Canyon sets to redefine cross-country MTBs with Lux Trail
The brand's XC bike gets a ground up redesign
More News
The Lux goes downcountry
The Capra, IZZO and Jeffsy get top end RockShox suspension in a limited run
Updated bike gets a light weight build option, 20mm more space for seat posts and slightly updated geometry
We've wrangled YT's IZZO in for testing, here's a first gander
When it was first introduced, Canyon took the Lux full-suspension cross-country bike, gave it a little bit more travel, and made the geometry a little bit more aggressive. The result was the Lux Trail, a bike that could take on more demanding trails with the efficiency of an XC bike. Now, Canyon has gone back to that formula and expanded it further, creating the latest version of the Lux Trail.
- Bike check: Valtteri Bottas’ Canyon Grail CF SLX
- 9 tips to keep your suspension running sweeter for longer
As before, the latest Lux Trail shares the very same XC heritage as the Lux World Cup model but Canyon states that this bike is built for a little more than just XC racing. This time around, the brand has radically changed the bike's design, gracing it with 120mm of front suspension and 115mm of rear. And of course, it's rolling on 29in wheels.
The geometry of the new Lux Trail has been crafted specially to suit the bike's enhanced demands. As such, the head angle has got half a degree slacker and now sits at 67 degrees and the seat tube angle has been steepened by 1.5 degrees to 76 degrees. The former has been chosen as it promises full control through techy sections and stability at speed while the seat tube angle is said to offer more comfort over long periods, and better power transfer. A medium frame also gets a 460mm reach, a 435mm chainstay, and an 1,180mm wheelbase.
2023 canyon lux trail inside shock.png, by Liam Mercer
With a new geometry comes a new suspension kinematic. Like the rest of the bike, it's seen a complete overhaul, making it similar to the Lux World Cup's single-pivot layout. It gets a hanging rocker that the brand says boosts small bump sensitivity and longevity. When designing this kinematic, Canyon aimed to make the Lux Trail feel like it has much more travel than its meagre 115mm and this has been done by making the start of the shock stroke super sensitive while the mid-stroke gets reactive but that aspect remains right through to the end of the stroke. There are also size-specific shock tunes in a move to offer top performance regardless of the rider's size.
2023 canyon lux trail storage.jpg, by Liam Mercer
A decision that'll be appreciated by marathon XC racers and big-distance riders is that the Lux Trail now benefits from on-bike storage solutions, with the system being dubbed the two-stage repair plan - resembling the one found on the recently launched Grail CF gravel bike a lot. This system is designed to offer all manners of trailside repair with Stage 1 being for quick fixes and punctures thanks to a multitool that's stored under the top tube and a tubeless repair kit found inside the bar ends. Stage 2 offers more storage for CO2 cartridges, levers, and extra tubes.
2023 canyon lux trail shock.jpg, by Liam Mercer
This iteration of the Lux Trail is available with only a carbon frame in Canyon's CFR or CF flavours with the former weighing just a hair under two kilos in a medium size. Both frame materials come with build kits to suit, so the top-end CFR LTD gets racier and posher componentry from RockShox and Shimano while the CFR gets Fox and Shimano kit. However, there's a full range available each featuring components from the big brands.
You might also like:
