Canyon Precede:ON CF 9 E-Bike First-Ride Review

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Pray that town of the long run is extra just like the utopia of Logan’s Run than the dirty, perpetually raining one in Blade Runner, as a result of within the exceptionally clear city atmosphere of our desires we’ll all be younger and wholesome and getting round on a mix of monorails and one thing like the brand new Canyon Precede:ON, a premium e-bike in hybrid and step-through editions that’s as sensible as it’s lovely.

I took it for a brief spin on the press launch and might report it rides like a dream, feeling a lot lighter and extra manoeuvrable than the 23kg weight suggests. A part of that’s right down to the top-of-the-line Bosch Efficiency Line CX motor, centrally situated between the pedals. The chunky 57mm-wide tyres and carbon body with somewhat fancy Canyon-designed carbon seatpost (that’s £232.95 price of fancy) have been primarily chargeable for the remarkably vibration-free experience on cobbled streets and a canal towpath.

It’s the second e-bike we’ve tried that employs automated gear shifting, and the Precede:ON’s Enviolo system proved far superior to the clunky expertise we had on the VanMoof S3. The shifting on the Precede:ON wasn’t noticeable in any respect and as soon as I had discovered my most popular cadence setting, I pedalled comfortably at simply the correct stage of resistance all through.

It’s actually somewhat pretty and straightforward to experience, and for such a futuristic-looking bike, surprisingly sensible as effectively. There are built-in lights, with two settings on the entrance, certainly one of which is brilliant sufficient to light up a highway with out road lights. A rear rack comes as customary and might bear 25kg of weight, taking panniers or a set of bespoke Canyon baskets. There’s an non-compulsory entrance rack that may deal with 5kg, and the flexibility to connect a Croozer bike trailer for youths, pets or cargo. The principle motive Canyon is releasing a unisex step-through model is to make it simpler to keep up your stability when mounting a heavily-laden bike.

Mudguards come as customary, and the detachable battery is taken out from the highest of the downtube somewhat than the underside so that you don’t should get intimate with the half prone to have been splattered with dust and particles. The highest-of-the-line CF 9 additionally makes use of a carbon belt drive so there’s no probability of getting grease in your trousers. A kickstand is built-in so intently you might wrestle to see it when it’s tucked away, with only a small tab peeking out to your foot.

The quoted most vary is 65km, though it’s prone to be much less when you’re a standard one who doesn’t experience in some other mode however Turbo, the one with essentially the most help. Whereas that ought to cowl you for the kind of around-town journeys this bike is meant for, it’s on the decrease finish of the vary e-bikes supply and the 500Wh battery doesn’t cost notably rapidly, taking six hours to go from empty to full.

The graceful biking expertise and well-thought-out conveniences go a protracted technique to justifying the worth of (brace your self) £4,699. It’s price noting that Canyon works with the Green Commute Initiative cycle to work scheme so you might stand up to 47% off the worth of the bike when you use it to get to work. You can too pay for the bike in interest-free installments utilizing a Klarna-alike service referred to as Splitit.

There’s a slighter cheaper model, the Precede:ON CF 8 (£3,999), whose essential distinction is a ten-gear Shimano groupset somewhat than the belt drive and automated shifting. However when you’re spending that sum of money anyway I’d be tempted to go the entire hog.

However when contemplating a motorbike this costly (and expensive-looking) that’s meant to move you round city and due to this fact, by necessity, should be locked up open air in public, theft is a particular concern.

The excellent news, nonetheless, is that like all the pieces else, safety has been given a variety of thought. The Precede:ON doesn’t have a built-in SIM like a rising variety of e-bikes, which might can help you observe it down (an method which isn’t all the time as engaging as you may count on; VanMoof’s restoration service prices about the identical as e-bike insurance coverage, as an illustration). However what it does have is a detachable Bosch Kiox show, which acts as a key – with out the paired gadget the bike is ineffective.

There’s additionally house between the seatpost and rear wheel for a lock that’s about as safe because it will get, the Abus Bordo Granit XPlus 6500 folding lock (an additional £111.95).