The photos of our two duelists resemble a search picture in which you are supposed to expose the faults. It may be a little exaggerated - product designers may forgive me this provocative formulation - but at a quick glance, the only difference is the colour. The frame design with four-link rear triangle, where the seat stays lead straight into the shock, the bulbous down tubes that offer space for a 600-millilitre bottle deep under the shock or the storage compartments under the bottle cage with an opening of almost the same size - everything is confusingly similar. Even the rocker arms of the rear triangle are at the same angle and are almost exactly the same length. With so much similarity, you really wonder who could have copied from the other or whether the similarities are actually based on the optimisation of the respective frame platform, which simply tolerates little leeway?
During the development phase of the new Spectral, Canyon engineers also experimented with single-pivot or VPP rear triangles. However, weight, function and maintenance ultimately led to the classic four-link design. With suspension travel of 150 millimetres at the fork and 140 millimetres at the rear - or 145 millimetres for YT - both bikes are positioned in the middle of the all-mountain category. The absence of a 160 mm fork and the slight reduction in travel at the rear compared to the predecessor Spectral now clearly differentiate the Canyon from the enduro segment.
Where are the differences hidden?
With a price of 4999 euros each, both carbon fullys cost exactly the same. A look at the equipment reveals - who would have thought - that they also have a lot in common. Both bikes are suspended with Rockshox Lyrik and Superdeluxe suspension elements in the Ultimate version. Due to the same rear suspension system with very similar kinematics, we were even able to ride both bikes with identical shock pressures. Both bikes are shifted with Sram's GX AXS Transmission, and both bikes are braked with Code RSC brakes with 200 brake discs on the front and rear wheels. Only the wheels and the front tyres - which have the same rubber compound - differ. With so many similarities, it is hardly surprising that the overall weights of the two rivals are also very close together. At 15.15 kilos ready to ride, the Canyon weighs 450 grams less than the YT. Canyon saves around 200 grams on the wheels and a further 250 grams on the frame. This means that neither bike is really light.
A look at the geometry measured in the BIKE test lab also reveals great similarities, as long as you compare size M with size L, as with our test bikes. Canyon uses a different sizing than YT and, with size M, is aimed at riders between 1.75 and 1.83 metres. Under these conditions, the modern geometries only differ by a few millimetres. The biggest differences are in the head angle and standover height. At 63.7 degrees, the new Spectral is around one degree slacker than the YT in the flat setting of the flip chip and offers a standover height that is four centimetres lower thanks to the more steeply sloping top tube.
As you would expect, there is also a lot in common on the trail. The riding position is balanced on both bikes, with plenty of pressure on the front wheel. Both all-mountain bikes climb steep sections with confidence and generate very good traction. Even under chain tension, the suspension works actively and absorbs the finer details. The picture is the same when pedalling uphill: with the shock open, the rear suspension pumps only slightly and makes reaching for the easily accessible platforms a challenge. A tie on the climbs.
How the two perform in the practical test
But if you want to impress as a modern all-mountain bike, you need downhill potential. And both Canyon and YT have plenty of it. Thanks to the slack steering angles and long wheelbases, the bikes can handle a lot of speed and impress with their smooth ride. On both bikes, you are comfortably integrated into the bike, which conveys a high degree of safety. On the first part of our test track with paved berms and predominantly firm ground, the two duelists ride extremely similarly. Especially when you compensate for the slightly higher rise of the handlebars on the YT with more spacers on the Canyon cockpit. The suspension also does a great job, responding finely and offering an equal ability to absorb rough sections. However, due to the slacker head angle and the slightly longer wheelbase, the Canyon feels a little smoother and the YT a little more lively.
As the test track progresses with loose gravel and open corners, the differences in handling become more apparent. However, the reason for this lies less in the nuances of the geometry characteristics than in the inconspicuous black slider in the top tube of the Spectral: the bike comes as standard with the Steering assistant K.I.S. (Keep it Staple)which has a greater or lesser influence on the steering behaviour depending on the spring preload setting. In order to allow K.I.S. newcomers a smooth start, Canyon has reduced the preload slightly compared to the limited first model. In the soft setting, the supportive straightening of the handlebars is only minimally noticeable. At maximum preload, however, the system stabilises the bike noticeably, especially in loose gravel and fast sections. Here, the YT feels noticeably more nervous in direct comparison without the K.I.S. If you still can't get used to the steering assistant after a period of familiarisation, you have the option of removing the system completely and closing the top tube with a cover. This gives Spectral customers all the options at their fingertips.
Canyon Spectral CF 9.0
Equipment
- Frame material: Carbon
- Fork: Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate
- Shock: Rockshox Superdeluxe Ultimate
- Gear system: Sram GX AXS Transmission, 1x12
- Gear ratio / bandwidth: 32; 10-52 / 520 %
- Brakes: Sram Code RSC200/200 mm
- Telescopic support/stroke: Canyon G5 / 200 mm
- Wheels: DT Swiss XM 1700
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHR II Exo/Exo+ Maxxterra 29 x 2.4
- Suspension travel: 150/140 mm
- Wheel size: 29"
- Price: 4999 Euro
Measured values
- Total weight 14.8 kg (without pedals)
- Weight of wheels 5263 g
- Acceleration of running wheels 4288 kg x cm²
BIKE grade 2.0
Driving behaviour (65 %): 1.70
Laboratory (10 %): 3.50
Equipment (25 %): 2.04
YT Jeffsy Core 4
Equipment
- Frame material: Carbon
- Fork: Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate
- Shock: Rockshox Superdeluxe Ultimate
- Gear system: Sram GX AXS Transmission, 1x12
- Gear ratio / bandwidth: 32; 10-52 / 520 %
- Brakes: Sram Code RSC 200/200 mm
- dropper post/stroke: YT Postman V2 / 170 mm
- Wheels: Crankbrothers Synthesis E29
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR II Exo+ Maxxterra 29 x 2.5/2.4
- Suspension travel: 150/145 mm
- Wheel size: 29"
- Price: 4999 Euro
Measured values
- Total weight 15.25 kg (without pedals)
- Weight of wheels 5442 g
- Acceleration wheels 4374kg x cm²
BIKE grade 2.1
Driving behaviour (65%): 1.67
Laboratory (10 %): 3.65
Equipment (25 %): 2.77
Conclusion: Peter Nilges, BIKE Test Manager
The Canyon versus YT duel is extremely close at a high level, as the bikes are very similar in many areas. In the end, details such as A.I.S. and a higher user and service friendliness (which is reflected in the equipment score) decide a wafer-thin victory for the Canyon.
