Canyon Spectral. sizing advice

I’m in the market for a new bike and really like the look of the Canyon Spectral AL 7.0w https://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3254and having compared the spec to other similar bikes (140mm travel) on the market, seems to be pretty unbeatable value. I noticed the geometry for the women’s bike is exactly the same as the men’s and am debating on whether to order a small or medium. I know they are only just manufacturing them now so not sure if anyone’s got one as yet, but I’m 5.6 so any advice from similarly sized Canyon owners would be a great help.

dont have mine yet, turns up this week (hopefully)
i used their calculator tool on their website and it advised me to get a medium, im 6’1″
saw the same size bike at the london bike show and it looks like a good fit.
give the calc tool a shot, seems to be fairly accurate

That’s good to know. The size calculator said I’m small so I guess if your 6.1 that sounds about right. Thanks!

I have an XS Canyon Nerve XC – I’m 5’5″ but have really short legs. I played around with the online calculator when I was buying mine to see how much taller (or how much longer my legs would have to be!) I’d have to be to need the next size up.

I just ordered one for myself and the other half. The online sizing calculator had a few issues. At one point it was recommending a Medium regardless of the measurements we put in — for both maximum and minimum accepted measurements.

Had to email Canyon with the measurements, to which they replied stating that the Small was the correct size and the online tool was incorrect. This was a few weeks back, no idea if it’s been sorted. Come to think of it, that was for the 29er, not the regular one.

The only reason I’m questioning the small is that I’ve been riding a 16inch small Giant Cypher with a top tube of 55cm and the reach has always felt too small, the Spectral top tube is 56.1cm in the small or 58.1cm in the medium, so on paper thought I’d be the medium but guess there are so many other factors!

Same problem here.
I’m 6” and their sizing calculator recommends a Medium Spectral. Playing around with it a bit I spotted that the only body measurement that makes a difference is the inseam, mine is 86cm, push it up to 88cm and I go Large. This seems quite a basic calculation as I would expect torso or arm length to also have something to do with it.

The frame reach is also the one that concerns me: 415mm (M) and 440mm (L). Medium just seems too cramped looking at the numbers. For comparison I rode the Remedy 19.5” which feels right but has a 432 reach. I suppose this is the dilemma of buying online.
Keefmac did you throw a leg over the Spectral at the Bike Show, how did the reach feel?

I think I might be over analysing this! Does 25mm reach matter that much!? Maybe the Spectral is just a more upright riding position? Can any owners confirm?

I know what you mean about over analysing! I measured myself again, this time with my shoes on and put in the measurements and it bunked me up to a medium. To confuse things more I phoned up Canyon and he suggested a small or extra small. Beginning to wish I’d made the trek up to London bike show.

I used the size guide for the nerve al 29er…. I’m 6′ and the calculater put me at a medium. Every one else I asked of my height had large size so I emailed canyon who said go for the large. If you are not sure give them a shout….took about ten minutes to get a reply…..

MBR reckoned the reach was quite short and even a large felt cramped.

I’ve just spoken to someone that’s ridden one that’s 5.7 with a 32-inch inseam (170cm, 80cm) and he said the medium fits him well. He suggested I go for the medium rather than smaller as could just shorten the 70mm stem if it felt a bit big.  He also said that the top tube is about 1/2 inch shorter than other medium sized bikes that he’s ridden so I think go bigger rather than smaller if your not sure. I’m going to get ordering as got a feeling once they’re manufactured they’ll be putting up the price!

 

Which month’s MBR was the review in Mattrgee?

If I remember correctly, reducing my inseam by 10mm put me from a medium to a small. Pretty sure I don’t take a small though. Ended up getting measurements from every bike I’ve ever had a shot on and using them to compare — even then the medium still came up short on the top tube against everything I’d ever ridden. Putting it down to a characteristic of the Spectral.

My height is 175cm, but it seems the inseam had the biggest effect on the recommended size.

Soon find out if it was a a good call!

I emailed my measurements to Canyon and they quickly replied saying I should go for a large.

The MBR review Mattrgee (above) is talking about is in this month’s mag, but it’s for the Nerve AL 9.9, which they said was 20mm too short in the reach for the large. The Spectral has 10mm more reach in large.

two spectral reviews here:

https://www.canyon.com/_en/service/testreports.html?serie=3248

Newbie to the forum but been cruising here a bit trying to see any early real world feedback on the Spectral.

Got an 8.0 on order. Only downside to me is the fork but not much feedback on the 2014 fox forks yet, so hope it will be better than recent offerings.

I am 182 cm (bang on 6ft) and the calc put me in a medium. Have recently changed my order though to a large as I think the TT and reach is just too short comparing to my Marley and old Kona. Will feel especially cramped after I fit a 50mm stem.

Most reviews have stated that the M is small. The clincher was seeing Fabian Barels interview on PB and he rides a Large Spectral and is a shade shorter than me. Obviously our heights and skill levels are very similar so it makes sense that our bikes should be the same size.

I have chatted to the Canyon guys too and their sizing opinion does vary! First they agreed with the calc and said a medium but then more recently changed their minds…

I’ve got a Strive. At 5’8″ the calculator and an email to canyon said a small. I compared to existing bikes and loads of pouring over online measurements for different frames and ended up going with a medium. I am very glad I did: it feels just right.

My XS Spectral 27.5 arrived yesterday, if anyone would like any particular measurements fire away and I’ll put them up.

I’m currently injured so can’t ride but from just sitting on it, it certainly seems quite compact, around 20-30 mm less reach than my hardtail.

I got the XS as that is what the calculator said, I also have an XS road bike which I supposed helped with that decision. Standing over it, I’m not sure an S would be suitable though as there isn’t currently much clearance over the bent section of the top tube. I suppose I have short legs!

My Stats:

Height ——– 167 cm / 5’6″
Inside leg —- 76 cm (the calculator gave me a warning with this)
Arm ———— 61 cm

Hope your pleased with it. My legs have got 8cm on yours so it’ll be interesting to see the stand over on the medium. I guess it’s just a case of getting one and seeing how it feels (with the reassurance you can swap it if need be) Mine comes in the next week or so, so fingers crossed it fits!

I’m perhaps talking myself into a spectral so it will be interesting to see how you find them!
I’m between 5’6 & 5’7 with an inside leg of 85cm according to my bit of string measurement. Small soul at the moment which I love.

Just out of interest I went through the size thing on the canyon site.
The calculator put me on a medium. Think that will be about right especially if I swap the stem to 50mm like my Cotic!

Maybe call or email the Canyon UK service centre and ask about the 30 day right of return – it may allow you to assemble the bike and have a sit on it for sizing without being classed as being ‘used’.

just got on mine after it being delivered on Tuesday and me stuck working away from home. ordered a medium and it fits well, i’m 6’1.
thought earlier this week that i may have made a boo-boo size wise but its all good. riding position is a bit sit-up-and-beg compared to my hard-tail but that feels really good.
chuffed to bits 🙂

Hey keefmac, can you post your thoughts once you’ve been out for a proper ride? I’d particularly like to know what you think of the fork, it seems to be the weakest part of the spec (WMB review was poor: 2.5 stars)

It does amaze me the amount of 6ft+ers on medium frames, especially when this particular model is known for being fairly undersized.

Surely it can’t be comfortable when climbing?

im 6ft and I bought a large as the canyon size calculator only works off averages as it has maximum amounts you can put in when I first done it it said I needed a small tried again said medium and im so glad I went for a large the medium would of been just to crampt I tried an orange 5 650b in a medium and struggled on the the climbs and had some back pain done the same climb on the spectral and no back pain if you are 6`1″ and bought a medium I reckon it will be to small

What do you think of the Talas fork Mrcoley?

I’ve now ridden my Spectral (XS) a number of times, gone up a couple of fairly decent climbs (around 1000 feet, 12-15% avg) without problems. It did feel a little small when first riding it but I’m now used to it. It feels great going down though, I’m happy with XS.

Please help me.

After reading a tons of sizing problems and remedies on the site regarding the Canyon Spectral I am still skeptical I’ve ordered the right size for me.

I am 5’7 (170cm) Height
Inseam 75cm
Torso 67cm
Shoulder 43cm
Arm 63cm

Those are the measurements I tried to measure as accurately as possible. On Canyon site it warned me that my measurements are out of their scope and it is unusual but it gave me a results of XS.

From the advice of the recent Spectral review I sized it up to a S but I wonder if I should size it up to a M (I think buying the Spectral 9.0 EX medium is out of stock so can only cancel). The thing that worries me the most is my Strive XS is the same size as the S of the Spectral.

My ultimate question is should I cancel my order because the Spectral will be too small for me? I am just worried that if I go medium size the seat tube is too high for me especially I seem to have a much shorter inseam compared to height.

I called Canyon UK and they insist that the S is the right size for me and the medium is too big for me and I am wondering if you guys also have the same opinion.

Me
Height: 176cm
Inseam: 81cm
Shoulder:44cm
Arm: 62cm
Torso: 68cm

The size calculator recommended I get a small but looked at the geo and a medium looked right which is what I got and it fits perfectly, if I added 1 cm to height and leg the calculator recommended a medium so it must err on the small side. I did think about getting a large but was also concerned about being able to get the reverb low enough in the seat tube but I’ve got about 6cm post showing between the top of the seat tube and the reverb collar so it would have been fine but the medium feels great so glad I got it.

Also from here (http://enduro-mtb.com/en/dialled-rides-tuning-tips-from-the-pros-dudes-of-hazzard/) “Joe: Its a fully standard set up here. The Canyon spectral in Medium fits me perfectly at 173cm and so don’t need pimp it out with any mods.”

Based on your inseam I’d say you are borderline on the medium to get the reverb low enough, it depends on cleat position and how high you like your saddle. You can always send the bike back for a different size although that adds a delay to getting out and riding.

BTW the Spectral is **** brilliant

Thank you Nealy. I will give Medium a try.

Hi guys,

Has anyone purchased the Spectral AL 9.0 EX in a medium and can tell me how compact it feels? My measurements are almost identical to “Nealy” but the reason I’m asking is due to the shorter stem provided on this model.

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated.

The missus is looking to order a 2015 model but wanted to try it out for size first. Does anyone have a small or medium in NW England?