The Ride
Climbing is no problem on the Spectral, although the bike’s Horst Link suspension is on the active side compared to more XC-oriented bikes. I personally find value in a bike that stays compliant on chunky climbs, but I can see some riders wishing for more support in the linkage.
The Spectral loves to corner, wheelie, and manual – something that I mostly attribute to its short chain stays. It pops off little lips well, and heavily favors floating and bouncing through chunky terrain over plowing through it. Most of the riding I did on the Spectral was on tight and techy trails, which proved to be a very good fit with the Spectral.
On the few chances I got to open things up and get the bike up to speed, the Spectral was easy to control, but not something I’d describe as particularly confidence inspiring. Unlike a true enduro bike, the Spectral’s compact and flickable feel makes it less inclined to really hold a chunky line at speed. Again, tight corners and playful riding are definitely where this bike shines.
The Spectral’s Horst Link suspension does well on small- to medium-sized hits. However, it was also easy to bottom out really hard on bigger impacts. This is definitely something that impacts the bike’s out-of-the-box capability, but it’s also an easy fix – throw a few volume reducers in the shock, and you’ll squeeze a more progressive curve out of the bike.
Comparisons
Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 EX vs. Specialized Stumpjumper FSR 650b
Of all the bikes I could compare it to, the Spectral feels a lot like a slightly shorter travel Specialized Stumpjumper. The Stumpjumper is a similar Horst Link bike with short chain stays that also likes to be ridden playfully, and stays fairly active on technical climbs. So if you like the idea of riding a 27.5” Stumpy with a touch less suspension and more bang for the buck, the Spectral is definitely worth checking out.
Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 EX vs. Spot Rollik 557
At Outerbike, I also got the chance to ride the Spot Rollik 557, which was not only my favorite bike I rode at Outerbike, but also one of the most interesting trail bikes I’ve ridden in recent years.
On paper, the Spectral and the Rollik 557 are pretty similar bikes, with both of them featuring 140 mm of rear travel, a longish reach, and a 67° head angle. But overall, I’d say that the Spot is more capable. It climbs better, stays more stable at speed, and uses its travel more efficiently.
Where the Spectral outdoes the Rollik 557 is (1) on really tight terrain where other bikes get packed up, and (2) the Spectral is available at a significantly lower price point.
Bottom Line
The Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 EX is a great addition to the mid-travel category, and it comes in a capable, intelligent package. You can find bikes in this travel range that pedal better or stay more composed at speed, but the Spectral is hard to beat when it comes to maneuverability and playfulness. Those who want to get from point A to point B as fast as possible will be better served by something more efficient or stable, but riders that like taking extra credit lines and finding natural lips to pop off will immediately feel at home on the Spectral.
Additionally, although Canyon has yet to announce their price for the Spectral in the US, this build is currently sold for €4299 (~$4674 USD) in Europe. Assuming the price stays the same when Canyon goes stateside, the Spectral offers a pretty unbeatable spec for the price.