CANYON GRIZL CF SL 8 1BY
The Grizl was well-suited to my local riding from the start, with the same Schwalbe G-One Bite tyres in 45mm that I've been using as my control tyre. There was a decent combination of being able to roll quickly on the road and on gentle trails while yet delivering adequate traction and cushioning on more challenging terrain. Canyon's S15 VCLS 2.0 CF suspension seatpost offers further comfort. Although the basic design adds little weight over a regular seatpost, the 20mm of travel helps to smooth out some of the bumps.
However, despite the vehicle's off-road prowess, they felt there was some design conflict between some aspects.
Yes, those big tyres promise a lot of speed on the trails, but the 435mm chainstays hold it back a little on tight and chattery singletrack. If you're mostly going to be cruising the trails, you'd be better off on a bike with chainstays around the 425mm mark, or even shorter. On the other hand, the variety of mounts opens up a lot of possibilities for bikepacking expeditions, but there isn't enough range in this 1x configuration to transport luggage off-road. For that, you'd be much better off with the 2x models – or moving up a price range or two for the latest design with SRAM's XPLR 10-44t cassette and a 40t chainring. But, unlike the length of the chainstays, the gearing is something you can modify. As a result, I'd have to suggest that this bike is best suited for off-road cycling and bumpy but open trails.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Frame : Canyon Grizl CF SL
- Fork: Canyon FK0087 CF Disc
- Groupset: Shimano GRX RX800
- Wheels: DT Swiss G1800 Spline db
- Tyres : Schwalbe G-One Bite 700x45c (Max clearance: 700x50c)
- Weight: 9.77kg
REASONS TO BUY
- Large tyre clearances
- Good range of bikepacking mounts
- Quality wheels and groupset
- Front suspension ready
REASONS TO AVOID
- Gearing is a little steep for carrying loads
- Long chainstays are at odds with its burly build
Website: canyon.com/en-gb/grizl-cf-sl-8-suspension-1by/3237.html
