"The E-freerider Torque:ON has been waiting in our test cellar since last winter for its duel opponent: the Commençal Meta Power. Unfortunately, we were repeatedly put off by the direct mail order company from Andorra. So we took the Torque ON for a warm-up ride - it now has 1900 kilometres on the clock. And the Commençal? It still hasn't arrived. WTF!
We use the Torque:ON as a daily shuttle bike to the office - and of course we ride it on the trails at every opportunity, e.g. in Freiburg. Our interim conclusion: you don't need more e-bike than this. Two things we appreciate about the Torque and two things that speak against the e-freerider:
The good news first: 1. The Torque has freeride, lively handling and is one of the very few E-MTBs that is easy to pull onto the rear wheel (430 mm chainstays). 2. The suspension irons out even the roughest descents and even holds its own on downhill trails. Super! Now to the criticism:
We don't like that so much: 1. The Shimano EP8 buzzes too loudly for our taste. It kills the vibe on the climbs. 2. With its 500 watt hours, the battery is too weak and often left us feeling anxious on longer trail rides. Once the battery is empty, the E-freerider pedals like rubber.
Update from tester Laurin Lehner from November 2021:
My mate Dennis' accusation hits me right in my tester soul. After a trail ride in the Black Forest, we discuss what e-bikes should be capable of. Tempers flare, opinions differ, then Dennis unleashes his killer argument on me: "Whether you like a bike depends on whether you can pull it well on the rear wheel anyway." That really hit home. But somehow he's also right. I love manuals. I know the advantage of long chainstays, but I think they come at too high a price. Yes, steep, technical climbs are easier with long chainstays and a steep seat angle. Length works, whether down or up. Some testers like that. They penalise short chainstays because they climb faster on the climbs. They tend to forget that corners with long rear triangles are like turning into the city centre with a long timber truck. My credo: it's better to have a short rear end, and the rider hones the right riding technique for uphills.
But now to the test bike: the Canyon Torque ON manual machine has super-short 430 mm chainstays. It was designed for freeride missions. With a weight of 24 kilos, it is within the limits of the potent equipment. The 9.0 features the expensive Fox Factory suspension and squeezes a massive amount of travel out of the front and rear (180/175 mm). The geometry is flat, low and the wheels are small. Cutbacks were made to the battery for a lower centre of gravity and weight saving (approx. 600 g). The 504 WH battery prefers to be ridden in Eco mode, which is already sufficiently powerful by default. The "turbo" faction won't get too far with the small battery (cost of an extra battery: € 700). The tried-and-tested Shimano EP8 didn't make any noise over the entire ride, but the nervous, loud whirring was annoying on the climbs. Some models with a Brose motor manage this much better.
In addition to its manual characteristics, the Torque does two things better than many other e-mountainbikes:
1. the Fox Factory suspension spoils the rider with comfort and hardly gets rattled even on rough high-speed sections. Together with the YT Decoy, the Torque ON is one of the best E-road bikes I've ridden so far.
2. the equipment held up. Brakes, dropper post, drivetrain. And that despite having ridden 3398 kilometres and all the commuting to the office in snow and mud.
I was most impressed by the robust DT Swiss H 1700 wheels, which I couldn't bring to their knees despite the slamming bends and moshing. In short: Yes, the Torque ON is potent and stable enough for park laps. But of course, gravity pulls more on the 24-kilo bike than on a light organic bike when jumping. With a little familiarisation, however, it comes remarkably close to a park bike. On tame trails, the Torque ON feels too big calibre, but with an active riding style it still has enough playfulness.
CONCLUSION: The Torque ON is a successful e-freerider. It is fast and playful. Great: no defects over the entire test period.
Facts Canyon Torque:ON 9
- Driver Laurin Lehner (1.78 metres)
- Suspension travel: 180 mm/175 mm
- Frame size: Medium
- Reach / Stack: 460 mm / 625 mm
- Weight: 24 kilos (without pedals)
- Price: 5999 €
Laurin Lehner
Editor
