Canyon has released an all-new Grizl adventure gravel bike, which features some exciting new tech – and we’re not only talking about the wild new handlebar design.
Originally released four years ago, the Grizl sits alongside the Grail in Canyon’s gravel line-up. While the Grail is designed for racing and tamer gravel riding, the Grizl has always had its sights set on more adventurous terrain and bikepacking, with ample tyre clearance and frame mounting points.
The new Grizl appears to be even more adventurous, with boosted tyre clearance, more mounting options and more space for bags in its carbon frame (which has been treated to a geometry overhaul).
However, what's really got us talking is Canyon’s Full Mounty handlebar and ECLIPS power system.
Old vs new – what’s different about the new Canyon Grizl?
At the heart of the new Canyon Grizl is its carbon frame. Unlike the outgoing model, which was available in carbon as well as aluminium, there will be no metal version of the new Grizl.
The new frame has had its geometry tweaked, too. It’s a touch slacker and its chainstays have grown to 440mm across all sizes. Speaking of sizes, there are still seven to choose from, catering to riders from 160cm to 200+cm in height and, unlike the previous iteration, all sizes now roll on 700c wheels.
Canyon has made the Grizl even more adventure-ready by upping the frame’s storage capacity – think front and rear rack compatibility, a LOAD down tube storage compartment and the real estate to run two full-size water bottles plus a frame bag in the front triangle. There’s also more tyre clearance (54mm, to be exact), opening options for up to 2.1in mountain bike tyres.
An adventure bike is no good if you can’t find replacement parts while out adventuring, so the new Grizl makes a move away from proprietary standards. Its 27.2mm seat tube, external seatpost clamp and standard 1 ⅛in fork steerer should make finding spares a lot easier.
Original Graveller or Escape Artist – which are you?
While there’s only one carbon frame, the new Grizl has two guises. The first is the Original Graveller, or OG for short.
Canyon says the Grizl OG is closer to what fans of the outgoing Grizl already know and love – a trusty gravel all-rounder for short rides, long rides and anything in between. It gets ‘pure’ gravel gearing from SRAM’s XPLR or Shimano’s GRX range, and Canyon’s conventional round drop bar and stem.
The 45mm Schwalbe G-One RX tyres should provide plenty of off-road grip, while still being fast on tarmac.
The Grizl Escape, on the other hand, is decked out for multi-day long-distance riding and adventure trips. It has wide-range mountain bike gearing and Schwalbe G-One Overlander tyres. It also gets the new Full Mounty, a one-piece handlebar and stem combo, which continues Canyon’s run of out-there cockpit solutions.
The Full Mounty cockpit
Canyon has a track record of somewhat wacky cockpit designs. Yes, we’re talking about the ‘Hover bar’ that made its debut with the Grail back in 2018. There’s also the PACE, an adjustable aero cockpit for road racing, which features on the Canyon Aeroad.
The new Full Mounty handlebar may be the wildest yet, taking a traditional drop-bar silhouette and adding an extra ‘loop’ between the hoods.
The design opens up a new world of possibilities for mounting lights, devices, storage packs and bananas, as well as offering something to grip while riding with your forearms resting on the tops.
The bar features a standard round 31.8mm top-bar interface for your light and computer mounts, flattened tops, a subtle backsweep and 14 degrees of flare.
There are also integrated mounts for Canyon’s Grizl Aero Extensions and Grizl LOAD cockpit bag, which are available separately.
A new suspension fork from Canyon x DT Swiss
We had a hunch that Canyon and DT Swiss were cooking up a new gravel suspension fork after we spotted one on what has now revealed itself to be a prototype Grizl earlier in the year.
The fork offers 40mm of travel, internal brake routing and cargo mounts that can hold up to 3kg of kit on either leg. It also has a remote lockout, which is routed internally to the handlebars.
We’ve already tested the new DT Swiss F132 fork during a 100km gravel race. Check out our full review to find out how it performed.
Canyon ECLIPS power system
The Grizl’s biggest talking point has to be ECLIPS, which stands for Endless Charge & Lighting Integrated Power System.
With ECLIPS, Canyon has created a dynamo system that not only powers the Grizl’s Lupine lights but also charges a 3,500mAh battery.
Power is generated by the SON front-hub dynamo, which takes only 3 watts of your output. At speeds of over 15 km/h, both front and rear lights can be run from the dynamo alone, and at over 20km/h, the Lupine battery charges at a rate of +12% per hour.
Below 15 km/h, the ECLIPS battery combines with the dynamo for seamless, flicker-free lighting, even at walking pace.
A hidden USB-C port at the bottom of the spacer stack enables you to charge your kit on off-grid adventures, with enough battery capacity to fully charge a smartphone from empty. If you find an external power source on your adventures, you can also use the port to top up the battery.
Controlling the system is the Canyon BlackBox software, which ensures a consistent power supply to both lights, so there should be no dynamo flicker or dimming when you slow down or stop.
The system also has a ‘Camping mode’ that keeps you lit when you’ve stopped to eat, set up camp or fix a trailside mechanical.
Canyon is in the process of overhauling its app, promising customisation of lighting modes and power-to-recharge ratios, as well as data on energy consumption, in the next update. There’s also a software update in the works for the SON dynamo, which will switch off when not in use for maximum efficiency.
ECLIPS is currently reserved for two Grizl models (or one, if you’re in the US): the £3,999 GRIZL CF 8 ECLIPS Escape and the £7,449 GRIZL CF 9 AXS ECLIPS (not available in the US).
