Canyon launches e-gravel bike

Canyon Grail:ON is designed for all-terrain hyper mileage riding (Image credit: Canyon)

Canyon is positioning itself at the forefront of e-gravel all-terrain cycling, with a new product offering.

The German bike brand has added to its gravel travel bike portfolio, established by the Grail CF, with a new battery-assisted product evolution. This new e-gravel bike is called the Grail:ON.

With an ability to amplify rider input by 340%, the Grail:ON’s e-bike components tally a 500Wh lithium-ion battery pack and Bosch’s fourth-generation Performance Line CX Gen4 drive system.

Canyon has not simply integrated battery-assistance technology to the Grail CF. The brand’s e-gravel Grail:ON benefits from its own dedicated frame design, which is longer than the CF, enhancing stability.

Gravel bike shoes: 8 gravel shoes in review

Best gravel bike wheels: Our pick of the best gravel wheels for racing and adventure riding

Gravel bike clothing guide: The best kit for gravel riding

Structural length has been added at the chainstays, stretching the bike’s rear end by 15mm, with Canyon increasing the stack-to-reach ratio too, for a more upright riding position.

Balancing these geometry changes are wider handlebars and shorter stems, enabling better steering leverage. On a size medium, the Grail:ON is fitted with a 75mm integrated stem and 440mm wide handlebars.

Designed to explore

The Grail:ON range rolls Schwalbe’s G-One bite gravel tyres, with the frame capable of clearing 50mm wide tyres. DT Swiss HG-series wheels are standard across all four Grail:ON variants, with an ability to run either 700c or 650b sizes.

There are also integrated mudguard mounts, for those Grail:ON riders who would like to use their e-gravel bikes throughout the winter.

Designed as a dedicated 1x frame, the Grail:ON primarily uses Shimano’s GRX RX600/800 groupsets, whilst the premium derivate, shifts via SRAM’s Force eTap AXS HRD. the factory build sees disc brakes with 160mm rotors both front and rear, although Canyon has configured the calliper mounts to run larger 180mm rotors with an appropriate adaptor.

There is little joy in a gravel bike that does not possess advanced compliance at the rider touchpoints. Although the Grail:ON is not equipped with a conventional short-travel front suspension fork, it does have two of Canyon’s signature gravel bike terrain absorption features: the split seatpost and double-decker handlebar.

The VCLS 2.0 carbon seatpost is constructed with a split design, using leaf-spring principles, to keep a consistent tilt angle whilst riding – but also reducing gravel road surface vibrations.

Grail:ON's double-decker handlebar offers a variety of hand positions to mitigate fatigue. Bike packing enthusiast will also find the double-decker handlebar very useful as a bag mount structure.

Canyon is marketing the Grail:ON in a very generous spread of seven sizes, from XXS-XXL. Weight ratings range from 17.1kg for the entry-level variant, to 15.9kg for a premium specification Grail:ON. Pricing starts at $5,149 and peaks at $6,149.