Mystery Canyon gravel bike spotted at The Traka – Is the Grail about to join the big tyre club?

Things are hotting up at the Traka, and it looks like a bike that everyone in the gravel world has been wondering about for over a year is about to be officially released.

Senior Tech Writer Will Jones spotted what appeared to be a new Canyon Grail CFR in the pits at the Traka today.

The suspension fork equipped Grail CFR RIFT was possibly the worst-kept secret at last year’s event, the fork being something of a visual giveaway. However, the bike’s clearance remained at a rather conservative official 42mm (though riders are running it with slightly bigger tyres), and a lot of riders have been wondering when, not if, the Grail would receive an update in at least the tyre clearance department, and it seems the time has now come.

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This bike is what we presume to be the new Canyon Grail CFR. The frame looks more aggressive and racier than the existing Grail, and the bike now has dropped seatstays and an interesting seat tube shape, presumably to facilitate an aero seatpost.

We spotted a bike fitted with 29×2.2 Schwalbe tyres, which confirms this is a new bike, and not the existing Grail or the recently released Endurace CFR, which has 35mm tyre clearance.

One bike in the pictures below has a piece of tape applied to the rear of the seattube, presumably hiding the model name, and there just might be some new Schwalbe gravel tyres to look at, too.

We have also spotted a new hyper-aggressive Ridley gravel bike today, as competitors ready their bikes for the weekend’s racing.

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Here are the bikes in the Canyon pits, there’s a useful comparison here between the existing Grail and the new bike. Look at the seatposts, seat tubes and dropped seatstays, and the big rubber on the newer bikes. (Image credit: Will Jones)

This rear end looks similar to the new Endurace, take a look at that sculpted seat tube. We are also pretty sure that’s a new Schwalbe gravel tyre with ‘Race Pro’ branding. (Image credit: Will Jones)

This bike has the new non adjustable Canyon CP053 RACE handlebar that launched in tandem with the Endurace, though the front tyre size suggests it’s fitted to a gravel bike. (Image credit: Will Jones)

A fairly large downtube here. Spot the frame storage hatch, and top tube and upper down tube mounts. (Image credit: Will Jones)

Here’s a different colourway, with what appears to be tape on the upper seat tube – potentially hiding a model name. It’s clear from this way tyre clearance has been dramatically increased, and there seems to be integrated frame bags designed for the frame, too. (Image credit: Will Jones)

Those top tube mounts could be for this C02 cannister holder or bags, a neat touch for gravel racers. That head tube is certainly deeper than the current Grail. (Image credit: Will Jones)

We won’t have to wait long for this mystery machine to be officially announced, stay tuned. (Image credit: Will Jones)