Canyon Commuter:On & Precede:On electric bikes launched

Canyon is typically known as a performance brand, sponsoring two WorldTour road teams and featuring regularly on the mountain bike World Cup circuit.

That performance-focused philosophy has extended to the company’s city bikes – bikes such as the existing (non-motorised) Commuter and Roadlite (available in electric and non-motorised versions) still have a sporty edge.

Canyon says that changes with the arrival of the Commuter:On and Precede:On. Both put a far greater focus on urban functionality, practicality and usability for a wider range of cyclists, while retaining some of the smart design features and well-thought-out spec choices synonymous with Canyon.

Why now? Well, “the city is changing”, according to Canyon.

“Decades of car-centric urban planning is being turned on its head and a simpler, more elegant form of mobility is returning to the forefront: the bicycle,” says Canyon’s press material. “Dodging traffic and eliminating the dreaded search for parking, ebikes have made getting around town easier than ever and they are only improving.

“What makes a truly capable e-city bike? It should empower you to pedal to work in the morning, run errands in the afternoon and grab drinks with friends in the evening, all without stopping to worry about whether your battery is going to die, if you forgot to bring your lights or if you have enough space to pick up your groceries. It should be a bike that gets the job done and looks good doing it.”

Canyon Commuter:On

Canyon says the Commuter:On was designed to strike a balance between power, features, weight and value.

The bottom bracket-mounted Fazua Evation motor offers 55Nm of torque, has the latest Black Pepper software update and is powered by a 252Wh battery. The down tube-mounted battery can be removed and replaced by an optional cover that doubles as storage space, according to Canyon.

Canyon says the Commuter:On has a range of up to 75km on the Fazua motor’s medium setting, so it should cover a day’s urban riding without requiring recharging.

• Fazua Evation motor with 55Nm of torque
• 252Wh battery with claimed range of up to 75km on medium setting
• Built-in lights, mudguards and rear rack
• 1x Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain
• Semi-integrated cockpit
• Standard and step-through frame options
• €3,299

Weight was key here and Canyon says the Commuter:On 7’s 17.2kg weight (claimed for a size medium) is light enough to ensure it can be “easily taken on public transport or carried upstairs to an apartment”. Whether you can “throw it over your shoulder”, as Canyon claims, will depend on who’s doing the throwing.

In terms of features, the Commuter:On has integrated lights (a LIGHTSkin Ultra Mini at the front and Supernova E3 Tail Light 2 at the rear) that run off the bike’s battery.

Canyon

As for the rest of the bike, the aluminium rear rack can carry up to a claimed 15kg and uses Ortlieb’s QL3.1 quick-lock system for the company’s compatible panniers. The mudguards – a must for everyday practicality – are also made from aluminium.

The semi-integrated cockpit is a particularly neat feature. It uses a spacer that can be added or removed for 10mm of adjustment; once the spacer is removed the entire cockpit can be slid down and re-secured.

Canyon says this maintains the clean aesthetic of the cockpit by eliminating the need to place spacers above the stem, while still allowing for fit adjustments. An opening beneath the stem allows all cables to be fed into the head tube and then through the frame.

In terms of gearing, the Commuter:On 7 has a 1x drivetrain with a Shimano Deore M6100 chainset (with a 48t FSA chainring) at the front and 12-speed 10-51t cassette, activated by a Shimano XT M8100 SGS shifter.

Hydraulic disc brakes (Shimano MT200 front,  Shimano BR300 rear, both with 160mm flat-mount rotors) take care of stopping. The Alexrims rims are mounted on Shimano hubs, with 40mm Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres. Finishing kit comes from Canyon.

The Canyon Commuter:On will be available from spring 2021.

Canyon Precede:On

Everything steps up a notch with the Precede:On.

Canyon says it chose to make the Precede:On’s frame from carbon fibre not just because of its “low weight and durability”, but because it could be shaped to offer increased integration, including a battery and brakes that are built into the bike.

• Bosch Performance Line CX motor with 85Nm of torque
• 500Wh battery with claimed range of up to 65km
• Built-in lights, mudguards, kickstand and rear rack
• Optional lock and front rack
• Carbon cockpit with integrated levers, lights and display
• Standard and step-through frames
• Two spec options: Precede:On CF 8 (£3,999 / €4,299), Precede:On CF 9 (£4,699 / €4,999)

The Precede:On comes with Bosch’s Performance Line CX motor – a drive system we’re more used to seeing on electric mountain bikes, supplying up to 85Nm of torque to the pedals.

That’s powered by a 500Wh battery integrated into the down tube, with up to 65km of range, according to Canyon. The Precede has Bosch’s latest  Kiox display.

The battery is removed from the top of the downtube – Canyon says this makes the process easier, but also allows room for the bike’s wide tires and fenders without altering the geometry of the frame.

Canyon

The Precede:On is available in two spec options. Most notably, the upscale Precede:On CF 9 has a low-maintenance Gates belt drivetrain with Enviolo Automatic shifting. Set your preferred cadence using the Precede’s display and the system will feed in the required power to maintain that cadence, regardless of the terrain.

If you prefer to do the shifting yourself, the more affordable Precede:On 8 uses a 1x Shimano XT drivetrain, with a 44t chainring and 10-51t cassette. Braking is taken care of by TRP hydraulic stoppers. Like the Commuter:On, the Precede:On has Alexrims/Shimano wheels and 40mm Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres.

Other features include a carbon cockpit with the brake levers, lights and display all integrated into the handlebar. On the standard frame option, the stem flows neatly into the top tube.

Canyon

The Supernova Mini 2 Pro front light puts out 235 lumens as standard but also has a high-beam mode with 550 lumens. Canyon says the bike’s battery always reserves enough power for the lights even when it’s nearly out of charge. The rear light is a Supernova E3 Tail Light.

Finally, the rear rack is rated up to 25kg and again uses Ortlieb’s QL3.1 quick-lock system, while there’s the option for a front rack capable of carrying 5kg and mounting points for a trailer. You can also add an Abus Bordo Granit X folding lock to the Precede, mounted to the rear of the seat tube.

The Canyon Precede:On will be available from September.