With the convincing test result in BIKE 10/20 it all began. During the test drives, the then still brand new Canyon Exceed CFR made a convincing impression and was at the forefront of the competition for the lightweight 29-inch hardtail crown. And so it was that despite the L-frame - which felt a little too long for my 1.80 metres - I managed to ride 500 kilometres on the Canyon in just four weeks. Long single trail tours and Chiemgau King in gold included. But in the end, the noble hardtail creaked and cracked with every pedal stroke like the wooden staircase in an old building. With our Race track test with race hardtails and marathon fullys in BIKE 3/21 The team version of the Canyon Exceed won the test again and proved that it not only has one of the lightest frames (Exceed CFR frame weight: 922 grams) on the MTB hardtail market, but also offers a lot of comfort and, as a complete package, also convinces racers like Karl Platt and Pirmin Sigel.
Mileage after one season with the Canyon Exceed CFR
- 2861 kilometres
- 56100 vertical metres
Equipment Canyon Exceed CFR Team
- Material: Carbon, size M / 46 cm
- Price / Weight: 5799 Euro / 8.8 kg without pedals
- Suspension travel / gear ratio: 100 mm / 34; 10-51 teeth
- Wheel size: 29 inch
- Suspension fork: Fox 32 Factory SC Fit4 Remote
This time, we tested the luxury mail-order hardtail in size M. Therefore, after the wet and muddy comparison rides, we continued directly with the long-term test. We wanted to know: How does the thin-walled carbon chassis of the Canyon Exceed CFR cope with a long season? And how susceptible is the € 5799 bike to noises and defects without the dedication of professional mechanics?
On long singletrail and gravel tours with the Canyon Exceed
The first rides confirm the impressions of the comparison tests. Even without a tubeless setup, the carbon wheels accelerate wonderfully explosively. The wide 2.35 mm front tyre, the sensitive Fox fork and the leaf spring support make the root carpets of my home circuit in the Hallertau region easier. After around 400 kilometres, the first defect occurs: a wire has blown out the Tubolito tube at the front. The subsequent conversion to tubeless milk is a long-term investment, as I don't have any more flats for the rest of the season. As the temperatures rise in May, so do the hours in the saddle. Whether in a wide arc on trails around Regensburg or on day-long discovery tours from home to Landshut or Augsburg. No climb longer than 150 metres in altitude, but all the more often up and down. Sometimes fast and snappy on gravel or meadow paths, sometimes struggling for traction through deep forest soil. But always with traction on the chain. This is where the strengths of the sporty Canyon Exceed hardtail lie.
The bearings and cables are unimpressed by the wet and muddy spring. Only the seatpost requires a service after the Neumarkt MTB Challenge in the Upper Palatinate. After removing it, you can see how much dirt and sand has worked its way down between its halves. A thorough cleaning, including a fresh load of assembly paste, quickly remedies the situation. Instead of competing in marathons in the summer, the Gravel bike wave. But instead of hanging from the racing handlebars with cramped forearms, I rewind the two Orbit 360 rounds in Bavaria on the Canyon hardtail. The Canyon Exceed CFR really comes into its own on the 165-kilometre-long Alpine Orbit. The gravel tracks through the Karwendel are just as fast as on a gravel bike. However, the steep descent from Eckbauer down to Garmisch, littered with loose ground and wooden planks, as well as the brutal ramp to the Esterbergalm are much more relaxed on the hardtail.
Spared from defects
I was spared any defects during my tours. A new rear tyre and a fresh chain were necessary in autumn. Only the gears have been rattling on three sprockets since the chain change, but that's due to the bent rear derailleur cage. Even a race will follow in September. In an eliminator race, two minutes of explosiveness and sprinting strength are what count. But that's where Mathieu van der Poel's replica bike shines anyway.
We wanted to know: How does the thin-walled carbon chassis cope with a long season? Find out in the test from BIKE 12/2021, which you can download as a PDF below the article. The test report costs 1.99 euros.
Why not free of charge? Because quality journalism has a price. In return, we guarantee independence and objectivity. This applies in particular to the tests in BIKE. We don't pay for them, but the opposite is the case: we charge for them, namely tens of thousands of euros every year.
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