Issue #042, Review - October 30, 2020

Canyon Strive CFR Jack Moir Edition review – Racing machine and all-round bullet

The Canyon Strive CFR has been one of the most versatile enduro bikes on the market ever since it first launched. Some keyboard warriors claim that the head angle is too steep or the reach is too short. But is that really the case and how does the bike fare on a demanding EWS stage?

In our introduction of the fastest enduro race bike on test you can’t just find our most interesting findings and our overall conclusion, but a good view on all bikes tested.

**Canyon** Strive CFR Jack Moir Edition | 180/160 mm | 15.3 kg in size L

The Canyon Strive Jack Moir Edition in detail

When Canyon agreed to take part in this race bike group test and send us Jack Moir’s replica bike, we had our doubts. Isn’t Jack Moir over 1.90 m tall? Wouldn’t his bike be too big for us? Upon asking, Canyon assured us that we’d be fine since Jack rides a size large. What a relief. But there was another surprise: Jack has his cockpit set up extremely high.

With 180 mm travel, his RockShox Lyrik fork offers one centimetre more travel than the standard bike. He’s got a custom-machined 1.5 cm tall headset cup under the head tube and a tower of spacers adding an additional three centimetres beneath the stem. It’s too tall for us and we removed the spacers under the stem. At 760 mm, the handlebar also seems rather narrow for such a tall rider. The build includes a lot of high-end SRAM components. A special feature is the Super Deluxe shock, which has a longer 65 mm stroke and thus offers more travel at the rear. Unfortunately, Canyon don’t offer this as an option on their production bikes since the frame doesn’t have the required clearances on the smaller sizes. As on the production models, the Shapeshifter on Jack’s bike allows him to adjust the geometry and the suspension at the push of a button. Despite robust MAXXIS tires with downhill casings, the bike is relatively light, weighing in at 15.3 kg.

**Super quiet**
Even in its standard configuration, the Strive is super quiet. With the custom chainstay protector, you don’t hear a thing.

**Ain‘t no stem high enough**
At 190 cm tall, Jack Moir rides the Strive in size large with an extremely tall front end. The cockpit was too high up for our testers and we removed the spacers from under the stem.

**Lots of grip and puncture protection**
The MAXXIS tires with their downhill casing and the robust DT Swiss aluminium wheels will just keep on rolling. No need to fear punctures or broken rims.

**Efficient**
We don’t think that many racers use the Shapeshifter during a stage but it’s worth its weight in gold for the transfers, bringing the slack angles of the extremely modified bike back to ‘normal’

Canyon Strive CFR Jack Moir Edition

Specifications

Fork RockShox Lyrik Ultimate
Rear Shock RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate
Seatpost RockShox Reverb AXS 150 mm
Brakes SRAM CODE RSC 200/200 mm
Drivetrain SRAM X01 Eagle AXS 32 (10-50)
Stem Canyon G5 50 mm
Handlebar Canyon G5 760 mm
Wheelset DT SWISS EX 1501
Tires MAXXIS Assegai / Minion DHR II 2.5/2.4

Technical Data

Size S M L XL
Weight 15.3 kg
Wheelsize 29

**Custom made**
Team manager Larry machined a special headset cup for his riders, which lifts the front by 1.5 cm

**Jack meets Enduro**
Canyon built us a replica of Jack Moir’s race bike for this test

**More is more**
The only thing better than lots of travel on long and rough descents is even more travel. At 180 mm, the Lyrik on Moir’s bike has more than enough reserves.

The geometry of the Canyon Strive CFR in detail

We can’t give you the exact figures for the geometry of Jack Moir’s Canyon Strive. However, the reach is a lot shorter than on a standard build. The reason for this is the super tall front end, which moves the handlebars closer to the rider. While the standard model has a reach of 464 mm in L, it has to be less than 460 mm on this bike. The head angle will also be at least 1° slacker, the bottom bracket is raised and the seat tube angle also slackens out significantly. Thanks to the Shapeshifter, the geometry can be steepened for the climbs. Since we don’t have any exact data, you can find the standard geometry below.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	400 mm	440 mm	455 mm	500 mm
Top tube	602 mm	629 mm	662 mm	697 mm
Head tube	95 mm	100 mm	110 mm	130 mm
Head angle	66.0-67.5°	66.0-67.5°	66.0-67.5°	66.0-67.5°
Seat angle	72.9-74.4°	72.9-74.4°	72.9-74.4°	72.9-74.4°
Chainstays	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm
BB Drop	32 mm	32 mm	32 mm	32 mm
Wheelbase	1,166 mm	1,193 mm	1,227 mm	1,266 mm
Reach	409 mm	434 mm	464 mm	494 mm
Stack	630 mm	635 mm	644 mm	663 mm

**Helmet** Bell Full9 Fusion MIPS | **Goggles** Sweet Protection Clockwork RIG Topaz
**Jersey** Dainese HG Jersey LS | **Pants** Dainese HG Pants 1 | **Shoes** ION Rascal AMP

Fast, precise and good-natured – the Strive CFR on the trail

The balanced, good-natured and agile handling of the Strive CFR has earned it two test wins in our previous group tests and the bike impressed us once again with its super intuitive handling. On our race stage and all other trails that we rode it on, it impressed us with its agile handling. Quickly swerve around a rock you didn’t see coming? Easy! Decide on the high line at the last minute to position yourself better as you enter a corner? There’s nothing easier! The tall front end makes the bike very easy to navigate and manoeuver over obstacles. No other bike allowed us to lift the front wheel with so little effort. Instilling you with confidence on steep terrain, it also delivers plenty of traction on flatter sections. There are bikes that are easier to ride but overall, the Strive is pleasantly balanced with its tall front end.

The Strive offers the perfect balance of good-natured handling and a feeling of dominance in demanding terrain!

Take the hero line – nothing is easier aboard the Strive!

The Canyon allows you to carry a lot of speed out of corners and generate more speed by pumping it. The suspension is plush yet defined. The riding position, which is nicely centred between the large wheels, contributes to a handling that is composed and confidence-inspiring. Your stance on the bike is neutral and upright, and keeping an eye on the trail ahead is easy with Jack Moir’s modifications. You only have to adjust your centre of gravity slightly, which saves you a lot of energy on long descents. The components have no weaknesses: the CODE brakes are powerful while being easy to modulate and the MAXXIS ASSEGAI and Minion DHRII tires with downhill casings suit the bike perfectly.

How does the Canyon Strive CFR handle compared to the competition?

The only bike capable of beating the Canyon Strive in the overall ranking in this test was the size medium Yeti SB150. The Strive probably lost time in the very tight sections where the Yeti is even more agile. However, the Yeti demands more input from the rider, which could be a factor on long stages. The Lapierre is similar to the Canyon, though you’ll feel less integrated with it. Both the Canyon and Lapierre require minimal effort to change direction and they do so with precision. However, the upright stance on the Canyon saves even more energy and allows you to ride fast on unfamiliar trails.

Differences from the standard bike:

180 mm travel fork
custom lower headset cup adds 1.5 cm stack under the head tube
aluminium rims
downhill tires
additional slapper tape
760 mm wide aluminium handlebar

Conclusion

The standard Canyon Strive CFR has convinced us several times before and the team replica is even better. It’s handling is very good-natured and easy to ride while remaining fast and composed, which it proved by clocking the second-fastest overall time in our test. As a rider you’re always in control of the situation and able to master even the most demanding trails with ease. The perfect bike for hobby racers!