Bike Park and Beyond: the New Canyon Torque

How do you improve a bike that can already hit huge jump lines, race the Enduro World Series, and max out the stoke meter of park rats everywhere? That’s what we asked ourselves when we sat down to redesign the Torque. The result is a one-bike answer to a full season of shredding at the Whistlers, Queenstowns and Morzines of the world. The new Torque can roll steep tech at speed, throw shapes off kickers, and boost trail-side lips. It’s a long-travel machine that’s stable at pace, playful at the park, and still makes quick(ish) work of big climbs when there’s no shuttle truck or chairlift in sight.

So what's new? What isn’t new? To update the Torque and put it at the forefront of modern long travel bikes we redesigned it from the ground up. The new version has a slacker headtube angle, reduced offset fork, a longer reach and a steeper seat tube angle. The frame is stiffer, more durable and, guess what, can fit a bottle cage!

The long wheelbase and slacker headtube angle keep the bike stable at speed. The reduced offset fork, longer reach and compact chainstays keep it playful and improve traction through tight corners. The steeper seat tube angle is ideal for the long, steady climbs that lead to the top of the burliest trails. But you’ve heard this all before. What’s special about the Torque is that even after having our pro riders and engineers put it through the wringer to come up with the ultimate one-size-fits-all long travel bike, we decided that that one size doesn’t really exist. That you, the rider, knows best and even though it took a lot more engineering and a lot more planning, we wanted to give riders their pick of wheel size and frame material without compromising the Torque’s all-out performance across each of the six different models.

Geometry

The G5 components equipped on the Torque range aren’t your regular ‘house brand’ components. They are specifically designed by Canyon to deliver the ultimate combination of on-trail performance and reliability. Some badass looking industrial design doesn’t hurt either. Named after our highest testing protocol, Category 5, all G5 components are tested and approved for the most brutal gravity disciplines. Rampage? Check. DH World Cups? Also check. Designing these parts ourselves gives us absolute control over quality and helps us better integrate each component into the Torque platform. Contrary to popular belief, these in-house developed components are not just a cost saving strategy (in fact, sometimes the opposite is true). Simply put G5 parts help us build the best bike possible.

The new Torque is offered in both aluminum and carbon versions. In the United States, Canyon USA will offer three Torque models—the $3,299 Torque AL 5, the $4,399 Torque CF 7, and the $5,399 Torque CF 8 Mullet.

Since we just mentioned a “mullet” model, it’s worth noting the the AL 5 and CF 7 models will feature size Small bikes shod with 27.5” wheels. Sizes Medium through X-Large of both the AL 5 and CF 7 models will rock 29” wheels front and rear. The CF 8 Mullet bike will be available in sizes Medium through X-Large. Nope, no size Small for the Mullet bike. 

Riders in countries outside of the United States can choose from six different Torque models – with the aforementioned full 29er option on sizes M-XL, plus two Mullet models and 27.5” wheels on a wider size range of Torque models. Specs and CAD pricing for all models are listed below:

The improvements to the Torque’s versatility don’t stop with geometry updates and wheelsize options. Weighing in at 3,250 grams, the Torque AL frame loses 250 grams (over its predecessor) while gaining strength, stiffness, and performance across the board.

The Torque CF outpunches its predecessor too. Weighing in at 2,652 grams, the bike’s full carbon-fiber frame is surprisingly light for a park bike with at least 170 mm of travel. More impressive still, Canyon created such a lightweight frame while still improving the stiffness-to-weight ratio. The new chassis meets the same Category 5 rating as the Downhill World Cup-winning Sender and aptly handles the rigors of freeriding and regular laps at the bike park.

The Torque CF 8 Mullet bike is built for riders who prefer things steep and steezy. The big front wheel holds speed and rolls over just about anything in its path while the smaller rear hoop lets riders swing off the back on steeper trails without worrying about buzzing the tire. The “business in the front, party in the back” setup also get a little extra help with on-trail traction courtesy of a Fox coil-sprung shock.

The complete Torque family has debuted on canyon.com, with the earliest models arriving before spring gets underway.