Which bike would you go for?

D8N

Member
Sep 26, 2020
10
8
Warrington
I’m after opinions, hopefully from someone with experience of the two bikes below.

I’m looking at buying my first Emtb and I’ve narrowed it down to one of these two.

I generally ride places like Llandegla, Gisburn Forest etc

The bikes,

Canyon Spectral ON: I love the look of the spectral On and believe it is nibble and rides really well, but I’m concerned that the battery range won’t be enough to get around Llandegla or Gisburn in anything more than eco

Cube stereo hybrid: Again I think the Cube looks amazing and has a good spec, but I’m not sure how it’s rides and if it will handle as well as the Spectral. But I know the range is longer.

Which bike would you go for? How much more range do you get out of a 625wh battery over a 500wh

C316A6B9-B17A-473F-934E-7E18BFA6562E.jpeg


1B711F9F-855F-4489-8B51-307CAB6EE1DF.jpeg
 

Mteam

E*POWAH Elite
Aug 3, 2020
1,872
1,807
gone
I'd imagine that either of them would get round somewhere like Llandegla in the highest assist mode without any trouble, unless you're really heavy, like 100kg +
.
I have the bosch motor and 625wh battery and easily get 4000 feet of climbing and 20 miles in emtb mode without trying to conserve battery. I weigh 82kg.

If I stay in eco and tour modes I can get 6000 feet of climbing and 30 miles out of it.

I reckon if I really tried I could get 7000 feet of climbing out of it.
 
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Kevintaper

Member
Jun 25, 2020
8
7
Inverness
I've got a voodoo zobop E, with shimano e7000 motor and 504wh battery, and my friend has whyte e rs150 with bosch motor and 625wh battery, and my bike last as long if not longer, because I'm nearly 2 stone lighter than him, so weight of rider makes massive diffrence plus my motor puts out 60nm torque, with his putting out 85nm torque, I calways keep up with him
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,017
9,457
Lincolnshire, UK
Both are excellent bikes, but if this is your first emtb, then I would buy whichever one you can get from a local supplier. When you get a problem that is "e" related, the ability to drop the bike off at your LBS is an underestimated benefit. Consider instead, parcelling up the whole bike and posting it to another country where they don't speak your language, don't answer your emails etc.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,568
5,060
Weymouth
I would go with the Cube primarilly because of the Bosch motor which is in my opinion far better than the Shimano ( now outdated) motor. If the Canyon came with the newer Shimano motor it would be a closer call. That said the motor is only one element and how the bike fits and how it rides are more important....so can you test each bike??
 

Forever Wild

Active member
May 21, 2020
251
445
Arizona
I’m after opinions, hopefully from someone with experience of the two bikes below.

I’m looking at buying my first Emtb and I’ve narrowed it down to one of these two.

I generally ride places like Llandegla, Gisburn Forest etc

The bikes,

Canyon Spectral ON: I love the look of the spectral On and believe it is nibble and rides really well, but I’m concerned that the battery range won’t be enough to get around Llandegla or Gisburn in anything more than eco

Cube stereo hybrid: Again I think the Cube looks amazing and has a good spec, but I’m not sure how it’s rides and if it will handle as well as the Spectral. But I know the range is longer.

Which bike would you go for? How much more range do you get out of a 625wh battery over a 500wh

View attachment 40938

View attachment 40939
Canyon
 

GMLS

Active member
Jun 22, 2020
336
209
Surrey
I also shortlisted both of those along with a Focus and Orbea. The Cube won it on getting a discount on a 2021 model, availablility from a LBS and the fact I was able to get a demo. Wasn't going to spend that sort of money without a demo and very happy with my choice so far
 
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JoeBlow

Active member
Jul 7, 2019
729
448
South West, UK
I have just bought an Orbea Wild FS H20. 29" wheels, Bosch Gen4 motor, Shimano Brakes and 160mm Fox suspension. It's currently in the shops for £5300 but I got mine from Germany for £3950. I've only been out on it 3 times but I love it. It's faster and more comfortable than my previous bike, a Trek Powerfly 4 FS. The dropper post wasn't working correctly so I took it into my local bike shop to get it seen to and the supplier has already refunded me that money.

Al
 

Forever Wild

Active member
May 21, 2020
251
445
Arizona
I apologize for quick response. I didn’t have much time to elaborate. I’ll do so now. Disclaimer: I’ve never ridden either bike. But just from what I know about my bikes geometry and suspension kinematics, I prefer the Canyon. The Canyon appears to have a 4 link rear suspension. I believe cube has a derivation of the single pivot design or in any case not a 4 link suspension. One of my bikes have a 4 link and the other is similar to the cube. My wife and I both like the bike with the 4 link rear suspension which also has the much undersized motor.

Based on my experiences, I’d pick the Canyon. A large input to this decision is LBS support. That could sway the decision in this case.
 
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Forever Wild

Active member
May 21, 2020
251
445
Arizona
..... That said the motor is only one element and how the bike fits and how it rides are more important....

Couldn’t agree more. My favorite Ebike I own has only 60nm and a 460wh battery and have done 3 hours of riding and 30 miles on a single charge. The suspension kinematics is superb. It just simply rides better than my other Ebike with more power and more battery.
 
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Mteam

E*POWAH Elite
Aug 3, 2020
1,872
1,807
gone
The Canyon appears to have a 4 link rear suspension. I believe cube has a derivation of the single pivot design or in any case not a 4 link suspension.

Incorrect - they both have the same type of suspension layout - a horst link layout - you can tell because the rear axle is on the seat stay on both of them.
 

Forever Wild

Active member
May 21, 2020
251
445
Arizona
Incorrect - they both have the same type of suspension layout - a horst link layout - you can tell because the rear axle is on the seat stay on both of them.
I agree with the rear axle being on the seat stay. I didn’t realize that automatically makes it a Horst link design. The Canyon definitely is a Horst link design.
 

MitchF

E*POWAH Elite
Jun 1, 2019
520
611
Mirokumk38
Guess what I think ....
Just come back from Degla , all the blacks, red and blue.
20% battery left.
All in tour (110k rider?)

009A15F7-79A2-48B5-A645-1E5C65FB08E9.jpeg
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,017
9,457
Lincolnshire, UK
I agree with the rear axle being on the seat stay. I didn’t realize that automatically makes it a Horst link design. The Canyon definitely is a Horst link design.
In addition to the axle being on the seat stay, there has to be a pivot on the chain stay close to the axle. I could conceive of a single pivot where the axle was on the chainstay. For example my bike is a single pivot, but the axle is on the joint between the seat and chain stays. It only has to move half an inch and it would be absolutely on the seat stay and still a single pivot.
 

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