Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 eTap review

The Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 eTap has been a firm fixture in the gravel cosmos since its introduction and has always divided opinions with its unique cockpit design. How will the bike fare in our big 2021 gravel bike group test?

Get an overview of this group test: The best gravel-bike 2021 – 13 models on review

The Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 eTap clearly belongs to the category of marmite gravel bikes that you either love or hate. The German bike brand makes use of SRAM’s Force eTap AXS Wide rear derailleur and offers gravel-friendly gear ratios with a 10–36 t cassette and 46/33 t chainrings. The combination of a huge gear range and small gear steps suits the bike perfectly. Another highlight is Canyon’s proprietary S15 VCLS 2.0 CF seatpost. The added comfort it provides is very noticeable and it is available with either 13 or 25 mm offset. With Canyon’s CP07 Gravelcockpit and its double-decker handlebar, the Grail CF SLX 8 eTap features a unique approach to offering additional comfort on the tops.

Due to the double-decker construction, the drops are attached to an additional cross-bar beneath the shifter levers. This creates an unusual place to rest your thumbs when riding in the drops #loveitorhateit. While the cockpit height can be adjusted by a few millimetres thanks to the spacers, that will compromise the seamless transition between the stem and frame.

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Size	2XS	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL
Seat tube	432 mm	462 mm	492 mm	522 mm	552 mm	582 mm	612 mm
Head tube	70.3°	71.3°	71.0°	72.5°	72.5°	72.8°	72.8°
Seat angle	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°
Chainstays	415 mm	415 mm	425 mm	425 mm	425 mm	425 mm	425 mm
BB Drop	60 mm	60 mm	75 mm	75 mm	75 mm	75 mm	75 mm
Radstand	998 mm	990 mm	1,020 mm	1,029 mm	1,040 mm	1,063 mm	1,073 mm
Reach	404 mm	425 mm	442 mm	461 mm	478 mm	497 mm	516 mm
Stack	595 mm	615 mm	638 mm	660 mm	688 mm	709 mm	729 mm

The large front triangle is a feast for the eyes of all bikepacking fans who want to get a custom frame bag. However, this comes at the cost of standover height.

In addition, the cockpit isn’t compatible with all aftermarket accessories. For example, if you rely on Canyon’s in-house GPS mount (not included with the bike) you’ll have a hard time attaching a handlebar bag. Lights and bells that are made to be clamped to a round handlebar won’t work here either and while changing the cockpit is technically possible, it wouldn’t make much sense as the frame is designed around these bars and you’d end up with a very aggressive position. And, after all, it’s one of the bike’s USPs. Canyon rely on a set of 700 x 40C Schwalbe G-One Bite tires fitted to a DT Swiss GRC 1400 wheelset. The frameset offers a comparatively scant maximum tire clearance of 700 x 42C. Our size M test bike weighs in at 8.22 kg and is available for € 4,779.

Like last year, the Canyon’s handling is intuitive and extremely composed with a balanced level of agility, making it suitable for gravel fans of all skill levels. Regardless of the speed you’re riding, the Grail CF SLX 8 eTap responds predictably to input from the rider. Speaking of speed, we were impressed with the gravel bike’s efficiency, both on flat terrain and in the mountains, as well as its responsive acceleration. Models like the ARC8 Eero or the S-Works Diverge are a bit livelier but the Grail will easily sprint its way into the leading pack of the test field.

The seatpost on the Canyon feels like a magic carpet ride as it absorbs small vibrations as well as larger impacts, spoiling the rider with a lot of comfort at the rear. However, we can’t say the same about the front. In terms of comfort, Canyon’s unique cockpit design only works when you’re riding on the tops. But this riding position is so upright that you’re putting minimal weight on the handlebars and it only dampens high-frequency vibrations. Unfortunately, the bars are far too stiff in all other hand positions. The comparatively low-volume Schwalbe tires don’t do much to add to the bike’s overall comfort level either. The imbalance between front and rear compliance on the Grail has a negative effect on the rider’s confidence. In the most comfortable position, the tops, you’re not ready to brake. When switching from the drops to the tops, you have to open your hands more than usual due to the crossbar that your thumbs rest on, which can also lead to fumbling in tricky situations. Apart from the cockpit peculiarities, the Canyon does instil the rider with confidence on smooth paths due to its straight-line stability, even when you’re riding fast.

Tuning tip: faster tires with better damping to round off the bike and make it more comfortable

Conclusion

If you mainly ride on compact gravel highways with wide, open corners and choppy asphalt roads, you will find the Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 eTap to be an efficient gravel bike at a fair price. The bike’s limited off-road performance and the lack of adjustability of the cockpit detract from its all-round capabilities. To ensure a good fit with the cockpit, you should study the geometry very carefully before buying and ideally take it for a test ride first. The latter is difficult to do with a direct to consumer bike.

Not sure which gravel bike you should buy? This guide will help you for sure: gravel bike buyers guide.
You wonder what tires to put on your gravel machine? We recently tested the best gravel tires against each other in our gravel tire group test.

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More information: canyon.com

The testfield:

A quick overview of this group test: The best gravel-bike 2021 – 13 models on review

All bikes on review: 3T Exploro Race EKAR 1X13 (Click for review) | ARC8 Eero (Click for review) | BMC URS 01 ONE (Click for review) | Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty 3 (Click for review) | Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 eTap | Fustle Causeway GRX600 (Click for review) | OPEN WI.DE. (Click for review) | Ridley Kanzo Fast (Click for review) | Ritte Satyr (Click for review) | ROSE BACKROAD FORCE ETAP AXS LIMITED (Click for review) | ROSE BACKROAD AL GRX RX600 1X11 (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Diverge (Click for review) | Trek Checkpoint (Click for review)

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Words: Photos: Valentin Rühl