Highlight or overkill?
Canyon Spectral with K.I.S.-System

Mullet wheels, a Transmission drivetrain, the steering-stabilizing K.I.S. system, and to top it all off, a burly coil shock. The product managers have loaded up the Canyon Spectral CF 8 K.I.S Mullet with everything that’s currently hot in the scene. Will this trend-setting arsenal ignite on the trails, or will the ride joy be smothered in technical overkill?

The past 40 years have illustrated one clear fact: There are three strategies mountain bike manufacturers employ to move their bikes off the showroom floor.

Typically, a manufacturer will choose a general brand ethos and then steadfastly follow one of the three paths described above.

A prime example: For those on the hunt for a high-spec bike at a budget-friendly price, the Radon brand is a sure bet. The direct-to-consumer brand from Bonn holds back on innovation deliberately to keep costs down and prices low.

On the flip side, if you’re looking to turn heads with a bike that stands out on the trail as much as it does parked outside the ice cream parlor, the American brands like Yeti or Santa Cruz are your go-to. The downside of such swag, however, is a hefty hit to your wallet.

Riders who are all about the latest tech trends will almost traditionally find what they’re looking for with Canyon. The Canyon Spectral CF 8 K.I.S Mullet is living proof of this claim.

The pursuit of technical advancement and the next innovation is as much a part of Canyon’s ethos as the cardboard box is to online shipping. Since the late 2000s, Canyon has made a strategic shift. The company wanted to shed its image as a pure value-for-money provider and aimed to differentiate itself through design and technology from its competitors. Despite taking some time to ramp up, the excitement for innovation hasn’t diminished. Why should it? After all, these attributes, combined with high-quality components, often made Canyon bikes the most comprehensive package on the market.

To stay true to this brand direction, Canyon has secured an exclusive license for the new K.I.S system. Originally developed by Syntance, this system is intended to reinforce Canyon’s reputation as a technology leader. For the consumer, the question naturally arises: Is this just marketing, or does the system provide real added value?

One might argue that “K.I.S.” (spelled with a single S and periods) is the antithesis of KISS. Because KISS (with two S’s and no periods) isn’t just a rock band, but also short for “keep it simple and stupid”. In English, that translates to Keep it simple, stupid! However, at first glance, it seems the system does the complete opposite.

Because K.I.S. (fully “keep it stable”) does something no one has ever requested. It stabilizes the steering. To put it simply: Two springs inside the top tube are clamped to the steerer tube, and they automatically center the bars when you pop the front wheel off the ground and let go of the grips. With your hands on the handlebars and shredding the trail, the system offers a noticeable helping hand through spring tension to snap the bars back to neutral. It’s an attempt to revolutionize the way we’ve been steering bikes and motorcycles for over a century. Of course, this raises a big question.

The first thought that comes to mind is: I’ve always been able to straighten out my handlebars on my own. So why would I need this K.I.S. system to help me?

The physics behind it are as follows: Due to the head angle and the fork’s offset, the head tube and thus the handlebars drop slightly as you turn the bars. To re-center the bars, you have to lift the entire weight that’s resting on them. This phenomenon becomes especially apparent with the effect of diving steering on bikes with extremely slack head angles. Anyone who has ridden a downhill bike on pavement knows what we’re talking about when we mention wheelflop. Even on modern enduro bikes, the steering can dive as soon as you move the handlebars out of the neutral position.

The springs in the K.I.S system eliminate this effect. The force from the spring, which is tensioned as you steer, takes over part of the work in lifting the weight on the handlebars back up when realigning them. However, we noticed a totally different effect on the trail.

One look at the full spec of the Enduro and there’s no question about its purpose: to deliver thrills on the descend! The beefy coil shock, Maxxis tires with ample tread and extra EXO + protection, and the sturdy DT Swiss wheels are built to withstand even regular bike park beatings with ease. The Spectral can effortlessly handle descents with 1000 meters of vertical play, but the ascents are a different story.

Weighing in at 15.5 kilograms (size L without pedals), this bike won’t win any awards for climbing. It’s in the same ballpark as the new YT Jeffsy review post, but with a bit more suspension travel. Whether it’s the Jeffsy or Spectral, the climb is the obligatory precursor to the fun parts. For those who prefer powering through long rides on their own steam, the Canyon Neuron 2023 review post might be a much better choice. However, if you’re regularly catching a shuttle, hooking your bike onto a lift a couple of times a year, or you have the fitness of Matthieu van der Poel, you’ll absolutely adore these spec features.

For those who aren’t into Mullet Bikes, our comparison tool also features the Canyon Spectral with K.I.S. in the standard 29er version. Within the comparison tool, you can directly contrast the geometry specs of different sizes.