. Love you, thanks if you answer -Gage.
Thanks for your honesty about the s****d KIS system. As a fellow motorcycle rider you know this is not how a steering damper works, and would be dangerous on a motorcycle.
I rode the medium, it's too big and wouldn't be fun. The small is definitely a bit small, but manageable. I find that I like ~455-465mm reaches. The small Spectral is 450, the medium is 475.
I have a 2022 Canyon Neuron, I love it. Great value for the $$. Call Canyon, they have amazing customer service, you can switch your bike for a different one within 30 days.
I wish you’d just reviewed a medium like usual. It feels like your decision to downsize may have dominated your ride impressions; short, small, catching your knees, etc.
tbh the clickbair title stuff makes me not want to click lol. which is a shame because theres an honest review of KIS and the bike. also love the wheels spokes.
Views doubled when I changed the title from “2024 Canyon Spectral Ride Review” to this nonsense. Clickbait is mandatory these days, it’s sad. I’m not very good at it, either.
Man...I've never vehemently disagreed with something you said than when you said the downtube storage is gimmicky. Probably because you always go backpack? and setting up the sleeve is a bit of a pain at the start to review a bike? When you have 2-3 bikes and you can just grab your bike, a bottle and go....bliss. No hip pack, just ride. It's as necessary for me for new bikes as a dropper at this point.
I’m a bit confused by this review- why not remove the steering system instead of focusing on it for most of the review? Could have also tested the bike with a 160 fork
After 3 years with my 2018 Spectral, the lower shock mount helicoil unthreaded itself during routine maintenance. I simply needed a new aluminum seatstay, a bolt-on part. They said they didn't have spares, and I had to ship the entire bike in for "crash replacement evaluation". Shipping destination was 30 miles from my house, so I said I could easily drop it off. They said no, I had to pack it, box it, and ship it. Canyon can blow me.
My friend was telling me horror stories about them not honoring the warranty. I will never buy a Canyon
LBS!
Tell us how you really feel!
That’s the rub. Outstanding value or outstanding warranty.
I just went from a Polygon to a Specialized for this reason.
That sucks, I hear good things about pivot and their warranty, too bad they are crazy expensive. I head about another one too can't remember now though
Thank you Jeff for reviewing the canyon as a bike, not focusing on all the little gimmicks, and actually telling us how the bike truly rides! Too many reviewer's see canyons little gimmicks like KIS and focus their whole review around that instead of actually talking about how the bike rides!
Thanks for notice that Spencer! Your comment made my morning! It's a great bike- despite Canyon's best efforts to include all the bologna. It's a 19 minute video, and a whopping 3 minutes are dedicated to KIS.
Great review as usual! KIS system seems nice for all the times I'm not riding the bike. Like loading and unloading from the car rack, in the work stand or just moving it from the garage to the basement. Keep that front wheel from flopping around. But, turn it off when riding.
I really liked the knock block on the Rocky Mountain Altitude- and a few other bikes. That was something I thought would be silly, but its nice on teh slack bikes.
Another great video. Love your filming and bike reviews. That coral film was a bleak landscape of death though
Another awesome video Jeff! I'd love to see you ride and review the new generations of Trek Fuel and Slash.
Thanks Mike- that may happen!
I do appreciate your honest assessment of the bike Jeff.
I just got the CF7 and I’m impressed for the price point. Good all around.
Congrats on your new bike! Enjoy!
I own a 2021 Spectral 29 so previous gen, overforked it to 170mm with a Zeb and I have overstroked it to 65mm of rear shock stroke to give me 163mm of travel (as seen on Jesse Melameds Spectral in Tasmania last year). Its pretty spot on for me, does everything from local trails to bikepark. But I'm glad to see the Spectral going back to its trail bike roots with this new one, although maybe a bit less versatile than the previous gen. And the frame storage, no headset tourism (lol) and mullet compatibility are cool additions!
Thanks for watching! I had no idea a bigger/custom Spectral was a thing, thanks for the info! I'll have to ask Jesse about that if I see him around.
Is it worth it to overfork and overstroke it ? I have a Spectral from 2022 and I was wondering if it would be a good idea to make it more capable
@@teamrders3145 170 fork wasn't a bad idea but to be fair going from 160 to 170 didn't make as much of a difference as going from 36mm stanchions to 38mm. Overstroking : hard to tell if it's worth it because I also changed to a completely different brand of shock whilst doing it so I guess it could be coil Vs air that felt better. I don't think I ride anything more gnarly now Vs before. If you want to upgrade suspension sure, get the travel boost, won't do any harm. But if you want to upgrade for more travel, I don't think it's worth the money.
Can’t you just remove the spacers from the stock shock. Mine has a fox 60mm stock. I believe it has two 2.5mm spacers
th-cam.com/video/XCqEiPQhyRs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=762zX8KtqeCvGlM9
Thanks Jeff, sums up about what I thought of the KIS system to a tee. As for Canyon bikes, my friend Cliff has two, and older Spectral and their Strive...saying that, he rides his Trek Fuel EXe most of the time now as it is his newest bike. He had their Torque emtb but the frame cracked (that's basically how he got the Strive) they were really good about working with him I might add. Your review sums up my overall thoughts perfectly, but then again, you know what I ride. 😉 Cheers!
It rode well! I had a great time on it, even though I'm a bit between sizes. Glad to hear your bud had a good warranty experience! The dual link suspension is better, but I do think suspension in general isn't as key as good geo. I prefer my Ripmo as well, but the Spectral is solid!
Braydon and Jeff, two of my favorite riders, in the same movie = instant like. :)
Had a 2020 spectral, cracks developed in the frame in its third year. Canyon warranty however was fantastic, supplying a new frame for free, not including postage cost.
Yes the creaking issues are common with a lower pivot bearing. A small shim can be installed to allow for adequate torque to be applied, otherwise frequently checking tightness and regreasing generally sorts the issue.
Glad to hear you had a positive experience!
Which version did you have, aluminum or carbon?
Nice to see you testing a European direct to consumer brand like Canyon, I do have a 2022 Neuron and I love it. Looking maybe to sell that one and get a Spectral and a hard tail Exceed on the next Xmas.
I would like to see you testing a Commencal as I have seen a lot of reviews on that one
Thanks Carlos! Yeah it would be cool to check out a Commencal, that new Tempo looks awesome!
@@JeffKendallWeedwould love to see a video on the Tempo and or Transition Smuggler.
Great video! Im currently on a Canyon Stoic 4 and was checking out the spectral and the ripmo af.
Right on jordo! Spectral is fun, Ripmo AF is great too. I prefer the Ripmo Carbon over all them. I wish the Ripmo AF was as torsionally stiff as the Spectral, but the suspension and sizing is better on the Ripmo (for me). cheers!
So Canyon finally decided after the previous EWS to fully differentiate the Spectral from the Strive with the shorter travel. I own a 2023 160/150 Spectral 29, and somehow I don't mind buying it a full 6 months before the update.
I own a 2022 Spectral 29 (the 150/160 version) and I am extremly happy with the choice. Durability wise I also had some squeeking somewher in the linkage but solved it by greasing around every bearing in the linkage and putting it back toghether. Something that I really hate are those stock somewhat oval spacers, that seem to not be working with other stems than the canyon one. Obviously I do not have the KIS and totally agree that it is not needed. So in the future I would love to see canyon going back to normal round spacers, topcap and stem.
The headset situation really isn't ideal
Nobody gets me more amped to ride than JKW 👐
Great content, as always!
Gotta love your honesty on the KIS system.
Something that will disappear eventually.
Thanks Jeff, always love your vids, and you are very translucent about pros and cons. I've been using the Ibis Ripmo AF as a reference point, but was drawn to this due to it's lower price and lighter weight. I'm a bit concerned about durability and even QC with DTC brands though. I sometimes liken them to the way Amazon does biz, sell you on little features more than overall performance and long term reliability. I certainly don't feel I'd get the latter with a 6 yr vs lifetime frame warranty. I'm also looking at the YT Jeffsy, which many say climbs well, but it has only a 5 yr frame warranty.
As far as your saying it lacked square edge bump compliance, I'm wondering if that has anything to do with the damping tune they have the Super Deluxe setup with. Guy Kesteven rode the CF 7 model that comes with the Fox X Performance. He said his fellow test riders got the higher up model with the Super Deluxe, and NONE of them liked the damping on it. Guy on the other hand said his was using all it's travel, even without big drops, and he even had to put the next largest volume reducer in it. He said then it climbed with little to no bob (seated no doubt), without compromising sensitivity.
Design doesn't matter much if your bike craps out on you though, and 6 yrs isn't much. In fact they actually call it a 2 yr warranty, with a 6 yr guarantee that piggy backs onto it. That sounds a lot like legal mumbo jumbo to dodge frame replacements to me. As much as I've seen a few people complain about the Cane Creek 40 headset Ibis uses creaking, I was pretty put off by Canyon's use of the Acros, which just uses as far as I know bearings pressed into the head tube, with mere glass fiber reinforced plastic bits relegated to loading it, not cool. I'm sure that's why some say they loosen up.🙄
Thank you for the video Jeff 👍
internal cable routing. go from the head tube. i just did it on my spectral. easy as. no kinks, went straight through with no resistance. bike is awesome.
Great review as per, favourite channel on TH-cam 🤟🏻
Great video as always! Do you have some thoughts on how the Spectral compares to the Kona Process 134? At least on paper they seem to have some similarities in the geo (mainly the short rear end), but how does the steeper head tube angle of the Kona compare on the trails?
Propably more nervous and unnecessarily direct steering
I had Canyon Spectral 29 CF8 and currently ride a 2023 Strive CFR. Both are fantastic bikes and the Strive is the most capable I've ever ridden and suits my riding style perfectly (most days). Both have been/were 100% reliable with 0 issues. I really loved the Spectral as an all around bike and was more fun that the Strive on more boring trails and still can shred more difficult stuff without giving up much to the Strive. I think this new updated Spectral is very compelling though, I am looking to pick up a 130/140 rear travel bike at the end of this year like a Santa Cruz 5010, Forbidden druid V2, Yeti SB140 LR or maybe this new Spectral depending on sales at the time and build kit options. I am not in the KIS, but thankfully it can be removed, so I will not complain about it as the price points on the bikes are great for what you get.
The Spectral sounds better than a Stumpy - SICK! To be fair Raptor pre-runner builders probably want KING suspension ✌️✌️✌️
I plan on having a Spectral as my first nice "real" mtb. Right now I own a Schwinn s29 that I built from the frame up with okay parts, but suffices for my southeast Michigan trails. I would've done the same thing as you with the Sram drivetrain on that Spectral because I honestly don't trust theirs due to all the horror stories I've heard LOL. The bike definitely doesn't need the KIS system or even the Sram axs wireless derailleur, but the downtube storage system would be ideal for those on longer all mountain trips like say, Singletrack Samplers trip to Peru. You could store snacks there or any emergency kits and be ready for anything for the entirety of a long mountain bike ride. Great review.
I’ve never ridden a Canyon and have only ever seen one on the trails, so this was a really cool to see. I’m not a gimmick guy so that spring thingy would probably annoy the heck out of me…but, it would be nice to have when the bike was in the stand.😉 I gotta tell ya, it really looked like that tree limb was going to take your head clean off in that one shot. GoPro effect or spot on timing? Keep em coming 🤙
Thanks for watching Juggernaut! I tried to review the bike for the bike's sake, and not get too distracted by "all the stuff." It rode awesome!
Nice Clip as always. 😜 Love to see you on all the different bikes! Would like to see you on a commencal one day. 👍
Drove to Duthie from Bham and forgot my shoes. Went to a local shop and figured I’d try Endura after your endorsements, and I’m absolutely loving them. Happy accident- I’m happier with these than my fiveten’s. Cheers, Jeff!
I've just ordered a Spectral AL 6 2024.
I'm really looking forward to trying it out😊
Looking also for the AL6. Do you like it and did you already changed anything on it? How are the brakes?
On the website it says 2023 close out of the spectral al 29 5. Do you know is it is going discontinued?
Dang - I need to keep an eye on that 850ml fidlock. My medium 153 is in dire need of a slim water bottle for its triangle!
I have had the same squeaking issue whit my second spectral frame. Spraying some silicone in to the hole behind the bottom bracket solved this. The internal cable routing tubes were rubbing the frame , bottom bracket and each others ( I think they are just too thing in there) and the silicone keeps it silent you just need to do it again and a gain. I did try some Vaseline but it juts pick up all the dirt in to the frame.
I try to do most of my own wrenching on my bikes so the KIS seems like one more thing to worry about regardless of any benefits or downsides with ride quality. I prefer KISS (keep it simple stupid) with most things in life. Buddy picked up the 2023 Spectral and absolutely loves it for WA riding. Nice looking bike too.
I think most of us would just remove the KIS system.
Great video! Please tell me what are the disadvantages of this suspension design?
also the first time for a review of a bike that is actually "locally available" here. Besides Orbea bikes maybe- those are also relatively common around here.
I really want you to try the we are one arrival, and see what you think
When are you gonna do a review of the (Giant Reign Anvanced pro 1)? y like your videos and you are doing a really good job testing all those bikes .
I am currently riding the 2022 Spectral AL 6. Love the price / performance ratio when I purchased it back in Dec 2021. There wasn't anything by other brands that had similiar offering to what Canyon was selling at that time which was the main reason I got the bike. The geometry and ride feel was much better compared to my Polygon. It is a lot of fun with the Spectral. Very comfortable on the descends and quite alright on the climbs. My problems with the bike started when I got to maintenance. The bearings on the frame are somewhat hard to pull out and some almost seized onto the frame. Also, the flanged, extended race bearings which not are only expensive, are hard to come by at my local bike stores. Creaking sounds on the Spectral is quite a common issue apparently and sorting it out took me weeks of trial and error until I just gave up and kept on riding. While the online purchase only business model seems convenient, getting spare parts can get quite expensive due to the flat shipping cost. For me, it was $99 to ship a $10 part to my country. So for those considering to purchase a Canyon bike, I would highly recommend ordering the spare parts (linkage hardware, frame bearings, frame guards..etc) altogether when purchasing the new bike to save on the shipping costs.
Interesting points, Hazmee! Where are you located? Thanks for sharing!
@@JeffKendallWeed I live in sunny island Singapore. 😁
Canyon couldnt cut you a deal on a part you needed to keep riding and charged you $99, I hope you are lying.
@j9ui3sz8u I wish I was. I apologise if I wasnt clear in my earlier comment. The $99 is the flat rate shipping cost to my country. So if you include the cost of the part $10, plus shipping $99, its $109 total. Yikes.
your 'squeek' is the hoses behind BB, happens on every spectral., use some teflon spray lube, fixes it.
What size bike were you on? I’ve heard canyon sizing runs a little bit big ( never mind you did talk about it I just had to keep watching 😅)
With so many high pivot bikes released, now even in trail category like optic or sight. Would love to know your take on a high pivot trail/enduro bike.
Have you ever heard of Esker? I have the Elkat and it’s a 27.5 enduro/trail bike. I love it and it has been the perfect bike for me. I’m looking to get a new one but I have no idea what all the numbers like reach and wheelbase mean. I also have not ridden many different bikes so I have limited knowledge. If you know anything about them what are some similar bikes to the Elkat? (I’m looking for a jumpy, playful enduro/trail bike) Thanks
I'm looking for a middle quiver bike at the moment and this would be on my list except for the KIS system!? To be fair I haven't ridden it but I'm pretty sure I'd have a similar opinion of it as you. I know I can remove it but I don't see the point in paying for it and having an extra hole in my top-tube for something I don't plan to use. If they did a non-KIS version of the frame I'd seriously consider it.
I thought you were already sponsored by Shimano?! Great video😎
Cool to see you try Canyon. Very attractive option for me because of the prices. A crontroversial option though 😅
Thanks Hannes! It was a fun bike!
Is the custom fidlock bottle available now ?
How did it manual compared to Orbea Rise? Which E-bike was easiest to manual of all tested so far? 😏
As a German living 10 min away from Koblenz - their headquater - i loved to see a differentiated review from you Jeff- no rubbing them canyons balls ... Yes the canyon an the spectral has is weakness but 8 years ago the bike lead my way into mountainbiking in a affordable away. Today i will not buy there bikes again. Better ask #hambini or better "long lives the hairdressers"
I know who Hambini is. Has he reamed a Canyon already? Is that your reason not to buy one?
no. canyons vaule is good. i have a cayon lux XC hardtail! it is really a pleasure to ride. @@hannes6114
Where are these tropical shred trails you're riding Jeff?
Had a 2017 Spectral and had a great time with that bike. Gotta be super careful with their new sizing, their bikes are super long now
Glad to hear you had a positive experience!
Hi Jeff! What stem length did you ride here?
I only did a couple rides with the stubby, stock stem. I really liked the feel with the longer (blue) stem- I think it was a 50mm.
This bike looks a LOT like a Polygon T series. I wonder how much different the ride is. I've been riding a Polygon T7 for 2 years and absolutely love it. This Spectral is the first bike I've seen since that makes me want to sell the Polygon. But I won't because I'm going to buy a Strive:On this summer and probably wont even touch a normal MTB enough to warrant spending money on another one. 🤣
Wasn’t expected a canyon review
great review - i get it you can manual. ;-) - love the details and pro's/con's.. thank you
Hi there, love the videos!!
What tire casing did you use and with our withou tyre inserts?
Double Down, Maxx Grip front and rear- Assegai 2.5 front, DHR 2.4 rear. No inserts needed with DD tires for me.
@@JeffKendallWeed thanks you're the best! 👍
Is this one going to be Available in the US? I see it on Canyon site in Canada but not the US.
Not sure if this was shared already, what location is this?
Why does it look so similar to the cheaper Polygon Siskiu T series bikes? Wonder how they compare?
I saw Mike Kazimer at that dinner table!
I just bought the 2023 version of this bike!
Sounds like a great rig!
Canyon bikes need to be checked over every bolt when they get delivered. My BB had very little grease and wasn't threaded in all the way. I think they rush them out too fast. The lack of LBS show room floor tune shows.
Ah I hadn't heard that, thanks for the feedback!
Canyon has really done a lot for the european mtb community in terms of price / performance. You used to have rather little choice for budget oriented full suspension bikes and companies are catching up.
Thanks for the feedback!
New YT Jeffsy tested by Jeff(sy)? Also great riding on the spectral!
That would be fun! Thanks Eh!
Really excellent review, thanks!
where did you get your front fender?
honestly always thought you were sponsored by shimano, i swore you had shimano stickers years ago when I started watching
I think he was until a couple years ago, then was dropped for a year or 2
i think that a 77* STA and 65* HTA would have been better. A steeper STA would improve climbing and a steeper HTA would reduce wheel flop.
I'm OK with the shorter 140mm rear travel but I think that the bike should come with a 160mm fork. If you already have the heavier larger stanchions of a 150mm fork, you might as well go ahead and get that extra 10mm of travel.
I disagree. Having ridden this bike for nearly a month, I really appreciated the balance of the 76 and 64 angles. 76 climbs technical stuff much better than a 77. I have absolutely zero issues with "wheel flop" on a bike this small, yet it corners nicely with that slack angle.
JEFF!!!!!!!!!!😳😳😳
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU,
I ALWAYS HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT SUSPENSION…….. seemingly wanting to keep bottoming out for those rare big hits or mistakes!!!! However 😢 watching pros ( and you 😉) it seems like y’all come real close to bottoming out pretty often on the trail. I can’t help but wonder if there is a strong disconnect between what people say your suspension should be set up and how they actually do it. Kinda like the scooping pedals thing you did a video on. Love you, thanks if you answer
-Gage.
Thanks for your honesty about the s****d KIS system. As a fellow motorcycle rider you know this is not how a steering damper works, and would be dangerous on a motorcycle.
Bardzo dobry film. Polecam...
Video is not always the best way to tell, but it looks small ... I wonder how you might like a medium
I rode the medium, it's too big and wouldn't be fun. The small is definitely a bit small, but manageable. I find that I like ~455-465mm reaches. The small Spectral is 450, the medium is 475.
Video drops the day after I order my 2023. Lol
Could be possible to cancel and order the 2024! Did it already ship out?
Yeah contact Canyon my dude, I'm sure you can switch if you want to.
I'd stick with the 2023 model - much lighter, longer travel, fewer gimmicks.
I have a 2022 Canyon Neuron, I love it. Great value for the $$. Call Canyon, they have amazing customer service, you can switch your bike for a different one within 30 days.
@@carlosvanegas1656Canyon switching it up, huh? I thought they were lacking in that department but maybe I was wrong
I wish you’d just reviewed a medium like usual.
It feels like your decision to downsize may have dominated your ride impressions; short, small, catching your knees, etc.
My Raptor has shocks designed by KYB. Oh wait you were talking trucks, Never mind.😅
LOL I know nothing about ATVs or SXSs!
@@JeffKendallWeed Perhaps we'll have to invite you out to try one sometime for our ATV channel. Love your content. Wish we could manual like you!
tbh the clickbair title stuff makes me not want to click lol. which is a shame because theres an honest review of KIS and the bike. also love the wheels spokes.
Views doubled when I changed the title from “2024 Canyon Spectral Ride Review” to this nonsense. Clickbait is mandatory these days, it’s sad. I’m not very good at it, either.
So don’t use the KIS.. got it
Peacock is not flat(s)!! Iykyk
KAZ!
Grandpa in the wild!
Love your videos but have to admit its weird seeing you in a tropical environment.
Thanks! And yea... my first time ever to this spot! SO MUCH SUNSCREEN LOL!
Man...I've never vehemently disagreed with something you said than when you said the downtube storage is gimmicky. Probably because you always go backpack? and setting up the sleeve is a bit of a pain at the start to review a bike? When you have 2-3 bikes and you can just grab your bike, a bottle and go....bliss. No hip pack, just ride. It's as necessary for me for new bikes as a dropper at this point.
exo+ is plastic compound?
EXO+ is the casing they came with, but they were MaxxTerra, which is a durometer of around 50. Pretty plastic compared to the 40 of MaxxGrip.
2023 spectral. The stock headset bearings suck. They got a little rusty and creaked otherwise it’s been perfect. Acros bearings will fix the creak.
I own a 125 cf9 😂😂 that’s a good bike
Right on Tom!
I used to love canyon but the headset on both canyons I've had have blown and its sucks. Transition and kona guy all the way
Yeah I need to dive into this to see what was going on, but i am pretty catastrophic on headsets. I tend to blow up most.
Sorry.. I love te KIS-System. Beeing an avereage rider..
Beard????? Where did she go???
DJ Matty ICE rip us a set
I’m a bit confused by this review- why not remove the steering system instead of focusing on it for most of the review? Could have also tested the bike with a 160 fork
??? 3 minutes of a 19 minute video is "most of the review?"
KIS = kinda invention sucks
Eh I don't think it sucks, but it hasn't yet found the right home.
can you talk a bit slower on next videos? I can barely absorb what you said.
I spot the new Fox Dropframe Pro!! What’s your thoughts? @JeffKendallWeed