Canyon Spectral:ON CF 8 Electric Mountain Bike: Beginner-Friendly, Under $5K | WIRED
$4,499 at Canyon
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Rating:8/10
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WIRED
Unbeatable value for full carbon build. Large 800-Wh battery delivers excellent range. Fun, engaging, and accessible ride.
TIRED
Heavy to push. Hard to maneuver on technical terrain. EP801 motor no longer the new kid in town. Direct sales model won’t suit everyone.
It has not been an easy couple of years for Canyon. In late 2024, the German direct-to-consumer brand issued a stop-use and recall notice for its highly regarded Spectral:ON electric mountain bike. Some batteries developed cracks in the casing, and there were concerns that water ingress could short-circuit safety systems and pose a fire risk. The problem left bikes unusable for months while the company worked out a fix, and it cost Canyon a small fortune in replacements and refunds.
But the good news for fans of great-value carbon-framed electric mountain bikes is, the Canyon Spectral:ON is finally back, with a new 800-Wh integrated battery. Geared towards mountain bikers looking to do a bit of everything well—rather than just being a descent monster, for instance—this full-power trail-riding machine clocks in at 54.5 pounds and boasts 85 Nm of torque.
In terms of specifications, it’s not a million miles away from the $15,000 Specialized S-Works Levo 4, which is remarkable given the $10,000 difference. That’s ten thousand dollars. Price isn’t everything, though, and there are plenty of great electric mountain bikes that cost similar, or even less. How does the new Class 1 Canyon Spectral:On CF 8 stack up against the competition, how has the brand managed to cut costs so hard, and most importantly, how does it ride?
Motor, Power, and Battery
Photograph: Chris Haslam
Canyon is using Shimano’s EP801 5.7-pound mid-drive e-MTB drive unit motor here, which delivers 85 Nm of torque and 600 watts of peak power. It was first introduced in 2022 as an upgrade to the EP8, which, in Electric Bike Time, feels like ages ago.
In truth, the Shimano motor is starting to look a little undercooked. Bosch’s Performance Line CX (Gen 5/CX-R) pushes torque up to around 100 Nm and peak power to 750 watts, while Specialized’s Turbo Full Power 3.2 motor peaks at 850 watts, with an impressive 111 Nm of torque. At the top end, DJI’s Avinox motor shifts the category entirely, with up to 120 Nm and 1,000-watt peak power.
Peak numbers only tell part of the story, though, and the Shimano EP801 remains a lightweight and hugely capable motor with a smooth, natural feel over a wide range of pedaling cadences. Even in Boost mode, the power feels controlled. That makes it an excellent choice for beginner or timid riders, who won’t be thrown off by a surge of power.
Courtesy of Canyon
Feeding the motor is Canyon’s new, now-safe 800-Wh aluminum-housed battery. It replaces previous 720- and 900-Wh options, and it has faster charging (from around 0 to 80 percent in two hours) and improved durability with an IP57 rating. It weighs around 10 pounds, 4 ounces, which is around 5 ounces lighter than the previous 900-Wh design.
Canyon estimated up to 53 miles of range or 6,230 feet of climbing on a single charge. On a two-hour full-pelt tear through undulating forest, the battery indicator dropped two of five bars. (And yes, irritatingly, the accompanying Shimano SC-EM800 color display doesn’t offer any more precise battery data than that. At least it's bright and easy to read.)
But it’s the position, rather than the capacity of the new battery that has the biggest impact here. Canyon has mounted the battery low and horizontally within the down tube, rather than vertically. This not only gives it a svelte appearance—especially in the soon-to-be-launched Barely Olive colorway—but by dropping the center of gravity, the company has tweaked how the bike behaves when you lean it over or load it up through a turn. At 54.5 pounds it is still a heavy bike, but it carries that weight in a way that makes it surprisingly easy to manage once pedaling.
The Non-Electric Bits
Photograph: Chris Haslam
Given the price, it’s easy to forget this bike has a full carbon frame. It has a mullet wheel setup, with a 29-inch front wheel and a 27.5-inch rear wheel that makes the bike nice and responsive and easier to maneuver on descents. Add in the low battery position and you’ve got a nicely planted feel, especially at speed.
The Shimano XT/SLX drivetrain and brakes are popular across the eMTB market. You’re not getting the very lightest tech, but they are reliable workhorses. Suspension comes from a FOX 38 Rhythm fork and Float X shock, which, like the drivetrain and brakes, are classy performers. There’s 160 millimeters of travel up front and 155 mm at the rear, which gives good support for rough, technical descents, while remaining efficient on longer rides and over mixed terrain.
Also included here is Canyon’s in-house iridium dropper