Canyon NEURON:ONfly CF 9 Review

Bosch is the major motor manufacturer in the EMTB world, alongside Shimano - and it's no surprise, as the SX shows. The developers at Bosch are entering the race with their first Light Motor, the Performance SX. With 55 Nm of torque, the unit sits squarely between Fazua's Ride 6 and TQ's HPR 5. However, it delivers similar power values to the popular Full-Power sibling, the Powermotor CX, with up to 6 watts of assistance. However, the Bosch SX only delivers this power at a very high cadence. To feel the full power, one must pedal at a sporty 1 revolutions per minute. The startup behavior remains harmonious. The entire motor control is natural. While in operation, the Performance SX is quieter than the Powermotor CX, but still louder than the sometimes whisper-quiet competition from Fazua or TQ. When descending, Bosch has managed to reduce rattling compared to the CX model, although it remains noticeably audible with the SX. The short range unfortunately limits the tour radius quite significantly. The integrated battery gives developers constructive freedom when designing the frame. However, to charge it, the bike always has to be brought near an outlet.

In the about 7000€ price range, most manufacturers use aluminium as the frame material. With a carbon frame, Canyon turns the weight screw and sets itself apart from the competitors. Even nasty descents get smoothened by the good Rock Shox chassis. At the brakes, Canyon instals upper class brakes with four pistons and 2 millimeter rotors from SRAM. Taking a holistic approach also includes looking at the gearing and components. The components are of good qualtiy and offer no reason for criticism here. When it comes to the geometry, Canyon does not go completely crazy. The head tube angle and reach values were chosen with care. The result: A balanced riding behaviour with a good combination of playfulness and straight-line stability. For the good geometry, the developer team of Canyon definitely deserves props. Such a knack for detail in geometry is rarely seen. The scale stays at 19,9 kg with this model. That makes the NEURON:ONfly CF 9 one of the light Trailbikes.