Canyon Neuron:ON CF8 First Ride Review

The new Canyon Neuron:ON is the trail bike of the e-assisted Canyon stable. Hannah was out at the launch in northern Italy to try it out, here’s her first ride review thoughts.

Definitely in the proper mountain bike category, that seat tube arrangement might take the eye a moment to get used to, but out on the trail it’s a fun bike that I think will appeal to many. I was out at the launch in northern Italy to try it out, here’s my first ride review thoughts.

Canyon Neuron:ON CF Key Specifications

• 140/140 rear/front travel
• 29er wheels
• Bosch Cx Performance motor
• Bosch Powertube CF7 has 625Wh and 750Wh battery options, CF8 has 750Wh only (not removable on either model)
• Sizes available: S, M, L, XL
• Claimed weight: 22kg
• 2 models: CF8 and CF7. (Neuron:ON 6 is alloy with Shimano motor)

Canyon Neuron:ON Pricing

• Neuron:ON CF 8 – £5,349
• Neuron:ON CF 7 750Wh – £4,799
• Neuron:ON CF 7 625Wh – £4,599
• Neuron:ON AL 6 504Wh – £3,649
• Neuron:ON AL 6 630Wh – £3,849

The Neuron:ON is the shortest travel full suspension bike in the Canyon stable, and one of the range that I’ve not previously ridden. In this new carbon iteration, Canyon has sought to shift the weight a low as possible for the best possible handling, while also shedding weight from the frame’s construction. The result is little short of excellent, and I found myself throwing myself down steep chutes, rutted turns and drifting shale with an abandon that made me think a half shell helmet might be inadequate. The ebike paranoia I usually experience of the sideways slide, or of the bike rolling away from me in the steeps, wasn’t an issue. When I previously tested the Canyon Spectral:ON, I said I found it a very natural feeling bike, and this Neuron:ON does the same. In fact, it’s so capable that I wonder when the Spectral:ON would be a justifiable beast?

As well as the new carbon fibre frame design, the travel has been upped by 10mm to give 140mm front and rear, and the bikes now come with longer dropper posts.

The fork on my particular bike was faulty, so some diagnosis and bike swapping shenanigans limited the time available to fiddle about with the set up on my test ride. While the bike felt great with the wheels on the ground, I did find I was using all the rear travel on drops, and I didn’t quite find the sweet spot for giving the bike the pop I’d like for takeoffs.

The Neuron:ON does a great job of being a lively ride, and it’s easy to shift around on the trail to choose the line you want rather than just holding on and ploughing through. I didn’t find it the most forgiving on landings, and the fork is perhaps a little on the slim side if you’re a heavier rider looking for air. It’s a capable trail bike that will have you feeling like you’re in charge on a red trail, but won’t offer you the same get of of trouble reassurance as a bigger bike. I can see this being a great bike for people who ride their local scene and don’t want to sterilise the natural riding that there is on offer. If you’re lucky enough to visit some serious enduro tracks, a bit of skill and courage will certainly get you down them on the Neuron:ON, but if your regular ride is at this level you’ll likely want the extra support you’d get from more travel (and, spoiler, the Canyon Strive:ON is really bloody excellent).

The Bosch motor in this instance was paired with a simple pair of buttons on the bars – and a light display on the top tube to tell you which mode you’re in, and how much battery you had left. I found these buttons easier to hit than on the more complex Bosch display with all the lights included – as featured on the Grand Canyon:ON, and also the Cannondale Moterra I tested previously. Perhaps though, a little too easy  – they need just the barest of touches to shift modes, and I sometimes found myself catching one on the way to my dropper, or catching up on the way to down.

Another thing I found to be a little on the light side was the Schwalbe tyres. I almost never get flats, yet here I – along with a few other journos – managed to lose all our air in a variety of side wall and tread tears and punctures. If you’re going to ride this bike hard, or in rocky areas, I’d suggest a rear tyre upgrade. For the test – which proved to be in rather unseasonably slithery conditions – the mechanics had also given us a grippier Big Betty front tyre than the Nobby Nic that will come as spec. I’d expect you to want to do the same if you live in the UK.

Overall

This is a very excellent trail bike. It keeps the trails alive and feels agile, yet still delivers you to the top of climbs with ease. It does have quite a rattle to it, which will remind you that you’re on an ebike as you descend, but the handling might otherwise easily make you forget. If you want more of a security blanket on bigger stuff, you’ll want more travel. For those that are happy to scare themselves a little on the fringes of capacity, there’s a lot to like here. It’s a little cheaper than bigger full suspension ebikes, but will still let you tackle the occasional red trail. How much is a security blanket worth? I think it might be time to be brave and add this bike to your list of potentials. 

canyon.com

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