As we noted late last year, manufacturers have really turned a corner with electric mountain bikes. Whereas they were once so clunky and heavy as to make you long for something more manual, recent releases have stepped up, shaving weight while improving geometry and performance to the point where the joy of a seemingly effortless ride wins out. The latest example? Canyon’s revamped Spectral:ON, which promises to be as light and lively as they come, at a pretty nice price.

What stands out about the second edition of this bike, the first one the German brand is making available to the US market? Dubbed the Spectral: ON CF 7.0, it boasts a number of improvements, including a carbon-fiber front triangle that helps reduce the weight (a full 2.2 pounds, down to 47.6 pounds for the whole bike) and an in-tube Shimano battery that not only streamlines the ride but lowers the center of gravity for a send-ier feel on the downhills.

The bike’s geometry and suspension are also tweaked to boost rider control, while the chainstays are slightly lengthened to ease uphill climbs. And we’re stoked about the new, weatherproofed USB-C socket on the top tube, which lets you charge lights, smartphones, GPS units or cameras to document all your mountain slashing.

We’ve had a blast on both the non-electric Spectral and the ultralight new Canyon Neuron CF SLX 9.0 LTD. Those experiences plus the fact the Germans were pumped enough to release it stateside leaves us optimistic that the new Spectral: ON will be ready to rip right out of the box.

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