Canyon Strive:ON CFR – In our 2024 eMTB comparison test under € 7,000

An e-enduro racer for less than € 7,000? That’s what Canyon promise to deliver with their Strive:ON CFR. According to the German direct-to-consumer brand, it’s a bike designed to win races and set new records on the toughest trails. With 170/160 mm of travel and a mullet wheel setup, the Strive:ON CFR’s fact sheet seems to back CANYON’s claims. But how does it fare on the trail?

After securing the coveted Best Buy tip in our huge 2024 e-mountainbike comparison test with the € 9,699 Canyon Strive:ON CFR LTD flagship model, Canyon enter our sub € 7,000 group test with the Strive:ON CFR. Unlike its top-tier counterpart, it relies on a conventional Bosch Performance Line CX motor, rather than the extremely powerful Bosch Performance Line CX Race drive, which delivers the same amount of torque as the Race variant but offers up to 340% assistance rather than 400%. The mullet wheel setup and 170/160 mm of travel emphasise the performance-oriented character of the Strive:ON CFR. Our test bike in size M tips the scales at 24.3 kg, which is just above the 24.12 kg average in this group test. Retailing at € 6,999, it’s the most expensive competitor, falling just one euro below the € 7,000 price limit we set for this test. But how does it perform on the trail?

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB of 2024 under € 7,000 – 5 affordable models in our comparison test

Trail hunting! – What sets the Canyon Strive:ON CFR apart from the competition?

With its clean, rectilinear design language, the Strive:ON CFR fits in nicely with the rest of the Canyon range. The lack of weld seams makes it clear the Canyon has a full carbon fibre frame, alongside the Propain Sresh CF – the BULLS SONIC EVO AM 3 has a carbon front triangle, paired with aluminium stays . The Liquid Forest paint finish blends in perfectly with nature, making the Canyon the perfect tool for stealthy trail hunts. The motor is seamlessly integrated into the bottom bracket area, blending in well with the silhouette of the bike.

For the motor, Canyon rely on fellow German manufacturer Bosch, speccing the Strive:ON CFR with a Bosch Performance Line CX drive, which delivers an 85 Nm of torque and 600 watts of peak power. In our big eBike motor test, you’ll find an overview of all of the current, most exciting drive systems. The motor draws its power from either a 625 Wh or 750 Wh battery. The smaller version saves you 800 grams and € 200, but also provides 20% less range. Despite the price difference, we opted for the bigger 750 Wh Bosch PowerTube battery for this test. To make way for the battery to slide out of the bottom of the down tube, Canyon’s designers tilted the motor slightly upwards, which results in a rather bulky bottom bracket area. However, this allows you to remove the battery for external charging. To do this, you’ll simply have to unbolt the down tube protector, unclip the battery and pull it out from the frame. For internal charging, you can simply plug the charger into the charging port above the motor. The connection is protected by a rubber cover, though this is a bit fiddly to use. Unlike MERIDA with their eONE-SIXTY 875, Canyon don’t give you the option to expand the battery with a range extender, and there’s no display either. However, the Bosch System Controller on the top tube tells you everything you’ll really need to know while riding, including the battery charge status and selected support mode. The motor system is controlled via a wireless, bar-mounted Bosch Mini Remote. Moreover, the Canyon Strive:ON CFR comes standard with a Bosch Connect module, which allows you to track your bike via the Bosch eBike Flow app. Cool!

Shifting is taken care of by a 12-speed Shimano XT drivetrain, which is paired with a cheaper SLX cassette. However, this is only marginally heavier, and doesn’t affect shifting performance. Shimano XT four-piston brakes with a 220 mm rotor at the front and 200 mm disc at the rear do stopping duties. The suspension consists of a 170 mm FOX 38 Performance Elite fork and matching 160 mm FOX X2 Performance air shock. The fork’s GRIP2 damper offers countless adjustment options and delivers a tremendous performance on the trail, while the shock lets you change the low-speed compression and rebound damping. DT Swiss supply the robust, mixed-size HX 1700 alloy wheelset, which can take a real beating. The wheels are paired with a 2.5″ MAXXIS ASSEGAI front tire in the soft MaxxGrip compound and thin EXO+ casing, and a 2.4″ MAXXIS Minion DHR II in the harder MaxxTerra compound and robust Doubledown casing at the rear – awesome!

Tuning tip: If you can do without the large 750 Wh battery, choose the smaller 625 Wh battery for even more agile handling

Strive for the best! What is the Canyon Strive:ON CFR capable on the trail?

The Strive:ON CFR places you in a comfortable, compact pedalling position – mainly down to the fact that we decided to downsize for this test, choosing size M over our usual L. The reason for this is that Canyon bikes are significantly longer than most of the competition, which is worth bearing in mind when you’re picking your size! On leisurely fire road climbs, the Canyon feels planted, and the Bosch Performance Line CX motor provides the most powerful assistance in the entire test field. As the gradient steepens and the air thins out, the sensitive suspension generates plenty of traction on steeper climbs, with the Canyon delivering a similar performance to the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 875 uphill and making it easy to negotiate even nasty climbs on loose ground.

With an active riding style, the Canyon generates insane amounts of speed and slaps a massive grin on your face

Dropping into a trail to shred your way back down into the valley, the Canyon integrates you nicely between its wheels, with the weight evenly distributed between the front and rear. The relatively high front end tucks you in nicely behind the handlebars, inspiring huge amounts of confidence in the process. After just a few corners, you can’t help but notice the intuitive yet direct handling, which is even sharper than the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY. As a result, the Strive:ON CFR is super easy to ride and implements steering input predictably. The mullet wheel setup makes it particularly great fun on twisting trails, where the small rear wheel gives the Strive:ON an extra boost of agility. With an active riding style, it generates insane amounts of speed, and slaps a massive grin on your face. Overall, the Strive:ON CFR is incredibly playful and very keen to cruise its way down the valley on the rear wheel – style for miles!

The Strive:ON CFR strikes an excellent balance between agility and composure, inspiring huge amounts of confidence and making you feel at ease from the get go, regardless of whether you’re a novice or seasoned trail veteran.

When the going gets rough, the potent FOX suspension comes into its own, providing enough reserves to take on nasty rock gardens headfirst – and that’s exactly where the Strive:ON really comes to life. Even in demanding high-speed sections, the poppy, supportive suspension provides just the right amount of feedback from the ground without feeling too harsh. Overall, the Strive:ON has the best suspension in the entire test field. Furthermore, the Shimano XT brakes provide reliable and powerful deceleration, allowing you to slow down when things get hectic. The Canyon strikes an excellent balance between agility and composure, allowing you to relax and let loose, regardless of whether you’re a novice or seasoned trail veteran.

Who should take a closer look at the Canyon Strive:ON CFR and who should look elsewhere ?

With the Strive:ON CFR, the German direct-to-consumer brand is addressing exactly the target group it wants to reach: racers who want a top-performance bike for E-EDR and other e-enduro races, but can’t afford expensive high-end bikes. However, the Strive:ON is also an excellent choice for weekend warriors who love to rip their home trails. The comfortable pedalling position and 750 Wh battery make it suitable for long days in the saddle, which means that even leisurely touring riders will get their money’s worth with the Canyon.

Our conclusions about the Canyon Strive:ON CFR

The Canyon Strive:ON CFR covers a wide range of applications and impresses with the best all-round characteristics in the entire comparison test, delivering a tremendous performance in all kinds of scenarios, from nasty downhills to long tours, where it strikes an excellent balance between shredding qualities and comfort – all of this at a very competitive price. As a result, the Canyon Strive:ON CFR comes out on top of the competition, securing the coveted Best in Test in our 2024 eMTB comparison test under € 7,000!

Tops

• Wide range of applications
• Great performance at an unbeatable price
• Best all-round qualities

Flops

• Flimsy charging port cover

For more information, visit canyon.com

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB of 2024 under € 7,000 – 5 affordable models in our comparison test

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Words & Photos: Benedikt Schmidt