First Ride: 2024 Canyon Spectral CF - Evolution Not Revolution

The main change is that the travel has been knocked back to 140 mm rear, and 150 mm front (though it can still accept a 160 mm fork) to position it more squarely in the trail category. Also, instead of offering dedicated 29", 27.5" and mixed-wheel platforms, the new frame can be run with full-29" or mixed-wheel setups thanks to a flip chip. The geometry, kinematics and frame stiffness have been tweaked, and in-frame storage has been added. Also, Canyon rolled out their KIS (Keep It Stable) steering stabiliser system on all models, rather than just one. This can be removed at the rider's discretion.

The new Spectral is only available with a full-carbon frame. The alloy version of the previous generation Spectral will continue, and with travel numbers halfway between the new Spectral and Strive (both carbon only), it could be seen as a more affordable alternative to both.

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Frame details

The most noticeable change to the frame is the addition of a downtube storage port. It uses a knee-lever latch like you get on toolboxes, which does a good job of holding the lid shut tight without rattling. The downtube can accommodate Canyon's tool bundle, with tire levers, tube, CO2 inflator and cartridges, or whatever else you can squeeze in. Above the door is space for a 600 mm side-loading bottle in all sizes, or Canyon will offer a bespoke 850 ml bottle made by Fidlock. There's also space for a tool mount or frame bag under the top tube. Interestingly, Canyon are offering a free 3D printing file for a tool holder that fits under their new G5 stem, allowing anyone with access to a printer to make it themselves.


In 2022 Canyon introduced KIS (Keep It Stable) - their steering stabiliser that uses a spring to add a centering force to the steering assembly to reduce wheel flop. It was available on just one model of Spectral at first; now, KIS will be installed on every 2024 Spectral CF. The spring tension has been reduced to tone down the effect (when I tested it I liked it best set to minimum tension), and the bikes come with a blanking plate if you want to remove it. My test bike came without KIS, but having ridden it before, I don't feel I'm missing out.

The new Spectral has apparently been designed to offer similar overall stiffness to its predecessor but with slightly more flex in the back end thanks to slimmer seatstays. These also offer 2–3 mm more heal clearance on each side. The rocker link is now one-piece, making it stiffer, in a bid to reduce the side-loading of the shock.


For durability, Canyon spec double-sealed frame bearings filled with proprietary grease. Pivot spacers and seals are combined, apparently making for less fiddly pivot servicing and re-assembly. Thread inserts reduce the risk of stripping a thread and fully guided cable routing (which ingeniously bypasses the headset) should make cable swaps easier. The main pivot has a mud flap made of two parts that co-rotate with the suspension, while the stays are well protected with the now-obligatory ribbed rubber protector.

The frame has been designed primarily with 29" wheels in mind, but a flip chip on the chainstay pivot allows the bottom bracket height and frame angles to be conserved in either size. This approach causes the rear-centre to shrink from 437 mm to 429 mm with the smaller wheel, much to Matt Beer's dismay. Note the XS is only available with mullet wheels due to tire-saddle clearance issues. In addition, there's a geometry-adjust flip chip on the rear shock eyelet for fine-tuning, which allows the BB to be raised by 8 mm and the frame angles steepened by around 0.5 degrees from the stock setting.

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Geometry

Depending on how you look at it, the geometry has either transformed compared to the old Spectral 29, or stayed almost exactly the same.

Size-for size, reach numbers have grown by 15 mm, and stack height has grown too, which means the overall fit and front centre have grown by almost a whole frame size. So a new large will feel very similar to an old XL, and so on.

Canyon designed the 2024 Spectral to suit riders from 155 cm (5'1)" all the way up to a whopping 203 cm (6'8 ), which explains why the sizing of the XL is comparable to many brands' XXL. The addition of a fifth size (XS) at the other end of the scale ensures shorter riders are still catered to.

At 191 cm (6'3"), I considered downsizing to the large but opted for the XL for the higher stack height and based on the wheelbase, where I usually prefer something between 1,300 & 1,320 mm.

But if you were to downsize, the geometry is very similar to the old Spectral 29 - the chainstay length, BB height, head angle and effective seat angle haven't changed. The main difference is the shorter seat tube to fit longer dropper posts and a shorter chainstay in the mullet setting. Compared to other modern trail bikes, the reach is on the long side size-for-size, but the rest of the numbers are middle-of-the-road these days.

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Suspension design


Canyon's press material talks at length about how they've fine-tuned the ride feel by straightening out the leverage curve compared to the previous Spectral. But aside from the reduction in travel, I doubt if anyone could tell the difference.

Either way, it's a fairly progressive system, with around 29% change in leverage over the shock throughout the stroke, which should make for plenty of mid-end stroke support. Interestingly, Canyon spec three different shocks across the range: a Fox Float X air, Fox DHX coil, and RockShox Super Deluxe air with the low-negative-volume "linear" air can. The spring curves of these three shocks are quite different, which will likely dwarf any subtle tweaks to the frame's leverage curve.


Anti-squat has gone down compared to the old bike, and it now stays well below 100% in all gears. This will reduce support while pedalling and increase pedal-bob in most situations. Canyon say this is offset by the reduced travel - and therefore firmer spring rates - and that lower anti-squat allows the suspension to move more freely over bumps while pedalling. Similarly, anti-rise had been reduced slightly, which should cause the bike to rise at the rear and pitch forward more readily when braking. So while there's less travel on tap, it might feel like there's more squish when pedalling or braking hard.

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Builds

There are four models to choose from, although the top two builds are not available in the US. I'd say the entry-level CF7 looks to be the best value; with DT Swiss wheels, Fox Performance/Rhythm suspension, Shimano SLX drivetrain and four-pot brakes, its components are probably all you need. Full specs for all four builds are listed below.

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Ride Impressions

As you'd hope for the category, the Spectral gains height without fuss. There is some pedal bob, but due to the short travel, it's only subtle and doesn't feel like it's sapping too much power. Similarly, I had to slide the saddle fully forward on the rails to get comfy, but the seat tube is just steep enough thanks to the fact the suspension doesn't slouch too much on the climbs. The stock DHR2 tires roll fast and make it easy to cover ground at speed, and the suspension does a good job of ironing out the chatter while you pedal through the rough. It's on rolling terrain, as opposed to brutally steep climbs, where the Spectral feels more rapid than many trail or enduro bikes.

I was advised to aim for somewhere between 25% and 30% sag, but I ended up reducing air pressure in the shock until I settled on 30%. With this setup, I was using all the travel on hard landings, but it never felt too soft or unsupported. One thing to note is that the O-ring doesn't quite go all the way to the end of the shaft (like this) when you do bottom out hard, which made me think I had more travel in reserve than I did. The main downside of going softer was a slight reduction in climbing performance. I also opened up the low- and high-speed compression damping but still found the suspension wasn't as supple as I'd like in certain situations. In particular, when braking while going over a crest, the rear wheel didn't seem to track the ground very well and often lost traction over braking bumps. On touchdown after small steps, the suspension doesn't feel as seamless when engaging the first part of its travel when compared to some other bikes.


I suspect the shock's "linear" air can is to blame here, so I swapped to the progressive version with a higher negative air volume. I increased air pressure from 200 psi to 220 psi to maintain 30% sag and removed the volume spacer fitted in the shock. This setup still allowed access to full travel but made the bike feel more ground-hugging and settled when riding steep terrain and braking bumps. It's a big improvement in my mind.


When things got gnarly, I did appreciate the burly brakes and the long front centre, which make it easier to hold your nerve and brake late. I did find the front end a little skittish on loose terrain, which I put down to the tire spec more so than the long front end relative to the rear centre. I'm glad I picked the XL, as I could only just get the bar high enough with all the spacers underneath the stem. Taller riders or those who size down will likely need a higher-rise bar.

On flowy jump lines and trail centres, the Spectral is in its element. The suspension is poppy and supportive, it carries speed well, and the geometry offers plenty of stability without being unwieldy. A true trail bike indeed.

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Reviews and Tech First Rides Trail Bikes Canyon Canyon Spectral