If Hollywood had written a screenplay for the new Canyon Exceed it would probably have sounded like this: A few days before the big showdown of the year, the World Marathon Championships, co-favourite Alban Lakata receives his first prototype. All "top secret", of course. He tests, tinkers and dares to experiment with new material on the starting line. Lakata fights, suffers and achieves the almost impossible. In his first race with the carbon racer, the Austrian wins the world championship title at his first attempt. In a shower of confetti, Lakata carries his winning bike across the finish line in tears - a dramatic staging that happened exactly like this in Val Gardena/Gröden in June 2015.
The Exceed CF replaces the well-deserved Grand Canyon CF from Koblenz, which raced successfully for years with the Topeak-Ergon marathon team and was also a regular contender for victory in our tests - in both aluminium and carbon. So why the Exceed? Because its predecessor is getting on in years and the competition such as BMC, Focus and Cube have pulled ahead. Canyon claims a feather-light 870 grams for the Exceed CF frame. Small tube cross-sections, slimmed-down junctions and high-quality carbon fibres save almost 300 grams compared to its predecessor. Our scales stopped at 992 grams, but we traditionally measure with thru-axle and seat quick release (103 grams together). The top bikes from the hardtail test from BIKE 12/2015 leaves the Exceed behind.
Stiff and direct when setting off, flexing and comfortable when you're sitting in the saddle rumbling over root carpets: the Exceed masters this balancing act between stiffness and comfort with ease. The handling of the 9.19-kilogram carbon racer with its slightly slacker steering angle suits it extremely well. The direct steering on the tidy cockpit reacts amicably and forgives the occasional riding error that can creep in when racing with a pulse of 180. As befits a true racer, the Exceed craves speed. The new carbon wheels from DT (3561 grams complete) ensure the forward thrust. The steep seat angle allows the Exceed to climb through steep ramps like a chamois through high mountains. But be careful: If you put on the Lycra skin, you risk burning thighs and a taste of blood in your mouth. Because the Exceed tempts you to speed, whether with a race number on the handlebars or a Strava KOM in the back of your head. If you want to take on long marathons and stage races on the Exceed, you may reach your limits with the 1x11 gearing. However, unlike many other manufacturers, Canyon also offers its top-of-the-range hardtail with various 2x variants. The wheels offer further tuning potential. By converting to tubeless, a few more grams can be teased out. Taking lightweight construction to the extreme, the Exceed can even break the 8-kilo mark - as Canyon shows with the LTD version.
The alternative: Identical frame, same comfort and stiffness values: The Exceed CF SLX 9.9 Race costs 1200 euros less than the Pro version. However, the racing genes are the same. The scales should stop at 400 grams more. A Sram X01 shifts the eleven gears and DT Swiss XR 1501 wheels spin around the thru axles.
Test summary of the Canyon Exceed CF
"Due to the new BIKE test system, the Exceed cannot be compared 1:1 with the top hardtails from BIKE 12/15. However, its impressive measurements alone would have put it in contention for the test victory. The featherweight frame is one of the absolute spearheads without compromising on stiffness. Due to the high level of comfort, it would be my first choice for stage races and tough one-day marathons with a double drivetrain." (Stefan Loibl, BIKE test editor)
