Cross-country (XC) hardtails are facing an existential crisis. With ever-more demanding courses and increasingly efficient full-suspension designs, XC racers are spending less time on their zero-travel frames. At the same time, gravel bikes are gaining ground on longer off-road courses. Seeing this, the Canyon Exceed hardtail is heading for new pastures, with updates designed for longer days in the saddle across terrain that’s too much for drop bar bikes to handle.
More to the point, the Exceed is being reborn as a bikepacking (race) rig.
“While we might not see the Exceed sprinting for the win at World Cups anymore, it has developed a loyal following in other circles,” Canyon wrote in a release announcing the update. Case in point: Jenny Tough rode the Exceed to a first-place women’s finish at the 1,900km Silk Road Mountain Bike Race in 2023.
“It’s faster than my gravel bike over the rough and lighter than having full suspension. The Exceed is the sweet spot,” Tough said.
Features that everyday riders want
No longer required to maintain race weight, the Exceed is bulking out and adding features where it counts. For starters, the revamped frame boasts clearance for tires up to 2.4″ wide. Canyon also added in-frame storage to the downtube and went with a home-mechanic-friendly threaded bottom bracket. And there’s a third bottle mount below the down tube. A flush-fit, mid-size frame pack designed to fit the Exceed is available for purchase separately.
The geometry has been tweaked, too, with a 67° head tube angle that’s 2° slacker than the previous generation Exceed. Reaches and wheelbases are longer, and with the lower standover height, the Exceed promises to be a bit more user-friendly on the trail. Bikepackers will appreciate the increased stack height as well.
One spec that hasn’t changed is the 100mm fork. Even by the standards of most XC race courses, that’s not a lot. Canyon notes buyers could upgrade to a 110mm fork down the line, but that’s the max.
The rear triangle on the Exceed is said to have been tuned for better tracking through rough terrain. Still, it’s a carbon hardtail designed for optimal pedal efficiency. For a little extra vibration damping, the top-of-the-line CF 9 build is offered with the brand’s funky VCLS 2.0 seatpost, which uses a leaf spring design to deliver up to 20mm of rearward flex.
It appears the updated Canyon Exceed carries head tube cable routing over from the previous version, though the brand notes the internal cable routing has been “simplified” overall. Riders can choose to run a dropper post, though none of the builds feature one out of the box.
Five builds in five sizes are advertised, with prices starting at €1,999 for the CF 5 and going up to €4,999 for the CF 9. The €2,999 CF 7 build appears to offer good value for the money, with a Shimano SLX drivetrain and Fox Step Cast fork and a claimed weight of just under 24lb.
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