Canyon Neuron CF gives versatile 130mm trail bike travel boost, geometry tweak for bigger adventure

Canyon’s carbon Neuron CF all-rounder trail bike adds an extra 10mm of fork travel for 2022, boosting its technical trail capabilities while retaining pedaling efficiency. The new 130/140mm travel setup situates the updated Neuron in a nice middle ground – equally fun to rail smooth singletrack, smash around on technical trails, and still capable to head out for all-day backcountry adventure rides. You know, just a mountain bike.

2022 Canyon Neuron CF 130/140mm trail mountain bike

As much as mountain bikes become ever more specialized, longer travel, and slacker… there’s a lot to be said for that versatile sweet-spot mid-travel trail bike that could be a perfect fit for most rides and riders. That’s always been where the Neuron sat. And now with a bit more travel up front, it slots even more nicely in between Canyon’s longer XC-focused Lux – now Trail too – and all-mountain Spectral – bleeding into Mullet enduro now, as well.

Tweaked geometry?

Following the same successful upgrade on a single premium ultra-limited edition this season, all the new carbon bikes now pair 140mm forks to the same 130mm travel Neuron frames. That bit of extra travel up front slackens the ride out by about 0.5° from the Neuron’s original debut, opening up even steeper trails,  now offering 66.5° or 67° head angles (27.5 or 29″, respectively).

Note: it looks like Canyon has made some other frame geometry tweak somewhere. Because even with the longer fork travel and slacker head angle, frame Stack & Reach is unchanged, the 74.5° seat angle is unchanged, as are the 18 or 38mm BB drop of the original Neuron. (Also of note: all of those had also changed in the 130/140mm CF LTD build of model year 2021.)

Tech details

The full-carbon Neuron CF hasn’t really changed at all since its late 2018 launch. The 130mm rear is the same supple early travel, efficient pedaling mid-stroke & progressive end-of-travel Triple Phase four-bar suspension.

The bikes use size specific wheels, so 27.5 for XS & S and 29″ for M-XL.

Interestingly, even the smaller 27.5″ wheeled bikes feature 29er forks. (Read about why here.) So I wonder how many riders might have already tried to convert their bikes to mullets to get a similar performance boost like this longer fork travel offers?)

The Neuron also features internal/external cable management through a full-length downtube protector, a threaded BB, a headset steering stop to prevent crash damage, 30.9 dropper posts, and is 1x/2x compatible even if all bike builds stick with a single chainring

2022 Canyon Neuron CF – Pricing, options & availability

Four carbon Neuron CF models are available now with the entry 3000€ 2022 Canyon Neuron CF 8 & CF 8 WMN shipping as of today with a Shimano SLX 1×12 drivetrain, FOX 34 & Float DPS Performance suspension, a Canyon Iridium dropper, and DT Swiss XM 1700 alloy wheels (13.3-13.5kg).

The 4000€ Neuron CF 9 upgrades to Shimano XT and Fox Performance Elite suspension, shipping soon to later this winter depending on sizing.

Then, a $6500 / 4800€ Neuron CF 9 SL shifts to a wireless SRAM GX Eagle AXS drivetrain, Code RSC brakes, Fox Factory suspension, and carbon DT XMC 1501 wheels at a claimed weight of 12.96kg (M), expected in the second half of December.

And a premium radiant red (peach?) 8000€ Neuron CF SLX LTD is “coming soon” spec’d out with a premium wireless SRAM X01 Eagle AXS groupset, automatic RockShox Pike Ultimate & Super Deluxe Ultimate AXS Flight Attendant suspension, a Reverb AXS dropper, and carbon DT Swiss XMC 1200 wheels – available later this winter.

US availability of any of the updated Neurons still seems up in the air. Only the CF 9 SL is currently listed by Canyon USA, with availability times quoted either as “Spring 2022” or (yikes!) “Fall 2023” depending on size…

Canyon.com