The looks from my workshop colleagues became more reproachful month after month. The reason: the lack of maintenance on my Canyon Torque:ON endurance test bike. During the test period of one and a half years, I clocked up over 7000 kilometres on the speedometer - a distance as far as from Frankfurt to Islamabad in Pakistan. This included many Commuting kilometres through snow, mud and rain. Plus lots of trail rides on bumpy paths in the Black Forest and many a trip to the bike park.
The lack of care was due to my sense of duty. Because I take my job as a tester seriously and wanted to know: How quickly do the drive components wear out under extreme conditions? How do suspension elements react to a lack of care? How dangerous are dirt and salt bombardment in the long term?
I deliberately chose the Canyon Torque:ON because I'm familiar with its non-motorised counterpart and appreciate the playful geometry and plush qualities of the suspension. With its super short 430 mm chainstays, the bike fulfils my personal preferences - I come from freeriding, love manuals, tight turns and like to push myself off the edges. I'm happy to accept the disadvantages on the climbs.
Although there is only a small battery in the down tube, the 24kg total weight of the Torque:ON is within reason. This is because the equipment is very potent for the area of use: the 9.0 model features the expensive Fox Factory suspension and squeezes a lot of travel out of the front and rear (180/175 mm). The geometry is flat and low, the wheels are small.
The battery has been cut back to achieve a lower centre of gravity and a weight saving (approx. 600 g). The 504 Wh battery prefers to be ridden in Eco mode, which already pushes sufficiently by default. The "turbo" faction won't get too far with the small battery (cost of an extra battery: 700 euros). The tried-and-tested Shimano EP8 didn't make any noise throughout the entire ride, but the nervous, loud whirring was annoying on the climbs.
The key finding, however, was that the Canyon Torque:ON's equipment held up. Brakes, dropper post, drivetrain, suspension elements - the signs of wear are limited even after this mileage. Worn down tyre treads and a few changed brake pads - that goes without saying. Some axial play in the dropper post - that's not surprising either. Surprisingly, however: no chain breakage, no tooth failure on sprockets or chainring.
Special praise goes to the robust wheels from DT Swiss: the H 1700 couldn't be brought to its knees even by rough cornering. In the end, the Torque:ON got too much for me. When I pressed the ON switch, nothing worked any more. As it turned out later, a connection between the switch-on button and the engine had come loose. My workshop colleagues, on the other hand, said: The bike simply wanted a workshop service.
Conclusion from Laurin Lehner, tester:
The Canyon Torque:ON 9.0 is a potent e-mountainbike with a lot of comfort on the descents and top durability. On tame trails, the bike feels too big calibre, but with an active riding style, it still has enough playfulness.
Technical data and rating Canyon Torque:On 9
- Suspension travel: 180 mm/175 mm
- Frame size: Medium
- Reach / Stack: 460 mm / 625 mm
- Weight: 24 kilos (without pedals)
- Price: 5999 Euro
PLUS
- Chassis
- Handling
- Robust equipment
MINUS
- 504 Wh battery only
- Loud motor
Laurin Lehner
Editor
