Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 Spec Review 2024
Jan 23, 2024
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Canyon, the German manufacturer that pioneered consumer-direct bike sales, has introduced its updated Spectral:ON CF 7 eMTB for 2024. The Spectral:ON CF 7 is considered a “trail” eMTB, which is to say it has less travel than an enduro model, such as the Canyon Torque:ON. In our spec review of the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 we will look at what makes this a trail model as well as what sort of value it represents.
Of the many categories of e-bike, eMTBs can run the most expensive (and good ones rarely go for less than $4000). There’s fierce competition in the $4000-$6000 price range, and the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 sits right in the middle of that range. Part of the appeal of Canyon is they cut out the markup that a retailer would add, which can save consumers 20-30 percent, which in this case can mean $1000 or more.
In mountain biking the trail category runs from roughly 115mm of travel in the rear, up to about 135mm. Forks run from 120mm up to 145mm in travel. With eMTBs, though, due to their greater weight thanks to the motor and battery, travel tends to run more like 140-160mm in the rear and 140-170mm in the fork.
The Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 sits well within this range as well, with 150mm of travel in the rear and 160mm of travel in the fork. This is a go-anywhere, drop off most things eMTB.
Let’s take a deeper look at the Spectral:ON CF 7.
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Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 Spec Review: Bike Overview
In broad strokes, the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 begins with a carbon fiber frame with 150mm of travel and a 160mm-travel fork. Providing the muscle is a Shimano EP8 mid-drive motor. As is the trend with eMTBs currently, the Spectral:ON CF 7 uses a “mullet” wheel selection, with a 29-in. wheel front and 27.5-in. wheel rear. In 2023 Canyon began sourcing their own batteries so that they could better optimize their placement in the frame to optimize the eMTB’s center of gravity.
The component selection is a bit of a surprise as it mixes Shimano and SRAM components. Component makers have often prevented such mixing by forcing product managers to spec the whole of a group of parts, rather than just the brakes or drivetrain. In this case, Canyon went with a Shimano drivetrain and SRAM brakes.
Total e-bike weight comes to 51.3 lbs. (23.3kg). Considering the motor, battery size and the fact that the components exist at the value end of the eMTB performance spectrum, that’s a very respectable weight.
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Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 Review: Specs & Features
Frame and fork
The Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 frame features full carbon fiber construction with the battery positioned internally in front of the motor. The RockShox Deluxe Select R shock delivers 150mm of travel.
The one notable change between the 2023 Spectral:ON CF 7 and the 2024 model is that the RockShox Lyrik Select fork was upgraded to the RockShox Lyrik Base fork, boosting travel from 150mm to 160mm, which should give this eMTB both a bit more sensitivity over small bumps and a greater ability to absorb bigger hits.
The Spectral:ON CF 7 comes in four sizes: small, medium, large and XL. Their sizing guidance goes:
- Small: 5 feet 9 or shorter
- Medium: 5 feet 9 to 6 feet
- Large: 6 feet to 6 feet 4
- XL: 6 feet 4 and taller
This new edition of the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 includes a new feature: GPS tracking. Not only can riders use the GPS to track their riding, it will send an alarm if the e-bike is tampered with and the new Canyon smartphone app offers additional features. And even if the battery is completely depleted, the GPS has a separate battery that will keep it active.
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Motor and battery
Of the various mid-drive motors being spec’d on eMTBs, the Shimano EP8 is one of the most popular out there. The EP8 is a 250W motor that provides 85Nm of torque and up to 400 percent assistance. When combined with a wide-range drivetrain, there is little a rider can’t climb.
The battery gives riders 720Wh of riding, which should be good for at least three hours of mountainous riding, even in Boost mode.
Canyon’s charger pushes 4A and is reported to fully charge the 720Wh battery in four hours.
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Componentry
Canyon produces a line of components specific to their eMTBs, Canyon:ON. The alloy bar is 780mm wide and rises 30mm to give the rider excellent steering leverage as well as make it easier to lift the front wheel.
The Canyon:ON stem is a bit shorter than we typically see in eMTBs: 45mm instead of 50mm. You can tell that this is an eMTB meant to take some hits thanks to the 35mm bar and clamp diameters.
Canyon’s Iridium dropper post gives riders a chance to get the saddle out of the way for steep descents. A Fi:zi’k Terra Aidon XR saddle sits atop it.
In the photos of the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 they show it with Shimano Deore XT clipless pedals; those are not the pedals that come with this eMTB. It comes with a set of flats for those who don’t want to be attached to their e-bike.
Drivetrain, brakes and wheels
Canyon chose a Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain for the Spectral:ON CF 7. They pair a 34t chainring with the Deore 10-51t cassette for a 510 percent gear range. This eMTB can climb any trail it encounters.
Rather than go with Shimano disc brakes, Canyon chose SRAM’s DB8 hydraulic disc brake. This brake is based on their pricier Code brake, but is designed to be more maintenance free. As is appropriate with a 51-lb. eMTB, the brakes were paired with 203mm rotors for excellent stopping power and modulation.
The wheels use Sun Ringlé wheels with aluminum rims and thru-axles. A Maxxis 29 x 2.5-in. Assegai tire is mounted on the front, while a 27.5 x 2.6-in. Maxxis Minion DHR is mounted in the rear.
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EBR’s Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 First Look Review:
So how good is the Spectral:ON CF 7? There’s no question that this is a terrific value as eMTBs go. Often, when a manufacturer tries to keep an eMTB priced below $6000, to do so they go with a smaller battery that cuts the rider’s range. Canyon, however, gave the Spectral:ON CF 7 a 720Wh battery. Frequent EBR readers may recall that our rule of thumb for acceptable range is a 1:1 ratio of motor wattage to battery watt/hours. As the Shimano EP8 motor produces 250W (nominally), the Spectral:ON CF 7 enjoys a nearly 1:3 ratio of motor power to battery capacity.
What that means is that many riders will be able to enjoy two or even three days of riding before needing to recharge.
It may seem odd to call an e-bike that goes for more than $4000 value-oriented, but it’s important to keep in mind that high-end eMTBs can run more than $15,000. The question, then, is: What does someone give up by choosing the Spectral:ON CF 7 as opposed to a more expensive eMTB, such as its big brother, the Spectral:ON CFR, which goes for more than $8000?
The Spectral:ON CF 7 shares most of the features found in more expensive trail eMTBs. It has a great motor and sizable battery, plus the travel, the 12-speed drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes with 203mm rotors, dropper post and strong wheels shod with terrific rubber.
The difference that will be most apparent in a test ride is that this eMTB will be heavier than a more expensive model, possibly as much as 10 extra pounds. The weight will cease to be an issue if you aren’t comparing it to other eMTBs, which is to say by the second or third ride, it will simply feel like the owner’s eMTB.
The biggest difference, then, will depend on how much the Spectral:ON CF 7 is ridden. The Shimano Deore drivetrain performs remarkably well when new. What it won’t do is last the way Shimano’s Deore XT or XTR groups do. For the rider who plans to ride two or three times a week and only in fair weather, this e-bike will last for years. The rider who goes out daily—rain or shine—will begin to see deterioration in as little as 18 months. The good news? The stuff that will wear out—the tires, chain, cassette, brake pads, rear derailleur, shifter—is easily replaced.
From a value perspective, Canyon has created an eMTB that will perform like one that goes for substantially more. The Spectral:ON CF 7 is one of those e-bikes we are happy to recommend to friends and family.
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Thank you for your in depth article about the CR-7. I just purchased one from Canyon and am very excited. I bought a CF-8 for my boyfriend last year and he loves it. It’s a goat. He hasn’t found anything it won’t go over or up. Canyon is a great company with excellent customer service.