With the growing demands of cross country mountain biking, Canyon have updated their existing Exceed line-up with the CF, SLX and CFR for the 2021 model year. The new Exceed CFR frame tips the scales at a mere 835 grams (claimed, medium frame) and is also stiffer than the previous model. All of the new Exceed models feature updated geometry, staying true to the slacker-longer trend of modern day mountain bikes. Read more on the new Exceed below:
“The original Exceed was raced to World Championship victory, shattered the course record at Leadville, and repeatedly rocketed to World Cup podiums at Albstadt, Cairns, Nove Mesto, and Val di Sole. How do you improve on all that? Like this. The all new Exceed is lighter, stiffer, and carries you over rough courses with absolute control. They say racing is about pushing your limits. We aimed for something greater. The new Exceed is entirely beyond limits.
Who designed this bike? Racers. Pure and Simple. World Cup threats like Kristian Hynek, Petter Fagerhaug, Matthieu van der Poel, and Pauline Ferrand Prévot provide crucial feedback to our engineers and product developers. And those same Canyon engineers and product managers personally put their latest creations to the test in grueling events such as the Absa Cape Epic. Those days and weeks spent sprinting for the holeshot and fighting to drop the competition shaped every bit of the new Exceed.
The new Exceed CFR (Canyon Factory Racing) possesses one of the lightest production frames on earth. Bold claims aside, here are the facts: Our premier, carbon CFR frame tips the scales at a mere 835 grams. That’s astonishing. More to the point, it’s what gets you to the top of the climb and across the finish line first. How’d we do it? Through state of the art materials and engineering.
The CFR is one of the very few bikes in the world to utilize something we call “unicorn hair” — an uncommon carbon fiber (Toray M40X) that is so cost prohibitive and hard to come by that it’s rarely used in the cycling industry. We also call the stuff unicorn hair because it is both stiff and strong. In the world of carbon fiber, that’s an even rarer thing… and it’s what enabled us to make the CFR so damn light. Generally speaking, particularly strong carbon fibers are not particularly stiff and stiff fibers are not particularly strong. Because unicorn hair is both strong and stiff, we can add fewer reinforcing fibers to the frame and create an astonishingly lightweight bike without sacrificing strength or stiffness. Light plus strong, plus stiff… equals victory.
We believe every rider should have the best possible bike no matter their budget. That principle is one of the things that sets Canyon apart and it’s why every Canyon Exceed frame possesses the same core features and is built using the same carbon molding process. All the geeky bells and whistles you’ll find on the Canyon Factory Racing “CFR” model (including our exacting tube profiles, integrated seatpost clamp, Impact Protection Unit, dropper post compatibility, Quixle, etc) are also featured on our more affordable models. So, what’s the actual difference between the Exceed CFR, SLX, and CF frame platforms? The exact blend of carbon materials and composite layup differ, yielding very similar stiffness and ride quality, but at varying stiffness to weight ratios. Or to be less nerdy about it, as you go up the line, the frames get lighter. All frame weights below are for size Medium and (per the DIN standard) include artwork, chainsuck plate, chainstay protector, integrated seatpost clamp, and universal derailleur hanger.
It’s no secret–World Cup cross country courses have gotten rowdy. That’s why we gave the new Exceed a thoroughly modern yet balanced geometry that boosts your control on tough terrain while still proving quick and nimble through the tightest trails. In practical terms, we slackened the head angle to 69 degrees, increased the reach 10 millimeters, moved to 80 millimeter stems on all frame sizes, and shortened the rear center 2 millimeters. The end result is a bike that’s both confident on tough descents and an absolute rocket on steep climbs and through tight corners. In short, the new Exceed is faster anywhere the course takes you.
It’s a simple principle: your bike should fit you — not the other way around. And, yet, frame geometry is often compromised if you’re either short or tall. The Exceed boasts stellar handling in every frame size.
The new Exceed features 29er wheels and room for two water bottles, even in the new XS size, which fits riders down to 158cm (5’2”). What’s more, we continue to equip the Exceed with frame size specific chainstays. Chainstay length grows on Large and X Large frames, giving riders of all heights ideal weight distribution and superior handling.
While we obsessed over every detail of the new Exceed frame, we paid just as keen attention to each component fitted to that frame. CFR and SLX models feature a new, full carbon mountain bike cockpit that tidies up your handlebar/ front end while providing you with an aerodynamic riding position that shaves precious seconds from your best efforts. What’s more, we partnered with DT Swiss to create ultralight dropper posts specifically for the Exceed. The novel droppers are available in carbon (CFR) and aluminum (SLX) and provide racers with 60mm of seat height adjustability. More to the point, the DT Posts are among the lightest production dropper posts available today, weighing in at 390 grams (carbon post with remote) and 420 grams (alloy post with remote). We build every Exceed to be that rare combination of uncompromising performance and outstanding value. Look at any of the Exceed models and you’ll find very few competitors at the same price that rival the Exceed’s frame and component quality.”