Boardman TRVL 8.9 DB vs Canyon Grail 7
Both are gravel bikes at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.
The short answer
For a typical all-round rider the Canyon Grail 7 comes out ahead (71% against 64%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.
What actually separates them
- Price
- The Boardman TRVL 8.9 DB is £49 cheaper — £1,800 against £1,849.
- Weight
- The Canyon Grail 7 is 1.5kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
- Riding position
- The Canyon Grail 7 sits you more upright (1.59 stack-to-reach against 1.49). The Boardman TRVL 8.9 DB is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
- Tyre clearance
- The Boardman TRVL 8.9 DB takes 50mm tyres against 42mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
- Climbing gear
- The Canyon Grail 7 has the easier bottom gear (23 gear inches against 25), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.
Side by side
| Spec | TRVL 8.9 DB | Grail 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £1,849 |
| Weight | 11.3 kg | 9.8 kg |
| Frame | alloy | carbon |
| Groupset | SRAM Apex 1x12 mechanical | Shimano GRX 610 mechanical |
| Stack / reach | 1.49 | 1.59 |
| Tyre clearance | 50 mm | 42 mm |
| Lowest gear | 25 in | 23 in |
| Mudguard mounts | Yes | Yes |
| Comfort | 69 | 89 |
| Speed | 15 | 18 |
| Climbing | 39 | 60 |
| Value | 6 | 50 |
Neither might be the right answer
This page assumes an average rider. Tell us how you actually ride and we will rank these two against everything else at the price.
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