MrFingers

Canyon released their new Grails to the audience yesterday. I went to the factory open day back in September, and there I saw some of them on the assembly line, so I knew what to expect, but was told to keep my mouth shut. While there are zero changes to the AL-models, the Carbon line got vastly expanded, with the new Shimano GRX groupsets (electric 800, mechanic 800 & mechanic 600, always 2x11) and SRAM Force or CX1 (electric & mechanic, always 1x12) now parallel with the already existing models equiped with Shimano Ultegra/105. The old models didn't get updated, the new colours are reserved for the new models with the new groupsets.

The list:
Carbon:

• Grail CF SLX 8.0 ETAP with 1x12 SRAM Force AXS ETAP in orange & dark blue
• Grail CF SLX 8.0 DI2 with 2x11 Shimano GRX800 DI2 in orange & dark blue
• Grail CF SLX 8.0 DI2 with 2x11 Shimano Ultegra DI2 in moss-green & grey (same as the 2019 model)
• Grail CF SLX 8.0 SL with 1x12 SRAM CX1 groupset in moss-green & grey (same as the 2019 model)
• Grail CF SL 8.0 ETAP with 1x12 SRAM Force AXS ETAP in grey & bright blue
• Grail CF SL 8.0 DI2 with 2x11 Shimano GRX800 DI2 in grey & bright blue
• Grail CF SL 8.0 DI2 with 2x11 Shimano Ultegra DI2 in grey & olive (same as the 2019 model)
• Grail CF SL 8.0 with the 2x11 Shimano Ultegra mechanical in grey & olive (same as the 2019 model)
• Grail CF SL 8.0 SL with the 1x12 SRAM Force CX1 mechanical groupset in grey (same as the 2019 model)
• Grail CF SL 8.0 with 2x11 Shimano GRX810 mechanical in grey & bright blue
• Grail CF SL 7.0 with 2x11 Shimano GRX600 mechanical in grey & bright blue
• Grail CF SL 7.0 with 2x11 Shimano 105 mechanical in grey & olive (same as the 2019 model)
• Grail WMN CF SL 8.0 ETAP with 1x12 SRAM Force AXS ETAP in plum
• Grail WMN CF SL 8.0 with 2x11 Shimano GRX800 mechanical in plum
• Grail WMN CF SL 8.0 with 2x11 Shimano Ultegra mechanical in copper/orange & grey (same as the 2019 model)
• Grail WMN CF SL 7.0 with the 2x11 Shimano GRX600 mechanical in plum
• Grail WMN CF SL 7.0 with the 2x11 Shimano 105 Mechanical in copper/orange & grey (same as the 2019 model).

Aluminium: All the same as the 2019 models, no new groupsets our colours available, so:

• Grail AL 7.0 SL with 1x11 SRAM Rival mechanical in aluminium & green
• Grail AL 7.0 with 2x11 Shimano 105 mechanical in aluminium & green
• Grail AL 6.0 with 2x10 Shimano Tiagra mechanical in aluminium & green
• Grail WMN AL 7.0 with 2x11 Shimano 105 in Aluminium & copper/orange
• Grail WMN AL 6.0 with 2x10 Shimano Tiagra mechanical in aluminium & copper/orange

Good to see some new & vivid colours in the range, but I am a bit puzzled as to why there are 2 "identical" models parallel with eachother, one with a road-groupset and one with a dedicated gravel-groupset. Would have been nice(r) to have 1 model available in the 3 or 4 colours for that type, independent of groupset.


CF SLX 8.0 DI (Shimano GRX)




CF SLX 8.0 ETAP (SRAM Force eTap AXS)




CF SL 8.0 (Shimano GRX800)




WMN CF SL 7.0 (Shimano GRX 600)

str8jakett

Nice post, thanks for highlighting the updates. If that bright blue hit the Aluminum SRAM model, I think I'd be in trouble.

Marcus_Ti

I like the builds and color schemes...Still the proprietary non-replaceable bar, why Canyon, why....

mstateglfr 

So the aluminum frames still have welds that look like a toddler glued the frame using toothpaste?

chas58

Its odd that the aluminum Inflite has nice welds while the Grail looks like a calking job gone bad.

I think I'd get the Inflite just for that - there doesn't seem to be too much of a difference between those two frames other than head tube angle and weld quality.

MrFingers

Tire-clearance (42mm vs 35).

Ghazmh

I can’t get past that odd handlebar step arrangement.

basscadet

Best guesses when these will be available in the US? I can only see those bikes if I use the EU site.

jeffpoulin

Me neither. I have 2 Canyon bikes and would likely have a 3rd if the Grail carbon had normal bars. I wonder how many missed sales Canyon has had because of this. I've never met anyone who bought a Grail because of the bars.

bonsai171

Hopefully the new groupsets will allow for sub 24 gear inches. Would like to see a fork update to include 3 pack mounts. Need some serious gearing where I ride. Not too many stock options like that on gravel bikes. Would rock a Canyon if they did that.

Dave

Zaskar

But... have you met anyone who rode a Grail with that bar (Hoverbar) who didn't like it? I was skeptical (made fun of it when I first saw it) until I rode it. Now, I couldn't imagine doing fast downhills, single track, etc. without that bar. Yeah... I drank the Hoverbar Kool-Aid.

jeffpoulin

Fair point. No, I don't know anyone who has the hoverbar and doesn't like it (other than the way it looks).

richard.susanto

I am one of those people. I bought the grail with the hoverbar because I was curious. I heard about Canyon's amazing return policy, so I thought it's risk free. I ended up keeping the bike. It's the most comfortable endurance-based bike I've ever ridden. I've put 1,500 miles so far on the bike and I got it just before the summer this year.

MrFingers

MrsFingers also has a Grail. I agree that it looks weird, with that "squashed" nose and those doubledecker handlebars, but the amount of control you have on technical parts is unparalleled. Same for the compliance when riding on the hoods.

HarborBandS

Chunky welds are back in. See the Cannondale CAAD13.

Why? I don't know. The smooth welds were always a selling point for older CAAD models.

Vancemcc

Same here, skeptical and curious, I wanted a heavy duty road bike (I weigh 225) on which I could put wider tires for gravel. Very happy with the bars, they’re also much wider than my older road bike’s. Something else also mentioned in a post is Canyon’s excellent return policy. I have a 2xl, no LBS has big bikes in stock (61-64) around here so anywhere I order a bike it’s taking a chance. Had I ordered any brand of bike from one of them, there would be no returns and I’d be stuck with it if it didn’t fit.