Canyon grail
We had the pleasure of testing the Canyon grail cf sl 8.0 last year and even featured it in our best gravel bikes round-up. It’s a true jack-of-all-trades that’s comfortable and quick on dirt but doesn’t get sluggish when the trail turns to tarmac.
At its core, the grail is designed to be lightweight and fast on mixed terrain. It’s a highly capable all-rounder and happily dealt with anything our tester’s stomping ground of rural Northumberland could throw its way – cow pats and all.
The grail has clearance for up to 42mm tyres on 700c wheels. This means it’s lighter and sportier than the grizl but it can struggle with very rough gravel and mud. It also features three mounting points for bottle cages, and eyelets for mudguards.
The grail also boasts a unique cockpit design, which immediately sets it apart from rival gravel bikes. All mid- to upper-range grails come equipped with double-decker handlebars that dampen vibrations from rough road surfaces. In our experience, it really does work, and, if nothing else, always drums up plenty of conversation and compliments from fellow lycra-clad bike weirdos.
Canyon’s ever-impressive VCLS seatpost also features, which aside from looking all cool and futuristic, is designed to flex subtly without altering saddle position, taking the sting out of particularly gnarly surfaces. It’s an upgrade that your undercarriage will thank you for.
Prices start at £1,649 for the aluminium grail al 6.0 and go all the way up to £5,229 for the grail cf slx 8 etap. There’s also an e-bike option, the grail:on cf, which starts at £4,999. It’s available in men’s and women’s sizes.