Canyon Grail CF SL 7 AXS Review

Frame Design

The redesigned Grail CF SL 7 is built using Canyon's SL carbon fiber frame. The full carbon frame can be had in two different layups: the CF SL that we have here and the even lighter CFR. A 71.5-degree headtube and a 73.5-degree seat tube don't break any molds but give the bike a racy yet comfortable disposition. The carbon frame employs some aero tube forms to keep it quick, while triple bottle cage mounts, top tube mounts, and strapless bag compatibility keep it versatile. There are also mounts for Canyon's LOAD FidLock bag that give it easy access storage sandwiched between the top and down tube.

The full carbon fork is compatible with the LOAD Fork Sleeve Quickloader system, enhancing the bike's versatility for that weekend bike-packing adventure. The frame and fork use flat-mount disc brake tabs and have clearance for 42mm tires. Stepping back from the bike, it looks modern yet fairly conventional. Its two cables are routed internally through the head tube, which gives it an incredibly clean look. The bike also uses an internal seatpost clamp that looks cool but caused a month of headaches. Canyon sought to reinvent the seat post clamp, and while it provides clean lines, it proved to be far less effective (and more frustrating) than a conventional clamp. Getting a replacement can only be done through Canyon directly.

Our size medium test bike has a 411mm reach and a 586mm effective top tube. A wheelbase of 1057mm holds 425mm of rear center and keeps the bike quick to accelerate and agile at slow speeds. Chainstay length is the same on all frame sizes, and while it felt near ideal for our medium-sized test bike, taller riders may feel the rear end is a bit short. The bike's stack comes in at 591mm thanks to a generous 163mm headtube and 15mm of custom-shaped spacers, which gave us a reasonably comfortable front end with enough weight over the front end that steering traction was never an issue.

Design Highlights

• Available in CF or CFR carbon (CFR has internal frame storage)

• Size-specific geometry

• Multiple bottle, top tube, and fender mounts

• LOAD FidLock frame bag available

• Headtube routed cables

• Available in sizes 2XS-2XL

• 700c wheels on all sizes

Downhill Performance

We assess the downhill performance of gravel bikes by hitting peaks and passes. We rode the Grail over several paved mountain passes and multiple gravel peaks. A bike's descending prowess is important because it can be the fun part of the ride and because it's likely the most dangerous time you'll spend on the bike. A bike that doesn't descend well will feel sketchy on the way down, anxious in the corners, and reluctant when you get out of the saddle to push it hard. Therefore, our downhill metric accounts for 30% of the overall score in gravel bike testing.

We found the Grail to be an adept descender but not wildly more capable than other gravel rigs. A 71.5-degree headtube angle made the front end slightly twitchy at higher speeds. This model's one-piece flared carbon bar/stem is new, as Canyon has dumped their double-decker hover handlebar. It was a neat experiment offering something different, but we're glad they've returned to a slightly more conventional setup. The flared drops have a nice shape that allows you to hide out and keep your weight behind the bike. SRAM Rival E-tap levers provide an excellent perch for your hands, giving ample control and support and excellent leverage for braking.

The bike feels stable and quick to respond on the open road; when the tarmac turns crunchy, the all-carbon fork and Schwalbe G-One rubber do a good job of dampening the vibes. The rear end and D-shaped seatpost work to reduce the chatter transmitted to the saddle. Diving into corners and hopping potholes felt second nature to the bike; it performed well but didn't wow us in any of the downhill situations with fearless enthusiasm like the Santa Cruz Stigmata.

A 1,057mm wheelbase keeps this bike in line with most other modern gravel getters and bodes well for its stability at speed. The headtube is slacker than the previous model by a full degree but didn't leave us feeling any less agile picking our way down baby-head strewn trails and rock gardens. The geometry is neutral/conservative enough that the bike excelled at road duties when the dirt and dust came to an end.

Climbing Performance

Unsurprisingly, a sub-20-pound carbon-framed gravel bike can crush the climbs. The new Grail dances up the climbs and rewards your pedal strokes with eager forward motion. A 73.5-degree seat tube angle gives you reasonable leverage on the steeps, but the power transfer feels direct and efficient through the bike's 425mm chainstays. The compliance you feel while riding on flat sections doesn't hint at how well the bike translates your power. The 10-44 cassette gives a fairly wide gear range, while a 42T chainring wraps the chain at the business end of the drivetrain. The bike's wide bottom bracket shell holds a press-fit 86.5mm DUB bb and Rival 1X Crank. The frame has a front derailleur mount and is available with dual chainrings for those wanting more than the 440% gear range.

Our testers loved how this bike felt out of the saddle and raved about its stiff drivetrain and compliant cockpit. SRAM's E-tap levers are a work of art, providing excellent holds for leverage and crisp, quick shifting under load. Notably, the shifter's throw is so short that touching the button requires next to no effort. Our size medium test bike had enough reach for ample room to gulp oxygen and move around while grinding out big climbs.

The bike's lateral stiffness made it ideal for rocking back and forth up a long climb; those hard smashes of the pedals translated to a spirited feeling of acceleration. 75mm of bottom bracket drop is enough to make you feel in between the axles while keeping the pedals off the rocks. The 40mm Schwalbe G-One tires are a good choice for this bike, but we occasionally wanted a bit more purchase on technical climbs, whereas 42s or 45s would have felt ideal. Maximum tire clearance for the frame and fork are listed as 42mm.

A Vento Argo saddle provided a relatively agreeable spot for the sit bones, but underneath is Canyon's own SP0072 seatpost. The D-shaped seatpost seemed to offer some comforting flex, but Canyon's SP0046 seatpost clamp gave us some trouble. Ride after ride, we'd found that the saddle had dropped a cm or more during the ride, which can make the climb back home arduous. After troubleshooting with Caynon customer service and rebuilding the unit several times with carbon friction paste, they finally shipped us a replacement clamp. With most bikes, you could simply order a new clamp or take it down to the bike shop, but Canyon's consumer direct and proprietary parts made this impossible. As we wrapped up this review, Canyon announced a partnership with REI, so perhaps you will soon be able to interact with a retailer for warranty service.

Versatility

Like most modern gravel bikes, the Grail CF SL 7 proved to be fairly versatile. We found it to be an adept replacement for a road bike on several occasions and, at other times, found ourselves on trails with pad-clad enduro riders. The Grail has a simplistic, clean look but quite a few clever mounts that allow you to pack it down with gear. Room for three bottles, a top tube bag, and the FidLock bag give you space for enough water and calories to go the distance.

While we found the tire clearance enough for the muddy days and there was room to mount our favorite front mini-fender, the bike is a bit shy on clearance. It's not uncommon to find gravel bikes that can handle 50c tires, giving you more traction, comfort, and capability. Canyon's D-shaped seatpost feels comfortable, but the corresponding D-shaped hole in the frame isn't compatible with any other post or dropper. Similarly, the one-piece bar/stem worked well for us, but users who want to adjust the handlebar angle or stack will be left to purchase a new handlebar and stem.

Weight

At 19 lbs and 11 oz with tubeless tires and no pedals, we had no complaints about this bike's mass. We're quite fond of lightweight gravel bikes; when they're not packed down with gear, a lightweight bike can float and dance over the terrain. We've tested lighter bikes like the Ibis Hakka MX, which is almost a pound lighter, but 20 pounds or under feels rewarding, quick in the sprints, and easy to portage.

Weight certainly isn't everything, and we'd caution against choosing your new gravel bike based on weight alone, but for many riders, it should be a consideration. If you're planning to bike pack and drag along a sleeping bag, the difference of a few pounds is inconsequential, but if you're looking for a sporty feeling ride that inspires athleticism, the Grail checks quite a few boxes.

Build

The Grail CF SL is available with several different build kits, but we liked the sweet spot of this bike's price and performance. Grail builds currently range in price from $2500 to $7500 and offer a wide range of performance for differing uses, but all have full carbon cockpits. The Grail CF SL 7 AXS gives you SRAM AXS wireless shifting, which we found to be a highlight. The shifting is incredibly precise and free of cable stretch, and the ergonomics are fantastic. Each shifter has a single blade behind the brake lever that controls shifting: left shifts up, right shifts down. Conventional shifters require a fair bit of throw to pull enough cable, but the AXS shifter slams shifts with barely a millimeter of finger input. It's hard to return to cable-actuated systems after using AXS.

Canyon sells direct-to-consumer, and the DTC model cuts out the middleman or bike shop in this case. We're big fans of bike shops, but not everyone wants to pay a hefty markup for the ability to test-ride a bike. Cutting out the retailer results in savings passed to you, and this bike's $3599 price is pretty attractive for what you get. We're impressed with the quality of the bike and the build kit; it arrives mostly assembled and doesn't require a mechanic to get it rolling.

Groupset

The Grail CF SL 7 AXS uses a SRAM Rival 170mm 1X crankset with a 42T chainring. This gives you just better than 1:1 gearing paired with the Rival XPLR XG-1251 10-44 cassette. Rival flat-mount brakes connect with 160mm center-lock Paceline rotors to offer excellent modulation and power. The Rival XPLR eTap AXS derailleur is precise and fuss-free; don't forget to charge the battery every once in a while.

Wheels/Tires

The DT Swiss Gravel LN wheelset is an OEM-only spec offered by DT with a 25mm internal width. The gravel-specific wheels feature standard 100/142mm spacing and use 12mm thru axles. We were disappointed that the wheelset didn't include valve stems to convert the bike to tubeless. The wheels come taped for tubeless, but you'll need at least 44mm valve stems to complete the job.

Cockpit

Canyon abandoned its unique-looking double-decker handlebar design in favor of the new Double Drop bar-stem combo. The new “Double Drop Bar takes everything we learned from the Generation 1 Double Decker Bar and incorporates it into a lightweight, aerodynamic package with the clever and functional Gear Groove mounting point.” The bar features a subtle 5-degree back sweep and 16-degree flare. We found it to be incredibly comfortable, but as we stated above, it lacks adjustability. The seat post and dropper incompatibility may be a deal breaker for some, but once we resolved the seat post clamp issue, we were pretty happy with the rest of the cockpit.

Build Options

Canyon uses the name Grail for all of their performance-oriented gravel bikes. They sell several models with dual chainrings, one with a power meter, and even an electrified version called the Grail:ON. They also produce a higher-end version of this frame called the Grail CFR, which is lighter and features downtube storage.

Should You Buy the Canyon Grail CF SL 7 AXS?

The consumer-direct sales model offers exceptional value to the consumer but comes with some downsides. Test riding this bike isn't possible, and getting support without a dealer network can be frustrating. In many ways, the Grail rides like a road bike with additional capabilities. We loved how light and lively the bike felt while climbing; it felt responsive and rewarding but more tentative when descending. If you plan to strap on a lot of gear, the lightweight aspect of the bike is mostly lost. If aggressive gravel riding is in your future, you could probably do better, as the steeper front end, narrow tire clearance, and lack of dropper compatibility limit this bike's scope. If a dual-purpose road/gravel bike at a great price is on your wishlist, you may have found your next bike.

What Other Gravel Bikes Should You Consider?