Ah, the 90s… MTV, VHS tapes, Sunny D by the gallon. And of course, the wild west that was the world of early mountain biking. Rigid forks. Outrageous paintjobs. Glorious, shining chrome. Long before the era of disc brakes and dropper posts came legendary scenes of riders sending sketchy tech equipped only with questionable cantilever brakes and some purple anodising for extra style points.
When Canyon launched the Grizl gravel bike back in 2021 and internet comment sections lit up like a lava lamp with people shouting “Gravel is just mountain biking from the 90s!,” no one took offence. Quite the opposite. To everyone at Canyon, it just sounded like a hell of an excuse to indulge in a bit of nostalgia and relive those halcyon days. So here it is: a tribute to all that was great and good during mountain biking’s pioneering decade. The Grizl CF SL 7 Throwback, a gravel bike that combines that iconic 90s MTB look with modern gravel bike design to give riders their old school kicks, 90s style.
The Joys of Underbiking
Skittering over terrain that modern mountain bikers wouldn’t even notice, the bikes of the 90s didn’t flatter your skill level. And that’s exactly the spirit of underbiking – getting big grins from mellow trails.
The Grizl CF SL 7 Throwback is such fun because you can cover big miles and don’t need to live next door to a bike park to get your kicks. With a rigid fork, 45 mm gravel tyres, and drop handlebar, the Grizl eats rough gravel for breakfast, with light trails still presenting a respectable challenge (and tons of fun too). It’s all about pushing the limits without the need for extreme terrain. And that’s precisely where the Grizl CF SL 7 Throwback thrives.
90s Design, not 90s Components
In the design department, the Grizl CF SL 7 Throwback is a bike that does its name justice. With its pure 90s razzmatazz, this is a throwback to the iconic aesthetic of a truly unique era in the history of cycling. A standout paintjob from Canyon’s in-house design team. Pink anodised stem details. A gleaming chrome bar. And brushed special-edition aluminium DT Swiss wheels. If you were there, you’ll know, and if you weren’t, you missed out.
And behind the style lies a super capable gravel bike too. Long gone are the days of dodgy brakes and skinny tyres – this bike comes with parts that work brilliantly in all conditions. Never-miss-a-beat wireless SRAM Rival AXS XPLR shifting. DT Swiss’ top-line aluminium GR 1600 wheels, wrapped in grippy 45 mm G-One Bite gravel tyres from Schwalbe. Powerful SRAM Rival hydraulic disc brakes. All built around the lightweight, robust Grizl CF carbon frame and its signature comfortable, stable, agile Gravel Pro geometry. Retro design, modern performance.
This truly special Grizl is available for € 3799 from 14 March 2023 in a limited run of just 250 bikes. Only on canyon.com.
