With the Canyon Grail AL 7.0, the direct to consumer brand offer and attractive aluminium model to round out their gravel portfolio. Does the Grail AL grab attention only because of its low € 1,499 price, or does its performance also shine?

Click here for an overview of the best gravel bike 2020 group test.

Canyon Grail AL 7 | 9.47 kg size M | € 1,499

After our first test of the Canyon Grail AL, which also cuts a good figure in bikepacking – go here for our detailed Bikepacking 101 – our testers were so enthralled by its performance that we decided it had to appear in direct comparison with other gravel bikes in our “who’s who” group test. The clean 6061 aluminium frame is adorned with numerous mounting points and matched to a carbon fork. Examine the frame more closely and you’ll likely notice some differences in welding. While the seams at the headtube and seat cluster are smoothed and rounded out, the remaining welds are a little more ‘rustic’. That’s a compromise you have to accept at this price-point and while functionally there is no difference, many would no doubt prefer the look of the more labour-intensive smoothed out seams. For this gravel bike, Canyon rely on a standard cockpit instead of the highly polarising Hover Bar concept of the high-end Grail CF. Here, you’ll get an 80 mm Canyon V13 stem and 440 mm Canyon Gravel HB50 bars. Along with DT Swiss C1850 SPLINE DB wheels, Canyons specs a complete Shimano 105 R7000 groupset with a 50/34 t compact crankset and 11-34 t cassette. At 9.46 kg in size M, the Grail AL sits ahead of the Specialized Turbo Crea and Kona Libre AL, but is still one of the heavier bikes in our test. That said, it also only costs € 1,499. Canyon offers sizes from XXS to XXL, with individual models ranging in price from € 1,199 to € 1,599. We feel it’s worth highlighting both the complete 105 groupset and that the XXS and XS are specced with 650B wheels to maintain consistent performance and handling for shorter gravel fans.

Helmet Specialized Propero 3 | Glasses Oakley Wind Jacket 2.0 | Jersey Adidas Supernova | Bib Shorts Rapha Pro Team II | Socks DeFeet Aireator | Shoes Mavic Avenge Maxi

The Canyon Grail AL 7 in detail

Drivetrain Shimano 105 R7000
Gearing 50/34 t and 11-34 t, 2×11
Brakes Shimano 105 R7000 hydraulic, 160/160 mm
Handlebar Canyon Gravel HB50, 440 mm
Stem Canyon V13, 80 mm
Seatpost Canyon SP 43, 20 mm offset
Wheels DT Swiss C 1850 SPLINE DB
Tires Schwalbe G-One Bite TLE 700 x 40C

Be standard, be individual
The standard cockpit makes changing the bars or stem much easier, as well as offering the option for bar bags. Compared with the Hover Bar on the Grail CF that’s a big advantage!
Built to a price point
The welding around the bottom bracket and dropouts isn’t finished quite so nicely, but that’s no surprise considering the bike’s excellent value for money.
8000 watts
For all the big-ringers out there, Canyon have fitted a 50/34 t compact crank.
Less is more
For more compliance, Canyon have removed the seat stay bridge. You can still fit a rear rack though.
Size 2XS XS S M L XL 2XL
Seat tube 432 mm 462 mm 492 mm 522 mm 552 mm 582 mm 612 mm
Top tube 516 mm 531 mm 555 mm 577 mm 591 mm 613 mm 631 mm
Head tube 117 mm 133 mm 124 mm 143 mm 169 mm 190 mm 209 mm
Head angle 70.0° 71.0° 70.3° 72.3° 72.5° 73.5° 71.5°
Seat angle 73.5° 73.5° 73.5° 73.5° 73.5° 73.5° 73.5°
Chainstays 415 mm 415 mm 430 mm 430 mm 430 mm 430 mm 430 mm
Wheelbase 984 mm 990 mm 1,027 mm 1,035 mm 1,047 mm 1,070 mm 1,085 mm
Reach 384 mm 373 mm 390 mm 405 mm 412 mm 431 mm 440 mm
Stack 514 mm 533 mm 556 mm 579 mm 605 mm 626 mm 644 mm

The Canyon Grail AL 7 in review

While accelerating the Canyon reacts quickly but can’t quite keep up with the spritely nature of many other bikes in the group test. Once up to speed, its high rotational inertia means you can maintain your momentum easily on the flats. However, going uphill the comparatively high weight and large chainrings become more of a drawback, with a lot of power needed to keep the cranks turning. The compact and relaxed riding position is great for longer rides, while the compliance of the carbon seatpost, carbon fork and Schwalbe G-One Bite TLE tires provide most of the comfort of the ride.

Tuning tip
Smaller chainrings for more relaxed cruising

If you have enough strength to keep the cranks spinning on steep ascents, you’ll find everything you need for gravel adventures right here.

While the carbon fork offers compliance up front, the rear is a little stiffer. That said, with a bit of seatpost exposed, the overall level of comfort is more than acceptable. In contrast, the handling of the Grail AL fully convinced us with its stable and well-balanced agility on all terrains. It reacts in a lively manner to direction changes and offers a confidence inspiring ride at all speeds. Thanks to the plethora of mounting points, you’ll be able to fit three bottle cages, mudguards and a rear rack.

Conclusion

The Grail AL is a versatile gravel bike that scores highly thanks to its balanced handling and very stable ride. The comparatively sedate acceleration is more than made up for by the versatility of the frameset and the comfortable, long-distance riding position. For gravel beginners, this reliable package offers excellent value for money and a ride that will be just as fun on the occasional gravel excursion as a multi-day bikepacking tour. Our Best Value tip for 2020!

Tops

  • balanced handling
  • calm and stable ride
  • numerous mounting points for accessories

Flops

  • compact cranks require a lot of power on steep ramps
  • comparatively sluggish acceleration

Riding Characteristics

4

Agility

  1. cumbersome
  2. playful

Stability

  1. nervous
  2. confident

Handling

  1. demanding
  2. balanced

Fun factor

  1. boring
  2. lively

Value for money

  1. terrible
  2. very good

Technical Data

Canyon
Grail AL 7

Size: 2XS XS S M L XL 2XL
Weight: 9.47 kg
Price: € 1,499

Indended Use

Smooth tarmac 1
Allroad/Gravel 2
Everyday/Commuting 3

For more info: canyon.com

For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article:

Alle Bikes im Test: Argon 18 Dark Matter | Cannondale Topstone Carbon Ultegra RX | Canyon Grail AL 7.0 | Cervélo Áspero | Giant Revolt Advanced Pro Force | Kona Libre AL | Liteville 4-ONE MK1 | OPEN WI.DE. | Pivot Vault Team Force | ROSE BACKROAD GRX RX810 Di2 | Santa Cruz Stigmata CC | Specialized Turbo Creo SL Expert EVO | Standert Pfadfinder | Trek Domane SLR 9 eTap


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Words: Photos: GRAN FONDO-Team