Canyon vs Focus

[AshleyD]

Hi all,

I was wondering if someone could explain some differences (pros and cons) about the following 2 bikes.

CANYON Pathlite:ON 8 SUV

Pathlite:ON 8 SUV

Verlaat de stad, trek de natuur in en ervaar pure vrijheid. De Pathlite:ON 8 is een comfortabele en functionele e-trekking bike die is uitgerust met een bijna onderhoudsvrije aandrijving en batterij met enorme actieradius. Een sublieme allrounder die alle grenzen doet vervagen.

www.canyon.com

FOCUS JARIFA² 6.8 or JARIFA² 6.9

FOCUS Bikes - JARIFA² 6.8

FOCUS Bikes is the leading premium brand of high end mountain bikes and road bikes with excellent quality - German Engineered for amateur athletes and professionals!

www.focus-bikes.com

I don't know much about ebikes and what to look for but I want to buy something that can help me commute to work but also use in my free time to do some short rides through forest and maybe some small trails.

If anyone has some better bikes I should check out, please do let me know.

Quick summary:
Type of riding: Urban riding, adventure riding, gravel cycling, mountain biking
Type of terrain: flat, hilly and mountains
Typical distance to be ridden? 10-20 km for a little physique training now and then but also on occasion 40-50km if my physique allows it.
Age: I am 27 years old and i am not in fit shape (mostly due to my hernia, i can only sit on bikes for 1-2 hours at most, so i am also looking for a comfortable bike to prolong my rides)
Country: Belgium


Thanks!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Hi Ashley,

You have asked a very interesting question! Both German e-bikes are extremely modern and come with the latest Bosch Smart System. The only thing I didn't like on both e-bikes was the SR Suntour fork; you cannot do very much about it, and these forks are at least with the air spring, not the tragically bad steel coil. There are fundamental differences between both e-bikes though:

Canyon:

• It has been made a SUV e-bike. It will be very heavy. Think of your hernia, and any situation in which you will be forced to lift the e-bike. Take a forest path with a fallen tree across your path. Will you be able to lift a 26 kg (or more) e-bike and carry it over the obstacle?
• It has been equipped with a belt drive and the Internal Geared Hub transmission:
  • Benefit: your hands will always stay clean. No maintenance necessary! It is the urban thing
  • Con: The efficiency and gearing range of the IGH are lower compared to the chain/derailleur system. True mountain e-bikes are chain/derailleur not without reason
  • Con: Hard to do a field repair of the rear wheel/tyre/inner tube with the IGH. The urban thing.
  • Con: IGH is far heavier than the derailleur system.

Focus:

• I like that e-bike very much! It looks far more lightweight than the Canyon!
• Beautiful looks, geometry, and feel of a real Cross Country e-bike, making your planned adventures truly doable!
• The gearing is focused on climbing. Focus will let you climb easily! Oh my! The gearing of 11-51T will let you climb anything with no fear! Not that fast on the flat but the 25 km/h speed limit... No issue to get at 25 km/h on the flat with this e-bike!
• The derailleur system
  • Proper for both road and off-road, and especially for mountain biking
  • Far more lightweight than the IGH
  • Tremendous and efficient gearing (463% gearing range)
  • Easy for field repair (punctured tyre)
  • Con: Needs to be maintained: chain cleaning and oiling is mandatory
  • Con: The chain will need to be replaced when stretched
  • Con: Once in a while, sprockets of the cassette will have to be replaced

My heart is with Focus. At least judging by specifications and the needs you have expressed.

2 hours of riding and only 10-20 km? Ashley! You do not know what you are talking about (yet!) I do understand your medical condition. I understand your being not fit. Now, please listen to my story:

• A typical unfit person will ride for 40 km during 2 hours on the flat if this is a premium e-bike you asked for
• The amount of effort on either Canyon and Focus is approximately 25% of what a traditional bike requires.

I am 61 with three ailments: diabetes, blood overpressure, and arteriosclerosis (making blood supply to my legs inadequate). I have been e-biking for 3 years now, with more than 25,000 km ridden since I have started e-biking. Trust me: You will start with a 20 km ride, will become hungry for more, then you will ride for 40 km... and you will discover you can do more and more!

Get the Focus!

P.S. Do you already know what Local Bike Store will be able/capable to service your future e-bike and manage warranty claims? Canyon is an online company. Does Focus have a representative near to where you live?

 

[AshleyD]

Hi Ashley,

You have asked a very interesting question! Both German e-bikes are extremely modern and come with the latest Bosch Smart System. The only thing I didn't like on both e-bikes was the SR Suntour fork; you cannot do very much about it, and these forks are at least with the air spring, not the tragically bad steel coil. There are fundamental differences between both e-bikes though:

Canyon:

• It has been made a SUV e-bike. It will be very heavy. Think of your hernia, and any situation in which you will be forced to lift the e-bike. Take a forest path with a fallen tree across your path. Will you be able to lift a 26 kg (or more) e-bike and carry it over the obstacle?
• It has been equipped with a belt drive and the Internal Geared Hub transmission:
  • Benefit: your hands will always stay clean. No maintenance necessary! It is the urban thing
  • Con: The efficiency and gearing range of the IGH are lower compared to the chain/derailleur system. True mountain e-bikes are chain/derailleur not without reason
  • Con: Hard to do a field repair of the rear wheel/tyre/inner tube with the IGH. The urban thing.
  • Con: IGH is far heavier than the derailleur system.

Focus:

• I like that e-bike very much! It looks far more lightweight than the Canyon!
• Beautiful looks, geometry, and feel of a real Cross Country e-bike, making your planned adventures truly doable!
• The gearing is focused on climbing. Focus will let you climb easily! Oh my! The gearing of 11-51T will let you climb anything with no fear! Not that fast on the flat but the 25 km/h speed limit... No issue to get at 25 km/h on the flat with this e-bike!
• The derailleur system
  • Proper for both road and off-road, and especially for mountain biking
  • Far more lightweight than the IGH
  • Tremendous and efficient gearing (463% gearing range)
  • Easy for field repair (punctured tyre)
  • Con: Needs to be maintained: chain cleaning and oiling is mandatory
  • Con: The chain will need to be replaced when stretched
  • Con: Once in a while, sprockets of the cassette will have to be replaced

My heart is with Focus. At least judging by specifications and the needs you have expressed.

2 hours of riding and only 10-20 km? Ashley! You do not know what you are talking about (yet!) I do understand your medical condition. I understand your being not fit. Now, please listen to my story:

• A typical unfit person will ride for 40 km during 2 hours on the flat if this is a premium e-bike you asked for
• The amount of effort on either Canyon and Focus is approximately 25% of what a traditional bike requires.

I am 61 with three ailments: diabetes, blood overpressure, and arteriosclerosis (making blood supply to my legs inadequate). I have been e-biking for 3 years now, with more than 25,000 km ridden since I have started e-biking. Trust me: You will start with a 20 km ride, will become hungry for more, then you will ride for 40 km... and you will discover you can do more and more!

Get the Focus!

P.S. Do you already know what Local Bike Store will be able/capable to service your future e-bike and manage warranty claims? Canyon is an online company. Does Focus have a representative near to where you live?

Hi Stefan!

Thank you for the great and extended reply!

I did not consider lifting the ebikes when i come across a fallen tree or places i have to lift it, good that you mention this!

For the 10-20 km on a normal MTB , when I ride for 10-20km I get pain in my back and my bottom, leaving me no choice other than going back home to rest, but i'm hoping an e-bike will lessen the strain on my back and allow me to ride longer which in turn trains my back to stiffen the muscles around my hernia.

For the 25 km speed limit, i do not mind this as i don't intend to drive fast but only use the bike as a ''training device'' or the occasional commute and ofcourse to have some fun.

I have a Focus store at around 20km of my house but that same store also is a certified canyon repair store so regarding to service it stays the same for me.

But thanks to your opinion and summoning up the pros and cons I will order the Focus

Thanks!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

For the 25 km speed limit, i do not mind this as i don't intend to drive fast but only use the bike as a ''training device'' or the occasional commute and of course to have some fun.

Actually, the speed over 25 km/h on a traditional bike is only doable for strong and fit people! And you do not ride even that fast in the forest or in the mountains (except downhill, haha!) I cannot understand the fuss people make about the speed restriction... at least in Europe. My lightweight Specialized Vado SL (17 kg with rack and mudguards) keeps me in the 25 km/h range and I mostly don't mind it...

For the 10-20 km on a normal MTB , when I ride for 10-20km I get pain in my back and my bottom, leaving me no choice other than going back home to rest, but i'm hoping an e-bike will lessen the strain on my back and allow me to ride longer which in turn trains my back to stiffen the muscles around my hernia.

Yes, I do understand it. When I was riding my traditional bike (and was pretty healthy at that time), I had to make a stop every 5 km... With e-bikes and with my degraded health, I was typically taking the first stop at 12.5 km. Now, with all my ailments, I easily ride for 30 km before the first stop is taken.

Unless you are extra small or small, the Focus comes with a whooping 750 Wh battery. In any case, you can increase the assist, not to ride faster than 25 km/h but for less effort! And mind you, fancy yourself climbing the hills in Turbo! Your battery would last, last, and last!

 

[AshleyD]

Actually, the speed over 25 km/h on a traditional bike is only doable for strong and fit people! And you do not ride even that fast in the forest or in the mountains (except downhill, haha!) I cannot understand the fuss people make about the speed restriction... at least in Europe. My lightweight Specialized Vado SL (17 kg with rack and mudguards) keeps me in the 25 km/h range and I mostly don't mind it...


Yes, I do understand it. When I was riding my traditional bike (and was pretty healthy at that time), I had to make a stop every 5 km... With e-bikes and with my degraded health, I was typically taking the first stop at 12.5 km. Now, with all my ailments, I easily ride for 30 km before the first stop is taken.

Unless you are extra small or small, the Focus comes with a whooping 750 Wh battery. In any case, you can increase the assist, not to ride faster than 25 km/h but for less effort! And mind you, fancy yourself climbing the hills in Turbo! Your battery would last, last, and last!

Actually, the speed over 25 km/h on a traditional bike is only doable for strong and fit people! And you do not ride even that fast in the forest or in the mountains (except downhill, haha!) I cannot understand the fuss people make about the speed restriction... at least in Europe. My lightweight Specialized Vado SL (17 kg with rack and mudguards) keeps me in the 25 km/h range and I mostly don't mind it...

I don't understand the fuss aswell, 25 km/h is more then enough, although i understand people that having to commute 50+ km to work that wanting to get the 45km/h bikes

Just got off the phone with my Focus store and i have an appointment tomorrow to order the bike

Thank you for the help,

Maybe one more question

What maintenance do you recommend i do and at what intervals? I was always bad at maintaining my bike in optimal condition just because i did not know when to give maintenance or cleaning and what to clean or maintain

 

[Stefan Mikes]

What maintenance do you recommend i do and at what intervals? I was always bad at maintaining my bike in optimal condition just because i did not know when to give maintenance or cleaning and what to clean or maintain

• Visiting your Local Bike Store after 100-200 km ridden for the "first service". They will adjust all non-adjusted parts such as derailleur, screws, etc. Very important to do it once. (Some brands require that to validate the warranty).
• Charging the battery regularly. The best rule is to charge the battery just to 80% and not discharge it below 20%. (This rule can be bent, however!)
• Re-inflating the tyres once a week. A good pump helps (I use B'TWIN 900 from Decathlon, which is good and inexpensive)
• Degreasing then oiling then wiping the chain dry at least once a week. Say, Decathlon has all the products, including "All-In-One" (as to speak)
• After 2000-3000 km ridden, check the chain for the stretch. The chain might need to be replaced if the stretch exceeds so-called 0.5% mark. That will save your expensive cassette against premature wear
• Replacing the brake pads once a year or when you feel you "have no brakes anymore".
• Occasional washing your e-bike with a mild detergent and a sponge (never try pressure washing!)

I seem not to remember any sins more! Hopefully, your tyres will last for a very long time (Focus is equipped with excellent Schwalbe Smart Sam that I might recommend myself!)

 

[indianajo]

Rains in Belgium. Oil all carbon steel parts including chain with non-detergent oil every 2 weeks. SUS56 or 32 farm hydraulic fluid (cheap), 3 in 1 oil (expensive), type F or A ATF (not dexron or mercon compatible). Air tool oil or air compressor oil. no detergent in oil. Oil deraileur pivots, axles, cable inputs, control pivots, monthly. Check tightness of bolts on seat mount, stem, handlebar, axle nuts, pedals, at least twice a year. Adjust brake calipers when stopping force goes too low. Oil axle bearings & crank bearings every 2 years or 8000 km.
I clean dirt off derailleur takeup & sprockets ~twice a year. Off road riders may need more. Riding in salt or mud may require chain cleaning, but I never do. My chains last ~8000 km.
New tires before they get thin, to prevent road flats.