Canyon Spectral endurance test: Cockpit customisation - the Spectral gets 50 mm rise
Max Fuchs
· 02.09.2025
The Canyon Spectral CF 9 has been with me since January 2025 - a € 4999 all-mountain with 150/140 mm travel, 29-inch wheels and a live weight of 14.9 kilos. Based on the facts, it seems to be made for long days on tough trails. Size M fits me like a favourite T-shirt: not too long, not too short - ready to rumble. Does the carbon chassis just look smart or does it also pack a punch? Will 140 millimetres of travel be enough? And will the components hold up when the trail gets out of hand? I've sunk the bike into the dirt, tortured it on climbs and thrashed it through corners. It's slowly starting to talk - and I'm listening closely and reporting back here in the endurance test log.
Update from 07.08.2025: More rise and volume spacer
The geometry of the Canyon Spectral is clearly on the progressive side. The reach in size M (475 mm) is extremely long - comparable to what other brands only offer from size L upwards. On the saddle, this felt right at first. But the more I rode it off-road, the more often I asked myself the same question: why does the bike feel so unbalanced when standing up?
My guess: the ratio of reach to stack. At 630 millimetres, the stack is only moderate. Combined with the long front centre, this results in a noticeably front-heavy riding position. This increasingly bothered me, especially on steep descents - the long reach felt like it was pulling me forwards, causing my arms to tire more quickly and making the bike harder to control.
For a more even weight distribution, I put all the spacers under the stem early on - in the hope of being more upright and centred on the bike. By the way: Canyon pro and all-round talent Braydon Bringhurst seems to have the same problem with his Spectral. If you look closely (see picture above), you will recognise a massive spacer tower under his stem. Unlike him, however, my steerer tube is unfortunately not long enough to get me into my desired position on the bike.
So I swapped the original Canyon handlebars with 30 millimetres of rise for a Race Face Era with 55 millimetres. And lo and behold: I'm finally centred on the bike even on steep descents - more behind the handlebars instead of hanging over them. The bike now feels much more playful and can be manoeuvred precisely even on steep terrain. The more upright position saves me energy - and I have noticeably more "suspension travel" in my arms. Perfect!
The facts about the Canyon Spectral CF 9
| Feature | Specification |
| In the test since: | January 2025 |
| Category: | All Mountain |
| Price: | 4,999 Euro |
| Spring travel: | 150 mm front / 140 mm rear |
| Wheel size: | 29 inch |
| Weight: | 14.9 kg |
| Frame size: | M |
| kilometres up to date: | 850 |
| Current depth metres: | 32500 |
402 km / 14,100 metres in altitude: The first impression
To be honest, the CF 9 was already feeling the effects of my "tinkering skills" before the first trail. The in-house Canyon grips were too thin for me, the handlebars too wide, the tyres weren't tubeless and the saddle didn't suit my taste either. But no big deal. These are all components that I have modified or shortened on every new bike so far. The only thing that really bothered me was the brake hose on the front wheel, which was far too long. In this price category, I would have liked not to have to get my hands oily before the first ride.
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The total weight also made me wonder. Almost 15 kilos and then only 140 millimetres of travel at the rear? My aluminium Enduro is almost lighter, I thought at first. But now that no longer bothers me. Because weight or not, the Spectral climbs excellently. The riding position is convincing in all situations. Whether it's technical key sections or long gravel climbs - you can easily scramble up any ramp on this bike. Downhill, I love the lively handling. The suspension also feels much more potent than the nominal suspension travel would suggest. The only sticking point so far: The steep seat angle positions me very front-heavy on the bike. This makes it easier to control on technical climbs, but there is too much pressure on the hands on the flat. I will try to counteract this with a higher handlebar. I also need to play around with the flip-chip and the K.I.S. system.
702 km / 24,000 metres: The rear wheel is causing trouble
When I opened my bike park season on the Geisskopf, my rear wheel (DT Swiss XM1700) felt unusually spongy. Back home, I went straight to my trusted bike shop and measured the spoke tension with a tensiometer. And lo and behold: on the brake side, the tension of some spokes was zero. On the drive side, the tension was also mostly below the target value. I have now re-centred the wheel and am curious to see how long it will last this time.
850 km / 32,500 metres: The Sram brakes have to go!
In the meantime, I have bled the brake system (Sram Code RSC) on my Canyon twice and mobilised the pistons several times. The result: the pressure point is still too soft overall and it still wanders on the rear brake. In addition, the brake levers move back with a delay, which means there is no counter-pressure on the finger. I am also familiar with this so-called slow-lever syndrome from other Sram brakes. Out of frustration, I have now decided to fit my old Trickstuff Direttissima - which has been working perfectly for four years.
Max Fuchs
Editor
