Always been interested in these and fancy a frame for a new project.

Any experience – good/bad/indifferent?

Also pic would be nice for those that own or have owned one 🙂

Had one, just sold it to endurorider from here. IMO, a great bike and one you don’t see loads of.

Upsides – for a 100mm bike it had a relatively slack head angle (~69 deg) so it never felt too twitchy on the downs. The freedrive suspension system is great (if a little heavy), it really has that bottomless feel (even with only 100mm). Traction on the ups is very good too.

Downsides – lots of pivots mean lots of bearings to replace, though mine never need doing. It’s a bugger to clean too.

I replaced mine with a Teocali, so pretty much the same bike but with 150mm travel. 😀

Some pics here of the frame

Yep, had one …. well actually 2 … 08 Canaan elite, awesome spec bike for the money full xt for less than a grand !!
not too everyone’s taste , but i liked it and it rode very well indeed, very underrated as a suspension system …
sad to say the frame cracked on my first canaan after only 168 miles !!, replaced under warranty with an 09 elite which i only rode twice before selling frame and buying my dream Titus frame ….. out of the 2 frames the Canaan rode far better than the Titus !! …. just my views ..

Just built a Teocali. Not a Canaan but similar freedrive suspension
Not to everyones taste but it is one of the best full Suss bikes I have ridden
I am even more than happy with the Epicon forks. Cannot notice any difference between them and my Fox 32s
My frame has the Fox Talas rear shock, which may add to the feel.
Great underrated bikes

I would encourage you to ride one before you buy, the freedrive suspension system can be a bit peculiar – often compared to the much lamented (!) URT system.
Essentially, you have to be sat down to get the best out of the suspension – I like to go through rougher stuff stood up and therefore I wouldn’t get enough travel. I had the Black Diamond 7″ bike, so I guess the effect was amplified, but the premise is the same.

Hi mate have Canaan that I bought off woody if your still after one let me know built up now but a little to big for her in doors ok thanks Phil