€ 5,999 for a season ticket? Yeah, that’s right. Because with the Torque:ON 9, the lack of shuttles is a thing of the past. The Canyon beams you straight to the top of your favourite jump line and its comparatively high weight ensures excellent stability, making the Canyon feel almost like a dirt bike in the air. In our bike park group test, we’ve found out how easy (or hard) it is to get the Canyon airborne and how the extra weight affects its handling!
Get an overview of the grouptest here: The best bike park bike of 2021 – 6 models in review
24.2 kg in size L | € 5,999 | Manufacturer’s website
Long queues at the lift and smelly gondolas, adieu! The € 5,999 Canyon Torque:ON 9 comes with a free season ticket included in its price and will take you straight to the trailhead without having to queue for a lift. With the Torque:ON 9, Canyon claim to have created an eMTB for freeriders. In our opinion, it’s best suited to rowdy freeride sessions and big jump lines that can’t be reached without a lift or truck. Even from a distance, the Torque:On is distinctively recognisable as an eMTB. The bulky frame houses an 85Nm Shimano EP8 motor that feeds off a 504 Wh battery. This is the smallest battery available for the EP8 system but can be easily exchanged for a fresh one if required – nonetheless, the stock option will get you to the trailhead a fair few times. According to Canyon, the optional spare battery with a matching battery cover should be available from autumn 2020. With a spare in your car, you can swap batteries in no time and head straight back to the trail for more laps. The proven Shimano E7000 display on the handlebars provides all relevant info about support levels and battery charge status. If you prefer to run a minimalist setup for a tidier cockpit, you can swap the display for a Bluetooth dongle and read all information directly from your mobile phone. With the Torque:ON 9, you can also charge your mobile phone or GoPro directly from the USB-C charge port on the top tube. The extensive motor cover serves as a skid plate and there’s enough room in the front triangle for a water bottle – awesome!
The spec of the Canyon Torque:ON 9 in detail
The high-quality suspension of the Torque:ON 9 consists of a FOX 38 Factory GRIP2 fork and a FOX X2 Float Factory shock, controlling 180/175 mm travel respectively. Of course, the burly suspension is partly responsible for the overall high weight. At 24.2 kg, the Canyon is almost 10 kg heavier than some of its analogue opponents like the YT Capra and Nukeproof Giga, which becomes particularly evident downhill. To keep the extra mass in check, Canyon rely on powerful SRAM Code RSC four-piston brakes with a massive 220 mm rotor at the front and 200 mm rotor at the rear. This is the most powerful SRAM setup currently available. For extra power, Canyon also installed organic brake pads from German brand Trickstuff. Unfortunately, the new pads were paired with a set of used rotors that had previously been used with metallic pads. As a result, the brakes couldn’t deliver their full power – what a shame! If possible, you should always match the brake pads and rotors and avoid switching from metallic to organic pads (or vice versa) without changing the rotor. Canyon also responded to our tuning request by upgrading the tires, delivering our test bike with robust MAXXIS tires in the 3C MaxxGrip rubber compound. At the front, an ASSEGAI with a DoubleDown casing and at the rear, a Minion DHR2 with the DH casing. The tires are paired with a robust DT Swiss 1700 Hybrid alloy wheelset. We would have chosen the exact same setup!
Using Trickstuff’s organic Power+ brake pads for extra braking power turned out to be a great idea, at least in theory. Unfortunately, the rotors had already been used with metallic pads – what a shame!
At the front, the SRAM Code RSC brake runs on a massive 220 mm rotor. This combination would ensure tons of braking power… if it weren’t for the brake pads.
When we asked Canyon to pimp our test bike for the bike park test, the Germans knew exactly what we were talking about and installed a super robust downhill tire on the rear.
The Canyon Torque:ON 9 relies on a powerful 85 Nm Shimano EP8 motor and isthe only eMTB in the test.
Canyon Torque:ON 9
€ 5,999
Specifications
Motor Shimano EP8 85 Nm
Battery Shimano STEPS 504 Wh
Display Shimano SC-E7000
Fork FOX 38 Factory GRIP2 180 mm
Rear Shock FOX FLOAT X2 Factory 175 mm
Seatpost Iridium Dropper 150 mm
Brakes SRAM CODE RSC 220/200 mm
Drivetrain SRAM GX Eagle 12-Speed 10–52
Stem Canyon:ON 40 mm
Handlebar Canyon ON 800 mm
Wheelset DT Swiss H1700 Hybrid 27.5"
Tires MAXXIS DHF 3C MaxxGrip DD / MAXXIS DHR II 3C MaxxGrip DH 2.5 /2.4
Technical Data
Size S M L XL
Weight 24.2 kg
The 504 Wh battery of the Torque:ON can be replaced with a spare in a few simple steps, provided you have one. Canyon assured us that their aftermarket spare batteries will be available from autumn 2021.
The start button is neatly integrated in the top tube and briefly lights up green when you turn on the system. If you need to charge your mobile, you can do this directly from the USB-C port on the top tube. We used it to charge our boombox while grooming the jumps.
The wide saddle with its raised tail looks just as ridiculous as your neighbour’s tuned Bimmer. Together with the long seat tube, this restricts freedom of movement when riding in the attack position.
On big compressions, for example when ripping through berms, the rear end flexes so much that the chain rubs against the tire, producing a loud grinding noise.
The geometry of the Canyon Torque:ON 9 explained
The Torque: ON 9 is available in four sizes from S to XL. Our test model in size L should suit everyone between 183 and 192 cm tall and worked well for our test riders. In size L, the Canyon combines a 485 mm reach with a rather low front. Chainstay length is 430 mm across all sizes, which is very short, particularly for an eMTB. The 460 mm seat tube is on the long side and restricts the freedom of movement in the attack position. A narrower saddle would definitely help here.
The Canyon Torque:ON 9 literally sticks to the trail. This makes it possible to rip through flat corners at full speed but also means that jumps require great physical effort.
| Size | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 440 mm | 440 mm | 460 mm | 500 mm |
| Top tube | 612 mm | 639 mm | 667 mm | 694 mm |
| Head tube | 115 mm | 125 mm | 135 mm | 145 mm |
| Head angle | 63.5° | 63.5° | 63.5° | 63.5° |
| Seat angle | 74.0° | 74.0° | 74.0° | 74.0° |
| Chainstays | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm |
| BB Drop | 15 mm | 15 mm | 15 mm | 15 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,214 mm | 1,244 mm | 1,273 mm | 1,302 mm |
| Reach | 435 mm | 460 mm | 485 mm | 510 mm |
| Stack | 616 mm | 625 mm | 634 mm | 643 mm |
Pants Too Skinny Jeans
How does an eMTB perform at the bike park? The Canyon Torque:ON 9 on the trail
On flowing trails, the Torque:ON literally sticks to the ground. This ensures excellent traction, allowing the Canyon to steam past bikes like the Norco Shore and Nukeproof Giga, even through flat, open corners. The intuitive handling and excellent traction make it particularly interesting for beginners. That being said, the suspension doesn’t provide enough pop and support to pull off ledges and pump through berms. The shock sinks into its travel and swallows up the rider’s input like a sandbag. As a result, small, spontaneous jumps that are lots of fun with other bikes like the Specialized Status, require great physical strength. After all, you’re trying to take off with a bike that weighs almost 10 kg more. In fast berms, the rear end flexes noticeably, causing the chain to rub against the rear tire and adding a persistent scraping sound to the annoying clunking noise of the EP8 motor.
Tuning tips: volume spacers in the shock | EP8 motor can be used without a display
Hardly any other bike in this test feels as stable as the Canyon Torque:ON.
On big jumps and through tall berms, experienced riders will notice the composed and stable character of the Torque:ON. This inspires lots of confidence and motivates you to commit to very big lines. Like the Norco Shore, the Canyon is very stable in the air. Big whips require careful planning but once you’re in the air, the Canyon is incredibly assured, feeling more like a dirtbike than an agile mountain bike. Tabletops and scrubs require strong input from the rider and the wide saddle and long seat tube restrict your freedom of movement in the air. In addition, the suspension tends to bottom out on harsh landings, though adding volume spacers in the shock remedies this to some extent. Turning onto steep, technical trails, the Canyon still generates excellent traction, enabling spontaneous changes of direction, even over messy root carpets. However, the high weight and plush suspension make it hard to gap obstacles while the heavy bike pushes downhill on steep trails, forcing you to brake early. However, despite the low front and small wheels, the Torque:ON inspires confidence even on steep terrain – provided your brakes work well!
Conclusion
The Canyon Torque:ON 9 is massive fun, although its high weight and plush suspension literally nail it to the trail. However, this ensures excellent traction and thus inspires lots of confidence, making the Canyon a great option for beginners. Experienced riders will have a blast at the bike park aboard the Torque:ON because it shines with a composed character at high speeds and conveys huge amounts of confidence in the air. That being said, it can only replace a lift if there’s enough juice in the battery and requires great physical effort over jumps and for playful manoeuvers.
Tops
- shuttle included in the price (only as long as the battery lasts)
- very stable in the air
- excellent traction in open corners and on technical terrain
Flops
- background noise of the EP8 motor and chain rubbing against the tire
- high weight makes the bike stick to the trail
- limited support from the rear suspension
- brake rotor with the wrong pads
You can find out more about at canyon.com
The testfield
Get an overview of the grouptest here: The best bike park bike of 2021 – 6 models in review
All Bikes in this group test: Canyon Torque:ON 9 | Norco Shore 1 (Click for review) | Nukeproof Giga 290 Carbon Factory (Click for review) | Propain Spindrift CF Mix (Click for review) | Specialized Status 160 (Click for review) | YT CAPRA 29 CORE 4 (Click for review)
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Words: Peter Walker Photos: Robin Schmitt
