Canyon Grizl:ONfly CF 9 review: a tough-terrain trekker with supreme spec

The Canyon Grizl:ONfly CF 9 combines the ride position and geometry of Canyon's rugged gravel bike, the Grizl, with RockShox suspension up-front and Bosch’s lightest Performance Line SX motor at its heart.

The kit list is excellent, with top-end carbon wheels from DT Swiss and a wireless SRAM Force XPLR AXS groupset as part of the package.

Priced at £6,499 / $5,599 / €7,099, the CF 9 is a premium assisted all-road and gravel option.

Canyon Grizl:ONfly CF 9 frame and geometry

The latest Grizl:ONfly takes a lighter approach to electric-assisted gravel riding than the original Grail:ON.

It is still based around a dedicated frameset with an internal battery and Bosch mid-motor, but here it forgoes the large 500Wh capacity and strong Performance CX motor in favour of a svelte 400Wh battery and lighter Bosch Performance Line SX motor.

The frame design closely follows the standard Grizl format. A sloping top tube meets a suspension-corrected front end, and at the back dropped seatstays meet 445mm long chainstays.

This provides a generous 50mm of tyre clearance, although it's reduced to 45mm if you run a set of gravel mudguards.

The frame is well-equipped with fixtures and fittings. Two bottle-cage mounts, triple fixings for the Fidlock-dedicated frame bag, and front and rear mudguard mounts are included.

The rear dropouts integrate twin Lupine rear LED lights, powered by the motor’s battery.

According to Canyon, the position keeps them out of the way of dirt spray (unlike a traditional seatpost-mounted light), thereby boosting visibility.

Canyon has done an excellent job of packaging the motor system without overly lengthening the wheelbase. At 1,112mm on this size-large test bike, the Grizl:ON has the potential to be a nimble-handling bike.

That said, the 69.5-degree head angle is relaxed compared to a typical gravel bike to aid stability in the rough.

The steep 74-degree seat tube angle, though, keeps you pitched over the cranks for a more efficient power transfer.

Canyon Grizl:ONfly CF 9 build

The Grizl:ON features Bosch’s Performance Line SX motor. This lightweight electric bike motor delivers 30Nm less torque than the Performance Line CX motor (55Nm versus 85Nm), as found on Canyon’s previous electric gravel bike, the Grail:ON.

Bosch has plenty of competition on the lightweight mid-motor front from the likes of Fazua, as found on Cairn’s E-Adventure gravel bike and TQ’s HPR50 motor used on Trek’s Domane+.

In Bosch’s favour, the SX motor still delivers a maximum output of 600 watts, like its CX sibling – something the TQ motor doesn’t.

The bike has a controller built into the top tube, indicating the current mode and battery level via colour-coded LEDs and a five-bar indicator.

A more accurate indication of remaining battery charge comes through Bosch’s excellent Flow app, available for iOS or Android phones.

Otherwise, the CF9’s specification sheet is impressive for the price.

The DT Swiss HGC1800 wheelset has a 42mm-deep carbon rim and the 370 ratchet hub. The 24mm internal width of the rim is said to be optimised for gravel tyres between 40 and 50mm wide, while the wheelset is rated for a 140kg maximium system weight (including bike and rider).

These are wrapped in 45mm Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite EVO tyres, and my test bike came set up tubeless.

Up-front, a RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR fork provides 40mm of suspension. This is my favourite gravel suspension fork, offering smooth and fast action and a lock-out switch for road duties. Canyon has also included the optional short bolt-on mudguard.

The front end is completed with Canyon’s own subtly flared gravel bar and a stem that integrates smoothly with the headset, and routes the rear brake hose and light wiring internally.

The Bosch system is powered by a 400Wh battery, smaller than the CX to shave some weight. The non-removable internal battery also powers the Lupine front light, twin rear lights and the Force AXS XPLR rear derailleur (an adaptor takes the place of the standard SRAM battery).

The Lupine front light is based on its Nano unit, but mounts directly to the Canyon stem, which also includes a computer mount. It comes with a remote high- and low-beam trigger and the beam pattern meets StVZO standards.

The rear lights are based on Lupine’s minimal C14 unit. Canyon says the light system draws 0.5W per hour, so will run for one to two hours after the Bosch system has emptied. So, even if you run out of assistance, you won’t be left in the dark.

At the rear, Canyon has fitted its S14 VCLS 2.0 carbon fibre seatpost. With its unique leaf-spring design, it gives up to 20mm deflection, which is enough to take the sting out of rougher surfaces. It's topped by Fizik’s gravel-specific Terra Argo saddle.

The SRAM Force XPLR AXS shifters and rear derailleur are paired to an ebike-specific FSA carbon crankset and single 42-tooth chainring.

The 10-44t cassette provides a broad gear range and the Force hydraulic brakes come paired with large 180mm rotors to provide the extra stopping power handy for arresting a 16.25kg bike.

The CF 9 test bike came with the optional LOAD Fidlock QuickLoader frame bag. It's a slick piece of design that’s size-specific and has magnetic flaps covering storm zips on its flanks to store plenty while offering quick access. It’s a £139.95 optional extra that I found most useful.

Canyon Grizl:ONfly CF 9 ride impressions and range

The Grizl:ON is a capable off-roader with a comfortable ride position. The component specification meets the highest standards.

It’s a bike that revels in getting way off-grid, the excellent Schwalbe tyres offer grip in spades and the comfort provided by the fork and post keeps you fresh.

The only thing holding the Grizl:ON back is its weight penalty over lighter assisted bikes. For example, 3T’s similarly specced Exploro Boost weighs in 3.75kg lighter.

The SX motor impresses, with four modes – ECO+, TOUR+, Sprint and Turbo. In regular conditions, ECO+ offers more than enough assistance to quickly get you up to the 15.5mph/25kph limit and the system feels relatively free of drag, so spins easily with little or no assistance.

Oddly, though, if you turn the motor off you also lose the ability to shift gears because the AXS rear derailleur draws its power from the Bosch PowerTube battery. On the Scott Solace Gravel eRide I tested in 2023, which paired a SRAM AXS drivetrain with the TQ motor, I had no such issues.

When the going gets really rough and undulating, the Tour+ mode works well, but step up into the Sprint mode and the Grizl:ONfly really comes alive. The system responds best at higher cadences, which is not hard to achieve with the broad cassette.

Keep your cadence around 85-95rpm and the SX motor is in its sweet spot. This is easier to do if you pair the system to your bike computer and use the system’s onboard cadence sensor and power meter too.

I only resorted to stepping up to Turbo on seriously steep and loose climbs, where you need to stay seated for traction and go all-in.

The bike handles well over rougher surfaces – the combination of fork and seatpost do a great job of isolating you from the most jarring vibrations. It excels with its stability rather than speed, and that’s no bad thing when dealing with a bike that weighs over 16kg.

On fireroad descents, it feels balanced and confident thanks to most of the bike’s bulk being low down and central. The quality wheels keep it feeling nimbler than a heavy ebike might otherwise.

On more technical terrain, such as woodland singletrack, it’s easy to get into a rhythmic flow on the Grizl:ON, although it never feels quite as quick to turn as the lighter Scott Solace eRide or 3T’s Exploro Racemax Boost.

The mode switch mounted into the top tube requires a single push to head up the modes and a prolonged press to shift down into easier modes. It’s simple enough to use, although I would prefer a bar-mounted switch to avoid having to take my hand off the bars.

It’s the same with the Mahle X20 system on the Ribble AllRoad SL R e Pro, but there you have the option to pair the motor to your bike computer and use the screen to switch modes – which at least keeps you looking further ahead rather than downwards.

The SRAM Force XPLR AXS shifting proved smooth, fast and accurate, and chain retention is excellent – even though the Canyon runs a non-SRAM chainring.

Despite its lighter, lower-capacity battery, the Grizl:ON impressed with its range. On rides that were 95 per cent off-road, I achieved between 97.4km/60.05 miles with 456m/1,497ft of elevation and 72.4km/45 miles with 952m/3,123ft of climbing.

With Canyon claiming up to 100km of range, it’s refreshing to see an accurate reflection.

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Canyon Grizl:ONfly CF 9 bottom line

The Grizl:ONfly isn’t a singletrack slayer or nimble speedster – it’s much more of a tough-terrain trekker.

I found myself using the Grizl:ON to ramble into the wilderness at a leisurely pace, taking in the great outdoors. It can take a bit of abuse and handle the rough stuff – and the occasional quick thrash off-road.

On the road, its practicality and high level of equipment would make it a great commuter bike for mixed-surface duties. If that’s a primary requirement, I’d suggest considering the commuting-optimised £5,149 Grizl: ONfly CF Daily.