Has Canyon finally made the Lux Trail a trail bike? Despite its name, Matt Page wondered who the bike was aimed at and why Canyon classified it as a ‘cross-country’ mountain bike in his review of the previous version. The new Lux Trail, released today, is a complete revision that updates the bike into a versatile all-rounder — trails included.
”By blending the core DNA of Canyon’s pure cross-country race machines with the rugged descending capability of the Neuron CF and the progressive geometry of the award-winning Spectral, Canyon has created a feathery light, blindingly fast trail machine that thrives on rugged terrain,” the company says.
The biggest revisions here are a step up to a 140mm fork and a 125mm rear travel configuration, over its predecessor’s 120/115mm. This suspension step up, combined with the geometry, makes the new version a short-travel trail bike that should deliver both efficiency and speed when it’s needed most.
In terms of geometry, the key changes here are a head-tube angle which has slackened by over two degrees to 64.8°, as well as split-size chainstays (435mm for XS-M and 440mm for L-XL), which help keep the rider’s centre of gravity in the right place. In turn, this extends the wheelbase and increases the reach and stack to improve stability.
Canyon has also focused on shaving weight where possible, making use of “topology optimisation” to remove redundant material and cutting 200 g of carbon, bringing the overall frame weight to 1,850g in medium. Despite this weight reduction, Canyon has ensured that it meets stringent German strength and impact testing standards.
An ultra-efficient, single-piece carbon flex-stay delivers what Canyon calls “an incredibly responsive pedal platform,” which increases support during descents and enhances stability while climbing. An isolated post-mount brake adapter ensures unrestricted seatstay flex, which saves weight and ensures suspension performance isn’t affected by heavy braking.
Final touches include a watertight downtube storage hatch with a sleeve and multi-tool, plus a 3D-forged rocker link, fewer small parts overall, and circlip-secured bearings to prevent creaks and simplify home maintenance.
The Lux Trail will launch with four builds, from CF 6 to CF 9, across five frame sizes (XS to XL) to fit riders from 150 cm to 205 cm. The heaviest and cheapest unit is the Shimano XT-equipped CF 6 (£2,849 / €2,999 / $3,999), which is the only model to run a Fox 34 Rhythm fork and alloy wheels.
Upgrading to the CF 7 (£3,799 / €3,999 / $4,999), CF 8 (£4,749 / €4,999 / $5,999), or the flagship CF 9 (£5,699 / €5,999 / $6,999) brings a step up to Canyon XC 30 carbon wheels and the stiffer Fox 36 SL chassis. The top-tier CF 9 comes fully loaded with a Sram XO AXS transmission with an integrated power meter, Fox Factory suspension, and a Fox Transfer Factory dropper post.
The Canyon Lux Trail is available to buy via Canyon’s site and app now. We’ll get Matt on the case soon to find out if the Lux Trail is now a true trail ripper…
