Canyon Grand Canyon 9 review: Proven driving characteristics and top equipment

Test: On paper, the Canyon Grand Canyon 9 convinces with very high-quality equipment at a fair price and a universal overall concept between tour and trail. Is the balancing act successful?

Canyon Grand Canyon 9: The Facts

Frame material: Aluminium
Suspension travel: 120 mm
wheel size: 29 inches (27,5″ in XS/S)

Weight 13,43 kg

Price: € 1.749

The Grand Canyon has been one of the best hardtails in the price range between 1.000 and €2.000. With the latest redesign, the Koblenz-based company has added another variation to the already extensive Grand Canyon range: The three highest-end models now feature not only more front suspension travel (now 120 mm), but also a dropper post. Reason enough for us to take a closer look at the top model and ask: How much of a trail hardtail is in the current Grand Canyon?

Note: At the time of testing this was new Canyon Stoic not yet available. However, we also believe that both bikes - the Stoic and also the Grand Canyon - have their right to exist and their own strengths and weaknesses.

Great frame with moderate geometry

First of all, it is noticeable: The aluminum frame of the Grand Canyon is superbly crafted and generally appears extremely high-quality; this is not a highlight on a bike like our test bike that costs just under 1.800 euros – but Canyon also offers this frame on the Grand Canyon 7 for just over 1.000 Euro. Nice stuff. In terms of features and mounting points, we have everything we could want from a bike like this: There's room for two bottle cages in the frame triangle, the rear wheel is naturally attached via a Boost thru-axle, and we have internally routed cables and wires. The latter undoubtedly contribute to the sleek look, but they don't necessarily make maintenance easier.

It gets exciting when it comes to geometry and size selection; Canyon offers the Grand Canyon in a total of five sizes and relies on a size split when it comes to the wheel size: If you decide on an S or even XS frame, 27,5 inch wheels are installed, and 29 inch above that. So you want to offer a similar driving experience across the entire spectrum. This approach is also reflected in the growing chainstays - hardly any other manufacturer does that, very nice. The other dimensions are rather reserved. We have a rather steep steering angle of 68°, the reach is also rather short. The entry hurdle should therefore be low, the handling intuitive - active drivers might want a little more generous dimensions.

High-quality components for moderate terrain

In our test, we had the top variant of the model series, the Grand Canyon 9. The Koblenz-based retailer has put together a truly successful package for the price of €1.799: The Fox 34 Rhythm fork at the front may 'only' come with the simpler Grip damping, but is by no means inferior to its more expensive counterparts in terms of responsiveness. Furthermore, thanks to its 34 mm stanchions, the fork is very well dimensioned for the Grand Canyon's intended use. Canyon goes all out with the gear system – there's a full-fledged Shimano XT 12-speed groupset (okay, with an SLX cassette and Deore crank). Not even the bikes in our test field are equipped this classily. 1.000 Euros are more expensive.

The brakes are also from the Shimano XT series. The M8100 are excellent stoppers and the decision to go with the 2-piston version shows that Canyon didn't want to trim the Grand Canyon 9 for full-throttle action. This is reflected in the wheels and tires. The Schwalbe Nobby Nic with a width of 2,35 inches is a strong all-rounder, but feels most comfortable in moderate terrain. The wheels with in-house rims are pleasantly light, hold the tires reliably thanks to the 25 mm internal width and can also be used tubeless. Also from Iridium's own brand comes the retractable seat post with an ergonomically successful lever and a reasonable 150 mm stroke. The cockpit makes a good impression and is modern with a 60 mm stem.

Canyon Grand Canyon 9: On the Trail

If you get to grips with the Canyon's geometry and equipment, you'll soon realize that the bike doesn't want to be a specialist for extreme gaits. It doesn't have to be, because the "Stoic" sister model is available for the purpose mentioned. The fact that the Grand Canyon can still do more than an ordinary XC hardtail should quickly become apparent in the test.

You can find your way around the canyon quickly and intuitively; the geometry values ​​are progressively modern for an XC hardtail, but rather conservative and reserved for a thoroughbred trail hardtail. Conversely, this means that the seating position should suit quite a few right away.

The Grand Canyon then climbs calmly up the mountain. Despite the 120mm fork, the front stays on the ground even on steep terrain and you will only be slowed down - if at all - by the loss of traction of the Nobby Nic tires in Speedgrip compound. The tires were not always able to convince with grip, especially in wet conditions, but they scored with low rolling resistance and low weight. The shifting processes are typically Shimano crisp and smooth and the range of the 12-speed drive is more than sufficient. Also nice: The in-house dropper post not only works extremely well, it also offers exactly the right drop with 150mm in our frame size.

On the descents, the Canyon Grand Canyon shines above all with easy and, above all, agile handling. As long as the terrain isn't too blocked, it's in its element. At high speeds, the Schwalbe Nobby Nic tires initially reach their limits; as "SnakeSkin" very thin-walled, they simply lack self-damping. A property that should not be neglected in a "rigid" hardtail. Fork? Top! The Fox 34 Rhythm is not only sufficiently stiff, it also responds sensitively and dampens (at a speed suitable for hardtails) confidently. The cockpit could have been a bit wider for our taller test riders. By the way, we were surprised by the Shimano XT brakes! Although "only" two pistons acted on the 180/160mm discs, the stoppers held up well and impressed with their fine dosing - great!

In summary, the question remains: Is the Canyon Grand Canyon 9 a "Light" trail hardtail or a "Plus" XC hardtail? Somehow both! It shines with a high-quality and versatile frame as well as top equipment components. The driving behavior is agile and intuitively controllable and makes the Grand Canyon a great all-rounder! Anyone who likes things a little faster should think about more stable tires or go straight for the sister model "Stoic". It's nice if you can cover this variance within your own portfolio!