Canyon’s new Grail gravel bike will get an entire racing overhaul with extra exact dealing with, a cleanly built-in however regular cockpit, plenty of built-in storage, and a serious aerodynamic improve. Whereas it’s decidedly a quicker, stiffer gravel race bike, these aero and built-in upgrades might be welcome for nearly any rider seeking to journey quick on and off-road.
I’ve been using the brand new Grail for the previous month, and its stiffer race bike vibe has grown on me…
2023 Canyon Grail CFR & CF carbon gravel race bikes
Within the years since Canyon first debuted their do-it-all carbon Grail gravel bike, the self-discipline has not solely advanced, however segmented itself extra into a number of classes. Now you possibly can select from mild gravel/all-road, quick gravel/gravel racing, and journey gravel. And every with its personal particular bike.
That segmentation has allowed Canyon to refine their new Grail for a extra slim viewers, creating a motorbike that I’d say higher serves these gravel riders seeking to go quick. And if all-road is your bag, decide the Endurace; or should you choose journey & bikepacking, go for the Grizl.
The extra slim focus has undoubtedly benefited the brand new Grail from a race perspective. Hidden underneath a camouflaged paint job, it’s been ridden to quite a few professional wins this season – capped off with a Gravel World Championship this previous weekend underneath Polish rider Kasia Niewiadoma.
We caught up with that very same distinctive razzle dazzle prototype paint job at FNLD GRVL this summer time, for a detailed sneak peek. And the cool factor is, it’s really out there from at the moment in a really restricted version run should you act quick!
(Scroll down fast to the Pricing, Choices & Availability part on the finish if you wish to snap one up earlier than they disappear.)
So What’s New?
This new Grail drops the divisive double-decker Hover handlebar for a extra standard built-in cockpit. With hidden built-in inside cable routing by way of the headset as is the type of the occasions, but not contained in the bar for a bit extra manageable at-home consumer-direct setup. However it nonetheless is kind of artistic in its new 1-piece handlebar+stem combo, significantly bettering ergonomics and constructing in direct mount compatibility for every little thing from cellphones & GPS computer systems to aerobars tailored from triathlon.
Canyon says a giant driver was actually to scale back the frontal space and aero drag from the tall Hover bar. However it’s arduous to not think about {that a} extra standard setup is simpler for extra potential gravel riders to purchase in.
The brand new “Double Drop Bar” cockpit will get mild downsweep & 5° backsweep on the tops, flared drops that angle out a bit on the levers (5°) then a bit additional on the drops (to 16°), and a flatter place behind the hoods to your palms to relaxation. There apparently can also be a pro-specific model with further downsweep to get the hoods and drops decrease, whereas conserving the ‘stem’ stage with the bottom. There you’ll discover a new “Gear Groove” direct mount interface within the prime and backside of the ‘stem portion’ that enables a modified mono-riser to be put in for aerobar extensions taken from Canyon’s triathlon SpeedMax. Or you possibly can mount extra standard built-in out-front GPS mounts (like I’ve) in the identical place.
Aero upgrades
Frameset-wise, the brand new Grail is just about all-new in comparison with the unique Grail that debuted in 2018. The body will get an unsurprising aerodynamic overhaul from tip to tail. In accordance with Canyon, “examined back-to-back within the wind tunnel with the first-generation GRAIL, the brand new era saves a major 9.1 watts at 45kph, examined bike solely with similar specs“.
Up entrance, which means a transfer to deeper aero fork legs that improve front-end stiffness. However there’s additionally an extended axle-to-crown size to each clean airflow over the entrance tire, and construct within the chance to mount a brief journey gravel suspension fork, if that’s the case desired. The fork legs additionally get indentations molded into the carbon that enables for a safe Fork Load Sleeve adapter so as to add fork bag or water bottle mounting, with out the necessity for standard threaded mounts. The concept right here is that almost all riders of this ‘race bike’ gained’t ever mount something to their fork, however it’s nonetheless doable.
Storage upgrades
The most important change within the body itself is the introduction of inside in-frame storage, and exterior built-in storage. For inside, the highest 2 carbon body specs add a glovebox door that Canyon calls the Load Downtube Storage. It’s just about what we’ve seen on plenty of current mountain bikes, however right here positioned above the water bottles. Inside a skinny snake-like neoprene bag can carry a spare tube, CO2, inflator, and tire levers. And mounted on to the Load glovebox door you possibly can safe the included multi-tool, plus an optionally available mini pump.
As for out of doors, Canyon has created a sleekly built-in Load Fidlock Quickloader partial body bag. It appears to be like quite a bit just like the Aero Pack System that Apidura developed with Ridley for his or her gravel race bike. This one is all Canyon, although. A separate dimension bag to match every body, the Quickloader snaps securely into place with magnetic Fidlock studs, and may be eliminated by pulling a launch strap on its again. Canyon says it saves 1.5W vs. no bag, whereas having sufficient house inside to hold an additional layer like a jacket or some further journey snacks.
To neatly combine with the aero bag, the highest of the downtube is kind of boxy, whereas it transitions to a extra standard truncated aerofoil form down by the water bottle.
Mixed the Load system means it is best to have the ability to carry most of your journey spares on the bike, low, and out of the wind. No want for a saddle bag for many racing. And maintain these cargo shorts pockets free for cellphones and bananas.
Much less consolation?
General, a lot of the particular person body tubes are additionally deeper and extra aero in profile, aside from the toptube which is simply now extra straight than earlier than. The seat cluster appears to be like just like the previous bike, however now matches a D-shaped seatpost. It’s the identical form as on the Final and guarantees 3W of aero financial savings (at a gravel unrealistic 45kph). However Canyon created a way more forgiving put up than on their mild highway race bike – though nonetheless a lot much less forgiving than the leaf-spring VCLS posts.
Tech particulars
A real key function of the brand new Grail is its 42mm max tire clearance, with loads of house for mud. Sure, you possibly can in all probability squeeze a 45mm tire in there, however should you want larger than a 40/42mm tire, perhaps a Grizl could be a greater match for you. It is a gravel race bike, in spite of everything.
That tire restrict additionally means the bike continues to be 1x or 2x suitable as many racers coming from the highway choose standard highway gearing combos. Even a mid compact 52/36T chainring combo will match. That additionally means you possibly can run a direct mount chain retention system for single chainring setups.
Accent mounting consists of 2 full-size bottles on all body sizes, plus a direct toptube bag mounts and cage mount underneath the downtube. There’s 3 further threaded mounts contained in the entrance triangle for the built-in Quickloader bag (on all body ranges). Plus, hidden non-standard mounting factors for a Canyon customized set of full-coverage fenders.
A lighter CFR body spec, too
All-new for the Grail is CFR-level ultralight carbon tech. Like they’ve finished from highway to DH to cyclocross in between, now gravel will get a Canyon Manufacturing facility Racing stage carbon layup. Ultralight CFR carbon fiber makes the Grail CFR body & fork 118g lighter than the brand new CF SLX. Plus, it means 10% extra stiffness within the backside bracket and headset, and a 4.5% stiffer fork each laterally and entrance to again. As a result of lighter and stiffer is best, should you’re into that type of factor.
Refined Gravel Race Geometry
The brand new bike does function all-new geometry, however it’s actually not to date completely different from the OG long-wheelbase Grail should you excuse the shortage of a Hover bar. The headtube is a bit slacker at a nonetheless fairly steep 71.5°. And the wheelbase is definitely even longer, and additional 27mm throughout the board. However the actual trick appears to have been enjoying with fork offset to maintain the identical 69mm fork Path throughout most sizes (the core S-L) for a balanced secure however maneuverable journey over tough or clean surfaces.
2023 Canyon Grail CFR & CF – Pricing, Choices & Availability
The brand new carbon Canyon Grail is available in 8 construct kits at three completely different carbon spec ranges – the top-tier CFR, CF SLX & CF SL. Each the CFR & CF SLX bikes embrace all the highest cockpit and built-in storage options. The extra reasonably priced CF SL nonetheless features a handlebar with standard accent mounting bolts underneath the stem, and doesn’t embrace the Load inside downtube storage.
Grail CF SL
The entry-level for the brand new carbon gravel race bike is the $2700 / 2700€ Canyon Grail CF SL 7 with a Shimano GRX 2×11 mechanical groupset and alloy DT wheels, at 9.22kg (all weights claimed).
Subsequent up is a $3500 / 3500€ Canyon Grail CF SL 7 AXS that will get an improve to wi-fi digital shifting with a 1x SRAM Rival AXS Xplr group, at 9.82kg.
Then, a $3000 / 3000€ Grail CF SL 8 will get a lighter construct with GRX 1×12 and a higher-spec DT G1800 alloy wheelset, at 8.74kg.
Grail CF SLX
Stepping as much as the upper spec CF SLX frameset, there’s both the $5000 / 5000€ Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 Di2 with digital GRX & carbon DT Swiss GRC1400 wheels, or the $5500 / 5300€ Grail CF SLX 8 AXS with wi-fi SRAM Drive AXS Xplr & carbon Zipp 303 wheels.
Grail CFR
Then, on the prime tier, there’s the 7000€ Canyon Grail CFR Di2 with GRX Di2 & prime DT GRC1100 carbon wheels, at 8.3kg. Or decide the lightest full gravel race bike construct with the $8000 / 8000€ Grail CFR AXS that includes Purple AXS Xplr, a Quarq powermeter & those self same GRC1100 wheels, at 8.04kg.
And perhaps most intriguing of all of them, simply 70 particular person bikes might be made out there worldwide of the $9000 / 10,000€ Canyon Grail CFR LTD. You once more get the SRAM Purple AXS Xplr groupset and prime DT wheels, however in the identical eye-catching GRVL DZZL paint job of the pre-production bikes that the professionals have been successful on all yr.
All the new bikes can be found from at the moment in Europe. USA availability is a bit restricted at first. Within the US, you may get a CF SLX 8 Di2 or the small batch CFR Professional LTD at the moment. The others needs to be out there by the tip of 2023. Apart from the CF SL 7 which can solely arrive early in 2024.
First Using Impressions
I’ve been using the brand new Grail on and off for the previous month – an 8.5kg construct within the CF SLX 8 AXS construct. That features some aggressive using, loads of gnarly “gravel” bordering on enduro, and a few fast however extra informal using. The brand new gravel race bikes actually fills exact and extra responsive, and makes me need to go quick. I positively acquired the primary impression that the entrance finish feels a lot stiffer than I keep in mind the earlier Grail.
A part of that was going arduous on some actually technical tracks on 40mm tires with just a few psi increased strain than I in all probability ought to. Coming off a extra adventure-ready gravel bike with 50mm tires, it was a fast shift. Even all the way down to a sore wrist after 3 intense days of hammering the brand new bike.
However the brand new Grail is rising on me. Perhaps the race-ready XPLR gearing is a bit steep for me coming off Eagle-equipped bikes. However it definitely is smart from a race perspective. Then, I tailored after per week or so to how finest to journey this bike. And that’s to journey it quick. Smash up the climbs, and fly down the opposite aspect. If I wished to go bike journey bikepacking, I’d absolutely decide a Grizl for the additional consolation. However once I need to go quick, it’s arduous to beat the speedy really feel of this new Grail.
