Among the many notable trends in the bustling bike business, two of the biggest are unquestionably electricity and gravel. The industry has been responding with loads of innovations on both fronts, sometimes even combining the two elements into power-packed off-roaders. That’s what’s going on with Canyon’s latest release, the Grail:ON, which has us excited for a totally different reason, too.
That reason is its funky-looking Double Decker handlebar cockpit, a staple of Canyon’s Grail series that now makes an appearance on the brand’s two new e-gravel models, the Shimano GRX-equipped Grail:ON CF 8 ($5,799) and the deluxe Grail:ON CF 8 eTap ($6,999), which boasts electronic SRAM Force AXS eTap shifting, carbon wheels and a weight of just 35 pounds.
When you’re riding long distances over various surfaces, comfort and control are key, and this set-up ensures it, because you’ve got four different hand positions: shock-absorbing tops for cruising, hoods for climbing, drops for racing and the ultra-stable base bar for gnarly descents.
Of course, none of that would matter without top-notch construction and componentry throughout the bike, which these Grail:ONs also appear to possess. Both models boast lightweight, geometrically optimized carbon frames, flexible leaf spring seatposts and lots of sizes (2XS to 2XL) to accommodate a wide range of riders.
The bikes also rock Bosch’s new Performance Line CX Gen4 drive system, which can support up to 340 percent of the rider’s own power. That motor is fueled by a 500wH battery with a range of up to 80 miles and a maximum motor assist up to 20mph (the legal limit for Class 1 e-bikes in the US). The promise? To take you far off the beaten path, fast.
