Canyon and Specialized are two of the biggest performance cycling brands, commonly seen on the podium and ridden by the best athletes. When it comes down to them as brands, they are completely different but share similar successes.
In this article, we want to break these two brands down to tell you about their history, the bikes they make, their specialties, and even as much as which one you might find best. Let’s start the ultimate cycling battle, Canyon vs Specialized.
Who are Canyon and Specialized?
Let’s introduce you to these brands. Although you might not think it, Canyon and Specialized are completely different. Here’s why.
Canyon
Canyon was originally founded in Germany in 1985. Unlike other brands, it runs what they call a direct-to-consumer model. This means you order directly from them, cutting out the shops in between. This lets them offer a better product at a more competitive price compared to others.
Where Canyon made a name for itself was in road, gravel, and mountain biking. It brought new innovative technology and advanced engineering at a practical price point. Alongside successful sponsorships and some great branding, Canyon rose quickly.
Specialized
One of the giant cycling brands. Specialized was born in 1974 in the US. They have been a big player in cycling for decades and pushed amazing innovation into the industry in that time. They are well sought after, and generally, people are keen to own at least one in their cycling lifetime.
They have a particular attention to detail, cutting edge designs, and when it comes to professionals a lot of them choose to go down the route of Specialized because they don’t just stay ahead of the game they offer clear advantages in certain races.
A Quick Comparison Canyon vs Specialized
The History
To better understand these brands is to understand their history. Both Canyon and Specialized have a comprehensive history on which they have built their brands. Here’s what you need to know.
History of Canyon
Canyon, when it first originally started in 1985, was not called Canyon. In fact, it was called Radsport Arnold. By eliminating intermediaries to stock and sell his products and selling directly instead, he was able to make better bikes and sell them at a low cost.
It took much longer for Canyon to build a name for itself, and it came with its own challenges, but throughout the years, it grew across Europe and then eventually into the US. To ensure maximum reach, they even sponsored pro teams, which did amazing and solidified the brand's place with the best bike brands.
History of Specialized
When Mike Sinyard started Specialized, it was originally a brand that imported Italian bike parts to the US. Eventually, they made the Stumpjumper in 1981, which ended up being the world's first mass-production mountain bike. From there, they continued bringing new bikes and components into the range.
It wasn’t long before they started sponsoring professional teams and innovating new technology into the market, such as body geometry fit systems, carbon fiber components, and many incredible e-bike technologies. Today, they continue supporting great teams and creating new technology while catering to the whole market.
Canyon vs Specialized bike models
Over the years, both Canyon and Specialized have had some incredible bike models. In this next section, we want to discuss some of their most popular recent models.
Canyon Ultimate
The Canyon Ultimate is a high-end road bike that utilizes top materials and components to make an incredible race machine. It’s sleek, lightweight, and ready to attack any road race as an excellent all-rounder for climbing and flatlands. You can also read our article about Canyon Ultimate vs Canyon Aeroad.
Canyon Spectral
One of Canyon's full-suspension bikes. It is designed for enduro and trail riding. It’s a mix of speed and control which makes this bike's performance just incredible. It is often used by professionals and is known as one of the best full-suspension bikes available.
Canyon Grail
The Canyon Grail completely shook what we defined as a gravel bike. Not only did they make a drop bar bike, which had excellent performance, but they completely went off the beaten track with their own new set of handlebars, which had two levels.
Canyon Grizl
The Canyon Grizl is a rugged gravel bike built for adventure and versatility. Featuring a lightweight aluminum or carbon frame, it excels in handling rough terrain while maintaining comfort on long rides. With generous tire clearance, the Grizl can accommodate wider tires for enhanced traction and stability. It offers multiple mounting points for accessories like racks and fenders, making it perfect for both touring and commuting. Designed for those who crave exploration, the Grizl combines durability with performance for any gravel journey.
Sophia Willmes
Specialized Tarmac
The Specialized Tarmac is a premium road bike that has been available for many years but has consistently developed in that time. The Tarmac is one of the most iconic road bikes available and has been used by amazing riders such as Peter Sagan.
Sophia Willmes
Specialized Stumpjumper
The Stumpjumper, which Specialized started with, is still a model they sell today. Obviously, it is completely different, and now it is a full suspension off-road animal ready for the trails. It’s a bike we don’t think Specialized will ever stop developing.
Specialized Turbo Vado
The Specialized Turbo Vado is a multi-use e-bike from Specialized. It can be used for recreational riding, commuting, touring, and even exploring your local area. Designed for comfort and practicality with mudguards, it comes with a rear rack, too.
Specialized Crux
The Specialized Crux is a versatile gravel bike designed for speed and agility on varied terrain. With its lightweight carbon frame and race-inspired geometry, it offers excellent responsiveness for competitive riding. Ample tire clearance allows for wider tires, enhancing stability on rough surfaces. The bike also features options for fenders and racks, making it suitable for commuting and touring. Ideal for gravel enthusiasts, the Crux combines performance with practicality.
Tom Owen
Brand specificities on bike types Canyon vs Specialized
When it comes to Canyon and Specialized, they both offer something special, but where do the differences lay when it comes to the bike types?
Canyon vs Specialized MTB
When it comes to Canyon vs Specialized MTB, you will often find Canyon on the cheaper side compared to Specialized. Canyon’s Spectral and Strive focus on advanced suspension systems to help bring the performance that can be utilized by both professionals and day-to-day riders.
Specialized has bikes such as the Stumpjumper and the Enduro. They are well known for not just being great performers but also for always bringing new innovations to the market, and they seem to have a heightened durability compared to a lot of other brands.
Canyon vs Specialized road bikes
Regarding Canyon vs Specialized road bikes, Canyon focuses on the Ultimate and the Aeroroad. They are great performers, which bring good technology and competitive pricing. They deliver not just performance but, again, a professional feel to a day-to-day bike.
Specialized have the Tarmac and the Roubaix for road bikes. High-tech components and top aerodynamics make the Tarmac unique, and the Roubaix is known for its great endurance geometry and hidden suspension components.
Alice Huot
E-Bikes
Canyon has a good range of electric bikes, such as the full-suspension Neuron, the GrizlOnfly, and even some fun commuting bikes and recreational bikes. They come with good batteries and motors, but their range is limited.
While on the Specialized side, they are known as a leader in e-bike technology. They have a huge range of bikes and use the best motors and very high-end batteries. They might not be cheap, but the value you get is incredible, and they are built to last.
We get asked some amazing questions such as Specialized Crux vs Canyon Grail and Canyon Grizl vs Specialized Diverge. These are questions that require a little more attention and we recommend taking the time to do some research on each before investing.
Taking a look at geometry, components, and specification is key for any queries on Specialized Crux vs Canyon Grail and Canyon Grizl vs Specialized Diverge.
What brand suits your style?
What brand is right for you? Well, both Specialized vs Canyon offer excellent bikes. If you are looking for performance at a lower cost than the other big brands, you might want to go down the route of a Canyon bike. Unfortunately, the direct-to-consumer option saves money, but it doesn’t mean you can test in-store.
If you are looking for a little more range and want to test ride a bike beforehand, you might want to consider a Specialized. Being in many shops worldwide and having their own shops makes it easy to test and see the bikes in person before buying. They are both excellent brands, and we highly recommend them both.
Alice Huot
Where can you buy a Specialized vs Canyon bike?
When it comes to buying a Canyon bike you have to do it direct, Specialized you will find in many stores and online. The other option to save yourself money and stock availability is to go to buycycle and buy online.
Not only are you protected when buying a bike, but you also get advice from the experts and will spend a lot less money on a bike, which will give you the same experience. A bike shop even spruces up some before getting to you.
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