Canyon launches two new e-bikes... and a concept car

Canyon has unveiled its vision of the future, which includes not only two sophisticated new e-bikes that are fully equipped for urban riding but also the Future Mobility Concept – a sort of e-pedal car that bridges the gap between e-bike and car.

The Commuter:ON and Precede:ON are innovative e-bikes that Canyon says are sure to have an immediate impact on the way people move around the city.

Canyon Commuter:ON

Expanding on the German brand’s Commuter range, the aluminium-framed Commuter:ON uses an integrated Fazua Evation motor and weighs 17.2kg in size M, which Canyon says is lighter than anything else in its class despite a list of city-ready features such as built-in lights, mudguards and a sturdy rear rack, enabling it to be carried onto public transport or upstairs to an apartment. Its 252Wh battery is rated for a range of up to 75km on medium setting and can be removed, lowering weight by 3.3kg for non-motorised riding. Gearing is Shimano XT 1x12 with a wide-range 10-51t cassette.

The Commuter:ON comes in three colours and two different frame types: the Commuter:ON 7 and the Commuter:ON 7 WMN will both retail at €3,299.

Canyon Precede:ON

Meanwhile, the carbon-framed Precede:ON is described by Canyon as the bike of the future. It has already won the German Design Award for 2021.

Its Bosch motor and battery are fully integrated into the frame, delivering up to 340 per cent in added assistance while pedalling. As with all e-bikes, it stops helping at 25kph. The battery supplies up to 65km per charge.

There are no visible cables or wires thanks to specially designed brake levers – a collaboration with TRP – which make the unified handlebar and stem the first of their kind, according to Canyon.

There’s a Supernova light system, aluminium mudguards, a kickstand and a rear rack that uses the Ortlieb 3.1 quick lock system. There’s also an optional front rack as well as special baskets for the rear.

The Precede:ON 9 uses a Gates belt drive and an automatic shifting system, the Enviolo Automatic, that Canyon says is is the first automatic, continuously-variable shifting system. You set your preferred cadence and the Enviolo does the rest.

The Precede:ON 8 uses Shimano’s XT mountain bike groupset with a 1x12 drivetrain and a 10-51 cassette.

Available in two frame designs – standard and step-through – the Precede:ON 8 and 8 ST will retail at €4,299 while the Precede:ON 9 and 9 ST are priced at €4,999.

Canyon Future Mobility Concept

However, what will really divide opinion and possibly scatter cyclists whenever it ventures into the bike lane – as it is designed to be able to do – is the Canyon Future Mobility Concept.

In cities across the globe, says Canyon, officials and urban planners are scrambling to come up with creative solutions to address traffic and pollution, but they need all of the help they can get. So Canyon teamed up with the Technical University of Aachen to design “something that bridges the gap between e-bike and car… a revolutionary alternative to both the automobile and the bicycle." Canyon says: “Combining the next generation of lightweight and powerful e-bike design with four-wheel stability and storm-proof protection from the elements, our Future Mobility Concept represents a decisive step in re-imagining how bicycle technology can reclaim space on the streets. It is a clean vehicle, a statement, and a sign of what’s to come.”

Even as the popularity of e-bikes skyrockets in urban areas, says Canyon, 45 per cent of potential users still want a form of transport that is protected from wind, rain and snow. The Future Mobility Concept is designed to “seamlessly jump from the street to the bike lane, merging the best parts of cars and e-bikes into one to make it the ultimate daily commuter. It’s fast and stable enough to fly down the open road, yet light and agile enough to slide into the bike lane when things get backed up.”

The Future Mobility Concept measures 830mm x 1,011mm x 2,300mm, weighs around 95kg, can transport a child aged around 11 years old or a “big volume such as three crates of beverages” according to Canyon. The hybrid passenger seat/storage compartment is behind the driver.

A range of around 150km is feasible, says Canyon, in speed reduced cycle segments at under 60kph – which suggests the vehicle is capable of 60kph.

But is it just a concept car or will Canyon really bring it to market? “In the coming years we will launch more urban bicycle solutions, but the implementation of other concepts like this will also be intensified. The concept gives us a vision that we want to work towards – quickly.”