Issue #040, Review - November 9, 2019

Editors’ Choice: Canyon Strive CFR – The Ultimate All-Round Weapon

“What would your dream bike look like, if money weren’t an issue?” I’ve been asked this question a million times and my custom-built Canyon Strive CFR is the ultimate answer. It’s fast, it’s high-end and it looks lush – I love it!

Here you’ll find an overview of the editor’s dream bikes.

With my ‘editor’s bike’ I wanted to create nothing less than the perfect all-rounder: a bike I could use for tough bike-park expeditions, epic alpine tours as well as my ritual after-work ride. My ideal bike needs to be fun both on flowy flat trails and rough technical downhills. In our last group tests, the Canyon Strive proved to be just that bike. However, for this project it had to be special. My main objective was to combine maximum performance, both up- and downhill with the cleanest look possible.

Why the Canyon Strive?

For this project I wanted to create as versatile a bike as possible and the Canyon Strive was the perfect starting point. It features 29″ wheels, which might not be as nimble as the smaller 27.5″ size but provide better rollover characteristics and more grip – a real must for the sort of riding I focus on! Whilst the geometry of the Strive isn’t at all extreme, it’s exactly what I needed to achieve balanced and intuitive handling. As one of its main highlights, the low bottom bracket makes me feel well integrated between the big wheels, while the short chainstays allow for rowdy handling and riding, allowing me to pull manuals and drift through corners at full pelt whenever I want.

While the 150 mm travel rear end isn’t overly plush but the Strive uses its travel very efficiently. The rear end responds sensitively and offers good mid-stroke support while feeling pleasantly progressive. With long-travel bikes, you often get the feeling that you’re sinking into the travel, which can sometimes result in the bike feeling sluggish. That’s not the case with the Strive which actively encourages you to pop off lips and ledges!

Bike park, alpine tours and after-work laps – I wanted my Strive to be a true all-rounder!

More Flexibility: the Shapeshifter

Canyon’s Shapeshifter is still faced with a fair amount of scepticism. That’s not a huge surprise considering the problems the original system had when it was introduced with the first version of the Strive. Developed in collaboration with FOX, the latest version of the Shapeshifter is supposed to be a lot more reliable and durable. The system allows you to reduce the rear travel to 135 mm and steepen the geometry of the bike at the touch of a button. In turn, that stiffens up the plush chassis, making for a more efficient climber without affecting traction. For my taste, the seat angle could still be steeper but with the saddle pushed all the way forward, the Strive handles even the steepest of climbs. But the Shapeshifter system doesn’t just work well on the way up! Sometimes I even use it to reduce the travel on flat, flowy trails to give the Strive even more pop.

Clean lines and clean aesthetics

When it came to the frame colour, the choice was obvious: black and white. The colour scheme is very discreet and underlines the angular lines of the bike. To complement the clean look of the frame, I chose a Syncros Hixon iC Rise Cockpit, which harmonises both with the shape and the design language of the Strive. The wireless SRAM X01 Eagle AXS groupset and RockShox Reverb AXS dropper enhance the clean look of the bike even more. This means there’s not one visible cable or brake line on the drive side and the unused cable ports are sealed with a 3D printed cover I made specifically for the purpose. I also replaced the Canyon Shapeshifter lever with a slimmer RockShox gripshift-style TwistLoc lever, which allows me to operate the Shapeshifter and seat post even more ergonomically. Unfortunately, as the levers of the shifter and Shapeshifter have slightly different cable actuation ratios, the new TwistLoc remote has a bit of play as it has more travel than is required for the Shapeshifter cable.

Not only does the Strive look fast – it also rides fast!

Precision is key: The spec of my Strive

Not only does the Strive look damn fast when stationary, it also rides incredibly fast! To achieve this, I picked my components carefully, trying to strike an optimal balance between flex and stiffness. While the Syncros Hixon cockpit is rather stiff on its own, in combination with the super sensitive RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork and good damping characteristics of the Michelin Wild Enduro tires with Rimpact tire inserts, it doesn’t feel overly harsh. On the contrary, it deals with knocks and vibrations very effectively and translates steering inputs directly and with clinical precision. Likewise, the Santa Cruz Reserve wheels fit the overall concept, being light and durable, but neither too stiff nor too flexible.

Fork RockShox Lyrik Ultimate 170 mm
Shock RockShox Super Deluxe Coil 150 mm
Brakes SRAM CODE RSC 220/220 mm
Drivetrain SRAM X01 Eagle AXS
Seatpost RockShox Reverb AXS, 150 mm
Stem Syncros Hixon IC 1.0 50 mm
Handlebar Syncros Hixon IC 1.0 800 mm
Wheels Santa Cruz Reserve 30, Rimpact Inserts
Tires Michelin Wild Enduro 2.4″

**The perfect compromise**
Die Michelin Wild Enduro-Reifenkombi überzeugt mit top Traktion, gutem Rollwiderstand und einem sehr spaßigen, aber dennoch berechenbaren Handling. Leider reißen die Seitenstollen am Hinterrad schnell ein.

**My favorites**
Normally I’m not a big fan of carbon wheels. However, the Santa Cruz Reserve wheels have so far been able to withstand all the abuse I have thrown at them without any problems and aren’t overly stiff either.

**Ergonomically perfect**
I operate the Shapeshifter with a TwistLoc lever. While the shifter has some play, I can control the seat post and the Shapeshifter system at the same time.

**Perfect match**
The Syncros Hixon iC Rise cockpit fits perfectly into the overall design concept of the Canyon Strive

**In a class of its own**
While the price tag of the RockShox Reverb AXS dropper is rather eye-watering, its performance is outstanding. It’s defined and (so far) totally reliable.

**A visual highlight**
The Super Deluxe coil shock with a red spring fits into the overall design of the bike. On top of that it convinces with a lot of support and a sensitive response. However, with hard consecutive hits the rear-end stiffens up a little too easily. An air shock would likely make for a slightly plusher option.

**Fast, precise, reliable**
The SRAM Eagle AXS drivetrain convinces with its precise and fast gear changes. So far, no readjustment was necessary – top!

**Maximum deceleration**
Huge 220 mm brake rotors provide maximum deceleration. Particularly on the rear wheel the rotor has proven itself when controlling my speed on long descents. At the front I will size down to a 200 mm rotor from time to time, depending on the circumstances and terrain.

**Extra protection**
I use a light Rimpact tire insert to increase stability and grip and to protect the carbon rims from unwanted impacts. Unfortunately, they’ve stretched out a bit during our test and started rattling inside the tire – annoying!

Talking of great performance, I was absolutely blown away by the incredible
precision of the SRAM AXS components, with the Reverb AXS dropper being my absolute favourite. Never before have I come across such a smooth and well-defined dropper! When it comes to saddles, I like mine to be both comfortable and visually pleasing. The Syncros Tofino V 1.0 embodies this idea perfectly and blends in well with the overall build. Maintaining my focus on integration, a Fidlock bottle holder is almost invisible when not in use.

My CODE RSC brakes, which came with a custom finish from SRAM, mirror the red colourway of the other components. Whilst SRAM’s downhill stoppers are always my first choice, this special edition was an absolute must for my very own custom dream build. For maximum power and consistency, I run 220 mm brake rotors. Considering that even Troy Brosnan, who probably weighs 20 kg less than me uses the same size rotors, using smaller ones wouldn’t make much sense.

More braking power = more fun! In combination with the 220 mm rotors, SRAM’s CODE brakes are simply brilliant!

The RockShox Super Deluxe Coil completes the aggressive look of the bike but more importantly harmonises with my riding style well. However, I have to admit that it’s not necessarily better than its Super Deluxe Air counterpart. Due to the high mid stroke support of the rear end, the coil version tends to feel a little harsh, especially with consecutive hard hits, making the air shock a plusher option in rough scenarios. On the other hand, the coil sits higher in its travel and makes for an even more lively and balanced rear-end, especially in corners.

It looks damn fast, it rides even faster!

If you have read this far, you’re already familiar with some of the Strive’s riding characteristics. My custom-built Strive climbs extremely well but is still very well-balanced providing a fast and fun ride on the way down. I did push my saddle all the way forwards, but once there, the riding position is very centred. Thanks to the Shapeshifter system and the light wheels, the bike accelerates eagerly, feeling efficient and nimble even on the most technical of climbs due to the (still) very active suspension.

Once you get to the trailhead, a quick click on the TwistLoc lever and the Reverb AXS dropper lever and the Strive will from a good-natured climber to powerful downhill machine. The riding position is nicely integrated and positions you comfortably between the big wheels. If you dare to take your fingers off the brake-levers, the bike builds up speed quickly and maintains it even through tight corners and on demanding terrain. Despite a difference in travel of two centimetres between the front- and rear-end, the chassis feels nicely balanced, plush and defined.

The Canyon Strive is nimble in corners, making fast direction changes willingly and responds to steering inputs quickly and with extreme precision. With its lively character, the bike rewards an active riding style by either letting you smash through corners on the most direct line or by drifting through them in great style. One more highlight is the standard tire combination consisting of a Michelin Wild Enduro front and rear. This tire rolls incredibly well and provides tons of grip despite its small centre tread… just let it slide over the middle and wait for the massive shoulder lugs bite into the trail – so much fun!

Conclusion

The Canyon Strive turned out exactly as I had hoped from the outset. It’s amazingly versatile, it’s fun and it looks mint! The Strive is an eager climber and a belter of a trail machine on all sorts of terrain! With its high-end spec it’s an authentic high-end enduro dream build.