Canyon Grail vs Canyon Grizl: how do Canyon's gravel bikes compare and which should you choose?

Although the Canyon Grail and Canyon Grizl are both gravel bikes, they are designed to cater for very different gravel adventures.

The original Grail was more of an all-rounder, designed for the somewhat undifferentiated gravel category at the time. But the latest Grail, launched in September 2026, is an out-and-out gravel race bike with all the latest features to match.

Canyon launched the Grizl in 2021 to cater for the adventure gravel category. Here, big tyres are also a go-to, but along with that a more relaxed ride position and loads of mounts. Suspension is also an option.

The carbon Grizl CF, too, received an update in 2025 and the alloy Grizl in 2026. There’s also an electric version, the Grizl:ONfly.

So how do the Grail and the Grizl compare and what does this mean for their riders? We’ll explain the key features and highlight the differences between Canyon’s gravel bikes.

Key features of the Canyon Grail and Canyon Grizl compared

Geometry

All dimensions in millimetres

With the third generation of the Grail, Canyon has increased the bike's race orientation, lowering and lengthening the frame and making changes to accommodate the wider tyres. It's intended to keep the handling geometry the same as the older bike, though.

Canyon quotes figures for reach and stack to the handlebar, which it calls reach+ and stack+, as well as the conventional reach and stack figures for the frame, because this better reflects the real ride position and compensates for component differences.

For the third-generation Grail, while numbers such as the tube angles have remained the same, to fit the wider tyres, the frame stack and the head tube length have been reduced, and the chainstay length and hence the wheelbase increased.

The bike now has a significantly lower stack+ and longer reach+ than the Grizl. The second-generation alloy and carbon Grizl bikes have the same geometry, unlike their predecessors.

The electric Grizl:ONfly, which we're not covering in detail here, is slacker than either bike, with a 69.5-degree head tube angle.

Tyre clearance

The new Grail has surpassed the Grizl, with clearance for 57mm gravel bike tyres and Canyon fits 45mm tyres. In contrast, the Grizl now lags behing, with clearance for 54mm tyres, and it too is specced with 45mm ones.

Gravel pros are increasingly fitting wider tyres, including XC MTB tyres, and the Grail has been designed to accommodate these. Canyon says the 45mm tyres fitted represent a starting point, but the extra clearance enables riders to experiment and find the optimum tyre width for their riding.

The Grizl enables you to mount Canyon’s own mudguards, as do the Grail CF and CF SLX, although mudguard mounts are absent from the Grail CFR.

Gearing options

When Canyon updated the Grail, in order to accommodate the wider tyres, it made the decision to switch to 1x only from the previous Grail's 1x and 2x compatibility. Even so, it had to reduce the chainstay width on the driveside by introducing a solid section.

SRAM specs are fitted with a 13-speed SRAM XPLR AXS Direct Mount groupset, while Shimano specs are mainly 12-speed Di2, with a 12-speed GRX mechanical groupset fitted to the entry Grail CF 7 spec.

The Grizl, too, is 1x only and comes fitted with a range of Shimano and SRAM groupsets, with electronic shifting for higher-spec models.

Mounts

Another difference between the Grail and the Grizl, reflecting their different expected uses, is in the number of mounting points on offer.

Both bikes have top-tube mounts and enable you to fit a third water bottle under the down tube. All Grizl specs with a rigid fork supplement this with fork-leg mounting points, which are absent in the Grail.

The Grail also has mounts in the front and rear of the main triangle for proprietary lightweight frame bags, which use strapless fasteners to secure them in place.

There’s a Fidlock bag system for the electric Grizl:ONfly, while the non-assisted Grizl uses straps to mount Canyon’s own or third-party frame bags. The Grizl:ONfly also has an optional mudguard set with a built-in rack at the rear and a front guard, which works with the ebike’s suspension fork.

Higher specs of both bikes offer in-frame storage, although it's absent from the alloy Grizl and the Grail CF.

Handlebars and extensions

The V3 Grail has switched to a new version of Canyon's variable-width Pace bar, as fitted to many of its road bikes. In the Grail, this has Control drops, designed for gravel, which include greater flare than the road-going Pace bar drops. Other drop shapes are still an option, though, as is the Race handlebar fitted to the Endurace CFR.

The bars include Canyon's ‘Gear Groove’, which can be used to add its purpose-designed bar extensions, a computer mount or a light mount.

Most Grizl specs have a more standard separate flared alloy bar and stem, potentially offering more adjustability. But Canyon has another handlebar option up its sleeve with the Full Mounty bar, fitted to its ESC specs, which includes a forward extension at its centre, which enables you to bolt on lights and other gear.

It also keeps bar bags away from the head tube, there's a dedicated Load cockpit bag available and it offers another hand position for longer rides and the option to fit extensions.

There are external cable runs rather than semi-integrated on the Grizl AL, while the Grizl CF has integrated cabling.

Frame grades

Canyon differentiates its carbon bike frames into three grades: CF, CF SLX and the lightest, stiffest, priciest CFR (Canyon Factory Racing).

The Grail and Grizl can be bought in CF carbon, but only the Grail also offers a CF SLX and CFR-grade frameset. Only the Grizl is sold with an alloy frameset.

Aerodynamics

Canyon has developed the aerodynamics of the Grail, tuning the bike for 35km/h speeds, which it says are typical of gravel races, and the wider tyres. Its wind-tunnel test results show a significant improvement in aero performance over the generation 2 bike when they are both fitted with 40mm tyres, and the new Grail is still more aero than the older bike even when the former is fitted with 55mm tyres.

Canyon's Pace bar has an aero profile, there's integrated cabling to reduce wind resistance, and in-frame storage in the down tube of the CFR and CF SLX ensures there’s less gear to be carried in the wind. Adding Canyon's Cyclite-designed frame bag doesn't affect aerodynamics.

The VCLS Aero seatpost is shared with the Endurace CFR and CF SLX, and designed to be compliant while still being aero.

In contrast, the Grizl has standard round tube profiles and the two-piece bar and stem. The seatpost is also round and there's the split-shaft VCLS seatpost on higher specs, so it’s not a bike targeting aero benefits.  

Suspension

Although the Grizl range mainly comprises bikes with rigid forks, it can be bought with Canyon's own Rift suspension fork with 30mm of travel, developed alongside DT Swiss. All specs of the Grizl:ONfly electric bike include suspension. 

The Grizl frame is also compatible with a dropper seatpost, although no current specs come ready-fitted with one.

Canyon dropped suspension-fork compatibility for the latest Grail, saying the wider tyres make active suspension unnecessary. 

Electric assist

If you’re looking for electric assistance on your gravel rides, you’ll need the Grizl:ONfly. This bike has a Bosch Performance Line SX motor system with 55Nm of peak torque and a 400Wh battery housed in the frame, which Canyon says offers a 100km range. Motor plus battery weigh a claimed 4kg. You can fit a range extender to increase battery capacity by 250Wh. 

The battery also powers a Lupine front light and two Lupine rear lights, which are built into the seatstays.

Price

The Grail range starts with the Grail CF 7. At current UK prices, as of September 2026, this costs £2,499, which is no more than its 2024 predecessor.

It rises in eight tiers to the top-spec Grail CFR AXS, priced at £7,600 . Although that sounds a lot, the range-topping bike is fitted with a 13-speed SRAM Red XPLR AXS groupset, with a list price of almost £4,000, and DT Swiss GRC 1100 carbon wheels, listed at well over £2,000.

The Grizl AL starts at a more modest £1,249 and the top Grizl AL spec costs £1,949. Carbon Grizls range in price from £1,949 to £3,749, while the Grizl:ONfly is priced from £4,649 to £7,449.

To sum up

If you are into gravel racing or fast gravel riding, the new Grail is probably the Canyon gravel bike for you.

If you are into bikepacking, load lugging or more casual gravel riding, the Grizl is likely to be a better bet. You’ll probably like it more for extreme terrain too; the slacker geometry and the option to choose a suspension fork and dropper post should add competence here.

If you’re looking for an all-rounder gravel bike, the Grizl is likely to be a better choice as well, and it’s the only Canyon gravel platform to offer a more affordable alloy option to compete with the best budget gravel bikes, or a choice of an electric gravel bike if you want a bit of extra support for climbing.