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Canyon Grail AL 7.0 Video Review - An ideal budget bikepacking bikecanyon grail al side

Canyon Grail AL 7.0 Video Review - An ideal budget bikepacking bike

Canyon's new aluminium adventure and bikepacking bike is versatile and capable
by David Arthur @davearthur
Sun, Mar 10, 2019 17:46
9

Canyon's first dedicated adventure and gravel bike, the Grail, launched last year with a carbon fibre frame and distinctive handlebar and impressed the road.cc review team.

It's been followed by the more affordable Grail AL, which switches to an aluminium frame and regular handlebar/stem setup. In the video below we go through the pros and cons of the £1,349 model equipped with Shimano 105 and tan wall tyres!

The launch of the Grail AL, with its regular handlebar and versatile and practical details, and not to mention starting at just £1,099 with a Shimano Tiagra groupset, mean that - on paper at least - it looks an ideal choice for anyone looking to sample some of the on-trend gravel, adventure and bikepacking riding, as well as being ideal for general road and mixed terrain riding and, thanks to mudguard and rack mounts, suitability for commuting too.

The frame is constructed from 6061 double-butted aluminium tubing with fairly industrial looking welds - it’s not the smoothest frame I’ve ever set eyes on - but is packing some neat details. There’s internal cable and hose routing, a tapered head tube, three bottle cage mounts, eyelets for fitting mudguards and even a rear rack if the idea of strapping packs to the frame doesn’t appeal to you. The fork is made from carbon to reduce the overall weight.

Geometry goes a long way to define a gravel bike, and as previously mentioned, Canyon has fitted the Grail with a shorter stem which has the effect of speeding up the steering. It gives the Grail fantastic agility on twisty trails: show it some singletrack and let the brakes off and I guarantee it’ll make you grin and holla for more! 

As you’d expect from Canyon, the Grail offer very good value for money. The range starts at £1,099 with Tiagra but I’ve been testing the next one up, a Shimano 105-equipped model costs £1,349. Is it worth paying extra? You save a bit of weight but if you’re on a tight budget you get largely the same equipment and all the same fun factor and Tiagra is a solid groupset these days. While the hydraulic shifters are an ugly thing to behold, ergonomically they are fine.

As well as watching the video review above, you can also read a full in-depth review over on off.road.cc.

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David Arthur @davearthur

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes. 

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9 comments

Avatar
Joe Totale | 5 years ago
0 likes

Good luck getting hold of one, the waiting list for most models and sizes is several months long!

Avatar
Wafty Crank | 5 years ago
1 like

Do you think the front mech would go down low enough for something like Absolute Black 48/32 or 46/30 chainrings?

Avatar
CXR94Di2 replied to Wafty Crank | 5 years ago
0 likes

Wafty Crank wrote:

Do you think the front mech would go down low enough for something like Absolute Black 48/32 or 46/30 chainrings?

Remove the crank and fit FSA Adventure series either 48/32 46/30.  I would get 48/32 and swap out the inner ring to 30.    Its a gravel bike so doesnt need 50/34

 

Or just buy the Boardman at £1K,  nicer colour 

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2138-adv-8.9.html

 

 

Avatar
Wafty Crank replied to CXR94Di2 | 5 years ago
0 likes

CXR94Di2 wrote:

Wafty Crank wrote:

Do you think the front mech would go down low enough for something like Absolute Black 48/32 or 46/30 chainrings?

Remove the crank and fit FSA Adventure series either 48/32 46/30.  I would get 48/32 and swap out the inner ring to 30.    Its a gravel bike so doesnt need 50/34

 

Or just buy the Boardman at £1K,  nicer colour 

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2138-adv-8.9.html

 

 

Still the same problem with the front mech though, isn't it? And wouldn't FSA chainsets need a different bottom bracket/adaptor?

Wouldn't  mind the Boardman but they don't (as far as I know) deliver to Japan.  Now that Evans are delivering internationally again an Arkose is a possibility

Avatar
CXR94Di2 replied to Wafty Crank | 5 years ago
0 likes

Wafty Crank wrote:

CXR94Di2 wrote:

Wafty Crank wrote:

Do you think the front mech would go down low enough for something like Absolute Black 48/32 or 46/30 chainrings?

Remove the crank and fit FSA Adventure series either 48/32 46/30.  I would get 48/32 and swap out the inner ring to 30.    Its a gravel bike so doesnt need 50/34

 

Or just buy the Boardman at £1K,  nicer colour 

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2138-adv-8.9.html

 

 

Still the same problem with the front mech though, isn't it? And wouldn't FSA chainsets need a different bottom bracket/adaptor?

Wouldn't  mind the Boardman but they don't (as far as I know) deliver to Japan.  Now that Evans are delivering internationally again an Arkose is a possibility

Yes when ever you change the chainset for another brand it involves a bottom bracket

 

According to Boardman,  they do bespoke order.  No mention at a glance of not delivering to Japan

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/service/delivery-and-returns.html

Avatar
Calin Ionel replied to Wafty Crank | 5 years ago
0 likes

Wafty Crank wrote:

Do you think the front mech would go down low enough for something like Absolute Black 48/32 or 46/30 chainrings?

That's a good question. I would also like to know if the front mech of this bike would go down low enough for a 30 chainring.

From this photo you can tell that there still are a few mm to go down.

Thanks.

Avatar
JeffB replied to Calin Ionel | 5 years ago
0 likes

Calin Ionel wrote:

Wafty Crank wrote:

Do you think the front mech would go down low enough for something like Absolute Black 48/32 or 46/30 chainrings?

That's a good question. I would also like to know if the front mech of this bike would go down low enough for a 30 chainring.

From this photo you can tell that there still are a few mm to go down.

Thanks.

Its £1500, but the Cannondale Topstone in 105 has much better looking welds and comes with a 46/30 so no need to spend money changing the chainset

Avatar
Wafty Crank replied to JeffB | 5 years ago
0 likes

JeffB wrote:

Calin Ionel wrote:

Wafty Crank wrote:

Do you think the front mech would go down low enough for something like Absolute Black 48/32 or 46/30 chainrings?

That's a good question. I would also like to know if the front mech of this bike would go down low enough for a 30 chainring.

From this photo you can tell that there still are a few mm to go down.

Thanks.

Its £1500, but the Cannondale Topstone in 105 has much better looking welds and comes with a 46/30 so no need to spend money changing the chainset

 

Cheers - I've been looking at the Topstone.  As you say, it's a really good looking bike and the spec is what I want with no changes.   Unfortunately, XL Topstones are like hen's teeth in Japan and Cannondale block the online shops selling them abroad.  

Avatar
Calin Ionel replied to JeffB | 5 years ago
0 likes

JeffB wrote:

Calin Ionel wrote:

Wafty Crank wrote:

Do you think the front mech would go down low enough for something like Absolute Black 48/32 or 46/30 chainrings?

That's a good question. I would also like to know if the front mech of this bike would go down low enough for a 30 chainring.

From this photo you can tell that there still are a few mm to go down.

Thanks.

Its £1500, but the Cannondale Topstone in 105 has much better looking welds and comes with a 46/30 so no need to spend money changing the chainset

Yes, you are right, but the Cannondale is 1 kg heavier than the Canyon...

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