The Canyon Grail surprises once again in its new version: up to 57 mm and from €2,499 with a carbon frame, handlebar and wheelset

The Canyon Grail enters its third generation with a much deeper update than it may seem at first glance. Canyon's competition gravel bike increases tire clearance to a striking 57 mm, adopts a more aggressive position, maintains a geometry aimed at providing stability at high speeds, and improves both its aerodynamics and adjustment and integration possibilities. All this without abandoning one of the arguments that has made the Grail one of the most popular gravel bikes on the market: a very wide range starting at 2,499 euros.

New Canyon Grail 2027: faster and ready for tires up to 57 mm

The competition gravel bike has changed a lot in just a few years. Average speeds have increased, and at the same time, tires are getting wider. Canyon has developed the third generation of the Grail precisely around these two trends, seeking to combine aerodynamic efficiency with more capability to roll fast when the terrain gets tough.

RECOMENDADO

From saving 120 grams of paint to dressing it in red: Enric Mas’s Canyon Aeroad CFR

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

Van der Poel looks for race rhythm and wins in Luxembourg before heading to the World Championships: dates, key points and favourites

An unusual move: Blanka Vas leaves SD Worx-Protime under contract and signs with Lidl-Trek

Vidaurre faked a puncture to get on a wheel and ended up winning a World Championship

Pogačar gets back on the bike and takes an important step in his recovery

The brand itself acknowledges that the 42 mm tire clearance of the previous Grail was starting to become a limitation for some of its riders. Rosa Klöser, winner of Unbound 2024, was one of the cyclists who specifically requested to be able to use tires wider than 50 mm. This request ended up influencing a good part of the development of the new frame.

The result is 57 mm of tire clearance both front and rear, equivalent to approximately 2.25", while also maintaining more than 4 mm of margin according to ISO standards. All Grail models come standard with 45 mm tires, so those 57 mm should be understood as the maximum capacity of the set and not as the standard configuration.

There is also an important technical consequence. The new Grail is exclusively single chainring. Canyon had initially considered maintaining compatibility with 2x drivetrains, but that would have limited the rear tire to about 50 mm. To achieve the 57 mm, it decided to abandon the double chainring and also developed a new solid and reduced-profile right chainstay that allows for more space around the tire.

Canyon puts numbers to the aerodynamics of the new Grail

Canyon presents this Grail as its fastest competition gravel bike to date and supports that claim with particularly interesting wind tunnel data because the tests were conducted at 35 km/h, a speed that the brand considers more representative of gravel than the usual 45 km/h used on the road.

The measurements were carried out in the GST tunnel in Immenstadt using a dynamic leg mannequin and a wind sweep of ±20°. To compare frames, Canyon equipped the bikes with the same wheels —50 mm profile, 27 mm internal, and 38.5 mm external—and 45 mm tires.

The results provided by Canyon at 35 km/h are as follows:

More significant is the internal comparison with the previous generation. The Grail Gen.2 with 40 mm tires recorded 115.7 W, compared to 110 W of the new one with the same width. Even with 55 mm tires, the new Grail recorded 113.6 W, according to Canyon, still below the data of its predecessor with 40 mm tires.

These are, in any case, data obtained and published by Canyon under its own testing protocol, something to keep in mind when interpreting the comparison.

A longer geometry and a position 15 mm lower

The evolution is not simply about making room for larger tires. Canyon has retained much of the behavior it sought with the second Grail, but has moved the rider's position towards an even more racing-oriented approach.

The wheelbase increases 10 mm mainly to accommodate the 57 mm tire. In the central sizes S, M, and L, a steering angle of 71.5° and a trail of 69 mm are maintained, figures with which Canyon seeks to preserve predictable steering and stability when riding fast on loose terrain.

The most evident change in the fit is at the front. The stack of the frame drops 15 mm, while maintaining a long reach and combining with relatively short stems. In size M, for example, the stem is 80 mm in the CFR and CF SLX.

The complete geometry also shows that those 71.5° and 69 mm do not apply literally to the seven sizes. The steering angle varies between 68.5° in 2XS and 71.8° in XL and 2XL, while the trail ranges from 90 to 67 mm. The chainstays are 435 mm across the range.

The integrated and configurable PACE handlebar arrives at the Grail CFR and CF SLX

Another major change is in the cockpit. The Grail CFR and CF SLX now incorporate PACE technology, which allows for adjustment of the riding position using only a Torx T25 wrench.

The system offers 50 mm of width adjustment and 20 mm in height, with a total of 15 possible configurations without cutting the steerer tube, stacking spacers, or having to bleed the brakes.

Additionally, there are new Control Drops, with 17° of flare, 120 mm of drop, and three available widths of 370, 395, and 420 mm. The PACE ecosystem also allows for different handlebar shapes to modify the effective reach by ±10 mm.

The seatpost also plays an important role. The entire range uses the Canyon SP0093 VCLS Aero, originally debuted on the Endurace CFR and designed to offer, according to Canyon, 25% more vertical flex than an equivalent rigid seatpost.

More storage and integration without turning it into an adventure gravel bike

Canyon has tried to ensure that the competition focus does not eliminate the versatility that has traditionally accompanied the Grail.

The CFR and CF SLX versions incorporate the improved LOAD Down Tube Storage system, with an integrated compartment in the down tube for tools and spares. The Grail CF is excluded from this solution.

All versions, however, include Gear Groove, the interface located in the cockpit for installing cycle computers, lights, and Canyon's adjustable aerodynamic extensions. The Grail CF SLX and CF are also compatible with the new DEFEND Fast Fenders, while the CFR, more focused on competition, does not include fender mounts.

New bags developed in collaboration with Cyclite are also arriving. The Midloader is integrated into the front triangle using a quick-release system, and Canyon claims it does not produce a noticeable aerodynamic penalty in its tests. Depending on the size, it weighs around 100 g, about 200 g less than the previous Midloader bag of the Grail Gen.2.

New Canyon GR 50 CF wheels

The presentation of the Grail also serves to debut the Canyon GR 50 CF, carbon wheels specifically designed around fast gravel.

They use 50 mm profile rims, 27 mm internal width, and 38.5 mm external, and are designed for tires ranging from 35 to 60 mm. Canyon mounts DT Swiss 350 hubs and Aerocomp II spokes.

The declared weight is 1,675 g per pair, including tubeless tape and Microspline core, distributed as 770 g front and 905 g rear. Their separate price will be 999 euros.

These wheels come standard on the Grail CF SLX 7 Di2 and Grail CF 7 AXS.

Three carbon frames and weights starting from 989 grams

The new family maintains three levels of carbon: CFR, CF SLX, and CF. The CFR frame in size M weighs 989 g, the CF SLX is 1,095 g, and the CF is 1,128 g.

Interestingly, Canyon acknowledges that this third generation is heavier than the previous one. The priority during development was to increase tire clearance to 57 mm and improve aerodynamics and capability, rather than reducing weight.

Another technical detail is the choice of a PressFit PF86 bottom bracket. Canyon explains that its greater width allows for wider chainstays to accommodate the 57 mm rear tire and, at the same time, provides a stiffer platform around the bottom bracket.

Range and prices of the Canyon Grail 2027

The family is offered in seven sizes, from 2XS to 2XL, and six builds. At the top are the two CFR models, followed by the CF SLX and CF.

MyCanyon expands the customization of the Grail CFR

The Grail CFR also enters the MyCanyon program in European markets. It is not limited to choosing the color. You can configure Zipp 303 XPLR SW or Scope Artech 4G wheels as alternatives to the DT Swiss GRC 1100, as well as stem length, different PACE handlebar options, saddle, crank length, and chainring size, including aerodynamic chainrings.

With this third generation, Canyon has not tried to turn the Grail into a more extreme gravel bike at the expense of its original character. The evolution goes precisely in the direction that competition is taking, with much larger tires, a more aggressive and aerodynamic position, while maintaining stability, storage, and integration.