Grail:ON—Canyon electrifies Its Grail Gravel Bike

When Canyon entered the gravel market a couple years ago, the brand introduced an eye catching design in the Grail. It looked like a normal Canyon road or cyclocross frame, that is except for the “double-decker” handlebar up front. By adding flex into the tops, this unique bar helps eat up road buzz on gravel trails. And from our testing it works quite well. Now Canyon is electrifying the experience, bringing a high-torque motor to the Grail in a version called the Grail:ON.

PELOTON

At first glance, the Grail:ON maintains a very similar silhouette to the non-electric version, but the geometry and spec have been tweaked ever so slightly for the demands of e-gravel riding. First, the wheelbase has been extended by approximately 20mm, with the chain stays increasing by 15mm, for added stability. The added wheelbase also means extra clearance for 50mm tires with fenders (50mm Schwalbe G One Bites come stock). The stack-to-reach ratio has also increased to create Canyon’s most relaxed geometry in its road or gravel line, adding additional comfort. And the motor is placed low on the frame to maintain a low center of gravity for additional traction.

For extra help when climbing steep terrain, and just a more fun ride in general, Canyon has opted for a high-powered motor in the Bosch Performance Line CX Gen4 drive system. With 85Nm of torque and support for up to 340 percent of the rider’s power in Turbo mode, this system has plenty of muscle for most situations. Supplied by a 500Wh battery, the bike is good for up to 80 miles of range, though if you’re going to be spinning up steep climbs in Turbo mode all day expect a bit less. As a class 1 e-bike, the Grail:ON will assist up to 20 mph in the US. But you can always go faster if your legs are up for it.

Because of the high torque of this motor, Canyon has opted for e-gravel specific wheels from the DT Swiss HG series. By using stainless-steel spokes and hubs strengthened with steel parts, these wheels are better able to stand up to the long-term stress of a high-torque motor. A special wider Boost hub in the rear also helps balance out the wider q-factor of the cranks and create a straighter, more efficient chain line. If you foresee a lot of descending, the standard 160mm disc brake rotors can also be changed to 180mm for greater stopping power.

There will be two models available: the Shimano GRX-equipped Grail:ON CF 8  for $5,799 and the Grail:ON CF 8 eTap for $6,999 which features SRAM Force AXS eTap and upgraded carbon wheels. In a size medium, the top-end eTap version of the Grail:ON weighs in at 35.05 pounds (15.9kg).

More info at canyon.com