Canyon Spectral 125 CF 8 review

The new-for-2022 Canyon Spectral 125 has pretty much the exact same geometry as the regular 150mm rear-travel Spectral. Why?

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By ben_haworth

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Canyon Spectral 125 CF 8 review

“it has much more in common with a fully rigid steel singlespeed than a modern full-suspension trail bike.”

Really?

Sounds like a really fun bike. Missed opportunity to reference that most classic of ‘why’ bikes… The Blur 4x.

It’s almost an identical shape (1 degree slacker head angle, everything else within a couple of mm) & travel to the norco optic, which has been around for a while now and is a great bike. So not really as unique as the review makes out.

…the Canyon Spectral 125 is Joe Pesci. It’s all a great laugh until it says “Funny how?” and throws a Lakeland water bar at you at 20mph

This made my day when I read it in the magazine 🙂

Daft question, is it really that stiff, or just stiffer than average?

I remember enjoying my Pitch precisely because you couldn’t feel the suspension moving, but it was still comfortable and clearly absorbing the impacts. You’d know about hitting that water bar, but it wouldn’t necessarily slow you down.

Norco’s Optic is a great bike and it’s geometry might be close, but their suspension kinematic is plush and forgiving. I had and loved a Kona Process 111 for several years. It was poppy and quick but the suspension was very active, not harsh. Replaced it with an Evil Following which has incredible pop and loves jumps but still swallows big hits with a gentle bottom-out. The firm suspension on this Canyon is an outlier, much like the YT Izzo. Makes me wonder why really. If one’s trails are smooth and fast why not a hardtail or more XC design? If one’s trails are rough why not more compliance? If one only rides jumps and bikeparks, maybe, but more travel gives a safety margin. Confusing design. Maybe it’s meant for hardcore young park rats, who all seem to have big travel bikes in my experience.