A new special edition 2021 Canyon Neuron leads out the brand’s new season of trail bike updates, with a killer build developed together with DT Swiss to boost the all-mountain capabilities of the bike. Beyond the limited edition bike, the versatile 130mm Neuron and more capable 150mm Spectral get mostly spec & color updates (including a kid’s Young Hero version of the Neuron), with plenty of build options to suit a wide range of trail riders.
2021 Canyon Neuron 29″ or 27.5″ 130mm mountain bike
Built to be their most versatile mountain bike, the Neuron is a 130mm travel full suspension platform that comes in a wide range of sizes to fit almost anyone – with XXS & XS bikes using 27.5″ wheels to fit the smallest riders without geometry compromises and S-XL frames getting 29″ wheels. Canyon calls the Neuron their “universal mountain bike”, available in a wide range of aluminum & two carbon frame specs… the solution for “riders seeking one trail bike that can do it all”. The newest model of 2021 is the CF LTD which actually uses the standard carbon, not the lightest SLX version, but there are plenty of color & spec updates for the rest of the range, too – like a move to all Schwalbe Nobby Nic or Hans Dampf tires across the board.
2021 Canyon Neuron – Pricing & availability
The Neuron range actually begins with the most affordable being the 2021 Canyon Neuron AL Young Hero edition, offering a second small size for 2021 to fit more budding trail shredders.
At just 1500€, the 27.5-wheeled alloy Neuron Young Hero comes in two small sizes XXS & XS, and gets a SRAM SX Eagle build, RockShox suspension with a special kids’ shock tune, and an impressively light weight at 13.6kg, more than a kilogram lighter than the next spec’d alloy bike.
The alloy bikes all get 1x drivetrains this coming year with bigger 32T chainrings (You Hero & WMN builds stick with 30T). The 1900€ aluminum Neuron 9 now gets a XT/Deore mix (at 14.8kg complete) in a XS-XL range. Or pick the WMN version of the same bike & spec at the same price, but averaging out 400g lighter because it comes in the smaller range (XXS-M). The 2300€ alloy Neuron 7 & 7 WMN follow the same formula, with a XT/SLX build.
Carbon builds start at 2800€ for the Neuron CF 8 with GX Eagle, then climb to 3300€ with XT for the Neuron CF 9 & 9 WMN. The 4000€ Neuron CF 9 SL takes it a bit further, upgrading to a XO1 Eagle setup with carbon DT Swiss XMC wheels, but only really saving about 100g in the end. (Then there’s the LTD version below, for a longer travel DT. perspective.)
Lastly, a single premium build upgrades to a lighter carbon layup, in the 5600€ Neuron CF SLX 9. It goes to a XTR build, Fox Factory suspension and even lighter carbon DT wheels, sticking with a 130/130mm travel setup and a weight claim of 11.9kg.
2021 Canyon Neuron CF LTD, limited edition trail bike
The carbon 130mm Canyon Neuron frame platform gets a bit of an extra kick in the limited run DT Swiss collaboration. Limited to just 100 bikes available worldwide, the 5000€ Canyon Neuron CF LTD swaps in a DT Swiss F 535 One fork for a bit of extra travel up to 140mm to slacked the ride out by about 0.5°, paired to a matching DT shock out back that stocks with 130mm of frame travel.
Add that to a set of light 30mm internal carbon DT Swiss XMC 1200 wheels, a wide SRAM XO1 AXS Eagle wireless drivetrain, and RaceFace Next 35mm carbon cockpit & Turbine R dropper, and you get a pretty light bike (13.2kg) that can shred any trail.
2021 Canyon Spectral 27.5″ 150mm all-mountain trail bike
What once felt like a full-on enduro bike, Canyon’s 150mm full-suspension Spectral has shown its chops as a killer long-travel all-mountain trail bike. For the new 2021 season, it’s pretty much just updated spec and new colors for the Spectral – featuring new 2.4″ Maxxis tires for better all-around grip and Ergon’s top SM10 enduro saddle for an ergonomic perch.
The Spectrals all roll on 27.5″ wheels with 30mm internal rims, and there are two fork options – either the 160mm Fox 36 or 150mm RockShox Pike, varying in spec with pricing level. The bikes carry over key details like: extra sealed/protected bearings for long life, full protective downtube cover that manages noise-free cabling, and the integrated seatpost clamp.
New colors include: Non Forest and dark New Violet for the standard bikes & Sprint Mint and Soft Coral for the WMN models (and which look much cooler than they are named.)
2021 Canyon Spectral – Pricing & availability
The alloy bikes start at 2200€ for the NX/SX Eagle Spectral 5 & 2600€ for the SLX Spectral 6.
Carbon models include the 3000€ Spectral CF 7 with GX, the 3600€ Spectral CF 8 with XT, and the top-spec Canyon Spectral CF 9 for 4300€ with XO1 & RockShox Ultimate suspension.
Canyon has also added a women-specific build in smaller sizes that dial back to 140mm rear suspension and 150mm forks to fit smaller riders, and with contact points tweaked for women. Offered at two price points in either aluminum or carbon frames.
The 2200€ SLX-equipped alloy Spectral 6 WMN (XXS, XS, S & M) offers a more affordable spec than the unisex 6, while the 3200€ GX-equipped carbon Spectral CF 7 WMN (XS, S & M) steps up the build a bit compared to the regular CF 7.
The new 2021 Canyon Neuron & Canyon Spectral range is available now, depending as always on size spec & color choice.
