Hi guys,

A friend of mine is looking at getting one of the two models above. They are both very similar bikes, so do any of you have any experience with either of these two?

Being so similar I know the reverb on the Canyon is a big selling point, but which is the better linkage and frame of the two?

Which company has the best aftercare and customer care?

Cheers
Tom

I went back and forth between these two for a while. In the end went for the Canyon (and got a good deal on last years Strive 9.0SL through their outlet). If the Wicked 160 Ltd would not have had such a long waiting list I may well have gone for that.

My thoughts:

Canyon pluses:
more established brand
better warranty
frames look better thought out and finished (couldn’t help thinking the YT was just a cheap copy of a LaPierre)
better paint
have a ‘UK service centre’

YT pluses:
better value (their BOS bikes are incredible VFM)
frame design ‘influenced’ by one of the most successful AM bikes of the moment

Sizing also seemed to fit me better in the Canyon. Hard to get a good idea without sitting on one in the flesh, but through my trawling of numbers and pictures I decided the Medium YT was too long for me (and the Short too short). I went for a Medium Strive even though the online fit thing told me Small.

Also at the time I bought mine there weren’t any decent English reviews of the YT: seen a fair few recently which have all been very positive.

I’m very happy with my Canyon. Can’t say I’ve fallen in love with it, but that’s probably more about me and my riding at the moment than the bike.

Dave

Thanks deew how how long was the wait for yourself?

Just edited my post above (gave up from my phone and switched to the laptop!)

My Canyon took about a week to come (but was ‘in stock’). I had actually ordered a YT which I then cancelled. Bewared of YT estimated delivery times if not in stock and back ordered: I think I would have been waiting at least 3 months for ‘my bike’. Sure this won’t be an issue with in stock bikes or at this time of year.

i was in the same position recently, wicked 160 ltd or strive al 8.0.
went for the strive in the end due to the number of horror stories about wait times for the YT bikes, seen some reports of people waiting 3-4 months after stated delivery date!
the BOS suspension turned me off a little too due to the fact there is no UK importer at the moment.
i’m don’t regret my decision at all, it arrived exactly when canyon said it would and is a very good bike, the linkage works very well i leave it in trail mode for most climbs i only use “climb” for extended fire road drags.

Tom,

Apologies for the cross post, have you seen my e-mails regarding the Cannondale?

Keen to sort somethign out.

Cheers,

If he is put off the YT by postage times, my wicked 150 took 7 days from YT receiving the payment to it being with me when I got it a couple of months ago.

i think the problems tend to occur when bikes are not in stock.

Does anyone know why YT dont accept credit card? I really find it very weird otherwise would have gone for it in a heartbeat ive been eyeing the YT wicked 160Ltd.. Went for nukeproof mega instead.. Happy as larry 😉

YT Wicked LTD hasn’t been in stock for a bit now. No point eyeing up soemthing that you can’t get.

I had the exact same dilema and went for a Nukeproof Mega for the lbs support if things went wrong.

Stuck over the 2 for months.

Went YT Ltd.

10 days delivery

Good cust service, excellent in fact.

Picked up in December.

Only a matter of time before BOS is well supported in the UK but they are robust enough not to need it. Learn to maintain it yourself.

Rides unbelievable

Credit Cards mean extra charges

Both the Strive and Wicked are both fantastic bikes.

Strive has has crank bros wheels, they seem to get poor reviews. This wouldnt have stopped me though.

Chose the YT as they took split payments (RTW fiddle)