32-inch wheels and a 3XL carbon frame: a one-of-a-kind Canyon for one of the world’s biggest athletes

Canyon has just presented one of the most unique bicycles to come out of its engineering department. It is a Grizl CF completely customized for LeBron James, a shareholder of the company and one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. His 2.06 meters in height forced the German brand to develop a specific 3XL frame from scratch and, above all, to resort to enormous 32-inch wheels.

This is not a prototype intended for a show nor a design exercise. The bicycle is fully functional, and Canyon assures that the project has also served as a testing ground for engineering solutions and new manufacturing processes that could be utilized in future developments.

A Canyon Grizl CF with 32-inch wheels made for LeBron James

The 32-inch wheels have been appearing sporadically in the debate about what the next step in wheel size might be, especially in MTB and gravel. Compared to the usual 29 inches, increasing the diameter allows for overcoming irregularities with a lower angle of attack and can facilitate passage over stones, ruts, and broken terrain.

The problem is that currently, there are very few frames prepared for them, and the tire options are equally limited.

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In the case of LeBron James, however, the size also has an obvious explanation. With his 2.06 m height, the proportions of conventional wheels are very different from those for an average-height cyclist. The 32 inches allow for building a much more proportionate bicycle around his enormous size.

But Canyon explains that it was not enough to simply increase all the dimensions of a conventional Grizl.

"Creating this bicycle was not just about taking the current frame design and making it bigger," explains Wolfgang Kohl, Canyon's chief Gravel engineer.

According to Kohl, while scaling the geometry can provide appropriate dimensions, the loads that the structure receives do not increase in the same way. Therefore, practically the entire bicycle had to be recalculated to ensure it continued to behave as a rigid, manageable, and responsive unit.

A 3XL carbon frame developed specifically for him

The base of the bicycle is a Canyon Grizl CF in size 3XL, but the frame uses a carbon layer arrangement developed specifically to withstand the loads generated by a cyclist of James's dimensions and power.

Canyon has added reinforcements in different areas of the structure and has also had to manufacture exclusive components. The thru-axles, for example, are machined using CNC and use Boost spacing, while the seat post clamp has also been designed specifically for this frame.

The bicycle was designed and built in southern Germany with the participation of specialized manufacturers. Canyon took advantage of the project to test new construction processes with which it aims to reduce development times for future products.

For the brand, working with athletes at the extremes of size and power also allows for discovering problems that rarely arise during the development of a conventional bicycle.

"Every piece we manufacture for him teaches us something that we will use again," assures Kohl.

LeBron James: "It's the first bike I haven't had to think about"

LeBron James's relationship with cycling goes back long before he became an NBA star. Canyon recalls that during his childhood in Akron, Ohio, he regularly used a bicycle to get around, go to training, or meet up with friends.

This relationship also eventually extended to the business realm. LRMR Ventures, James's investment group, entered Canyon's shareholding in 2022.

The player himself explains that his size has always conditioned his experience on a bicycle:

"In most bikes I've used, I was aware of the bike, of where it didn't fit me, and of what I had to adapt to. This is the first one I haven't had to think about."

Canyon chose the Grizl as the starting point precisely for its versatility, looking for a bike that James could use both on gravel and for everyday commuting or rides with friends.

The brand delivered the bicycle to his home in Akron accompanied by his former teammates from high school basketball, known as The Fab Five, with whom he later took a first ride.

SRAM Red AXS XPLR and huge 32-inch DT Swiss wheels

The setup is on par with such a particular project. Canyon has equipped the bicycle with an electronic SRAM Red AXS XPLR drivetrain, configured with a 38-tooth chainring and a 10-46 cassette.

The most striking element remains, obviously, the set of 32-inch DT Swiss XR1700 wheels, fitted with Schwalbe G-One RX tires.

The cockpit uses a Canyon Gravel Cockpit CP0039, with 16° of flare.

Main specifications:

• Frame: Custom Canyon Grizl CF
• Size: 3XL
• Wheels: 32-inch DT Swiss XR1700
• Tires: Schwalbe G-One RX
• Drivetrain: SRAM Red AXS XPLR
• Chainring: 38 teeth
• Cassette: 10-46
• Cockpit: Canyon Gravel Cockpit CP0039
• Handlebar flare: 16°

An unusual geometry

The dimensions make it even clearer how far Canyon had to deviate from its production bicycles. The frame has 680 mm of stack, 470 mm of reach, and no less than 1,201 mm of wheelbase.

The complete geometry provided by Canyon is: