Canyon has launched a new addition to its electric line up: the Strive:ON. This ditches the Shapeshifter of the non-electric version, and sets its eye firmly on E-Enduro racing.
A few weeks ago Canyon unleashed a whole new wave of e-mountain bikes. The one we’re going to focus on right here is a totally new model: the Canyon Strive:ON. It’s an enduro race e-MTB. 160mm rear travel, 170mm travel fork. Mixed wheel size. Geometry designed for difficult climbs and technical descents.
Strive:ON is carbon only
The exact bike model we’ve got in here is the mid-range Canyon Strive:ON CFR.
The Strive:ON only comes in Canyon’s top-end CFR carbon. There are no current plans for a lower-tier carbon version, nor any alloy version. Canyon says this is because lesser-tier carbon wouldn’t be able to be built to the desired level of stiffness-to-compliance. And an aluminium Strive:ON would simply be way too heavy for this bike’s racing intentions.
On this Strive:ON CFR the power assist is courtesy of the excellent Bosch Performance CX motor. 85Nm of torque and 600W of peak assist.
The top-end Strive:ON CFR LTD gets the Bosch Performance CX Race motor with the two-metre overrun feature (the motor keeps going for two metres after the rider stops pedalling), and is wholly aimed at E-Enduro racing timed climb stages.
Batteries and controls
There are two battery options at time of purchase: a 625Wh one or a 750Wh one. The battery is removable if you require, although most folk will no doubt leave it in there for charging the bike up in-situ. The racing aspect is one of the reasons that Canyon has designed the battery to be removable, and removable relatively quickly; E-Enduro racing typically requires a swift battery replacement or top-up at some point during the event.
In terms of display info and controls, there’s the neat Smart System Top Tube Control Centre panel integrated into the frame’s top tube. The discreet bar remote ner the left hand grip is the Bosch Mini remote BRC3300 that communicates with the system via Bluetooth. No delicate dangling wires on these bikes.
Enduro capable geometry
The Canyon Strive:ON is similar to the regular analogue Canyon Strive in that both bikes fall into the enduro race category. Unlike the regular Strive, there’s no ‘Shapeshifter’ on-the-fly geometry adjustment malarky. Canyon simply felt that the feature wasn’t required on an assisted Strive. Canyon instead opted to go down the route of consistent and all-round capable geometry.
Geometry and sizing. Four frame sizes, all with mixed wheel set-up. The geometry is generally impressively modern and progressive. 63.5° head angle. A seat angle of around 78° effective. Seat tube lengths are impressively short (Large = 435mm). Reach figures of 450mm up to 525ml. This Large one we have been riding has a reach of 500mm.
The Strive:ON in a sense resembles a longer travel version of the established Spectral:ON e-MTB. Which is no bad thing at all. One thing ditching the Shapeshifter gubbins does immediately is make space for a decent size water bottle. Gotta have a bottle.
Speaking of bosses, there’s a pair of bosses under the top tube for mounting accessories, tools, tubes or whatever you need.
E-Racing
E-Enduro racing is A Thing now. And the Strive:ON has as much of an eye on being competitive between the tapes as it has at being fun to ride on regular weekend outings.
Now then. As well as the usual enduro-style timed downhill stages, E-Enduro racing has technical uphill sections called ‘Power Stages’. Whoever rides these ‘Power Stages’ the quickest and cleanest, gets the most points. The geometry and handling of the Strive:ON is based significantly as much around these techy climbs as it is geared towards ripping the descents.
Even outside of racing scenarios, let’s not forget that one of the great things about full-power e-mountain bikes is the ability to ride up preposterous climbs – both technical ones and steep AF ridiculous ones. You often find yourself riding UP the tracks you used to ride DOWN on regular bikes, and piecing together your trail network in a whole new, extremely liberating way!
And when you have a certain enduro legend called Fabien Barel involved in the design of a bike – like he has been with the Strive:ON – you can be certain the result will be a highly capable E-MTB. The Strive:ON promises to be technical trail bike par excellance.
(The longer travel Canyon Torque:ON is the brand’s all-out gravity-fed sled by the way, if you wanted an e-bike for self-shuttling DH tracks and bikepark booters.)
Great specification
The bike comes with suitably short-ish 165mm cranks – ebike climbing technique involves keeping pedalling, while dragging the rear brake while pedalling if you need to modulate the speed. Shorter cranks help keep things turning on the rockiest of climbs, avoiding the need for a half crank or pause.
Speaking of half-cranking, the super quick and full-on engagement of Bosch motors is well up for some half-crank action. Unlike on some other motors, you’re not fearful of pausing your pedalling on a Bosch. The power comes back on as quick as you want and need it to.
On top of that, the Bosch motor delivers power faster than most AND does it all the way up to pedalling cadence of 120 rpm, which is often way above where other motors top out or even begin to die away.
The underside – that chunky bash plate – of the Strive:ON is inspired by enduro motocross, designed to slide over obstacles and protect the chainring. It’s a reinforced skid plate under the chainring that attaches directly to the Bosch motor.
In terms of the finishing kit, you can check it all out for yourself below but for us the highlights are the Fox Performance suspension, the massive rotor-ed Shimano SLX 4-pot brakes, the dependable DT Swiss HX1700 wheelset (with proper Maxxis rubber) and the generous travel Canyon G5 dropper post.
Canyon Strive:ON geometry
| Frame Size | S | M | L | XL |
| Seat tube length | 395 | 420 | 435 | 460 |
| Top tube length | 584 | 610 | 637 | 665 |
| Head tube length | 110 | 120 | 130 | 145 |
| Head angle | 63.5° | 63.5° | 63.5° | 63.5° |
| Seat tube angle (effective) | 78° | 78° | 78° | 78° |
| Chainstay length | 445 | 445 | 445 | 445 |
| BB drop | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Wheelbase | 1,245 | 1,274 | 1,304 | 1,336 |
| Reach | 450 | 475 | 500 | 525 |
Canyon Strive:ON range
There are three models in the Strive:ON currently. All of them CF carbon fibre. Two of them have the regular Bosch Performance Line CX motor. One of them has the Bosch Performance Line CX Race motor.
Canyon Strive:ON CFR
- Frame // Carbon Fibre CF, 160mm
- Shock // Fox Float X2 Performance
- Fork // Fox 38 Performance Elite Grip2, 170mm
- Wheels // DT Swiss HX1700
- Front Tyre // Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip 29 x 2.5in
- Rear Tyre // Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra 27.5 x 2.4in
- Chainset // E-Thirteen E-Spec, 36T
- Drivetrain // Shimano XT/SLX 12-speed, 10-51T
- Brakes // Shimano Deore XT M8120, 220/203mm
- Stem // Canyon G5, 31.8mm
- Bars // Canyon G5, 780 x 30mm, 31.8mm
- Grips // Canyon G5
- Seatpost //Canyon G5 Dropper, 30.9mm
- Saddle // Ergon SM10 E-MTB
- Motor // Bosch Performance Line CX, 85Nm
- Battery // 750Wh or 625Wh
- Sizes Available // Small, Medium, Large, X-Large
- Price: £6,899 w/ 750Wh battery, £6,699 w/ 625Wh battery
Canyon Strive:ON CFR Underdog
- Frame // Carbon Fibre CF, 160mm
- Shock // Fox Float X Evol
- Fork // Fox 38 Rhythm Grip, 170mm
- Wheels // DT Swiss H1900
- Front Tyre // Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip 29 x 2.5in
- Rear Tyre // Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra 27.5 x 2.4in
- Chainset // E-Thirteen E-Spec, 36T
- Drivetrain // Shimano Deore 12-speed, 10-51T
- Brakes // SRAM DB8, 200/200mm
- Stem // Canyon G5, 31.8mm
- Bars // Canyon G5, 780 x 30mm, 31.8mm
- Grips // Canyon G5
- Seatpost //Canyon Iridium Dropper, 30.9mm
- Saddle // Ergon SM10 E-MTB
- Motor // Bosch Performance Line CX, 85Nm
- Battery // 750Wh or 625Wh
- Sizes Available // Small, Medium, Large, X-Large
- Price: £5,699 w/ 750Wh battery, £5,499 w/ 625Wh battery
Canyon Strive:ON CFR LTD
- Frame // Carbon Fibre CF, 160mm
- Shock // RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate RCT2
- Fork // RockShox Zeb Ultimate RC2, 170mm
- Wheels // DT Swiss HX1501
- Front Tyre // Pirelli Scorpion Enduro M
- Rear Tyre // Pirelli Scorpion Enduro R
- Chainset // SRAM E-MTB X0 Eagle, 36T
- Drivetrain // SRAM Eagle X0 AXS Transmission, 10-52T
- Brakes // SRAM Code RSC, 220/200mm
- Stem // Canyon G5, 31.8mm
- Bars // Canyon G5, 780 x 30mm, 31.8mm
- Grips // Canyon G5
- Seatpost //Canyon G5 Dropper, 30.9mm
- Saddle // Ergon SM10 E-MTB
- Motor // Bosch Performance Line CX Race, 85Nm
- Battery // 750Wh or 625Wh
- Sizes Available // Small, Medium, Large, X-Large
- Price: £9,199 w/ 750Wh battery, £8,999 w/ 625Wh battery