Canyon Nerve AM7.0 Mamba Green

mcnultycop

My first full susser has arrived today, and I've just finished building it. There are a couple of minor niggles in that a brake hose clip is missing with a minor chip at that point and another chip on the rear seatstay, and one of the cables looks slightly twisted where it enters the routing. I think it looks great though, I've just had a couple of laps of the street and the gears and brakes felt great. I am going to learn how to set the suspension and have a play, and hopefully get a ride mid week next week.

I worked from home and got this big box:



I had a first glance, but had loads of work today.



I then got dragged to hell on earth (Ikea) and didn't get building until about 8pm, I was finished in less than an hour (including putting the bars on upside down in a particularly odd moment). Everything was already set up and slotted together with ease. I've not started playing with the suspension as I need to do some research and make sure I understand it before I start messing. I've put a bit less than 100psi in the fork and there was already some 200ish in the shock. I've had a little ride around the street and it felt great. The gear shifts felt great (compared to my existing mixed low range Shimano set up on my Trek 4500) and the brakes excellent.



This clip is missing and where it has come off (I presume in transit, but it isn't in the box) it has chipped the paint.



I can't wait to get out on it. Lee and Cragg Quarry beckon next weekend.

mcnultycop

Spec List
Shock Fox Float Performance RP2 Boost Valve XXV
Fork Fox 32 Performance TALAS FIT RL
Headset Acros AiX-02
Rear mech Shimano Deore XT Shadow
Front mech Shimano Deore XT
Shifters Shimano Deore XT
Brake Levers Magura MT 4
Brakes Magura MT 2
Wheelset DT Swiss AM 1900
Cassette Shimano SLX 11-36 10-speed
Front Tyre Schwalbe Fat Albert 2,4",
Rear Tyre Nobby Nic 2,4" Evolution Line
Crankset Shimano Deore XT FC-M780 42/32/24
BB Shimano Deore XT FC-M780
Stem Syncros AM V2 (70mm)
Bars Syncros AM 2014 Riser 710/25 mm
Grips Canyon Bracelets Lock On
Saddle Selle Italia X1
Seatpost Iridium SL
Pedals Exotic (exactly the same as Superstar Nanos, but black only and a tenner cheaper).

ilovedirt

Very nice! I like the look of those Canyons, quite fancy me a Strive.
You can use cable ties on those hose guides btw, I've never bothered with those little clips.

chez_m356

very nice, like "ilovedirt" said, just cable tie it, as for the chipped paint, you might want to get some helitape on the frame because those 2.4's don't half kick some censored up, though i don't really seem to have that problem on my anodised version, speaking of the tyres kicking censored up, get a "mucky nutz fender censored " great for keeping it out of your face, and looks good on the AM too

Jimx26

Looks awesome!

ThePriory1978

Ah memorys of when mine used to be clean. A good choice well made.

DCR00

love the colour

no way i would be working if that box was sitting waiting for me

mcnultycop

I'm off to the races today and fully expecting to be incapable of nothing tomorrow. I've not been anywhere on it yet.

tc3nitro

I'll be interested to see how you find this as this is exactly the model I am looking at purchasing.

mikeysickalrigh

All of the clips on mine came off within a week, just use cable ties! Awesome colour

Curious Yellow

Those grips will be the death of you on the first white knuckle descent. Get rid of them ASAP!

Great looking bike. Let me know how you get on with the additional travel as opposed to your Trek.

chez_m356

Curious Yellow wrote:

Those grips will be the death of you on the first white knuckle descent. Get rid of them ASAP!

why ?

Curious Yellow

Mine decided to do the twist on my second ride. They don't seem to hold their position very well. Nearly slipped off the bike.

Swapping them for lock-ons this week.

mcnultycop

Curious Yellow wrote:

Mine decided to do the twist on my second ride. They don't seem to hold their position very well. Nearly slipped off the bike.

Swapping them for lock-ons this week.

Nerve AM comes with lock ons, I think the XC doesn't. I'm going to see how I get on with the grips for a while before I think of changing them.

chez_m356

mcnultycop wrote:

Curious Yellow wrote:

Mine decided to do the twist on my second ride. They don't seem to hold their position very well. Nearly slipped off the bike.

Swapping them for lock-ons this week.

Nerve AM comes with lock ons, I think the XC doesn't. I'm going to see how I get on with the grips for a while before I think of changing them.

now you know why i asked "why" saying that, last years AM6 didn't have lock ons, don't know about other models, mine were the same,twisting etc, so replaced them with lizard skins northshore grips

mcnultycop

Had my first little ride today, only a little jaunt with my little girl down to the park just to make sure everything was in order and play about with the suspension a bit. I found I really had to give it some welly with the shock pump to get the shock up to almost the highest recommended pressure to get 25%ish sag (I am 18 stone, so the guides say it needs to be nearly the maximum), but the fork was easy enough to get enough air in. Is it normal the shock pump requires this much effort, I've only had coil-sprung forks before so I've never used a shock pump?

Other than aching arms from all the shock-pumping (not a euphemism) the bike felt really great. It wasn't the most challenging route ever, as my little girl is 10 and her bike is single speed, but I managed to bomb up and down some rock bits, ride through a river and down some steps. I'm looking forward to a proper ride out tomorrow.

chez_m356

mcnultycop wrote:

I found I really had to give it some welly with the shock pump to get the shock up to almost the highest recommended pressure to get 25%ish sag (I am 18 stone, so the guides say it needs to be nearly the maximum), but the fork was easy enough to get enough air in. Is it normal the shock pump requires this much effort, I've only had coil-sprung forks before so I've never used a shock pump?

i'm just a bit lighter than you and run the rear at about 265lbs, it does seem to take quite an effort when you get up near the top end

SpeedFræk

Hi that looks amazing, good job. Where did you buy it?

I have only seen this in black and white.

Cheers

Sarah

chez_m356

SpeedFræk wrote:

Hi that looks amazing, good job. Where did you buy it?

the only place you can http://www.canyon.com/_es/mountainbikes ... tml?b=2564

SpeedFræk

chez_m356 wrote:

SpeedFræk wrote:

Hi that looks amazing, good job. Where did you buy it?

the only place you can http://www.canyon.com/_es/mountainbikes ... tml?b=2564

Thanks it's now halted me buying the Cube AMS 130 SL because now I love both!

mcnultycop

I've just got back from my first proper ride now, a 30km(ish) route on local bridleways, single-track and some fun bits. It feels like cheating, it is that good. With the pro-pedal on I can't perceive any major difference pedalling between it and my hardtail, and on the downs it feels great just flying over things I'd normally be skirting round. It is definitely overkill for my local trails, but I'll be retiring the hardtail for a while as it is so much fun.

I did a fair bit of fannying about with the suspension settings, and I think I'm happy with them now, but I'm sure I will play about with them a bit more next time. The shifters feel great, but there is a tiny little bit of chain noise in middle cog to big one on the cassette. I'm ecstatic with it.

mcnultycop

With added mud (although it is now cleaned and lubed).





I've been out tonight and done 18km or so. I'm going to go 2x10 so have been playing about tonight to see what size chainrings I'd be happy with. I reckon 38/26 is the way forward

declan1

Nice bike! I like these new Canyons....

Rigga

I just love that colour, shame it's not available throughout the range!

euans2

Nice bike you got there matey

Rigga wrote:

I just love that colour, shame it's not available throughout the range!

Buy an AM7 and upgrade it to the speck you want and still have change over a Specialized, Trek etc etc etc

mcnultycop

Lee Quarry this morning (and Cragg, but I didn't take any pictures there as it was really foggy).



Quick breather at the Lee/Cragg junction with my bike parked in a stream



Play area



Supposed to give a perspective of the climb from the car park, fails though, just imagine it is really high.



Sweet wipe clean seat sanctuary. Coffee, sandwich, cake and Lucozade (in a glass, with ice, nice touch).

ali4390

That looks stunning, really considering one of these as my next bike!

mcnultycop

Now with added less gears but more bashring.



Long story that I can't be arsed telling in detail, but I ended up getting a puncture when I went out for a quick evening blast on Monday this week. This delayed me and it got dark and I had no lights, I ended up having to ride back through a little shopping precinct, sign blew over as I passed and forced me into a fence.

Slightly damaged brake lever, it doesn't pull properly but is still working OK, the lever "clicks" before it pulls though so it isn't right. I'm probably just going to replace the whole lever if I can get it on it's own.



My little finger came off less well. That is both little fingers damaged cycling now, about 25 years apart. It feels broken, but as they don't do anything for broken fingers I've not bothered sitting in casualty for them to tell me that.

declan1

Ouch - looks painful! I hope the brake lever is ok!!! :P

Plyphon

You *should* be able to just buy the lever blade and replace. Maybe approach a LBS to get it OEM. (I mean - if that is all that's damaged.)

I'm so stuck between the 2013 XC or AM model (Which is now names AL & AL+) - I would love to buy a big bouncer AM bike that I can (In theory) take on holiday abroad or Wales etc -

But the reality is 99% of the riding I'm going to be doing will be easily handled by a 100mm hardtail let alone the XC model - and then most trails in the UK anyway the XC will take in its stride haha.

Decisions.

mcnultycop

You can just get the blades for the levers, but it really is just the blades they sell. There is something not quite right with the piston and where it pivots from the blade. I'm just going to ride with it for a while and see if it is OK this week.

I went for the AM as I have a 100mm hardtail to handle the easier stuff, so I thought I might as well have the differential between the two bikes. I know the AM is "too much bike" for the lot of the riding I do, but it's nice to know it is there when I do need it.