Let us guide you through the 2018 range of Canyon mountain bikes. Whether you’re a beginner or an looking to race enduro. Canyon have you covered.

Direct sales

Canyon’s direct sales method, dealing direct with the consumer and cutting out the middle men, has won them plenty of favour over the last few years. This approach sees Canyon able to offer their range at vastly more attractive prices than other brands who have to go through bike shops.

All our recent Canyon mountain bike reviews

There is an obvious downside in that it’s really difficult to actually fondle the bikes in the flesh (unless it’s at one of our Demo Days of course). The other worry about servicing and warranty isn’t so much of an issue now that Canyon has a UK centre for dealing with that sort of thing. So how do you know exactly which model is right for you?

It’s all about the website

Buying direct means you need to spend a bit of time with Canyon’s website, as that’s the way you choose the bike and place your order.

Buying a bike online: the complete guide

First up, the site is pretty simple to navigate; apart from them splitting the categories up into MTB and Gravity. Suffice to say MTB covers all of Canyon’s shorter travel full-sussers and hardtails, Gravity encompasses the big-rigs of the enduro, all-mountain, slopestyle and downhill categories. Then simply pick your model, size and colour choice (if there is one) and press buy!

Canyon road bikes: which model is right for you?

Interpreting Canyon mountain bikes model codes

It’s actually pretty simple. What the frame is made of is given after the model name, AL for an aluminium frame and CF for a carbon frame. For both frame materials there can be different levels of quality, depending on how high up the range you are looking. Aluminium has plain AL as standard. Some models such as the Grand Canyon also use SL for mid-point bikes and SLX for the highest quality frames. Carbon framed bikes mostly have just the one grade (CF), only the Exceed XC hardtail has two different grades; SL and SLX.

Read after the frame material code there is normally a number. This represents how high up the order the model sits. Entry points have low numbers such as 4.0 whereas the top models have; you guessed it, the highest number.

Some ranges then use further descriptors to differentiate such as ‘Trail’, ‘Pro’, ‘Race’ and ‘LTD’. These can be used for multiple models in the same range so can get a bit confusing.

Canyon hardtails

Canyon has four hardtail models in their 2018 range: Grand Canyon, Exceed, Stitched 360° and Dude.

Grand Canyon

Access to Canyon comes through the Grand Canyon aluminium hardtail. The focus of which is mainly on cross-country and leisure riding. There are 14 different models including five female specific WMN models and a top-end Trail. AL models come with 100mm travel suspension forks and geometry suited to less challenging terrain. SL models up the travel to 110mm and enjoy slacker geometry for tackling technical terrain. XS and S frame sizes are fitted with 27.5” wheels, all others are 29”. Prices start from £649 for the Grand Canyon AL 3.0 going to £2099 for the Grand Canyon AL SLX 9.0 Trail.

Review: Grand Canyon AL 5.9 2016

Canyon Exceed

The Exceed is the lightweight, carbon fibre XC race bike. Even though there is an overlap of pricing with the Grand Canyon, the Exceed is the premium Canyon hardtail. 14 models including four female specific WMN versions are available as well as a frame only option. Each model shares the same geometry and is built around a 100mm travel suspension fork. Prices start from £1549 for the CF SL 5.0 through to £5699 for the top end CF SLX 9.0 Pro Race LTD.

Canyon Dude

Of course Canyon has a fatbike. The Dude is a four model range, all with carbon fibre frames and either a carbon rigid or Rockshox Bluto suspension fork. The range starts with the CF 8.0, £1749 up to the Dude CF 9.0 EX at £2699.

Canyon Stitched 360°

This is Canyon’s dirt jump and skatepark bike. It’s actually listed under Gravity on Canyon’s website so takes a bit of finding. Two complete bikes, 360° (£749) and 360° Pro (£1099) are available, as well as a frameset only option.

Full suspension

Canyon’s full-sussers are listed under both MTB and Gravity categories on their website. Made up of seven different styles that encompass all genres of mountain biking. Everything is covered from the short travel, racey Lux through to Canyon’s downhill beast, the Sender.

Canyon Lux

The Lux is one of Canyon’s longest serving full suspension platforms. It’s unashamedly built for XC and marathon racing. With this task in mind, the entire range is built around a 100mm travel carbon fibre frame rolling on 29er wheels. Expect lightweight wheels and finishing kit as standard throughout. Complete bikes start at £2699 for the Lux CF 7.0 Pro Race.

Review: Canyon Lux CF 6.9 Pro Race 2017 

Canyon Neuron

Another stalwart of Canyon’s MTB range and probably due a major overhaul pretty soon is the Neuron. Its modus operandi is ‘normal’ trail riding. Think of it as a Lux with more travel and a tweaked geometry to make it better suited to riding trail centres and all day epics out on the mountains. The Neuron is only available with an aluminium frame and has the lowest prices of any of Canyon’s full suspension models. Suspension is based around a 120mm fork, rear wheel travel is dependent on frame size. XS and S frames come with 27.5” wheels and 120mm, M, L and XL all come with 29” wheels and 110mm of rear wheel travel. It’s also available in five WMN female specific models. The Neuron AL 5.0 starts the range at a bargain £1349 with RockShox suspension and a Shimano Deore groupset.

Canyon Spectral

The Spectral has recently seen a complete overhaul to create an entirely new bike. Both frame and suspension has been totally re-worked to make the Spectral Canyon’s ‘modern trail bike’. Travel has stuck to 140mm at the rear but has been upped to 150mm at the front. It’s Canyon’s all-rounder, happy smashing enduro laps, bike park blacks or long distance, pedally rides.

It’s available in both AL and CF versions and based around 27.5” wheels and 2.6” tyres. AL models start at £1999 for the AL 5.0, CF start at £2699.

Review: First ride on the new Spectral

Women specific version: First thoughts on the women-specific Canyon Spectral WMN

Canyon Strive

The Enduro race weapon in Canyon’s quiver. The Strive is based around a 160mm travel frame that’s designed to be as capable pedaling up the trails as blasting back down them. Thanks in part to Canyon’s unique Shapeshifter, a travel and geometry altering system that’s only found on the Strive. Two AL models are available starting from £2199 and four CF models make up the rest, priced from £3199.

Review: Strive AL 6.0 Race 2016Canyon

Canyon Stitched 720°

Possibly the most niche bike in Canyon’s range, the Stitched 720° is a specific ‘Slopestyle’ machine. Taking the blueprint from Canyon’s hardtail Stitched 360° jump bike, the 720° adds rear suspension. Short travel at just 100mm and singlespeed specific makes it all about one thing. Riding the biggest sculpted jumps and drops. Complete bike price: £1649

Canyon Torque

Canyon used to have the Torque in its line-up, then it took it away, but now it’s back. You follow? If you are all about hitting the biggest lines at the bike park or want a slightly more usable DH bike, then the Torque is the bike for you. 180mm of travel front and rear puts it firmly in the Gravity category. It’s still capable of being pedalled up the hills (much more than a proper DH bike) so could almost be classed as practical. Four AL models including a female specific WMN AL 6.0 option start from £1999. The higher end CF versions culminate in the CF 9.0 Pro at £4499.

Review: First ride on the new Torque

Canyon Sender

Canyon’s latest downhill race bike is now available in both CF and AL versions. The Sender AL features a slightly redesigned frame to keep prices down, but offers the same travel (200mm front and rear) and same suspension kinematics as the more expensive carbon versions. The AL represents great value for privateer racers with the AL 6.0 starting at £2299. The Sender CF is the same frame as raced by Canyon’s World Cup team and also represents excellent value for racers. Prices for the CF start at £3599.

Canyon Spectral:ON electric mountain bike

eMTB: Canyon Spectral:ON eMTB has 29in front wheel and 27.5+ rear wheel

Perfection comes to those that wait, Canyon are now ready to hit the eMTB market for six with their debut Spectral:ON.

Canyon has finally revealed its first ever eMTB. The Canyon Spectral:ON features 150mm of front and rear travel and mis-matching wheel sizes.