Canadian champion Magnus Mason finally bagged himself a factory ride this year and will be riding a 29" Canyon Sender.( Photos: 13 )

Canyon had their new Strive featuring on the fly travel adjustment from 135 to 150 mm. Keep an out for our full review of the Strive in the next few months. I don’t know about the rest of you but when I was a kid, I never had a bike half as cool as anything Commencal had on display at Sea Otter. Short stems, wide bars, and fat 12″ tires, the Ramones series striders have to be some of the raddest bikes without pedals out there. Viathon bikes were also on hand showing off their new consumer direct models. Viathon is actually a Walmart brand selling consumer direct at viathonbicycles.com. So while Walmart is behind the brand, bicycle industry veterans are behind the designs and you won’t see one of these in your local Wallyworld. At $6000, the top spec M1 carbon hardtail ticks all the boxes for a high-end carbon XC hardtail. Highlights include full XX1 Eagle, RockShox SID, and Stans carbon wheels. If a $6000 hardtail sounds a little over the top for the new brand, GX models will sell for a modest $2400. In addition to a mountain hardtail, Viathon launched a gravel bike and a road bike. The G.1 gravel grinder is available as a frame only for $2000 or in complete builds ranging from $2,300 to $3,550. The R.1 road bike is also available at a range or price points, from a budget conscious $2,300 105 build up through a $5,850 Dura Ace build. Consumer direct brands like YT and Canyon have really shook up the industry lately, will Viathon be able to join the party?

Do you sometimes find yourself agonising over decisions? Do you often feel like the world is spinning too quickly and you can’t keep up? If you’re leaning towards an answer in the affirmative, then you’ve landed in exactly the right place. Remember coming across those infuriating television channels with non-stop adverts and maddeningly persuasive salespeople that grind you down until you eventually succumb and buy the useless product? Fortunately, those channels have largely disappeared now, but there’s no escaping the act – especially not on social media. Everyone wants to persuade us about something or to inflict his or her opinion on you. Everyone believes they’ve got something important to share. If you’ve already got the App, you’ll be able to download the new issue directly. If not, now’s your chance to grab our free App for iOS or Android. But do you know what’s missing? There’s no discussion, no exchanging ideas, or attempting to get to the crux of things. Instead, we bury down into our own bubble, exclusively following friends and other like-minded individuals on social media, often only exposing ourselves to one side of an argument. We’re all transmitting constantly and no one is really receiving, let alone digesting. The art of listening and appreciating facts is becoming an endangered species. Highlights Buyer’s Guide: Things to know before buying an eMTB The best budget eMTB of 2019 around € 4,500 Is there anything more meaningful than eMTBing? I weigh 90 kg, am I too heavy for my eMTB? E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escape powered by Haibike As a result, people are guilty of jumping to conclusions based on superficial information and basic truths. But there’s another way, trust us. In this fast-paced whirr, we strive to be your trusted companion. A place that provides you with credible, well-researched articles on relevant technology, bikes, components, lifestyles and more, going beyond just eMTBs. A magazine that doesn’t regurgitate news from every single press release, but one that questions them first. We pride ourselves on unconventional topics, critical thinking and new perspectives – not simply to inform you but to move you, whether it’s to buy a certain product that will change your ride for the better or simply not to do something. Either way, always supporting you in making a conscious choice. Given the stream of options in today’s digital world (globalisation is so 20th century!), consciously making decisions is more important than ever. E-bikes will likely become smart bikes in the next few years, just like cell phones turned into smartphones. This spawns a ton of technological hurdles as well as ethical ones: is this even the direction we want to go in? In this issue, we delve into the route already being trodden by Greyp Bikes towards total connectivity and ask for your opinions on the subject. Artificial intelligence, like connectivity, is just one example of many of the endless possibilities of today’s world and the necessity to make a choice. The big question is: do we want to lead our daily lives or do we want to be lead and shaped? Each day there are decisions to be made, each day we choose our path again. Leading the life you want to live means you have to grab the reins, face your fears and detect the routines that you are stuck in unconsciously. Work out the risk of the routine and avoid it. It’s not as hard as it sounds; daily excitement takes humour, lightness-heartedness, a decent dose of childishness, and ample curiosity, which also happen to be the very same ingredients we took for the first E-MOUNTAIN BIKE City Escape powered by Haibike in Barcelona. All bikes in this issue: BULLS E-STREAM EVO AM 4 |Canyon Spectral:ON 7.0 |Commencal Meta Power 27 RIde |Conway eOne-Sixty 800 |Flyer Uproc7 4.10 |Haibike XDURO AllMTN 3.0 |Haibike XDURO Nduro 6.0 |Merida eONE-SIXTY 800 |Radon Swoop Hybrid 10.0 |Raymon E-Seven TrailRay 10.0 |Specialized Turbo Kenevo Comp |YT Decoy CF Pro This issue isn’t just a recipe for adventure; it’s also packed with inspiration, test reviews and know-how. We sought out the best eMTB around €4,500 and uncovered some interesting findings on the way. We also pull apart insufficient standards when it comes to the total weight limit of eMTBs and the challenges that add up here. Haibike welcomed us with open arms to learn more about the FLYON models and we visited Berlin’s motor manufacturer Brose. Our fashion shoot elevates eMTBs to a whole new level in a bid to urge you to push the limits. Other topics in this issue include riding techniques and solutions for bike-related family dilemmas. Plus, alongside tests of the latest BULLS and YT models, we introduce you to our new long-term test bike program. I’ve penned an essay on eMTBing being the most meaningful pastime of all. Am I right? You might already know the answer – if not, keep reading. And if that wasn’t enough, the E-MOUNTAINBIKE 2019 Annual has just come out in print (right now, it’s just in German but the English version is in the pipeline!). Each purchase of this labor of love goes towards supporting our team. So, it’s not a bad idea if you ask us! On that note, I hope you have a brilliant start to the season, make sensible decisions and take the route you want to take! Have fun doing so. Robin Schmitt, Editor-in-chief Der Beitrag Out Now! E-MOUNTAINBIKE Issue #017 – Right Choice! erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

Winning the lottery – almost everyone’s dreamt of it. There is so much you could buy with the money, like the € 11,299 Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo that won our group test! But it’s unlikely that we’ll ever win the lottery, so we’ve compiled a list of the most exciting lower-cost alternatives to our group test winners. The bikes in our group test are at the absolute forefront of eMTB development. These are the flagship models in the manufacturer’s portfolio, with only the best and finest components, guaranteed to have an instant “must-have” effect. Of course, they offer the best possible riding performance, but you don’t always need to ride the most expensive model to enjoy a big grin on the trail. Before we recommend other more affordable models from the winning Canyon and Specialized range, we’ve got a few basic tips to consider before buying an affordable eMTB. The Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo FSR was the best in test in our latest group test but with a price tag of € 11,299 most riders will be looking at the more affordable build specs The heart of an eMTB is not its rear derailleur There are many riders and dealers who look first at the drivetrain or the motor when choosing an eMTB. Buzzwords such as “Shimano XT” or “Bosch” are often still the deciding factors. But having fun and feeling confident on a bike doesn’t depend on the rear derailleur! What matters is the frame and the overall concept. The interplay of the frame with functional componentry significantly determines the handling of a bike, the riding position and how much fun you’ll have. Therefore, you usually can’t go wrong with one of the cheaper alternatives to one of our test winners – but there are some details that you should pay attention to nonetheless. The Canyon Spectral:ON 9.0 offers great value for money and secured our coveted Best Value Badge but the more affordable builds come very close in real world trail performance What’s the difference between an affordable and an expensive eMTB? Bike brands bring down the price of a bike by saving on certain parts and making compromises. One example, is the frame material: while some of the flagship models have carbon frames, cheaper models rely on an aluminium frame. The differences usually show up in the weight, appearance and stiffness – but in general, there’s nothing wrong with an aluminium frame. The more affordable bikes also have cheaper components, which is usually noticeable with regards to the weight, but in some cases also results in decreased performance and durability. While a slightly higher weight and a cheap drivetrain are negligible on an eMTB, saving on the suspension, the brakes or the tires can have a detrimental effect on the handling. Cheap wheels, for example, are a false economy, the weight of an eMTB can be very hard on the wheels. Finally, compare the battery and the motor, seeing as some manufacturers spec batteries with less capacity or cheaper motors. It doesn’t always need to be the high-end model, you can have just as much fun with a more affordable spec. On the following pages we walk you through all the available models of the Specialized Levo and the Canyon Spectral:ON. Der Beitrag Affordable alternatives: All Specialized Levo and Canyon Spectral:ON models in overview erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

The Canyon Spectral and the brand new 2019 Canyon Strive are like non-identical twins. Despite having the same parents and similar genes, they’re quite different beasts. We compared both bikes to reveal which bike best suits which type of rider. Canyon Strive CFR 9.0 Team vs. Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); At first glance, the Canyon Spectral and the new Canyon Strive seem similar. Both have 150 mm of travel at the rear and, depending on the model, 160 mm at the front. Neither have extreme geometries and are therefore relatively similar in purpose. So what are the differences? The most obvious are the different wheel sizes. The Spectral rolls on 27.5″ wheels and the Strive is available exclusively as a 29er, making the bikes handle completely differently. But look further into the sibling’s inner workings, you’ll discover more and more contrasts and differences. The Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 in detail The Canyon Spectral has been a classic in Canyon’s portfolio for many years. It entered its latest evolutionary stage last year and the bike has been updated this year once again. Unlike last year, the unisex version of the bike now offers 150 mm of travel at the rear and comes specced with a 160 mm travel fork. The women’s specific models will continue as before with 150 mm of travel at the front and a 140 mm at the rear. The frame of the Spectral is available in either aluminium or carbon fibre, with the entry-level version costing € 1,899. Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 | 160/150 mm (f/r) | 13.60 kg | € 3,999 There is space for a water bottle in the front triangle even though the Spectral’s shock is mounted horizontally. For the rear linkage, Canyon relies on a classic four-bar Horst link. The Spectral CF 9.0 we tested is priced at € 3,999 and leaves almost nothing to be desired in terms of componentry. Our only criticisms are the uncomfortable SDG saddle – and no, this isn’t a matter of personal preference – as well as the lack of power offered by the SRAM Guide RSC brakes. Fork RockShox Pike RCT3 160 mm Shock RockShox Super Deluxe RCT 150 mm Brakes SRAM Guide RSC 200/180 mm Drivetrain SRAM X01 Eagle Seatpost RockShox Reverb Stealth 150 mm Stem Canyon G5 45 mm Handlebar Canyon G5 Carbon 780 mm Wheels Reynolds TR307 Carbon Tires Maxxis Minion DHR 2,4″ Weight 13.60 kg Price € 3,999 More is moreCompared to the previous year, the front and rear travel of the unisex Spectral has grown by one centimetre. The Pike now comes with 160 mm of travel, and the rear suspension provides 150 mm. NeatThe cables of the Spectral are routed through a channel attached to the down tube, ensuring a clean look and facilitating easy access in the case of a service or replacement. Well protectedCanyon rely on their Impact Protection Unit (IPU) to prevent the handlebars from damaging the frame in a crash. It stops the handlebar at exactly 90°. Keep it simpleUnlike the Strive, the Spectral doesn’t have a Shapeshifter. Overall, the rear linkage is relatively unaffected by pedal-bob so we rarely needed to reach for the climb switch. The geometry of the Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 Size S M L XL Seat tube 425 mm 440 mm 480 mm 520 mm Top tube 579 mm 605 mm 633 mm 661 mm Head tube 92 mm 116 mm 147 mm 170 mm Head angle 66° 66° 66° 66° Seat angle 74.5° 74.5° 74.5° 74.5° Chainstays 430 mm 430 mm 430 mm 430 mm BB Drop 22 mm 22 mm 22 mm 22 mm Wheelbase 1141 mm 1172 mm 1204 mm 1235 mm Reach 419 mm 440 mm 460 mm 482 mm Stack 588 mm 605 mm 634 mm 655 mm Read on to find out how the Spectral and the Strive compare head-to-head The Canyon Strive CFR 9.0 Team in detail While it was developed in cooperation with Canyon’s Enduro race team, the brand new Strive is not just designed to appeal to professional racers. The integrated Shapeshifter changes the geometry of the bike at the touch of a button. A specially developed handlebar remote lets you choose between downhill and XC mode, shifting the head and seat tube angles by a full 1.5°. In XC mode the bottom bracket is raised and the travel is reduced to 135 mm. The frame of the Canyon Strive is exclusively available in carbon fibre. Canyon Strive CFR 9.0 Team | 170/150 mm (f/r) | 14.26 kg | € 5,499 However, you have a choice between the more affordable CF option and a 300g lighter CFR frame. The CF variant is specced with a 160 mm travel fork, whereas the CFR bikes come with a 170 mm travel fork. Pricing for the most affordable Strive CF starts at € 2,999. The CFR Team model we tested goes for € 5,499. As is typical for Canyon, the componentry is spot on, leaving no room for criticism. Weighing in at 14.26 kg, the Strive CFR 9.0 team is about 600 g heavier than the Spectral CF 9.0. Fork RockShox Lyrik RC2 170 mm Shock RockShox Super Deluxe RCT3 150 mm Brakes SRAM Code RSC 200/180 mm Drivetrain SRAM X01 Eagle Seatpost RockShox Reverb Stealth 150 mm Stem Canyon G5 45 mm Handlebar Canyon G5 CF 780 mm Wheels Mavic Deemax Pro Tires Maxxis Minion DHR 2,4″ Weight 14.26 kg Price € 5,499 UniqueThe Shapeshifter changes the position of the shock mount at the rocker link, which fundamentally changes the kinematics and geometry of the bike. Unlike similar ideas we’ve seen, it uses a standard shock. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-1'); }); RevisedThe new Canyon Shapeshifter has two levers that allow you to choose between climb and descend mode. Unlike its predecessor, switching between modes has become a lot faster and more intuitive. IntegratedIn order to keep the weight of the Strive down, despite its large wheels and the Shapeshifter, Canyon opted for internally routed cables. You’ll need patience if you intend to service the bike yourself. DifferencesThe Team model comes with a 170 mm RockShox Lyrik RC2. Unfortunately, the more affordable CF models offer only 160 mm of front travel. The geometry of the Canyon Strive CFR 9.0 Team Size S M L XL Seat tube 400 mm 440 mm 455 mm 500 mm Top tube 592 mm 618 mm 658 mm 694 mm Head tube 95 mm 100 mm 110 mm 130 mm Head angle 65.6°-67.1° 65.6°-67.1° 65.6°-67.1° 65.6°-67.1° Seat angle 73°-74.5° 73°-74.5° 73°-74.5° 73°-74.5° Chainstays 435 mm 435 mm 435 mm 435 mm BB Drop 33-17 mm 33-17 mm 33-17 mm 33-17 mm Wheelbase 1165 mm 1192 mm 1226 mm 1263 mm Reach 410 mm 435 mm 465 mm 495 mm Stack 632 mm 636 mm 645 mm 664 mm The post Unequal Siblings: Canyon Spectral CF vs. Canyon Strive CF in Review appeared first on ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine.

Strive's New Shapeshifter 2.0 system The post Video: First Ride 2019 Canyon Strive appeared first on Mountain Bike Action Magazine.

Are light eMTBs really better? What is the best motor? Which battery solution makes the most sense in practice? And which wheel size will prevail on eMTBs? In our big group test, we found some interesting answers to 11 of the most important questions. Head straight to the group test: The best eMTB you can buy 1. The most important finding: eMTBs are becoming ever more versatile As we’ve already discussed in our group test, eMTBing is becoming more and more diverse. Until now, bikes with the same amount of travel have mostly been placed in the same category. The new motor concepts have changed that once and for all. At one end of the spectrum you’ve got the compact FAZUA Evation motor in the Lapierre eZesty, at the other, the super powerful TQ-HPR 120s in the Haibike XDURO AllMtn FLYON. As a result, you’ve got bikes with the same amount of travel but a 10 kg weight difference! This requires some rethinking from the manufacturers, the magazines and the consumers. Similar to the car industry, the overall concept describes the intended use, not just the number of horsepower or the size of the alloy rims. For the future we see three different eMTB categories emerging. Very light bikes like the Lapierre, the former Bosch league with bikes like the Specialized Levo or the Canyon Spectral:ON and a new, even more powerful category represented by the bikes of the Haibike FLYON range. We will probably see another category by 2020, but we’ll have to wait and see… googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); 2. Standard motors versus custom motors: what to look out for? The Haibike FLYON range, the Lapierre eZesty and the Specialized Turbo Levo are currently the industry’s undisputed drivers of innovation. What do they have in common? Custom motors that are perfectly tailored to the respective bikes. The bikes with classic Shimano and Bosch motors are currently lagging behind. The standard motors leave many manufacturers with too little wiggle room to clearly set themselves apart and create true USPs. Nonetheless, bikes with standard motors aren’t bad. On the contrary, MERIDA’s eONE-SIXTY has been delivering a convincing performance for the third year running. The same applies to our Best Value Tip, the Canyon Spectral:ON 9.0. The advantage of standard components is that it’s often faster and easier to get spare parts and they’re easier to service. Disadvantages can be that the bikes often come with some compromise, or are unnecessarily heavy. For mixed solutions, as you see with Brose and some Shimano bikes with third-party batteries, you should find out who is responsible for the after-sales service before buying. Do you turn to the motor manufacturer or the bike manufacturer? Sure, the first point of contact is always the dealer, but depending on who is ultimately responsible, repairs or guarantee claims can take much longer. The development of eMTBs depends largely on the development cycles of the motor manufacturers. According to rumours, Bosch will be releasing a new motor sometime in the middle of this year and we are very excited to see how its system evolves. 3. What is better: external or integrated batteries? Battery integration was the big topic in 2018. Within a single year, many Bosch and Shimano bikes have integrated their batteries into the frame. As a result, the looks of the bikes have changed a lot and in many cases the freed up space has made it possible to mount a bottle cage in the front triangle. But there are manufacturers who deliberately don’t rely on a fully integrated battery and they’ve got good reasons for doing so. The typically longer Intube batteries shift the centre of gravity further upwards, the bike has to be built more heavily and removing the battery to charge or replace it is usually more complicated. Trek has found a brilliant solution to this problem on their current Powerfly with its Bosch PowerTube battery. On the other hand, standard Shimano Intube batteries have to be switched on and charged at the underside of the down tube, which is usually caked with mud – unnecessary and impractical! It remains a matter of personal preference, but on a purely functional basis, external batteries are usually at an advantage. 4. The battery capacity is increasing – but when will we be seeing a super battery? The search for the super battery is keeping quite a few industries busy right now, including the auto industry. Customers and engineers continue to dream of maximum battery capacity in the smallest possible package. The big breakthrough, however, is not yet in sight. Nevertheless, the battery capacity of eMTBs continues to grow steadily. The new Specialized Levo now has a capacity of 700 Wh, and Husqvarna has managed pack 600 Wh into the down tube of the Hard Cross. Thanks to the efficient Brose S Mag motor, the Levo is already capable of delivering impressively long ranges. For most riders, the 500 Wh battery is enough for day-to-day riding, as our reader survey with over 10,000 participants has been able to confirm. Nevertheless, many people are afraid of the empty battery. During the year we will see ever more bikes show up with larger batteries, but the big revolution will take some time. 5. Weight is still a big topic – especially its distribution We constantly hear people saying, “eMTBs have to become lighter”. We found huge differences in handling in our group test. We loved the lighter bikes, above all the Lapierre eZesty, but also the Specialized Levo and the Canyon Spectral:ON with their agile and lively handling. But the Haibike AllMtn 8.0 FLYON and the Husqvarna HC 9.0 prove that a heavy bike is not necessarily a bad bike. Far more important than the weight is how it is distributed. As already mentioned with regards to battery integration, a low centre of gravity has a very positive effect on the handling, making for a more composed and confidence inspiring ride, especially on the descents. In that sense, an integrated battery positioned high on the frame can have a significantly larger negative impact on handling than one or two kilos of extra weight. It’s not only the total, but more importantly also the distribution of the weight that counts. 6. What is the best wheel size? The question of the right wheel size and the right tire width is still occupying the minds of many riders. One thing is certain: narrow 27.5″ tires have almost completely disappeared from the market. Aggressive eMTBs are currently specced with either 2.8″ wide, 27.5″ tires or 29″ wheels or they have a mix of a 29″ front and a 27.5″ rear wheel (à la MX concept). All three variants were represented in our group test, and each of them has advantages and disadvantages. The MX concept is able to combine most of the respective benefits. It combines the good rollover characteristics of a 29″ front wheel with the added agility of the 27.5″ rear wheel. Disadvantages arise with breakdowns and carrying spares; you always need two different sizes and can’t swap front and rear tires. In the end, of course, it’s the integration of the overall concept of the bike that counts here as well, and not whether or not a bike has 27.5″, 29″ or mixed wheels! Even more important than the width or size of the tires is their profile, the rubber compound and a robust casing. Currently, Schwalbe’s Super Gravity or MAXXIS’s Double Down tires are our first choice. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-1'); }); 7. Carbon or aluminium – which is better? With mountain bikes, carbon is the material of choice in the high-end segment, and more and more expensive eMTB frames also rely on the combination of fibre and resin. It allows for more complex frame shapes, facilitating integration, and it is lighter and stiffer. However, the real differences are not as significant as they are with regular mountain bikes and so the performance on the trail often differs only slightly. There are very good carbon eMTBs and very good aluminium eMTBs just as well as there are poor carbon or aluminium models. In the end, it’s a matter of looks and budget. In general, aluminium frames are better able to dissipate heat from the motor. 8. The front mech has disappeared on eMTBs The times of two chainrings in front are finally over for eMTBs. This is primarily due to cassettes with ever larger gear ranges and more powerful motors. Shifting has become more intuitive, faster and more reliable. Chain slap has been reduced too and the cockpit looks much cleaner. We’re not sad to see the front mech go! 9. A great performing bike doesn’t have to be expensive As with carbon vs. aluminium, another realisation we had in our group test was that a great performing bike doesn’t have to be expensive. With eMTBs, some of the components aren’t all that important. Whether you’ve got a Shimano XT or XTR drivetrain doesn’t affect the handling of the bike, it’s the suspension, the brakes and the tires that are the most important. The € 6,199 Canyon Spectral:ON 9.0 doesn’t have to hide from the almost twice as expensive Specialized Levo S-Works when it comes to having fun on the trail. With both of these bikes, there is no reason not to just grab a more affordable lower-end model and invest the money saved in a bike holiday. Of course, if you can afford it, there’s nothing wrong with investing your money in the top-end model along with that bike holiday either… Happy Holiday! 10. Problem: weight limit – are people over 90 kg too heavy for eMTBing? Again and again, we receive emails from readers asking about the permissible weight limit of the individual bikes we’ve tested. In this group test, we collected all of the available data on the subject and found significant differences. Honestly, it’s not a topic that we had on our agenda up until now. The leader is the Giant Trance E + 0 Pro with a total limit of 156 kg. This means the bike has a payload of around 130 kg. Most others bikes are somewhere between 100-120 kg. Heavy riders should have their dealer inform them about a bike’s weight limit before buying. However, it should also be said that these weight restrictions primarily serve as legal safeguards for manufacturers and always assume a worst-case scenario. 11. Maremma (Tuscany) has some damn good trails! For this group test, we stayed in the bike hotel Massa Vecchia and sampled the trails around Massa Marittima and in Piombino: a true trail paradise with delicious food, impressive architecture, beautiful landscapes and a decent portion of dolce vita … oh, and did we already mention the sea? More info about our accomodation at massavecchia.it and about biking in Piombino: tuscany-bike.com Head straight to the group test: The best eMTB you can buy This article is from E-MOUNTAINBIKE issue #016E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine is published in a digital app format in both English and German. Download the app for iOS or Android to read all articles on your tablet or smartphone. 100% free! Der Beitrag 11 of the most important insights from our big E-MOUNTAINBIKE group test erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.