Canyon’s big-hitting Torque:ON electric mountain bike has arrived at BikeRadar HQ, and with 175mm of rear travel, it looks ready to tackle the gnarliest trails our testers can throw it down.
The bike is based on Canyon’s freeride/bike-park inspired Torque, except the German brand says you can save on the park ticket and ride to the top of the trails.
Shimano’s EP8 motor provides the power and can be connected to a 720Wh or 900Wh battery in the down tube.
We’ve got our hands on the top-of-the-range Torque:ON CF 9, which is priced at £7,149 / €7,499 and sees shimmers of Kashima-coated Fox suspension, as well as Shimano’s XT groupset.
Before we get some miles on the bike, let's take a closer look at the details.
Motocross-inspired frame
Canyon has given the Torque:ON a carbon fibre frameset that takes inspiration from its downhill bike, the Sender.
The brand also says it has looked to the world of motocross when designing the frame, making sure the bike remains agile and capable despite the extra weight of the battery and motor.
This has resulted in a frame rated to Category 5e in the EFBE’s Tri-Test – an industry body test of the strength and resilience of bike frames – meaning it can withstand downhill and bike-park trails.
Canyon says this is the highest rating for any electric mountain bike in its line-up.
At the centre of the bike is a Shimano EP8 electric bike motor, which provides 85Nm of torque and 250W of continuous power.
Canyon gives the option of a 720Wh or 900Wh motor, touting the first as adding more agility to the bike and the latter as adding miles to your ride.
The battery can be removed, and in keeping with the motocross design principles, there is a sump guard at the bottom that protects the motor and battery port.
The rear linkage provides 175mm of rear travel. There is no flip chip, meaning the bike can only be run as a mullet setup, with a 29in front wheel and a 27.5in rear wheel.
Hydration Station
With the rear shock, adjacent to the down tube, Canyon has included a novel solution to water storage.
A recess in the top tube, called the Hydration Station, holds a prism-shaped 650ml bottle within the frame.
Friction is used to keep the bottle in place, although a strap is also provided to ensure it doesn’t pop out on heavy compressions.
The area looks to open up other possibilities for mounting accessories, and we’d love to see a speaker attachment to replace the silent zen of the trails with pumping techno.
Aggressive geo
With its downhill focus, it’s no surprise the Torque:ON has an aggressive geometry.
The bike comes in four sizes, ranging from S to XL, all of which see a slack 63.5-degree head angle, 445mm chainstay lengths and a 77.5-degree effective seat tube angle.
Reach is a little longer than other eMTBs, with a size-M stretching to 475mm.
Top-tier spec
This top-spec model comes equipped with Fox Factory suspension, with a 180mm Factory 38 used at the front and an X2 Factory in the frame to control the 175mm of travel.
Shimano supplies its XT M8100 drivetrain and brakes.
A 220mm brake rotor is used on the front of the bike for improved performance, while a 203mm rotor is fitted at the rear.
The bike rolls on DT Swiss HFR1700 wheels, wrapped in Maxxis tyres.
There's a 2.4in Minion DHR II on the rear wheel, with a 2.5in Assegai at the front.
The cockpit is supplied by Canyon in-house and an 800mm alloy bar is mounted to a 45mm alloy stem.
