German bike manufacturer Canyon has just announced two new ebikes – and a very exciting-looking bike/car hybrid concept – for urbanites called Commuter:ON and Precede:ON. Both bikes have a peculiar look with the the top tube changing angle halfway through: it's like someone knocked the designer's elbow as they were drawing the concept on paper but instead of correcting the mistake, they decide it shall stay as it is.
• Shop the Canyon e-bike range
Needless to say, both ebikes come choke full of top-notch technology at a reasonable price. Not cheap, mind, as even the cheapest version of the Commuter:ON will set you back over €3,000 but in return, you will get a bike that will surely won't get scared of a little hillride in town.
Canyon Commuter:ON
The Canyon Commuter:On is advertised as 'light and easy to carry' although we aren't sure how many people will pick up a 17-kilo bike and just stroll around with in town. You won't have to carry the Commuter:ON too much as it has a 252Wh Fazua Evation motor that's capable of producing 55 Nm of torque and has a range of 75 km on medium setting.
According to Canyon, the battery Drivepack can be removed and replaced by a cover that doubles as storage space. This also decreases the overall weight of the Commuter:ON by 3.3 kg to be used as a non-motorised bike, should you wish to do that.
• Check out the Commuter:ON at Canyon
The internally-routed cables give the cockpit of the Canyon Commuter:ON a clearer, more sterile look. Canton claims that despite the hidden cables, an opening beneath the stem allows all cables to be fed into the head tube and then through the frame easily. Not like you will fiddle around too much with the cabling but in case you want to, rest assured you can without much difficulty.
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The Canyon Commuter:ON comes with built-in lights that run off of the bike’s battery. Also included are the mudguards and the rear rack: the robust, aluminium Wingee fenders will protect you from water coming from below and the rack will take the load off your back (literally).
Shimano's XT mountain bike groupset completes the Commuter:ON's setup: the 1 x 12 shifting is easy to use and "always finds the right gear thanks to the huge range of the 10 – 51 t cassette", as Canyon puts it. the setup also includes the Shimano hydraulic disc brakes with flat-mount callipers.
Canyon Commuter:ON price, availability
The Commuter:ON will be available in two versions: The Commuter:ON 7 (€3,299) and the step-through Commuter:ON WMN 7(€3,299). The Commuter:ON 7 will be available in sizes S – XL and the Commuter:ON WMN 7 will be available in sizes XS – M.
The bikes will be available in spring 2021.
Canyon Precede:ON
As opposed to the Commuter:ON's aluminium body, the new Canyon Precede:ON sports a carbon frame and two distinct varieties: the standard model has top tube while the step-through variety hasn't. Both versions look sturdy enough to withstand some serious impact force although we don't recommend getting hit by a car just to test the limits of the carbon frame.
Canyon went all out with the Precede:ON: Lights, a lock, racks, baskets, a kickstand, fenders, a navigation display and even automatic shifting all either come with or can be easily added to the bike. As for the motor, the Precede:ON comes outfitted with the Bosch Performance Line CX drive system that supplies 85 Nm of torque to the pedals.
• Check out the Precede:ON at Canyon
The system delivers up to 340% in added assistance while pedalling, Canyon claims, but it stops helping at 25 km/h to ensure the bike can be legally ridden on bike paths and sidewalks. All this energy is stored in the 500 Wh Bosch battery that has a riding range of up to 65 kilometres on a single charge.
The most exciting part of the Canyon Precede:ON is the Enviolo Automatic shifting. It is the first automatic, continuously-variable shifting system for bikes: simply set your preferred cadence and the Enviolo does the rest. Please note that the Enviolo Automatic shifting is only available on the Precede:ON 9.
And of course, the Precede:ON also comes equipped with quality disc brakes, integrated lights, mudguards and and a rear rack. Front rack is optional but recommended for people who like to carry around their child/weekly shopping when they cycle.
Canyon Precede:ON price, availability
The Precede:ON will be available in four models: The Precede:ON 8 (€4,299) and the step-through Precede:ON 8 (€4,299), as well as the flagship Precede:ON 9 (€4,999) and step-through Precede:ON 9 (€4,999). Standard Precede:ON frames are available in a range of sizes from M to XL, while step-through frames are available in sizes XS to L.
The Canyon Precede:ON will be available online starting 1 September 2020.
Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.