Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 Di2 Review | A contender for Gravel Bike of the Year

Driving impressions Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 Di2

The Grail CF SLX 8 Di2 is a seriously fast bike. The low overall weight and lightness of the wheels, shod with low-profile tires, allows you to drive on the road as fast as you need. Hit the dirt roads and it’s similarly quick.

The taut and stiff frame transfers your effort superbly, creating a bike that accelerates easily. Rigid wheels confirm and extend this feeling – the Grail is a pure racer at heart.

Climbs are met with a willingness to go fast, and firmness through the bars when engaged encourages effort from the saddle.

In fact, the Grail is so energetic that it sees every tilt as an opportunity to attack.

The 2x drive makes this version of the Grail much more all-road than a pure gravel machine, but the 22 gears mean the ratios are closer than the 1x setup. When it comes to effectively managing the speed and cadence you seek to gain a competitive edge, this method works.

I’ve never really considered a power meter for recreational gravel riding, but this grail feels like it’s guaranteed to satisfy the racing fraternity.

Handling and steering responses are similarly sharp, with a slightly relaxed head angle, yet a figure on the trail that offers more responsive than relaxed feel. This all adds up to making the bike fun to ride while still feeling stable on descents and rolling terrain over light to moderate surface undulations.

It can be a little nerve wracking when you get into the more complex technical stuff. Exposed roots, off-curve turns, and rockier sections can disrupt the front end a bit and push you off-line. You have to keep your wits about you here.

The Grail CF SLX is not the most comfortable of bikes on uneven surfaces and lots of bumps. The front end, which is so taut and taut under acceleration, doesn’t do much to dampen the rumble.

While I vouch for the ergonomics of the bar and the quality of the bar tape, I still found myself frequently switching hand positions between hoods, drops and tops, looking for a way to dampen the vibrations that seep into my fingers.

Likewise, the frameset, right through the chainstays to the rear axle, is rigid. It’s great for power transfer, but it’s not brilliant at smoothing out the surface you’re moving on.

However, the new D-shaped seatpost and well-shaped saddle combine to take the worst sting out of the trails.

This manifests itself in a definite feeling of the saddle moving backwards as the post bends. That’s impressive, just a bit at odds with the solid front end. It gave me the impression that the front of the bike was moving forward when I was riding over a flurry of ruts or a section of exposed roots.

Schwalbe tires and DT Swiss wheels are a great combination – fast and light. The downside is that the G-One in this ultra-fast, low-tread spec is great for dry conditions, but suffers when grip is lacking.

The wheels are great if you want to go fast, although they are quite stiff. The deep carbon rims aren’t exactly forgiving, and when they’re shod in a relatively slim (by gravel standards) 40mm tire, the same level of compliance and damping isn’t within reach.

The Grail’s 42mm wide clearance limits the option of buying a larger fit by also opting for wider rubber.

As it is, the Grail feels like a fast and fly gravel racing bike. This will certainly appeal to fans of bikes like BMC’s Kaius, Factor’s Ostro Gravel and even the Specialized Crux. The grail’s main plus point is that it’s much better value than all of these rivals.