Carbon MTBs

What advantages does a carbon mountain bike offer?

Carbon frames offer engineers and designers many opportunities for optimisation. You can design the frame with customised tube shapes for increased stiffness where it’s needed most. The frames are low in weight but precise in their flexibility and stiffness. As a result, mountain bikes with carbon frames feel lighter, faster and more direct than aluminium frames. The technology is also superior to aluminium in terms of stability. Carbon mountain bikes will help to increase your riding performance on the bike.

Advantages of carbon components and carbon frames:

Manufacturers can lay up the carbon fibres in a variety of ways. This results in increased flexibility of the material. This allows Canyon to optimise the frames for different purposes.

What actually is carbon?

Components and frames made carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), or carbon for short, are the result of a series of production steps.

During production, the black fibres made of almost pure carbon are laid out into a mould. At this point, the fibres look like a sheet of fabric. Some areas may be reinforced with several layers of fibres on top of each other. This ensures stability in a heavily loaded, thin-walled areas of the bike. The weave direction of the fibres also plays a crucial role. This is where individual tensile strength, rigidity or more flexibility are created. The fibres are then cured with resin.

Carbon frames and components can be freely configured in terms of design. What you see at the end are the woven fibre layers of the components most of which are sealed with paint.

Carbon vs Aluminium

Carbon is lighter than aluminium alloys. For climbs and speed on flat terrain, this is an undeniable advantage. You’re fighting less drag on a carbon bike due to less gravitational force.

Aluminium frames are less complicated to manufacture than carbon frames. The tubes are available with different wall thicknesses. Aluminium MTBs are cheaper than a carbon bike of the same specification.

In terms of maximum rigidity, carbon is superior to aluminium alloys. A carbon bike is more stable and can react more directly to your power than an aluminium bike. Stiffness can affect comfort on tough trails or big jumps. Well-manufactured carbon frames, such as those from Canyon, offer more comfort than an aluminium frame thanks to sufficient flex. This advantage is particularly important with hardtails.

Another important difference between the two materials (aluminium and carbon) is their durability. Carbon ages more slowly than aluminium. Overall, carbon is superior in stability. In rare cases, extreme pressure loads can damage the frame. With the Canyon Replacement Service, you can replace a damages carbon frame easily at a reduced cost.

Hardtail vs full-suspension: is carbon worth it?

Are you interested in realising your potential on a carbon bike? Are you looking for a sporty riding style over land, reaching maximum speeds and training hard?

Then carbon XC full-suspension bikes like the super light cross-country race bike Lux World Cup and the agile down-country Lux Trail are the right choice.

Full-suspension chassis in combination with carbon have two decisive advantages: more stability and traction as well as more comfort to stay fit on long cross-country distances and marathons.

If you strive for maximum speed, the Exceed mountain bikes offer everything you need. With 29 inch wheels and the low weight of just 8.9 kilograms, you can achieve your best performance and experience ultimate riding fun.

Carbon brings advantages for hardtails and full-suspension bikes. You’ll have more speed and fun on difficult terrain.

How does carbon affect the different mountain bike categories?

Buy a carbon mountain bike online

The stiff carbon frame is optimised for every purpose. It offers stability and excellent riding experience with its weight advantages. This means you’ll have more liveliness, more explosive power and lightness in the berms and flowing singletrack.

You can find the right size frame for your carbon mountain bike on the product pages for your preferred bike. Canyon’s Perfect Positioning System helps you to find you optimal frame size in two steps before you order online from us.