Editorial assessment
With the Roadlite:On V2X, Canyon is showcasing a production-ready concept for a fully connected bike. Sleekly integrated and visually unobtrusive, this concept bike demonstrates that, from a technical perspective, we have long been ready to integrate active safety features into e-bikes as well. So far, however, this has been held back by the limited adoption of the V2X system in cars and infrastructure. The bike will therefore remain a concept for the time being, and it is not yet known what the actual additional cost of V2X would be. This, too, will ultimately determine whether the technology can become mainstream.
A turning point in the history of the bicycle? The Roadlite:On, which has just been launched The V2X is the first production-ready e-bike to be integrated into the automotive industry’s V2X ecosystem. The promise: significantly greater road safety for cyclists and improved traffic flow, right through to green waves for cyclists.
V2X: The invisible protective shield
Vehicle-to-Everything – V2X for short – is far more than just another connectivity feature. The technology is set to usher in a paradigm shift in road safety: moving away from passive safety measures towards active, proactive accident prevention through communication between vehicles.
Essentially, V2X enables direct, low-latency communication between all road users and the infrastructure in real time – without having to rely on mobile networks or cloud services. Unlike camera-based driver assistance systems, which rely on visual contact, V2X works even around corners, through buildings and in poor visibility conditions.
In practical terms, this means that a V2X-enabled vehicle continuously transmits messages containing its position, speed, direction of travel and acceleration. At the same time, it receives signals from other road users. Intelligent algorithms analyse these data streams and can thus detect critical situations before they become apparent to the human senses – for example, when a vehicle is approaching at high speed at a blind junction.
The technical implementation: small, light, precise
Canyon collaborated with nfiniity, the developer of the V2X Nano Board, and Vector, the provider of the “CANoe.Car2x” test software, on the implementation – relying on automotive-grade components that comply with the same standards as the systems in the car.
The V2X Nano Board is mounted on the down tube and communicates with the V2X/GPS antenna in the head tube. It is based on the Canyon Roadlite:On, a carbon e-bike with a compact single-speed belt drive and a Bosch hub motor (as reported by BIKE). A clever solution: the Bosch e-bike battery continues to power the V2X system even when the charge level is no longer sufficient for motor assistance – a safety feature that ensures visibility on the road does not end when motor assistance stops.
How V2X works in practice
Warning to motorists: The Roadlite:ON V2X continuously transmits its position and movement data. This enables V2X-enabled vehicles to detect the bicycle even before it comes into the driver’s or the sensors’ field of view. The vehicle’s display alerts the driver to the presence of the bicycle – information that can be particularly crucial when turning, at junctions or when overtaking.
Warning to cyclists: If a V2X-enabled vehicle approaches, the cyclist is warned by a haptic vibration in the handlebar grip and visual notifications on connected smart devices (smartphone, smartwatch or cycle computer). The system can distinguish between a vehicle simply being nearby and a situation where a critical incident is actually imminent.
Infrastructure and communications: The bike communicates with compatible infrastructure – systems of this kind are currently being trialled in Germany and the Netherlands. Possible scenarios include ‘green waves’ for cyclists, warnings about hazardous spots, information on road conditions, or adaptive traffic light timing.
The V2X system is supplemented by a radar system that informs other road users of the cyclist’s intentions and warns them if they are too close, as well as by a dynamic brake light.
The chicken-and-egg problem: critical mass as a prerequisite
As impressive as the technical implementation is, the limitations are equally clear: V2X will only realise its full potential once a critical mass of equipped vehicles and infrastructure has been reached. At present, very few cars are fitted with the system – not to mention V2X-enabled bicycles.
This is also where the strategic dilemma lies: as long as only a small number of bicycles or other infrastructure are equipped with V2X, there is little incentive for car manufacturers to prioritise use cases that specifically protect cyclists. And as long as only a small number of cars use V2X, the added value for cyclists is limited.
Canyon is aware of this issue and is deliberately positioning the Roadlite:ON V2X at Eurobike 2026 as a ready-to-ride concept bike and an “invitation to the industry”. “We want to inspire other brands to implement V2X,” said Dr Casas Melo. “The more bicycle and car manufacturers incorporate the technology, the safer our roads can become.”
Background: An increasing number of cyclists are being killed in road accidents
The statistics underscore the urgency of the issue: whilst the number of car occupants killed in road traffic accidents in Germany has fallen by 35 per cent over the last ten years, the number of cyclists killed has risen by 20 per cent over the same period. This gap between ever-safer cars and cyclists who are increasingly at risk is the result of an asymmetrical technological development: modern vehicles are equipped with airbags, crumple zones, stability control and, increasingly, active driver assistance systems. Cyclists, on the other hand, benefit from these developments only indirectly.
Unresolved issues: costs, standards, data protection
Canyon has not yet provided any details regarding the price of the Roadlite:ON V2X – the concept bike is being presented at Eurobike as “ready for series production”, but no launch date has been announced. The issue of data protection should not be overlooked either: V2X systems continuously transmit location data. Although this data is anonymised and processed only locally, the continuous transmission of movement profiles inherently carries tracking risks that need to be addressed.
The Canyon Roadlite:ON V2X will be on display at Eurobike 2026, taking place from 24 to 27 June in Frankfurt, in Hall 11.0, Stand B50, and in the outdoor area F12, Stand B52.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
