Road, Gravel, or Mountain Bike?
If you’re considering your first bike you probably already have an idea if you’re leaning towards a road bike or a mountain bike, but there’s another category that you should consider as well.
Road Bikes
Fast and efficient from point to point, a road bike is a solid choice if you want to stick to paved roads.
Canyon offers three main lines of road bikes (Endurace, Ultimate, Aeroad) as well as some city bikes.
Canyon Endurace
The Endurace is designed for endurance rides. The name is a mash-up of endurance and race, so no, Endurace is not a typo. This line works great if you’re a new rider or someone looking for a more comfortable ride thanks to its less aggresive geometry.
Canyon Ultimate
The Ultimate is an all-around race bike. It adheres more closely to the traditional round tube profiles that aero designs sacrifice in the name of speed. This can lead to lighter weights and a different ride feel, making it a good choice for riders who like climbing.
Canyon Aeroad
The Aeroad, as the name suggests, is Canyon’s aero race bike. Designed to have the best aerodynamics of the lineup, it can save you a few watts. With aero bikes getting lighter, it has replaced the Ultimate as a do everything bike for many pro teams.
Road Bike Pros and Cons
- Pro - Can cover the longest distances in the shortest time
- Con - More likely to battle with traffic
Mountain Bikes
If you want to avoid traffic and connect with nature, a mountain bike is a great choice. If you don’t mind the trip to your nearest trails, you might have more fun mastering your bike handling off road.
Mountain Bike Pros and Cons
- Pro - No traffic, more nature
- Con - The time getting to and from trails is time you could have been riding
Gravel Bikes
You may not be as familiar with gravel bikes, but they have been growing in popularity and offer a nice balance between the world of road and off-road. Gravel bikes can give you most of the speed of a road bike on asphalt but also handle unpaved trails.
Tires are usually somewhere between road and mountain bike sizes, handlebars are usually drop bars, and you may find extra mounting points for gear like bottle cages or camping supplies.
Canyon has two gravel bikes (Grail and Grizl), as well as a cyclocross bike (Inflite).
Canyon Grail
The Grail is Canyon’s gravel race bike. The first generation featured the “hover bar,” a unique cockpit with a tiered design. The current generation reverted to a typical cockpit.
Canyon Grizl
The Grizl was designed to handle rougher terrain and carry more. If you’re looking to bikepack or venture further off the beaten path, it’s the bike for you.
Gravel Bike Pros and Cons
- Pro - Conquers asphalt, dirt, and gravel with most of the speed of a road bike
- Con - Not quite as good as a single purpose bike if you plan to stay on road or mainly hit rough trails