Race gravel bike with 29-inch tyres: Canyon Grail CF SLX Generation 3

The new Canyon Grail has been tailored down to the very last carbon fibre to meet the demands of the emerging discipline of gravel racing. Race gravel bikes have come a long way. When the first-generation Grail lined up at the start of the Unbound Gravel course in 2018, the winning time was set at 10 hours and 44 minutes. Five years later, at the same event and with the second generation of the Canyon Grail: this time, the winner took just ten hours and six minutes. This year, the professionals from the Canyon All-Terrain Racing Team took to the course on the third generation of the Grail. The overall leap in performance in gravel racing is made abundantly clear by the 2026 winning time of just nine hours and 14 minutes. Race gravel bikes are getting faster and faster. This is also set to apply to the brand-new Canyon Grail.

Conclusion

Even on paper, it’s clear just how much thought Canyon has put into the new Grail. In my opinion, optimised aerodynamics combined with generous tyre clearance represent the future of race gravel bikes, and this has been consistently implemented in the third-generation Grail. The numerous additional features and a fair pricing policy should make the decision to buy an easier one for sporty gravel cyclists. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor

The Canyon Grail Gen 3 in detail

• Intended use: Race gravel bike
• Ground clearance: 57 mm
• Frame material: carbon
• Weight: from 7.8 kg
• Price: from 2,499 euros
• Special features: Frame storage compartment, Cyclite bag system, mudguard mounts, Flex seatpost, detachable cockpit unit

From the race to the online shop

The developers set themselves ambitious goals for the redesign of the Canyon Grail. In fact, they wanted to improve the new race gravel bike in every relevant aspect. Compared to its predecessor, the third-generation Grail was designed to offer more tyre clearance, better aerodynamics, optimised adaptability and more responsive handling. Only when it came to the system weight was Canyon prepared to make minor compromises compared with the second generation. To achieve these impressive milestones, the professional athletes and the engineering team worked closely together. Time and again, tests and trials were carried out on test benches, in the wind tunnel and in real-world racing conditions.

The new Canyon Grail Race gravel bike hits the track with 57 millimetres of tyre clearance. This means that even the latest generation of 29 by 2.25-inch-wide gravel tyres fit within the frame. Thanks to today’s wide-range gravel drivetrains, the front derailleur has been dispensed with. The Canyon Grail Gen 3 is now only compatible with single chainrings. For the really fast routes and particularly fit riders, the bike can accommodate a chainring with up to 52 teeth.

Faster thanks to wider tyres

According to the All-Terrain Racing Team, a race gravel bike is particularly fast when it combines low aerodynamic drag with the option of wide tyres. The new Canyon Grail is said to have lower aerodynamic drag than its main competitors at both 35 and 45 kilometres per hour. Naturally, Canyon also compared the new race gravel bike with its immediate predecessor. According to wind tunnel measurements, the third-generation Grail is said to cut through the air even more aerodynamically than the second-generation Grail, even with tyres 15 millimetres wider. In fact, the wider tyres make only a slight difference on the aerodynamic test bench:

Models and prices

Canyon is offering the new Grail in three different versions. Each version will be available with two spec options. The CF models are set to impress above all with their attractive value for money, but do not feature a frame storage compartment or the new Pace handlebars. With a slightly less raked carbon fork and a slightly wider head tube, the Grail CF models also make minor compromises in terms of aerodynamics. The frames in the CF SLX series offer the most frame features and a higher-performance carbon lay-up. The top-of-the-range models, designated with the CFR code, do not feature mounting points for mudguards, but are constructed from the lightest carbon fibres. In this configuration, weights from 7.8 kilos are said to be possible. In total, there are six competitively priced model variants to choose from:

• Canyon Grail CF 7: 8.5 kg / 2,499 euros
• Canyon Grail CF 7-speed: 8.4 kg / 3,499 euros
• Canyon Grail CF SLX 7 Di2: 8.6 kg / 4,499 euros
• Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 AXS: 8.2 kg / 5,499 euros
• Canyon Grail CFR Di2: 8.4 kg / 6,999 euros
• Canyon Grail CFR AXS: 7.8 kg / 7,999 euros

New geometry for greater speed on gravel

A fast race gravel bike is worth nothing without good handling and comfortable long-distance riding – something Canyon is, of course, well aware of. That’s why they’ve also updated the geometry of the new Grail. The reach has been reduced slightly by three millimetres, whilst the chainstays have been lengthened by a full ten millimetres to improve riding stability. A 15-millimetre reduction in the effective stack height is intended to give the Grail an even sportier character from now on. The new cockpit ergonomics are also set to contribute to this. Depending on the frame size, the handlebar-stem combination measures between 370 and 420 millimetres in width, with a 17 per cent flare and a 120-millimetre drop. In line with the latest findings on efficiency and ergonomics, the third-generation Canyon Grail is fitted throughout with shorter cranks.

The aerodynamic carbon seatpost on the new Canyon Grail is, of course, secured using a clamp recessed into the frame. Aero seatposts are not necessarily known for their comfort. To change this, Canyon has fitted the new VCLS aero seatpost with a covered elastomer element, which is designed to streamline the carbon structure whilst still providing stability. According to the Koblenz-based company, compared with the previous seatpost, 25 per cent less force is now required to flex the seating area – a difference that should result in greater riding comfort.

Long live system integration!

The new Grail Race gravel bike wouldn’t be a Canyon if it didn’t come with a whole host of accessory and usability features. There’s a storage compartment in the down tube of the CF SLX and CFR frames. A CO₂ cartridge and a mini-tool, as well as – optionally – a tubeless repair kit and a mini-pump, clip neatly onto the lid. A third bottle cage fits beneath the down tube. On the CF and CF SLX models, mudguards can be fitted to the fork and frame.

One highlight is the new partnership with bag specialist Cyclite. Canyon offers top-tube and frame bags specially designed for the Grail, which are also aerodynamically shaped and can be securely bolted to the frame. The new Pace Bar Aero cockpit features an integrated mount for GPS holders and lighting systems. Naturally, the cables are routed entirely internally. To ensure the bike can still be packed down small for transport, the handlebar-stem assembly can be dismantled into three separate parts without having to disconnect the hydraulics. The handlebars are held together by large overlapping segments and a four-point bolting system.

Carbon wheels on bikes costing less than 3,500 euros

Alongside the new Grail, Canyon is also showcasing new aero wheelsets featuring its own carbon rims. These are already fitted to models priced from 3,499 euros. The Canyon GR 50 CF wheelset – as the name suggests – is 50 millimetres deep and has a wide inner rim width of 27 millimetres. It is based on tried-and-tested DT Swiss 350 Dicut hubs and Aerocomp II spokes. The carbon wheels require a tyre width of at least 35 millimetres and are optimised for aerodynamics with 45-millimetre-wide tyres. According to internal measurements, the GR 50 CF is said to rank among the fastest gravel bike wheelsets on the market.

Crucial: the correct tyre pressure

Speaking of wide tyres and rims: alongside the new Grail, Canyon is also launching an educational campaign on optimal tyre pressure for gravel bikes. According to Canyon, there is still a lot of ground to make up in this area. Findings from the road cycling sector show that a 23-millimetre-wide tyre at eight bar has the same stiffness as a 32-millimetre-wide tyre at just four bar. Furthermore, the greater the air volume, the more precisely the tyre pressure must be determined. Specifically, a variation of 0.5 bar affects a 23-millimetre tyre inflated to ten bar by only around five per cent, whilst a 50-millimetre tyre at two bar is affected by 25 per cent by the same deviation. According to Canyon, many gravel cyclists still inflate their tyres as if they were riding on narrower tyres and rim widths. In doing so, they are undermining their performance and safety on the bike.

According to studies by various wheel manufacturers, the optimum tyre pressure for a gravel bike is around 20 per cent SAG. This term is familiar from the suspension systems on mountain bikes and describes the amount of sag when the bike is stationary and the rider is sitting on it. The primary factors, of course, are the rider’s and bike’s weight, as well as the tyre and rim widths. The tyre pressure is also secondarily dependent on whether the bike is set up with tubeless or inner-tube tyres, and on the carcass construction. The front wheel bears 45 per cent of the weight, whilst the rear wheel bears 55 per cent. The SAG can also be adjusted slightly as required – for example, to 23 per cent for greater comfort or on wet surfaces, or to 17 per cent for a slightly faster riding experience. Because the subject of tyre pressure is so complex, Canyon, in collaboration with Pirelli, is integrating a tool into the Canyon app designed to help customers find the optimum pressure.

What do you think: what makes a race gravel bike really fast? Might the new Canyon Grail be an option for you? Let us know in the comments!