New Grail CF SLX fits 57mm tyres, but loses some fun

Tyre clearance on the Canyon Grail rises from 42mm to 57mm on the new model. The Cyclingnews reviewer found the CF SLX 8 AXS fast on the flat, on smoother gravel and on broken tarmac. The verdict is more capable than ever, but perhaps not quite as fun.

The frame is heavier: the reviewer's Gen 2 CF SLX 8 weighed 8.2 kg out of the box, and the Gen 3 test bike weighed 9 kg on the same reviewer's scales. Canyon grew the chainstays by 10mm and used a thin but solid section of driveside chainstay to gain clearance, with a revised fork adding more. The wheelbase is 5mm longer and reach is unchanged. The front end is 15mm lower, though the reviewer calls it a measured change that does not feel aggressively low. Canyon said it wanted the Grail to keep feeling like a Grail. The test bike runs 45mm Schwalbe G One RS tyres, which the reviewer considers adequate, though some may want 50mm+.

The CF SLX has full fender mounts that the race-focused Canyon Grail CFR lacks, so the wider-terrain bike is also the one that takes the Canyon FAST Fender system. The fender system may require a smaller tyre size.

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