Canyon has a new Strive:ON e-bike, but with a frame that’s hardly changed from the gen 1 introduced in 2023, and a Bosch CX motor with the older 750Wh battery, has it still got what it takes to cut it against the latest models with the new Avinox M2S? Danny travelled to Canyon HQ in Koblenz, Germany to ride the new bike and find out how it stacks up.
Remember this is a bike designed and built for top flight e-enduro competition. A bike that won the E-EDR overall series ridden by Fabien Barel in 2024. So it has exceptional pedigree. And it’s a bike that we reviewed in 2024 and gave the test win to, over the highly respected Orbea Wild. So it’s a bike built on solid foundations, with big shoes to fill.
With that in mind, Canyon has not messed with the recipe, making improvements to a largely unchanged chassis that include getting rid of the unpopular headset cable routing and adding the brand’s signature KIS (Keep-It-Stable) steering stabiliser.
The motor has been updated to the new Bosch CX 5, which brings some big improvements over the old gen 4, including more power and torque, no rattle, and better efficiency. But it’s powered by the 750Wh internal battery with much older cell tech than the latest units.
While the battery is easily removable by sliding out of the down tube, there’s no fast charging available until late 2026, which makes multi-ride days more complicated/expensive. And there’s no integrated top tube display screen, only the System Controller with basic battery indicator.
Sizing and geometry remain unchanged from the Gen 1 model.
There are three models in the range: the Strive:ON CFR with the Bosch Race motor coming in at £7,099 / €7,499; the CF9 (ridden here) at £6,149 / €6,499; and the CF8 for £4,749 / €4,999.
Danny rode the size large, and he’s 178cm.
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29 Comments
So it’s the same bike re-released with a new motor
I am a big fan of the original, I nearly bought one and was eagerly awaiting the inevitable new version… but now I’m just thinking “meh”. Old tech battery, KISS system that no-one really wanted and presumably the archaic top tube display is necessary because of the KISS system?
In isolation I’m sure it’s still a great bike but there are just so many awesome bang up to date bikes to choose from, why would you go for this? This feels like Canyon putting a plaster over the cracks.
Thanks for being honest about it 👍🏻
Looks like a sick bike. I still have my Torque on with the EP8 and 900 battery. My bike has 4000 miles on it and still like new. Canyon is so high end and has the best customer service. I love Canyon.
nice Update!
Why wouldn't it?!
Avinox battery delivers 93% of the capacity but it is 1.2kg lighter than the Canyon's??!! I had to listed that up several times – that's how absurd it sounds! It is pointless to watch the rest – this bike is two generations behind!
The website says the CF9 comes with a Fox 38 PE Grip2, not GripX2. Is that a typo or are they really offloading old forks on a 'new' bike?
Avinox lists Canyon as one of its customers, so I was half expecting them to announce the new Strive:ON with that motor and – crucially – with a removable battery. I would have bought one of those immediately, because there are virtually no other Avinox bikes with a battery that can be swapped easily, and Canyons are often good value. While it probably rides well, this 'new' bike is quite disappointing overall.
Canyon is really dead in the water!
Why is Canyon forcing me to buy KIS in 2026? I hope they can bring Avinox new bikes this year otherwise they are going to be hungry…And this shiny old horse is hardly to fed them..but its something…
there is a storage for the mud! 3:11
Knock the price down to 3500 and you got a deal 😉
If you're an average Joe rider then that's bad news for most of the rest of us 🙈
As a happy owner of the 2023 model I'm pleased the new one hasn't made mine entirely redundant, its biggest asset was the frame and they haven't really changed it. But at the time it represented outstanding value for money, with the current Avinox trend and finding that motor in bikes costing two thirds the price, I'm not sure this is a big enough swing from Canyon. If you want one, buy the old one while you can for a fraction of the cost. 2023 wasn't that long ago and it's still a brilliant bike.
I've got a 1st gen of this bike.. It's great, but this is not what anyone wants, imo.. Bike looks dated, older display and who actually thinks the kis would be a selling point? Might be worth a punt if it was 1500 quid less, but it's a pass from me.
With the recent releases of these "new" bikes that are actually just the old bikes with a few minor tweaks, I get the feeling that Canyon are struggling financially
No display ??? 🤦🤦
My Teewing turbo force with AVINOX T type and beautiful display and full specs cost less than this tank
Canyon is on the list of Avinox partners. It is a massive miss to release this when everyone was expecting a new slimmed down strive ON Avinox.
Will this one snap too ??
Didn’t mention anything about them snapping
My issue is the price still. When you can get a 800wh 1300w amflow for 4k
So now we're all going to ride MoPeds instead of MTBs?
I'm sorry but this has been like the emporers new clothes for years and years now! (emporers Old clothes).
It's hideous looking!
It's like all the other full power non Avinox emtbs out there (Santa cruz valas an exception ands not bad). Unless your completely not bothered about what a bike looks like, or have terrible taste why would you have a bike with a motor area that big!? It looks like it's carrying a baby bike around with it! And despite what you said about the down tube, it's still huge! What are you talking about!? Why mention the down tube not being "oversized" (it is) and not mention the ridiculous oversized motor area?
Ive had zero interest in buying an emtb until Avinox came along.
It's like the emtb industry has been kidding it's self all this time about how it's bikes looks. And is continuing to.
They still look ridiculous!
Trails look good there – is that near Koblenz? Super happy with my canyon ebike so far (neuron on al, but with a 650b on the back :wink:)
Honest reviews like this are much appreciated. Keep it up 👍
This is a far more compelling bike now that they've ditched the headset cable routing. I'm glad companies like Canyon and Propain are listening to their customers in regards to that awful tech. This bike on sale will be competitive, but it's such a competitive market right now that even MSRP bikes are great deals too, but with more modern tech. "Too little too late" comes to mind. We'll see!
Nothing new really … so yeah no display, no fast charging, heavy, full price. Good luck Canyon.
Canyon has a new Strive:ON e-bike, but with a frame that's hardly changed from the gen 1 introduced in 2023, and a Bosch CX motor with the older 750Wh battery, has it still got what it takes to cut it against the latest models with the new Avinox M2S? Danny travelled to Canyon HQ in Koblenz, Germany to ride the new bike and find out how it stacks up.
Remember this is a bike designed and built for top flight e-enduro competition. A bike that won the E-EDR overall series ridden by Fabien Barel in 2024. So it has exceptional pedigree. And it's a bike that we reviewed in 2024 and gave the test win to, over the highly respected Orbea Wild. So it's a bike built on solid foundations, with big shoes to fill.
With that in mind, Canyon has not messed with the recipe, making improvements to a largely unchanged chassis that include getting rid of the unpopular headset cable routing and adding the brand's signature KIS (Keep-It-Stable) steering stabiliser.
The motor has been updated to the new Bosch CX 5, which brings some big improvements over the old gen 4, including more power and torque, no rattle, and better efficiency. But it's powered by the 750Wh internal battery with much older cell tech than the latest units.
While the battery is easily removable by sliding out of the down tube, there's no fast charging available until late 2026, which makes multi-ride days more complicated/expensive. And there's no integrated top tube display screen, only the System Controller with basic battery indicator.
Sizing and geometry remain unchanged from the Gen 1 model.
There are three models in the range: the Strive:ON CFR with the Bosch Race motor coming in at £7,099 / €7,499; the CF9 (ridden here) at £6,149 / €6,499; and the CF8 for £4,749 / €4,999.
Danny rode the size large, and he's 178cm.