Sender

Pinkbike, 04/2017

The Sender is a downhill race machine.

The Sender is incredibly stable thanks to its length and layout. So stabIe, that I could live with the bottom bracket being a bit higher, and has me re-thinking whether or not a low BB is always the best route. I didn't strike the ground any more often than with other bikes, but some more clearance would be welcomed, and, I think, would speed up the transitions leaning from one corner to the next, and keeping angled into longer corners and cambers.

• Bearing life: The bearings lasted surprisingly well with no extra grease added since day one. They have developed a slight wobble after seven months of riding (and me not holding back with the jet wash). The bearings are not perfect, but the bike still compresses freely with the shock removed.

• Angle issues: The angled headset cups supplied with the Sender continually rotated themselves around from the correct angle. Pressing them in dry didn't work. Pressing them in with a lathering of fiber grip paste didn't work. Super glue worked; I'm not sure what this means for the carbon, so this is not a recommendation.

• Finish: The finish of the front end of the bike took a hammering like a champ, and still looks great after a wash and wipe down. On the seat stay, the top layer of black paint isn't as robust and did suffer a few chips, which reveal the blue below.

• Torque settings: Handily all the bolts are etched with torque settings. Not that I needed them: not a single pivot bolt came loose in seven months, now that is a rarity.

Canyon has simply sent the ball out of the park. This machine combines the best value, ride, sizing and build kit on the market; it only seems to have one competitor from the other German direct sale brand.