Canyon Spectral AL 29er 6.9 (2014)

A beautiful and purposeful trail weapon

Pros

- Gorgeous alloy frame
- Quality components
- Online only pricing

Cons

-A tad weighty

Review

The Canyon Spectral range carries on from the more trail orientated Nerve. This new bike features 130mm of travel with 29" wheels. There is also a 140mm travel version but the wheels are changed to 27.5". The Spectral is Canyons all-mountain offering and is designed to be capable of descending some pretty vicious terrain while also being efficient enough to ride back up.

The Spectral AL is a beautifully designed bike, with the alloy flowing almost like carbon, yet it still exudes a solid, robust presence. The frames low bottom bracket and short chainstays ensure the Spectral is fast, stable and agile on the trail. 130mm travel is a sweet spot for all-round riding pleasure and the Spectral is certainly very capable even in the roughest trail conditions.

Components featured include Fox fork and shock (although here I would have preferred the Fox 34), a Mix of Shimano Deore, SLX and XT drivetrain components, Mavic Crossride 29 wheels and Avid brakes. This creates a dependable blend of mid-range components that, while reliable, add a little more weight than higher specced items.

In saying that, the price here is very good for what you get and any small losses in performance are out- weighed by great value.

The Canyon Spectral AL 29er 6.9 is an affordable, supremely capable, trail and all-mountain bike that would suit anyone looking for a performance machine to tackle any conditions.