Canyon Lux CF 9.9 Race Review
Describing the Lux CF as ‘Record Breaking Luxury,’ Canyon’s claims appear to already have been validated by the score of successes notched up by ‘the Albanator,’ Alban Lakata. So that’s the elites covered…but can the Canyon Lux CF 9.9 Race deliver fun for regular riders too?
Right from the stand, the Lux CF does justice to its name and emits an attitude that murmurs luxury rather than screaming it. From the saddle to the hubs, the fully’s stealth black, classic design profile is met with approving nods. As we’ve come to expect, the Koblenz-based direct sales company haven’t cut any corners when it comes to the spec; it’s all consistently top-end and well thought-out. There’s no dropper post though, which might disappoint more trail-orientated XC riders, but the frame is compatible for one.
The 29er (large frame) gives a pretty aggressive position for our 180 cm-tall rider, but it’s far from overly stretched out. At 90 mm, the stem length is pretty substantial, and the 720 mm bars are adequately wide. Both the seat and head angle can be described as steep, at 74° and 70° respectively. This comes at the cost of some stability on hairy descents, but will see you dig deeper into those pedals with more power on the climbs. On tight sections the bike needs a little coaxing to get round switchbacks and narrow trails. The stock 100 mm RockShox suspension, made up of an RS1 fork and Monarch rear shock, works mega-efficiently, and has great end progression to ensure there’s sufficient in reserve – but it’s not the most forgiving suspension we’ve ridden. 25 % sag proved ideal during out testing.
There’s no rear pivot between the chainstays and seatstays, instead Canyon went for so-called flex pivot carbon stays, which pushes the overall weight down (as does the fixed lower mount on the rear shock) to a featherweight 10.76 kg (including tubes!). The low weight, along with the fast-rolling Continental X-King tyres and Full Sprint lever (which locks out the suspension), is the catalyst for some serious charging.
Details of the Canyon Lux CF 9.9 Race
Specification of the Canyon Lux CF 9.9 Race
- Fork: RockShox RS-1 100 mm
- Shock: RockShox Monarch XX
- Drivetrain: SRAM X01
- Brakes: SRAM Guide RSC
- Seatpost: Canyon S29 VCLS CF
- Stem: Canyon V14 90 mm
- Handlebar: Canyon H20 720 mm
- Tyres: Continental X-King Racesport 2,2″
- Wheel Size: 29″
- Wheels: DT Swiss XR 1501 Spline One
- Weight: 10.76 kg
- Price: € 4,499
Conclusion
Primed for marathon racing, the Canyon Lux CF 9.9 Race has a superb spec and ultra-low weight, making it a beast on the climbs. It does lose some ground on the descents, asking for all your attention and a serious amount of exertion to keep it on track.
Strengths
- A mean accelerator
- Top spec
- Super-stylish
Weaknesses
- Overly firm suspension for trails
- Nervous on technical sections
For more information on the bike head to the Canyon Website.
[/emaillocker]About the XC Bike Group Test 2016
Just outside the sprawl of Barcelona, we took out the test fleet onto the varied trails, confronting them with everything from frighteningly steep climbs to challenging descents. All of this occurred with the backdrop and climate of the Mediterranean Sea – and despite it being February, the conditions couldn’t have been better. The test team consisted of four riders, each with their own nuances when it comes to mountain biking, but all with years of experience when it comes to testing bikes.
For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article: XC Bikes Group Test 2016
All bikes in test: Canyon Lux CF 9.9 Race | Giant Anthem SX Advanced | Pivot Mach 4 Carbon | ROSE THRILL HILL 3 27,5″ 2016 | ROTWILD R.R2 FS 29 Evo | SCOTT Spark 710 | Specialized Epic Elite Carbon 29 World Cup | Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL
Words & Photos: Christoph Bayer