Canyon grand canyon Al 29er…… is it just me or…..

is there little point in going for the top spec 9.9sl
the 9.9sl looks like this (alternatively comes in white & blue)

and has this ‘nop notch spec’:

where as the 8.9 looks like this

and has this spec:

now the price difference, the 9.9sl is £1850 (inc postage) and the 8.9 £1300…. so £550 difference. Also look at the weights the top of the range 9.9sl is only 1lb lighter! Concidering i can get a xx BB30 chainset for less than £300 and a gobi saddle for £70 Oh and the 8.9 would also delivered 5 weeks sooner. Is there any reason to go for the top spec?

There is also a mid range bike but i’m discounting that as its just a SRAM version of the 8.9 as far as i can tell.

I wouldn’t pay the extra.

yeah, thats what i was thinking. I do / will have the cash for the 9.9sl but i can just spend the £550 on the parts i’d like, i’m not that fussed but i’d rather have shimano over SRAM for the gearing and formular over avid for the brakes any way. (i’m sure i’d change the seat post, saddle, bar & stem eventually no matter what they are).

Its just the question of forks really – i know that the fox’s will be super plush and a great ride, not sure about DT Swiss. Its the one thing that i wont be able to afford to change if they are crappy.

Nice I want no sorry need!

can i have the torque wrench?

Their top spec bikes are not as good value as their mid-range* ones on any of the models.

*Their mid-range bikes are specced liek most manufacturers’ top models.

can i have the torque wrench

the ‘torque wrench’ is dreadful. Mine snapped tightening the stem face plate to the recommended tightness!

Don’t worry about the forks. I’ve had Fox + RS Revs but much prefer the DT’s I’ve now got to either of the ‘big 2’. DT’s are superb IMO.

I think i’ll be going with the 8.9 (and upgrade/change a few bits along the way) now, xx or xtr chainset mmmmmmm.

as for the torque wrench – it’ll be up for sale on the forum (when it arrives in a month or so) as i have a proper one already.

I’m confused why you would save money buying the cheaper one and then spend the money you saved upgrading it.

Either just buy the cheaper one and keep the money or buy the expensive one and don’t bother messing around, surely there is a few other bits that a higher spec and it won’t be cost effective to upgrade.

Is the latter one really fitted with a Deore cassette? Seems a bit odd.

i’m guessing its an Xt cassette – prob a mis print on the web site.

even if i bought the more expensive one i’d change the saddle, but its the SRAM stuff that put me off.

If you don’t like the SRAM spec surely your question is answered. TBH though can you argue with the top nuts one for £1850? Looks ace to me. Shame about delivery time.

I love that little beam wrench, how cool is that? I don’t care if it breaks 🙂

I reckon the decision here comes down largely to how strongly you dislike DT Swiss forks.

Anyone know if the carbon version is available yet?

I reckon the decision here comes down largely to how strongly you dislike DT Swiss forks.

its not that i dislike them, i just have no experiance with them (unless you count owning a pair of RC36’s…). I’ve heard that they are not particulary plush and servicing can be a pain…

Anyone know if the carbon version is available yet?

my guess would be end of the year / 2013

I’ve ordered an 8.9, the only doubt I have is about the fork but if I would have ordered the 9.9 for the Fox fork I would have had a groupset and brakes I didn’t want / consider to be worse than those on the 8.9.

Anyone know how these size up? I’m 6ft5, 35″ inside leg and its recommending a large not an XL on their fit calculator. Shome mishtake Shirley?

top of the range 9.9sl is only 1lb lighter

Only?? (its 1.5lbs actually)

How did they manage to get a hardtail specced like that to weigh 30lbs anyway? (Or are 29ers supposed to be heavy?)

Anyone know how these size up? I’m 6ft5, 35″ inside leg and its recommending a large not an XL on their fit calculator. Shome mishtake Shirley?

the fit calc is baised on all body dim’s – may be you have freekishly short arms or legs… i’d you’d better double check you aherm.. measurements….

Only?? (its 1.5lbs actually)

How did they manage to get a hardtail specced like that to weigh 30lbs anyway? (Or are 29ers supposed to be heavy?)

the 9.9sl is 10.9kg – 24.03lbs

the 8.9 is 11.2kg – 24.69lbs

the ‘mid range’ 9.9 is 11.3kg – 24.9lbs, heavier than the low end 8.9…
weights acording to the canyon website.

also just noticed that the pic of the 8.9 shows a qr version of the fork, where as the spec says its 15mm bolt through – so i’ve emailed canyon to confirm (also to confirm the weight..)

*The fork has no dropout so is “bolt through”, but still QR 15mm (a la maxle light)

*I think

andyl46 – Member
Anyone know how these size up? I’m 6ft5, 35″ inside leg and its recommending a large not an XL on their fit calculator. Shome mishtake Shirley?
Sounds like a mistake as I am 6’3″ with a 35″ inside leg (measured not trouser size) and it told me XL.

*The fork has no dropout so is “bolt through”, but still QR 15mm (a la maxle light)

*I think

mmmmm, not convinced…..
could be though….

I see what you mean

I think it’s just an ambiguous photo, actually this

yeah – a bit of a google search and i came up with that. You beat me to it organdonor.

Interested because I ordered one a month ago 🙂

Eager to hear the confirmed weight…

TBH i’ve looked into it more now and the weights proberly about right as the DT swiss fork is .59lbs lighter than the fox so all that x0 and ritchey is saving approx 1lb which seems about right.
i just want Canyon to confirm it.

When you look at the specs and price both are really well priced.

In reality i doubt most would tell the difference between the two bikes.

Another 29er convert i see.

the 9.9sl is 10.9kg – 24.03lbs

the 8.9 is 11.2kg – 24.69lbs

Ooh, yeah soz – I was looking at the wrong conversion (Troy lbs) 😳
I’ll crawl back under me rock.
Nice looking bikes them is.

I’m confident that the weight is right, also that Canyon will be helpful.

Another 29er convert i see.

(Me) Not recently, I’ve still got (and still ride) my Gary Fisher Rig, which I bought in 2005. 🙂

I like wheels of all sizes…

I’m confident that the weight is right, also that Canyon will be helpful

i’m sure that they will, but maybe they should rename the 9.9SL the 9.9L.

It’s just how they badge their higher end bikes, not a guarantee it’s ‘super light’.
Normally higher end bikes are a little lighter, as is this one.

I had an email back this am..

Many thanks for your e-mail.

The AL 8.9 is fitted with a 15mm bolt through front axle – this is an essential sepc requirement for a 29’er. And the weight of a Large framed bike will be 11.2kg. We do not have the weights for other sizes available.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Cullen Ward – Canyon UK

The AL 8.9 is fitted with a 15mm bolt through front axle – this is an essential sepc requirement for a 29’er.

Eh! Sounds strange. Essential implies that without it the bike will not function.

i think that they are saying that they believe that all 29ers should run a bolt through axel for stiffness – would also explain the specing of a 142x12mm rear axel.

I’d consider a DT fork an upgrade over a Fox. My mates 26″ one is lovely. Very smooth.

I got a Canyon Lux with a DT XRM100 fork, is one of the best things about the bike. I test rode a bike with a RS World Cup Sid, all singing all dancing dual air blah blah…..the DT is at least as good and much easier to live with. Only complaint is the slightly fragile remote which I broke and have replaced with a conventional lockout.

Size wise I’m 6’3, online sizer told me I’m Large……I’m XL. Measure up your old bike, compare to geometry on the Canyon site, you wont go wrong. If you do just send it back, very easy.

….and I’d def get the 8.9….in white and blue. Very nice

Ended up ordering the 8.9 a couple of days ago (in black and white, i think i have a ‘thing’ for black/white bikes).

Also got a Fizik Kurve saddle – i would go for a Gobi, but a wore out 3 in two years on my last bike and ended up changing to a Brooks, but that somehow wouldnt look right on this bike. So i thought a Kurve would be the next best thing.

And

An XX chainset, bought for a bargain £180 (£10 cheaper than i could get an X0).

The original spec Selle Italia saddle and BB30 X7 chainset will be removed and sold straight away (Through the forum 1st then ebay), as will the torque wrench.

The weight (on paper) should go down to around 24lbs – so around the level of the top spec 9.9sl and its cost £300 less all in.

Now i’ll be bikeless for approx 5/6 weeks which is already killing me!

Hense doing a bit of photoshop…