Need help in choosing between the Canyon NerveAL 29 and Canyon Spectral AL29.

https://www.canyon.com/en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3606
https://www.canyon.com/en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3663

Have finally got it down to these two,riding will mostly be around the home counties with general trail use and long days out exploring. A bike holiday or two year is the norm (Alps/Wales etc).

I want to be covered travel wise for everything i want to chuck at the bike but do not want to compromised on those long,flatter terrain rides out.

Thoughts are welcome.

I ride Malverns SS, fully rigid.

Ive just built up a Nerve to keep in the Alps.

I rode the Nerve on the Malverns before I took it out and not-unsurprisingly (compared to my normal bike) feels a bit too much for use in the UK. But then Im used to a hairshirt.

I reckon it’s more than enough for what I plan on using it for in France. I just cant see myself needing something bigger still like a Spectral.

Yes that was my thoughts initially,the 110mm on the Nerve 29er will likely be perfect most of the year and will be fine,if not ideal,for the heavy stuff. But with a little investigation the 130mm Spectral is a similar price (a little more but with addition dropper post that i will invest in anyway) and has that extra travel.

I just can not decide if the extra travel and slightly more aggressive geometry will be a negative over longer distances.

I just can not decide if the extra travel and slightly more aggressive geometry will be a negative over longer distances.

No. No it won’t. *

*in my opinion.

Opinions are what i’m after! Not the most decisive man in the world!

What’s more important to you – the 50k+ days or the 1 week of uplifted biking in the alps?

Former = Nerve, Latter = Spectral

I’d pick the Nerve if I could only have one bike. Prefer the Spectral + a light hardtail though!

Yes an ideal world a different bike for different applications would be ideal,not an option i’m afraid.

I understand why you say the Nerve and this was my initial thought and choice,but after a little research and after speaking to a few people i am wondering what i would lose with the spectral over the Nerve on the longer days or lighter trails?

On the spectral you also get better kit. You pay a little more but it’s not much as you say especially when you consider the dropper is included.

The Shock and Fork are the performance not evolution. This means you get much better damping as the fork is FIT. I’m not sure on the specific differences of the rear shock, but I imagine you get better damping also in this as the Evolution model is pretty basic.
You get the dropper as you mentioned.
You get SLX brakes instead of Deore.
You get a shadow + rear mech instead of a normal shadow. Clutch mechs are really good. Unless your chris porter.
You get DT wheels.
You get a slightly better mix of drivetrain (SLX front mech, Ok it’s not much).

I think the best bike of those two for all round use is definitely the spectral. My mate has that exact bike and uses it for what you describe. Always thought it looked really nice to boot.

If you are in the market for a German direct-sell bike you would be wise to check out the equivalent Radons. Not so well known in the UK but with a growing reputation, better spec for the money than Canyon’s and available in one week.

I’ve just taken delivery of a Radon Slide 29 9.0 – very pleased with it.

* I didn’t actually look at the OP links, just in general Nerve/Spectral.

I’d say you should compare apples for apples – the next model up of the nerve would be a better comparison, and it’s still £100 less which pays for your reverb virtually. The benefits BSM mentions then become pretty much evened out it’s just the geometry that differs & that’s down to you. You wouldn’t go far wrong with either TBH, depends what you want to ride.

I reckon the Spectral CF is the quiver killer… sell a kidney!

Bought a spectral to replace my Soul and Pugsley in one swoop. It covers the ground better than the soul, is comfier, and the suspension platform is remarkably firm when you want it to be. You won’t lose anything choosing the spectral over the nerve for your local riding.

But point it downhill, and it is real quick, and not at all barge like, as I feared a big 29er would be.

It wasn’t really the kit that swung it for me, rather the slacker head angle of the spectral, Nerve too steep for me.

Thanks for all your comments,definitely good to hear other riders opinions. Bikes doesn’t have to be a Canyon,or a German direct sales brand but whenever i look at anything else i always end up coming back to these two! Have looked at the Rose,Radon and Scott Genius 29er but none of them get me close to as excited as the Canyons,just something about them!

In short if peoples opinions are that the Spectral will be fine covering the flat longer distances my mind may finally be settling on one. . . plus i get to keep my organs!

I have a Nerve 29 AL. It is a fantastic allrounder for the areas I ride (like Stoner, Malvern’s FOD etc.) I have done all day events on it as it is light enough and comfortable. If you intend to do long black runs all day in the alps it may mot be the best bike but it is certainly capable on quite rough stuff. Canyon do say that it is not intended for drops bigger than 600mm but not specifically because of strength issues rather the geometry is more intended for XC work.

Yes the Nerve does seem a capable go anywhere bike but my dilemma is future proofing myself.

Black Alp runs are going to be minimal but i really want the option of doing anything on my new bike,xc days out and more aggressive trail riding. I wonder how much i would wish i had a nerve on the long days and vice versa. Is the Spectral going to please me on the day to day stuff or is it to much of a compromise?

Well, I also have a Cotic Rocket which weighs just about the same as the spectral in that trim. I have ridden it for a couple of 3 to 4 hour XC trips and for the most part it was great – comfortable and capable. would I want to do an all day pedalling session on it? Probably not, but then I have the luxury of having both which may cloud my judgement!

Take the Rocket to somewhere like BPW or the Alps and I would be so much more confident, but would I be faster? Don’t know as I’m not a riding God by any stretch of the imagination, but I’d be more relaxed.

Whichever you choose will be great only you can decide which of the compromises each way are going to be more of a pain in the long run.

I have a SB66 as my big day bike, and still opted for the slackness of the Spectral over the Nerve.

Again thanks for all the replies on this ,appreciate your help.

I think i am starting to lean towards the Spectral. Having looked at the Geometry a little more today maybe there is something you can help me with. Although the Spectral is a slacker bike,the reach and top tube length seem longer that the Nerve. One thing i really did not like was the xc style and feel of being stretched forward on my Whyte 729 hardtail and something that i tried to right the whole time i owned it with shorter stems,bars with more reach etc.

Which of the two do you think is the more comfortable,less likely to give me the same issue? (assuming frame size is correct of course) Hope that this is not a stupid question!

Factor in the different stem lengths and see how much of a difference there is then

I have a Spectral 29er – the cheapest one. It covers the ground just fine, if you’re worried about it being a pain for long days I wouldn’t be.
Contrary to a lot of people I really like the CTD adjustment on the fork & shock, and find it works well.

Bear in mind it’s my first new MTB for over 10 years, so with technology and especially geometry moving on, almost anything would be great.

Ahh yes that makes much more sense now ii have added the stem to the top tube lenght/reach. Thank you

I bought a Spectral 29er to be my one do-it-all bike and to me it is perfect for that. Pedals well for all-day flat(ish) rides, fine going uphill and good fun coming down.
Don’t think I’d want the lesser travel/ steeper geometry of the nerve and in the same vein I’ve never felt the need for more suspension (I have only ridden in the UK, but this includes BPW and other uplift days )
In short, get a Spectral – its a great do-it-all bike 😉

I went through this decision last year and chose the Nerve. Most of my riding is flat really woodland sidetrack so where it’s brilliant, faster than my 29er hardtail which on paper should be faster.
It has done steeper stuff at Afan and BPW where it didn’t hold me back on anything but the roughest sections and was so much better open the up than my previous 26er Zesty.

For all you guys who have purchased a Canyon,how did you find the bike sizing? I am 6.1″ and have put all other particulars into Canyons PPS system which is saying i need a Medium bike! Can this be right? I have spoke to Canyon and others in the trade and seem to get mixed answers. . . .thought?

I went for one of there 29er hardtails, my speshi camber is a M im 5ft6 ish, 30 inside leg and it was a little big so went with the online calculator of S and its a great fit, seat post is high in the sky but the reach and everything else is spot on fit.

Pretty much use the HT all the time now as well.

You probably need an L, you can always send it back if the size is wrong.

Im 6’4″, canyon online calc said go for large, NOT XL. (was prattign about with a tape measure doing my vital stats)

I threw my leg over jimw’s ^ one up there (very kind of him) and yes, the large was fine for me.

However, I bought it from a chap an inch smaller than me who thought it too small, but I cant see how.

For the riding you describe – the Spectral.

Obviously you don’t want a medium if you’re over 6ft though!

There’s nothing freakishly big about the stated geometry, some riders might even want to go up to XL I’d imagine.

I noticed on a lot of canyon bikes the jump from L to XL is a bit odd, while the top tube increases is the same as they go up the sizes, the seatube increase is more from L to XL than the rest.

When I put all of my measurements which I had taken myself into the Canyon calculator (I’m 6’2″), initially it came up with a medium. I double checked the measurements with the help of someone else and I found I had got my inside leg about 10mm too short. Popped the new stats into the calculator and hey presto, a large.
Longwinded way of saying, make sure your measurments are taken accurately in the way they ask for them.

Thanks for the advice. I remeasured and i think your right,extra 10-20mm on the inseam puts it up to a large,which would make much more sense. I think my minds made up and a Large Canyon Spectral may be ordered tomorrow!

I’m 5′ 11″ and based on their calcs was a medium. Ordered a medium and I should’ve got a large. 🙄

Have you considered the Root Miller?

You can get it with Pikes, Monarch Plus and a Reverb for less than the spectral.

I’ve had a Nerve AL29 for about 2 years – good bike, great XC, but on much steeper stuff seems a little overwhelmed (to me) at times, but then again I have 2 friends who have the same bike and they seem to rattle down the same routes with no issues – so its’ clearly just me! More travel would be a bonus though, and I ended up swapping out the crappy Fox forks with 120mm Rebas which were a vast improvement – despite Canyon saying I shouldn’t go over 110mm to keep my frame warranty. Sizing-wise I went for a large and I’m just under 6′, and a medium would definitely have been too small.

Thanks for all your comments,definitely good to hear other riders opinions. Bikes doesn’t have to be a Canyon,or a German direct sales brand but whenever i look at anything else i always end up coming back to these two!

That’s because you are only comparing components… do they fit you, how do they ride are far more important than the kit that is attached to them.

And a few quid saved at purchase time will be for ever regretted if you don’t like riding whatever you buy…