GoKawiilIn truth, the Shimano motor is starting to look a little undercooked. Bosch’s Performance Line CX (Gen 5/CX-R) pushes torque up to around 100 Nm and peak power to 750 watts, while Specialized’s Turbo Full Power 3.2 motor peaks at 850 watts, with an impressive 111 Nm of torque. At the top end, DJI’s Avinox motor shifts the category entirely, with up to 120 Nm and 1,000-watt peak power.
Peak numbers only tell part of the story, though, and the Shimano EP801 remains a lightweight and hugely capable motor with a smooth, natural feel over a wide range of pedaling cadences. Even in Boost mode, the power feels controlled. That makes it an excellent choice for beginner or timid riders, who won’t be thrown off by a surge of power.
Courtesy of Canyon
Feeding the motor is Canyon’s new, now-safe 800-Wh aluminum-housed battery. It replaces previous 720- and 900-Wh options, and it has faster charging (from around 0 to 80 percent in two hours) and improved durability with an IP57 rating. It weighs around 10 pounds, 4 ounces, which is around 5 ounces lighter than the previous 900-Wh design.
Canyon estimated up to 53 miles of range or 6,230 feet of climbing on a single charge. On a two-hour full-pelt tear through undulating forest, the battery indicator dropped two of five bars. (And yes, irritatingly, the accompanying Shimano SC-EM800 color display doesn’t offer any more precise battery data than that. At least it's bright and easy to read.)
But it’s the position, rather than the capacity of the new battery that has the biggest impact here. Canyon has mounted the battery low and horizontally within the down tube, rather than vertically. This not only gives it a svelte appearance—especially in the soon-to-be-launched Barely Olive colorway—but by dropping the center of gravity, the company has tweaked how the bike behaves when you lean it over or load it up through a turn. At 54.5 pounds it is still a heavy bike, but it carries that weight in a way that makes it surprisingly easy to manage once pedaling.
The Non-Electric Bits
Photograph: Chris Haslam
Given the price, it’s easy to forget this bike has a full carbon frame. It has a mullet wheel setup, with a 29-inch front wheel and a 27.5-inch rear wheel that makes the bike nice and responsive and easier to maneuver on descents. Add in the low battery position and you’ve got a nicely planted feel, especially at speed.