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Hi, giving serious thought to trying out the new Strive 29 but would love to get some feedback from anyone that's got one? There don't seem to be a huge amount of non-professional reviews out there yet?
Tried the facebook group?
There was a very similar post on there a couple of days ago, no idea if it was answered. Its a bit roadie, but probably your best bet for some real world views.
Had the same doubt a couple of months ago when I was choosing my new bike. Lots of press coverage and very little actual user talk.
One could say that either sales are slow or that the ratio between publication review money and actual bike quality is disproportional... Ok I'll put the tinfoil hat away
Ended up buying a Stumpy Evo (which seems to be developing a cult following)
I have one for a sponsored piece I am writing. That said, I bloody love it. A very easy bike to just jump on and ride. The shape shifter tech works very well indeed. Three mates have all ridden it and are seriously considering buying one. The steeper click mode makes for a bike that climbs remarkably well. I would drop down from a 32 as I reckon it is too high for my liking but I have gotten up a couple of technical, thrutchy climbs that have defeated even the fat bike.
For big mountain technical descents, I have yet to ride a more capable bike. It made short work of Binnean Mor a couple of weeks back.
Would i buy one? Absolutely. Canyon don't pay me to praise their bikes. I have no stake in the game.
It is just a great bike that works! I like the fact that it rides like an XC bike on my regular, pedaly trails but descends with inspiring confidence when the trail turns downward.
So actual real life experience!😁
Check out the pink bike canyon owners thread, plenty of discussion there.
Being an owner of a 2016 strive I'd be wanting to know if the shapeshifter on the new one works for more than 5 minutes. The one on mine, despite being updated and supposedly more reliable, has been constantly troublesome - always losing air pressure, getting stuck in downhill mode (I always run in DH mode now).
I love the way my strive rides and when it's working it's pretty versatile for a big bike but Jesus Christ I've had constant issues with parts failing and having to sort stuff yourself or wait for warranty exchanges, its pretty frustrating.
However, even with that in mind I'd be tempted by the new one just because they are really great bikes to ride.
Thanks Sanny and Peter that's really great feedback and just what I was looking for.
Anyone else have real world feedback on the 2019/2020 29er Strive?
Even though both geo settings could be considered conservative and it's carbon only and I'm nervous of loose rocks v carbon it keeps creeping back into my new bike thoughts. Possibly because a friend has a Torque and it rides really well. Just easy to ride.
That and I've listened to too many podcasts recently with either Fabian Barel or others riding it...
Seeing as I started this thread it's only fair I give some feedback!
I've had mine for just over a year now, (CF 6.0) and I am really happy with it. It's been to the Alps, Wales etc and ridden on lots of different types of trails.
It's not the lightest bike but you you don't really notice it when pedalling. The flip side is it feels really solid on the downhills. It took a while to get it set up but it feels really plush on rough technical stuff and gets better the quicker you go.
I was pretty sceptical about the shapeshifter, but I actually love it. It's simple and works well. The climbing position is good and noticeability different in the DH setting.
I have the Rockshock equipped model but hated the SRAM brakes. Despite being 4 pots they felt underpowered particularly on long steep descents. I swapped them out for SLX 2 pots with sintered pads which are great.
There is space in the rear for a 2.5 tyre so I'm using a 2.5/2.6 combo now.
Happy to feedback on any questions.
I have a 2020 CF 7.0 which I took delivery of back in Feb and keep out in Madeira which is pretty challenging riding for any bike.
Overall, pleased with it. It gives a nice safe 'magic carpet' feel and still goes uphill well for the link rides between trails. I guess this makes it the perfect Enduro bike (on account that you need to get yourself up somehow).
Absolutely hate the brakes though. Plenty of ultimate power, but just not very 'immediate' (my G2 RSC's on my Transition Smuggler are much better, but still not Shimano immediate). May need to try something else when I head back out in the winter. Not a fault of the bike and not a big thing to change in the scheme of things.
Aside from that, the bike feels big, long and pretty bloody heavy (for a carbon bike). it has 2kgs on my Smuggler.
Would I buy one again? Probably for what I am using it for.
I’m a total believer in the Shapeshifter tech. I’ve got a 2015 and it’s great when it works - makes a huge difference on climbs. I’ve fixed mine and it’s working great now. The 2019-20 version looks better in both reliability and function (the click-clack thing sounds much better than the well-timed weight shift you have to do with my mine).
I’m very tempted by the new version if / when I need to change bikes but I’m still happy on the old one for now.
I’ve fixed mine and it’s working great now.
How did you go about that?
Have wondered whether the new click-clack shapeshifter will work on the previous Strive.
My shapeshifter kinda works. Although as most of my riding is in the alps I only need to worry about using it twice... Once at the bottom and again at the top.
Was at a bike park /lift recently and the guy taking the bike off the lift would always push the lever, I guess thinking it was for the seat post, and I found myself gunning downhill whilst thinking something felt odd. Ended up removing the air so he couldn't change the geometry about.... 😁
My shapeshifter was broken and didn’t work at all. It was impossible to find a pressure that worked for both XC and DH modes. So I left it in DH mode for 4 years. Eventually I got fed up of vague low back ache on long uphills so decided to sort it out.
The reason the Shapeshifter is problematic is that it requires several components to be working perfectly.
1) I think for me the main problem was too much friction in the bushings so the air spring can’t overcome it. I solved this by ordering a new linkage, axles and bushings from Canyon. Surprisingly reasonably priced. This helped a lot!
2) the air spring was losing pressure. When I dismantled it, there was a tiny bit of swarf from manufacturing in the air can threads which was leaking slowly. The valve core also leaked so that was replaced. I also bled the IFP oil although I don’t know if that was necessary.
3) Finally, the system is VERY sensitive to the cable tension. Since you can only adjust this at the shock end, which is buried deep in the linkage, this is super annoying since you have to dismantle half the frame to adjust the cable tension. But once it’s in a sweet spot it doesn’t need adjustment. An in-line barrel adjuster would help loads.
Thanks for the feedback Warns74 and
It sounds great to be honest. Which makes my bike choice harder!
Via my convoluted path of bike choice, I think for me it's coming down to a Bird AM9 and Canyon Strive. Yet to ride an Am9, although I rode an AM160 in ML and decided I should go for a 29er and slightly less rear travel / more pop, hence the AM9. But I have access to a small canyon discount code via bro in law and it makes the Strive quite attractive. As I am drawn by the idea of having enduro DH performance with uphill nippiness..