Canyon Precede:ON 7 AL review

[Volvos60s69]

Hi, I don't seem to find that many reviews online for the Canyon Precede:ON 7 AL ebike

Having received mine over the weekend I thought I'd post first impressions for anyone interested.

It has a Bosch 75nm Performance line motor/Bosch Smart System controller/Enviolo manual hub gears, gates belt drive & a 625w battery.

First long ride today with mainly Eco assistance (about 85% of the journey), then with Tour+ on a couple of steep hills & no assistance on some long flat sections. Range looking like about 80 miles. That's with me at 82kg & a pannier at 10kg. Can cycle on the flat unassisted at 17-18 mph, no noticeable drag from motor assistance cutting out at 15.5mph (UK legal limit). I did not need Auto or Turbo mode but then again I am used to commuting to work on a non ebike

In eco mode it fells like this simply compensates for the additional bike weight compared to a non ebike, so I still feel like I am getting some exercise.
Bike feels well made. On the 2 long hills that normally slow me down I could maintain a good rate of progress without my heart pounding! Although heavy, the bike felt very manouverable & well balanced in tight spaces

However it has to go to a dealer as the integrated lights don't work. Also UPS do not handle with care so replacement rubber handlebar grips are needed under warranty. Otherwise, I am very pleased with it

 

[HumanPerson]

Hi, Welcome to the forums

 

[EwoutDecraene]

Hi!

Do you experience a lot of break rub from the maguras? Is your belt tension consistent throughout all positions of the cranks?

 

[Volvos60s69]

Hi!

Do you experience a lot of break rub from the maguras? Is your belt tension consistent throughout all positions of the cranks?

HI ED

There is some very very minor front brake disc rub but not enough to need attention. Belt tension seems good in all positions

 

[EwoutDecraene]

Good to hear!

I had two bikes returned unfortunately. Brakes, belt, wires smashed beneath the stem spacers (so not running through the stem), battery not properly fitting due to the cover plate, a host of issues.

Not that it matters much to you of course, just putting it out there for people looking for information. When the last one was picked up for return, the truck had 3 other precedes to go back so I'm afraid I'm not the only one that haf QC issues..

 

[Volvos60s69]

Sorry to hear that. I think the problem is with packaging materials and rough handling by couriers and airport staff, I had to return my first one as well due to damage but Canyon covered the cost for that. The packaging needs improving as it must be costing Canyon a fortune in returns and claims against UPS. The issue is the bike box you get has no compressible materials between the handlebars and the box lid, so any rough handling causes a problem. Canyon, if you are reading this, take notice!

Regarding the battery cover plate, I finally figured out that one of the apparently spare bagged components not named in the instructions (you wonder what it's for) is an adaptor piece that clips onto the end of the battery (mine was 625w) to make it the right length for the battery compartment as the frame is designed to accept different size batteries. Unfortunately the instructions don't make reference to this so could do with being rewritten.

After persevering through this issues, I ended up with a very high quality bike. I've done about 500 miles on it now and am very happy with it

 

[Elroro09]

Sorry to hear that. I think the problem is with packaging materials and rough handling by couriers and airport staff, I had to return my first one as well due to damage but Canyon covered the cost for that. The packaging needs improving as it must be costing Canyon a fortune in returns and claims against UPS. The issue is the bike box you get has no compressible materials between the handlebars and the box lid, so any rough handling causes a problem. Canyon, if you are reading this, take notice!

Regarding the battery cover plate, I finally figured out that one of the apparently spare bagged components not named in the instructions (you wonder what it's for) is an adaptor piece that clips onto the end of the battery (mine was 625w) to make it the right length for the battery compartment as the frame is designed to accept different size batteries. Unfortunately the instructions don't make reference to this so could do with being rewritten.

After persevering through this issues, I ended up with a very high quality bike. I've done about 500 miles on it now and am very happy with it

Hi, could you comment on the comfort for long rides ? Thansk

 

[Volvos60s69]

Hi, comfort is very good. Saddle is good and although there is no front or rear suspension the seat post does have suspension. I find I'm fine even after 1.5 hours in the saddle. The bike is well balanced and very manoeuvrable. The fattish tyres at the right pressure (35-40 psi) play a part in comfort as well. I've gone over pot holes spotted at the last minute that would have thrown me off a normal gravel bike.

It is a heavy bike though but the lowest assistance mode compensates for the extra weight to make it feel like a normal bike ride. Obviously selecting additional assistance modes make uphill rides as easy as you want. On the flat, I often ride without any assistance as I quite like to save battery when exceeding the 15mph cut off (UK legislation)

I had considered the Specialized Turbo Vado Auto IGH but wanted the bigger battery, Bosch motor, higher torque and manual IGH gear change that you get with the Canyon

Hope this helps

 

[Elroro09]

It does. Thanks a lot. I am neophyte so dummy question:
The gear change system is the one which is continuous right controlled by a ring in the right hand right ? ie. U do not have the feeling of going from one speed to an other one, correct ?

 

[Volvos60s69]

Yes your are right, it's the twister grip ring on the inside edge of the right handlebar grip.
It is a stepless gear change (continuously variable transmission) and so there are not distinct gear steps as such, like you have with a conventional derailleur mechanism. Effectively you have a infinite number of gear ratios between a set maximum and minimum limit depending on where you position the twister to. Also this means you can change gear when stationary

 

[Elroro09]

Thanks for your quick answer. Last question is : when in motion, can you then adapt the gear while pedalling ? Or u have to stop pedalling ?

 

[Volvos60s69]

You can in theory change gear when pedalling, but best practice is to stop pedalling momentarily and twist the shifter and then resume pedalliing. This reduces gear wear and possibly cable stretch. it's something you get used to quite quickly and does not cause much loss of momentum, it just feels a little odd at first

 

[Mika]

Hi, thank you for posting your review! I’ve been going back and forth about ordering this bike. How is the riding position? Do you have to lean forward much or is it more upright? I currently have a road bike that i hate because of the lean forward driving position that starts to hurt my back and elbows after a while.

 

[Volvos60s69]

Hi , the riding position is similar to Specialized so very slightly lean forward, but not too much because of the flat handlebars. I did look at a Trek but found it much too upright, almost like a grandmother bike

 

[Mika]

Thank you! I think that is just what i’m looking for if i can find a size that fits me. Does the saddle have suspension? I’ve read that it has adjustable height, but the finnish site says it is ”adjustable suspension saddle” instead of rising saddle. I’m wondering if it is just a translation mistake.

 

[Volvos60s69]

Hi, the saddle post is adjustable for height and the saddle post itself has an internal suspension system which I think is adjustable via a screw on the bottom of the post. I left it as set by the factory because adjusting the softness of the suspension means removing the saddle post, turning screw, then resetting height, then adjusting again if not right - it's not convenient but can be done

 

[Mika]

Thank you! I was super hesitant on ordering mine, but your answers made the decision clear. I placed my order on sunday and it is now in picking. I will probably get mine early next week as the model was availabe immediately and DHL freight usually takes a week to my location. Did yours come with a screen or just the mini remote and integrated led-thing on the cross bar? Does it have the USB-C port for charging phone? I went with the step-through model because of better sizing and colour (black). I’m bursting with excitement as i’ve been pedaling my 14km. commute with a 2 gear bike older than me for couple weeks now (lots of hills) so this is a massive upgrade.

 

[Volvos60s69]

Thank you! I was super hesitant on ordering mine, but your answers made the decision clear. I placed my order on sunday and it is now in picking. I will probably get mine early next week as the model was availabe immediately and DHL freight usually takes a week to my location. Did yours come with a screen or just the mini remote and integrated led-thing on the cross bar? Does it have the USB-C port for charging phone? I went with the step-through model because of better sizing and colour (black). I’m bursting with excitement as i’ve been pedaling my 14km. commute with a 2 gear bike older than me for couple weeks now (lots of hills) so this is a massive upgrade.

Hi Mika,

Glad I could help

You will get 2 separate deliveries, one for the bike and one for the battery.

I just have the mini remote on the left side of the handlebar and the led battery strength lights and combined on/off switch on the cross bar, no central display. However, no central display is not such an issue as you can use the Bosch Flow App on your phone which connects to the bike with Bluetooth giving you all the info you need, other than current road speed. There is no phone charging port. You will need a dedicated compatible phone holder if you want to use the app whilst riding, I don't bother with that as I simply review time, average speed, distance, battery condition etc at the end of my ride. The led indicator lights on the bike change in 10% increments so you have a good indication of battery strength even without the app anyway. The only missing thing I'd like is current road speed, but I might just buy a gps Speedo for that

 

[Mika]

That’s good to know, i just recieved the tracking code for one shipment. I think the leds will be enough. It is a shame there is no charging as that was advertised, but i guessed that it was a mistake as the component list indicated otherwise. When i test drove one other ebike with Bosch motor, i was told one can retrofit any of the smart system screens later on. I was also told about the connect module which i will install for theft protection (gps+alarm) if i manage to find one. It might also show the speed in bosch app, but i will have to double check that.

 

[Volvos60s69]

Just one piece of advice, the theft protection (GPS + alarm) won't stop someone determined from taking the bike with minimal effort, it is absolutely no substitute for a high quality lock.