Citylite:On test: How good is Canyon's affordable e-bike for the city?

With the Citylite:On, Canyon wants to rethink the e-bike for the city. And it actually starts with what you really don't need in the city. Excessive battery and motor power? Just makes the bike expensive and heavy. Plug-in lights? Can be stolen. Large wheels with as much tyre tread as possible? Not so important. It should be practical and manoeuvrable and, if possible, be able to be used by people of different sizes.

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Everyday bike with beautiful details

Let's get straight to the point: The consistent approach that Canyon has taken with the Citylite:On is impressive. Precisely because the Koblenz-based company has also translated the idea of the bike into many beautiful detailed solutions that you won't find on most normal e-bikes. The e-system is therefore not so much at the centre of attention. In the city, you need enough power to pull a trailer. However, long tours with many metres of elevation gain or regular pedalling without assistance are not on the agenda.

Canyon therefore opts for the Performance Line motor, the most favourable in Bosch's drive segment. It also offers 75 Nm of mid-motor power and up to 600 watts. That's more than enough in the city. The power for the drive comes from a compact and lightweight 400 watt-hour battery. Unfortunately, this is almost the biggest problem with the bike for us. The battery is secured and removable with a key, which is ideal for an everyday bike. However, the mechanism is not entirely intuitive and the cover lock broke off once when handled carelessly. Canyon should make improvements here.

Modern and practical: the Citylite:On in use

Otherwise, the city e-bike also cuts a fine figure as a step-through bike. Canyon has also thought about trailer clearance, a sturdy pannier rack with Quick-Lock system and a frame lock. If you have to carry the bike up a few steps, you'll be pleased with the easy-to-grip top tube. This is usually a problem with many step-through bikes.

Nice to see: Canyon has put a lot of thought into the special solutions. The brakes look simple but are reliable. The integrated lights are not easily damaged if the bike is left outside for a long time. Special praise goes to the in-house dropper post. This allows the saddle to be raised or lowered with a flick of the wrist so that different riders can ride the bike. A printed scale helps with fine tuning.

The overall look of the bike is modern and clean, as you would expect from Canyon. There is a practical SP-Connect interface on the stem for attaching a mobile phone and inductive charging if desired. If you want to transport even more luggage, you can attach additional accessories such as a front carrier to the head tube.

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And how does the Canyon ride? Our Citylite:On manoeuvres nimbly around tight corners, which is probably due in part to the slightly smaller than usual 27.5-inch MTB wheels. Despite the comfortable geometry and low step-through, you don't sit too inactively on the bike. The dropper post also provides suspension and absorbs shocks from the ground. We didn't miss a suspension fork. The in-house trigger shifter for the Nexus hub is a good idea and operates crisply. We only felt that you need a little more force than necessary to shift into a lower gear. However, the belt and gear hub are definitely a good choice on a bike like this. The price for the overall concept is fair.

Strengths

• Modern look and feel
• High everyday utility and good driving characteristics
• More than just the next standard e-bike

Weaknesses

• Battery removal somewhat awkward
• Switching trigger could be easier