Canyon Precede:ON Review
Canyon is known for its cutting-edge eMTBs and road racers that blow the competition away. What about the Precede:ON with the commuter or touring electric bike world? Though nothing as earth-shattering as its range of all-out electric mountain bikes, this has the pedigree that should knock hard at the lower-mid price end of the electric utility bike market.
So, what do you get for around $2,500? A very creditable, off-road capable commuter and touring electric bike with a whole load of great components. It’s a Class 3 speed pedelec that, with its Bosch Performance Line Sport motor, can cruise happily at 28 mph. Per Class 3 regulations, it lacks a throttle, but thanks to the ratio offered by the 11-tooth small cog on the cassette, a fast cruise doesn’t require a silly pedal cadence to manage it.
Staying with the drivetrain, the 11-speed cassette has a giant, 51-tooth cog for those slow grinds uphill. This is amply supported by the maximum torque of 65 Newton meters available from the motor. Though not top of the class in terms of grunt, this is very creditable, and together with the very low gearing, you will handle almost any ascent short of a muddy cliff you try to conquer.
From the outset, we’ve said that this is capable of some off-road forays. The 2.2-inch Schwalbe G-one All Rounder tires are grippy off-road but are only designed at most for dry gravel. That means it would be stretched too far if you tried a muddy track in winter, but during a dry spell, you can follow a deer track into the woods to see the world from a different perspective. Offroading is limited, too, due to the Precede:ON only having a fixed fork. So high speeds and long treks away from the paved roads could be a bit too bumpy. And we mean bumpy.
For commuting and touring, this is a very creditable electric bike. We’ve touched on the transmission that allows for very economical riding and low battery use as you ride. This could mean the 500 Wh battery might allow a sensible 40-50 mile ride if you put the legwork in and don’t use the highest PAS setting too much – even longer if you’re fit.
At 52.5 lbs, the weight is right at the low end of full-powered electric bikes. They could have dropped 5 lbs at the cost of 250 Wh of battery, but that would kill the range and put it in the low-powered e-bike category. They could have gone for carbon instead of aluminum on the frame, but that would add 5,000 greenbacks to the price. With the relatively low weight and excellent power, you’ll find it fun to chuck around curves and, if you’re so-minded, dance through the traffic on a busy road, too, thanks to its agility.
As standard, this comes with a rack, fenders, lights, and a bell. All allow for year-round cycling, and the tires we touched on earlier will grip the road well even in a heavy rainstorm. The rack will take 50 lbs of cargo, which could mean your work gear as well as the night’s dinner as you cycle home via the shops.
As a whole, though not one of Canyon’s extreme engineering feats, the Precede:ON is worthy of the brand name and will be everything you expect from one of the leaders in the eMTB world. That’s not a mild compliment!
Reasons to Buy
In buying a Canyon e-bike, you’re investing in a machine that comes from a stable of world-class competition bike builders. From end to end, though not at a silly price point, this is a high-quality machine. Among other components with a great pedigree, you get:
- A frame and fork with a 6-year warranty
- A Bosch mid-drive motor
- Quality Shimano gears and hydraulic brakes
- Tubeless-ready tires and wheels
- Great geometry for comfort
- Superb and well-tested drivetrain
All put together by the same experts who blow the competition away on their top-end models.
Things to Consider
Having this amazing gear may tempt you to go too far off-road or too fast while out there. Component failure would likely result in a voided warranty as it is designed for light off-road use, not jumps and turns on a downhill or enduro course!
