【Vital MTB】2022新款Canyon Strive

Yo! So good! Where is it? Ah, there it is. Hello mountain bikers, welcome to another vital MTB bike launch. When Canyon introduced the current generation of this drive in 2019, misgivings regarding the conservative Geo somewhat overshadowed the ingenious Shapeshifter and other qualities of the bike. Online expert opinion notwithstanding, that bike did go on to win the EWS overall under Jack Moyer, albeit with some tweaks in the form of a longer fork and taller headset cups to help slacken the head angle. For 2022, Canyon went back to the drawing board to develop an entirely new Strive, which looks a lot like its predecessor, but which is in fact different in nearly every aspect. We spent two fun days aboard the new rig in Finale Ligure and we're here to tell you all about it. Don't go anywhere! When Canyon developed the 2019 Strive, they did so with certain constraints, most notable of which the absence of a 29-inch version of the Spectral at the time. That bike had just launched with 27.5-inch wheels only. As a result, the 2019 Strive was also asked to pick up the mantle and serve as a do-it-all big-wheeled all-rounder. Today, the Spectral range has grown considerably, which left the Canyon engineers free to focus the new 2022 Strive on its main task, winning enduro races. Winning a race will obviously require a very talented pilot, but as a bike manufacturer, you can still do a lot to help your racer save time and energy. And that is exactly what drove the design choices behind the new Strive. 29-inch wheels only, no mullets here. In discussing this choice with multiple DH world champ Fabien Barrel, who has been heavily involved in all the R&D and testing of Canyon's gravity range for the past 10 years, in addition to also running the actual race teams, we were told that the big wheel was chosen because of its superior traction and ability to carry speed in flatter sections of trail. It also helps reduce rider fatigue at the end of a stage. Canyon's testing showed that the time and energy advantage of the 29-inch wheels is so significant that it far outweighs any maneuverability advantage of, say, a mullet configuration. Even the shortest racers out there will largely prefer to deal with the occasional rear-wheel slap on the butt to unlock that extra rolling speed. Fabien Barrel also shared his insights regarding the Strive's rather unique shape-shifter technology that he has been instrumental in developing. When Fabien made the move from World Cup Downhill to the Enduro World Series, he found it hard to accept having to make compromises regarding a bike's downhill abilities in order to be more efficient on flatter trails or on climbs. Wanting the best of both worlds,the shape-shifter concept was born and has subsequently been refined,taking into account 10 years of racing and riding around the world. The shape-shifter is not a lockout,nor is it to be thought of as merely a climb switch. It does more than that. As its name implies,it actually changes the shape of the bike by shortening rear-wheel travel,raising the BB and steepening both the head angle and the seat tube angle. Although the system does not adjust the shock itself at all, it changes the leverage and anti-squat ratios between the two modes, which also translates to a reduction in pedal-induced bobbing under power. Shape-shifter is based around a small piston that compresses or extends as you switch between pedal and shred mode, which changes the position of the shock pivot point on the rocker arm. The overall leverage ratio is fairly progressive and the bike will play nice with both a coil and an air shock. The anti-squat number is now much higher in pedal mode compared to the previous generation Strive, with a curved shape that provides a lot of pedalling support in the early part of travel,while dropping off significantly past the sag point. While the 2019 Strive was quite conservative in the geometry department, the 2022 version has grown considerably in reach and wheelbase, with a 63-degree head angle in shred mode that would not look out of place on a DH or Freeride bike. The chainstays are still a fairly short 435mm in length, and that measurement is the same across the whole size spectrum. The Strive also features an oval head tube, which allows for 5mm of reach adjust in either direction from the stock setting, to allow riders to really dial in their personal sweet spot. The seat tube has also gotten a lot steeper here compared to the previous generation of the bike, which is of course meant to make those grueling liaisons a bit easier to live with. With the decision taken to make the new Strive primarily a race bike, Canyon also opted for producing it with a CFR frame only, Canyon Factory Racing version, a high-end frame construction that saves weight, but also costs more to make. All the tubes have been given new shapes for the 2022 bike, and the frame has gained 25% of stiffness in the front triangle compared to the previous generation. It's also 300g heavier. The internal cable routing is not guided, so extra foam tubes need to be added to the cables where they pass through the frame. There's a large skid plate to protect the BB and down tube, as well as a full-length chainstay guard with the now-so-commonplace ridges to help silent any unwanted chain slap noises. Stram's universal derailleur hanger means finding spares should be increasingly easy. The new Strive will only be offered with two build levels, the top CFR spec at 6,299 euros, or 7,299 US dollars, and the CFR underdog spec at 4,999 euros. The underdog model will come to the US only in 2023. Fox 38 Float X2 suspension, Shimano shifting and braking, with Maxxis tyres and Canyon's own finishing kit, including cockpit and dropper post. Both bikes are available in two different colours, the silver-black that we tested, and a grey-orange version. There is no frame-only option to purchase. Canyon whisked us away for two days of riding in Finale Ligure, which,as the spiritual home of the Enduro World Series and one of the most popular enduro riding zones in Europe, is of course the perfect testing ground for any bike with enduro racing aspirations. Canyon's event team was on hand to help set up the bikes and provide technical support during the testing, and local shuttles were provided to ensure we would be able to sample a full selection of trails and eat enough vert to really form a solid first opinion of the performance of the new bike. A few words on the new Geo. These bikes are long, very long. The previous large had a reach of 460 millimetres, whereas the new medium is 480 millimetres. In essence, each size is actually grown by two sizes when comparing the old and the new bike. The C-tubes are short, however, so all this really means is that you can pick a reach number that you're comfortable with and go ride your bike. Although the size S now starts at 455 millimetres of reach, which together with the 29-inch wheels probably makes it less suited for the shortest riders out there. Our tester, that's me, at 1 metre 84 or 6 foot 0, I'm comfortable anywhere between 470 to 490 millimetres of reach in general. You do get an extra ±5 millimetres of reach adjust from the stock number thanks to the oval head tube inserts, so you'll be able to fine-tune the fit as well. There's a fair amount of damping available in both the fork and the shock, so we found ourselves backing off both compression and rebound settings as the testing progressed. Starting off with fairly conservative rebound speed provided a sure-footed ride, but also left the bike lacking a bit of pop. A few clicks less on the compression and rebound saw it come alive, and we found a happy place for the kind of riding we did here in Finale. Lots of fast, steep and rocky trails with no shortage of last-second surprises to keep us on our toes. This type of terrain really helped hammer home the importance of a bike that inspires confidence and that will save your ass when you overcook a rock garden on tired legs at the end of a racing stage. One of the classic trails in Finale is called Roller Coaster, which starts with a 10-minute climb from the shuttle drop-off point. We found this drive easy to live with on the way up. There's a certain amount of pedal bob present, but it never feels sluggish, and the steep C-tube angle is a boon when travelling in the less entertaining direction. The shapeshifter does not provide any kind of lock-out function, but you can feel it support you with a higher BB and less sag. Once you crest the climb, the trail starts out with a fast and sometimes rough top section, which is perfectly suited to the new Strive in Shred mode. Stable at speed and with plenty of reserves to deal with bigger hits and harsh landings, the bike is short-footed and confidence-inspiring as you point and shoot between the rocks, roots and trees. The second part of this trail is flatter, with plenty of ups and downs and puzzling together with fun swooping turns. This is where the shapeshifter feature really comes into its own. By raising the rear end of the bike and shortening the travel in pedal mode, it helps to place the rider in a more central and forward position, and it also helps the bike pump and carry speed. It does change the balance of the bike's suspension, but it's easy enough to adjust your body language to this new reality, and the benefits outweigh the inconvenience on the right type of trail. When things get steep again, a simple click of the lever puts you back in Shred mode. Fabien Barrel confirmed that Jack Moyer uses the shapeshifter pretty much on every stage, and after these two days of riding, we can clearly see the benefit in a racing situation. If you only own one bike, it also makes for a great solution to expand the comfort zone and the fun factor of your single-steed quiver. That leads us neatly to the final question. Who is this bike for? It was designed for enduro racing, so that question is pretty easy to answer. Should you consider it if you don't race? If you ride demanding terrain and you're looking for a bike that provides plenty of confidence yet retains a lively enough feel to be fun to ride pretty much anywhere, further aided in this aspect by the innovative and effective shapeshifter, the new Strive would also be a great choice. Hunting for comms on your gnarly local trails? Probably one of the best tools for the job. If you have freeride aspirations, the lack of a mullet option might be an issue, and that might also factor into your decision-making if you are on the shorter side. The bike is very long and rolls on 29-inch wheels exclusively, so it may not be ideal for the shortest riders out there, but everybody else should be able to find a suitable match in the wide range of sizes available. OK, then, that's the end of the presentation. We hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to tune in. As always, don't forget to like, comment and subscribe. You can also head to our site to read more about the new bike. Until next time, happy trails!