Canyon Grizl:ON Spec Review, 2024
This new Class 3 carbon fiber gravel bike can handle adventures from a day to all-weekend.
As a gravel e-bike, the Grizl:ON looks like a road e-bike, just with big tires. It has the drop bar and forward-slung rider position of a road e-bike and comes in five sizes (XS through XL). Where it differs is in handling, tire width, drivetrain and suspension.
The Grizl:ON is built with a lightweight carbon fiber frame and Bosch Performance Line SX mid-drive motor, which provides 250W of power and 55Nm of torque. The 400Wh battery will provide hours of riding.
Gravel e-bikes tend to have calmer handling that road e-bikes so that they ease into turns more and are more likely to track straight if the riding surface is soft. And where a road e-bike might have a tire that’s 1-1.25 in. wide, the Grizl:ON has a tire that’s 1.8 in. wide, which will offer a more comfortable ride and better traction on unpaved surfaces. The drivetrain also features a wider gear range because the places that gravel e-bikes go often feature hills steeper than are typically paved. And, where road e-bikes almost never have suspension, the Canyon Grizl:ON comes with a RockShox Rudy suspension fork with 40mm of travel—enough to take the sting out of the roughest roads.
Most of the parts come from Shimano’s GRX group, which is made specifically for gravel e-bikes. It’s durable and precise stuff, reliable in a way you need if you’re 50 mi. from home and in the woods. In a move that’s unusual for gravel and road e-bikes alike, Canyon worked with Lupine to include lights integrated into the front and rear of the Grizl:ON.
With clearance for tires up to 50mm wide, a suspension fork and plenty of mounting points for bags. the Grizl:ON is not only a terrific gravel e-bike, but it can serve as a great touring e-bike, whether doing traditional road touring and heading off into the backwoods for a bikepacking trek.
This is a really good-looking e-bike and thanks to a long head tube and suspension fork, the handlebar can be positioned high enough for all-day comfort.
The Canyon Grizl:ON CF 7 is already shipping and the Grizl:ON CF 9 will be available soon.