Direct sales giant, Canyon is mostly known for its comprehensive range of mountain bikes. The brand also has a reasonably condensed range of gravel bikes. Dubbed the Grail, the range has a bike for everyone should you be aiming to win races, or just to enjoy some off-road mile-munching.
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[Updated 14th December 2021]
The latest Canyon gravel bike range
Understanding Canyon's naming system
With only one bike in the range, it's super easy to figure out what you're getting with the Grail. As you can see, there's the Grail CF SL which comes with a carbon frame, and the simply named, Grail which comes with an alloy frame. CF SL's come with a trick build kit while CF SLX's come with an even pricer, and blingier build. In the range are a few women's specific models and they can be distinguished by the 'WMN' in the name. There's also a Grail:ON which is the e-bike version of the gravel bike, but we'll keep that for an e-bike specific guide.
Much like the brand's mountain bikes, Canyon chuck in a starter box with a quick start guide, manual, torque wrench and bit set, bearing adjustment too, grease and carbon assembly paste where necessary.
We also have a guide on Canyon's mountain bikes which you can see here, there's also a full complementary range of e-bikes.
Canyon Grail
The Grail CF SL is the brand's top of the range carbon fibre offering which uses Canyon's Complete Comfort concept, including that very unique Double Decker bar. It offers four different hand positions and its flexy portion uses the carbon's natural properties to allow for some vibration damping. Within the concept is a seat post with built-in flex for even more comfort and larger volume tyres. There's a huge range of seven sizes with a large benefitting from a 72.5° head angle, a 425mm chainstay, and a 478mm reach. The seat tube angle sits at 73.6°.
Grail CF SLX 9 eTap
£6,300
The Grail CF SLX 8 eTap tops the whole grail range, and at that price, we would expect it to. It's built around Canyon's carbon frame with flat mount brakes and it gets Canyon's FK0070 CF Disc fork. As its name suggests, it comes with a SRAM Red XPLR eTap AXS mech with a Force 10-44t cassette and Red crank. Then, there is a pair of matching SRAM Red eTap AXS HRD brakes slowing down some DT Swiss GRC1100 wheels that are shod with 40mm Schwalbe G-One tyres. This bike gets Canyon's CP07 Gravelcockpit CF featuring that double-decker handlebar.
Grail CF SLX 8 Di2
£5,000
Next up is the Grail CF SLX 8 Di2. It comes with the very same frame and fork as its pricier sibling but with Shimano's GRX Di2 RX815 11-speed groupset with matching brakes. It also gets the same wheels, tyres, and finishing kit as the eTap equipped model.
Grail CF SL
The Grail CF SL comes at a cheaper price and as such, a cheaper build. These bikes are a bit heavier but they get carbon frames and the same cockpit and seat post as the SLX models. As expected, the geometry is exactly the same as the CF SLX bikes, so I'll just point you in the direction of those to check out the angles.
Grail CF SL 8 Di2
£4,100
The Grail CF SL 8 eTap still benefits from many of the same kit at the CF SLX bikes but sees quite a drop in price. There's the same frame and fork, then there's wireless shifting from Shimano and the GRX Di2 range with matching brakes. This bike rolls on a pair of DT Swiss GRC1600 splines and get the same tyres as the rest of the range. As you can see, this bike is still graced with the double decker bar.
Grail CF SL 7 eTap
£3,400
Again, the Grail CF SL 8 get's a lot of the same kit as the pricier bikes, including the frame and fork. There's then the SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS drivetrain with matching brakes. The wheels here are a pair of DT Swiss GRC1600 Spline's and then the rest of the bike is the same as the others in the range.
Grail CF SL 8
£2,950
At this point, Canyon drops wireless shifting in favour of more traditional cable-operated systems. On this bike, we get a Shimano GRX RX810 11-speed drivetrain and brakes. Other than that, the rest of the build matches the rest of the range apart form the DT Swiss 1800 Spline wheels.
Grail CF SL 7
£2,450
This bike is the cheapest carbon-framed gravel bike in Canyon's range. It gets the same frame and fork but a Shimano GRX810 2x11 drivetrain with GRX600 levers and DT Swiss Gravel LN wheels. It also gets those Double Decker bars but sees a traditional solid, Canyon SP0043 VCLS CF seat post with a Fizik Argo Terra X5 saddle. Everything else matches the rest of the range.
Grail AL
The Grail AL features aluminium frames and cable-operated shifting across the range. The AL models get the exact same geometry as the top-end CF SXL models, so expect a similar ride. For the AL models, Canyon has done away with the Complete Comfort concept in favour of more traditional bars and seat posts.
Grail 7 eTap
£2,150
The Grail 7 is the most expensive alloy framed Grail. It gets the very same carbon fork as the rest of the range and is driven by a SRAM Rival XPLR drivetrain with matching brakes. Then there's a pair of DT Swiss Gravel LN wheels and they get a set of Continetal Terra Trail 40m tyres. As previously mentioned, the cockpit and seat post changed on the ALs. Here, there's a Canyon HB 0063 bar AL and a Canyon SP0043 VCLS CF carbon seat post. The saddle on this bike is a Selle Italia Model X.
Grail 7 AW
£1,800
The Grail 7 AW gets its name because it comes sorted with mudguards, lights and grippy tyres, making it an idea bike for year-round riding. It gets the same alloy frame and carbon fork as the Grail 7 eTap but gets a Shimano GRX812GS mech SLX 11-42t cassette and GRX RX600 crank. It then rolls on a pair of DT Swiss Gravel LN wheels with Continental Terra Trail tyres in a 40mm width. The rest of the bike matches the rest of the AL range so far.
Grail 7
£1,800
The Grail 7 comes with the very same spec as the Grail 7 AW, asides from the mudguards and lights. The drivetrain also changes to the Shimano GRX810 2x11 lineup.
Grail 6
£1,500
The cheapest bike in the whole Grail range, the Grail 6 only sees a downgrade in the drivetrain. It's a Shimano GRX400 groupset and then everything else is the same as the rest of the AL range.
Canyon Grizl
The Grizl was introduced into Canyon's lineup back early in 2021 and it's a bike that's made to take riders on extensive trips should the bike be fully laden, or bare bones. It comes with bigger 45mm tyres and can accommodate up to 50mm widths. Of course, as a bike that's designed towards bike packing, it comes with all of the mounts you'll ever need but none you don't. To make the use of what mounts are on the bike, the brand has teamed with Apidura to create bags specific to the Grizl. As for geometry, the Grizl gets 71° to 72.75° head angles across the size range each with a 73.5° seat tube angle. There's a 435mm chainstay and a large frame comes with a 478mm reach. Then the size range spans from S to 2XL. Finally, the bike rolls on 700c wheels.
Grizl CF SLX 8 eTap Suspension
£4,850
The range topping Grizl comes well and is truly sorted with some high end kit. First off, the bike is graced with a RockShox Rudy Ultimate fork offering 30mm of travel. Then, it sees a SRAM Force XPLR eTap AXS 12-speed drivetrain with matching brake and Centerline rotors. As for wheels, this bike comes with a Reynolds ATR carbon wheelset shod with Schwalbe G-One Bite 45mm tyres. It's then finished off with a Canyon V13 stem, Canyon HB0063 440mm wide bar, a Fizik Argo Terra X5 saddle and Canyon S15 VCLS 2.0 CF seat post.
Grizl CF SLX 8 Di2
£4,500
If suspension on your gravel bike isn't your thing but wireless shifting is, then allow me to introduce the Grizl CF SLX 8 Di2. This bike comes kitted with Canyon's FK0087 CF Disc fork and as you may have guessed already a Shimano GRX Di2 groupset. This one also gets carbon wheels but this time it's from DT Swiss in the form of the GRC1400 Spline wheels. The rest of the kit matches the spendy suspension equipped bike.
Grizl CF SLX 8 1by
£4,500
If suspension, electronic shifting and more than 13 gears isn't your thing, then here's the Grizl CF SLX 8 1by. It gets the same frame and fork as the other SLX bikes but instead, it rocks a Campagnolo Ekar 13-speed groupset. Everything else on the bike matches the Di2 model.
Grizl CF SL 8 Suspension
£3,150
This bike is another in the lineup that benefits from SRAM's gravel-specific Rudy fork but this time, it's at a much lower price point. It's drivetrain comes from Shimano with a GRX RX810 groupset with an Ultegra 11-34t cassette. This bike rolls on DT Swiss's G1800 Spline DB wheels and the rest of the kit matches that of the SLX 8 1by. There's also a women's specific version of this bike that comes in S and M sizes.
Grizl CF SL 8 Suspension 1by
£2,950
If you're after a dropper post with your suspension and 1x drivetrain, this bike fits the bill. It's sorted with a RockShox Rudy 30 with a Shimano GRX 11-speed groupset and GRX RX10 brakes. It's graced with a DT Swiss G1800 Spline wheelset but everything else is the same as the other SL bikes, however this one, of course, gets a Canyon Iridium dropper post.
Grizl CF SL 8
£2,950
This Grizl doesn't come with any suspension, bells or whistles instead opting for a simpler Shimano GRX RX810 groupset. Everything else here matches the rest of the CF SL 8 range.
Grizl CF SL 7 eTap
£3,200
The Grizl CF SL 7 eTap gets the very same frame and fork as the CF SL 8 bikes but here we've got a SRAM Rival XPLR eTap groupset. Everything else matches the rest of the range.
Grizl CF SL 7
£2,250
This bike comes with the same frame and fork as the SL 7 bikes but features a Shimano GRX RX810 groupset. Then, it rolls on a set of DT Swiss C 1850 Spline wheels with Schwalbe G-One Bite 45mm tyres. The rest of the componentry falls firmly in line with the rest of the CF SL range.
Grizl CF SL 6
£1,950
Available in either this 'Earl Grey' colour or 'Curry Powder' the Grizl CF SL 6 is the cheapest CF SL bike. This one benefits from a Shimano GRX RX400 2x10 drivetrain with matching brakes. The rest of the components on this bike is the same as the base CF SL 7.
Grizl CF SL Frameset
£1,800
If you're after a Grizl CF SL but already have a groupset, wheels and saddle you're very happy using, the Grizl CF SL Frameset is the way to go. It's made up of the same frame and fork you see on the full builds but it gives you the scope to build a Grizl from scratch.
Grizl 7 Suspension
£1,950
Now we depart from carbon frames and see a move to alloy. On this particular bike we've got a RockShox Rudy 30 fork with 30mm of travel and then the bike is driven, and stopped, by a Shimano GRX RX810 groupset with RX600 levers. As for wheels, the bike is graced with DT Swiss's Gravel LN wheels, then the rest of the kit matches the rest of the range. Oh, and this bike comes in a women's model with S and M sizes, and specific colourways.
Grizl 7
£1,800
What the Grizl 7 drops in price, it drops in suspension instead opting for the FK0087 Disc carbon fork that we've seen on the other fully rigid models. All of the other components on this bike are exactly the same as the suspension equipped bike.
Grizl 6
£1,500
Rounding off the whole of Canyon's gravel range, and seeing in the end of this feature is the Grizl 6. It gets the same frame and fork set up as the Grizl 7 but it rocks a Shimano GRX RX400 groupset. The rest of the spec is the same as the Grizl 7.
Comments
Do all gravel bikes have
Do all gravel bikes have their handlebars inches lower than their seats?
Yes, because most people's
Yes, because most people's hands are lower than their waists