A mountain bike worthy of the job used to be something that would cost more than your car, but a market has emerged in recent years offering high-performance rides at affordable prices – and Canyon are at the front of it.
The German manufacturers have made their name offering best-in-class bicycles and outstanding value for money, from downhill world cup rides to rigs perfect for everyday progression and tearing it up the trails.
You no longer have to pay an arm and a leg for a hardtail worth writing home about, and you can even get a full-suspension ride for surprisingly little cash.
Here are just some of the rides Canyon is offering for the season ahead, starting at £599 and all coming in at under £1200. They’re strong options for anyone who wants to revolutionise their riding on a budget.
Canyon’s Neuron AL 6.0 is outstanding value for money. A quality full-suspension rig for under £1200 just isn’t something that existed in the past.
The Neuron has the “attitude to transform your favourite trails and a setup light enough for marathon racing”, write Canyon.
It rolls on 27.5 inch wheels, has 120mm of travel at either end and with geometry based on the impressive Canyon Nerve range, the ride maintains high speed and manoeuvrability despite the low cost.
On top of all that, the Neuron is a damn good-looking bicycle. We particularly love the simple but slick ‘stealth’ paintjob pictured above.
The Grand Canyon has been at the top end of the aluminium hardtail market for a while, and the 2017 range offers enough price points to make it seriously accessible to all.
There are various options in the range designed specifically for women, and though the bikes run on 29-inch wheels, the small and XS sizes come fitted with 27.5 inch wheels to improve the handling for smaller riders.
Despite the big wheels, the bikes are renowned for their responsive handling, and they boast a pedal efficiency which gives you back as much (if not more) than what you put in – so you’ll be sailing up those climbs before your fly back down.
The Grand Canyon is a great option for any rider who is going to be hitting the trails day to day, and weighing just 11.6kg, the bike will keep you as fast as you feel comfortable riding.
The AL SL 8.9 model runs a RockShox Reba RL fork with 110mm and hefty Mavic CrossRide FTS-X wheels that dismiss roots and rocks no bother. Other components include Shimano’s Deore XT Shadow Plus 11-speed shifting and SLX brakes.
The AL SL WMN 6.9 is just one of the Grand Canyon frames designed specifically with women in mind, and coming in at a pound under a thousand it’s an impressive ride – weighing only 11.4kg. This bike will suit you well whether you’re tackling trails or cruising cross-country singletrail.
The bike runs with 100mm of RockShox Record Gold RL suspension and the same Mavic CrossRide FTS-X wheels as the 8.9 model.
100mm of RockShox Recon Silver TK suspension sit on the front of the AL 4.9.
It’s a bit heavier than the options above at 13.1kg, but this actually still isn’t too weighty, especially when compared to competitors at a similar price point, and the well-chosen components offer brilliant bang for your buck.
This is a great option for anyone looking to hit the cross-country trails and cover a lot of ground as efficiently as possible.
The entry level price for the Grand Canyon range is the AL 3.9, which comes fitted with 100mm of RockShock XC 30 suspension.
It’s a little heavier than the 4.9 but still a great option for anyone who wants to get into mountain biking with a rig they know they can trust.
The combination of the 29-inch wheels and a classic handling feel puts you in control at all times and in the perfect position to progress you’re riding. And at under £600, it’s an absolute bargain.
Click here to shop through the full range of Canyon mountain bikes for under £1200
