Canyon’s best-selling Grand Canyon hardtail just got a subtle but significant overhaul, making their affordable aluminum mountain bikes more capable than ever in a broad 7-size range to fit kids and adults. The new bikes don’t look all that different than before. But the new Grand Canyons feature slacker trail-ready geometry, lighter aluminum frames, get a bunch more mounts for added versatility, plus a few key modern spec updates…
Canyon Grand Canyon affordable alloy MTB hardtail for all!
The reason that the Grand Canyon is Canyon’s best-selling mountain bike line is simple. An aluminum hardtail is much easier to make affordable, and much more accessible than any full-suspension or carbon bike.
Yet still, Canyon keeps refining the Grand Canyon to build solid, high-quality, and enjoyable bikes as an entry point for new MTB riders.
“Whether you’re a junior adventurer or a grown-up who still loves fun and freedom, the new Grand Canyon is your ideal bike. Created to inspire and enable escape and enjoyment on every ride, for every rider.”
So, what’s actually new?
Better handling with more modern geometry
I think maybe the most important update here is its all-new modern trail geometry.
Sure, it’s great that now even down to the smallest XXS bikes with 27.5″ wheels, all of the Grand Canyons get 120mm travel forks. But more crucial is that entry-level riders will get the ride handling & control benefits of longer Reach, slacker head angles, and steeper seat angles. Just like much more expensive mountain bikes.
These aren’t exactly extreme, like a lot of more aggressive modern mountain bikes these days, though.
M size frame Reach grows 2cm to 450mm (and the XL is just 490mm), headtubes slacken 1.5-2 degrees to 66°, and seat angles steepen just one degree to 75°.
But that’s plenty to feel more stable descending, and still better climbing, too.
More versatile frames
“The goal was to create a modern, attractive hardtail MTB that excels on technical trails but handles long adventures or everyday life just as well.”
– Rainer Lauterbach, Canyon MTB Product Manager
Canyon also touts improved versatility for the new Grand Canyon, showing the bike alternately set up for rackless bikepacking or with a rack and panniers for everyday use.
The previous model already had hidden rear rack mounts, but this new one doubles down on attachment points with standard rear rack mounts, also with a fender option if mounted via the rack.
Even the stem is designed to integrate a GPS and light mount into its face plate.
You also now get bag mounts on top of the toptube, plus another set of mounts just below those for a small tool carrier or pouch. There’s also now an extra set of cage mounts together with a new frame protector under the downtube.
The seattube bottle cage mounts are interestingly now sticking out from the frame, too. There’s a good reason for that. Now, even XS frames get extra long dropper post compatibility.
Only the top 2 specs actually include dropper posts. But all of them have low standover and look like you can slam droppers all the way down to the collar to get the most dropper travel imaginable.
They even now get UDH mounts so you could eventually upgrade these to direct mount SRAM wireless (or maybe soon mechanical) derailleurs down the trail.
Lighter & stronger too!
Even with all the updates, the new frame is 207g lighter than before, now at a claimed 1989g (medium). Complete builds are even said to save about 800g vs. the previous generation, too.
Still, Canyon says it is “the most durable frame in its class” – rated for Category 3 mountain bike trail riding, which means you are allowed to take it off 2′ or 60cm drops. The same rating as Canyon’s 130/140mm travel full-suspension Neuron trail bike.
Tech details
- BSA threaded bottom brackets
- tapered integrated headset
- 31.6mm seatpost with internal dropper post routing, and a conventional external seatpost binder clamp
- classic internal cable routing through ports in the side of the downtube, with external routing along the chainstays
- 12x148mm Boost thru-axle, with Canyon quick-release Quixle lever built-in
- direct kickstand mount on non-driveside chainstay
- max 2.4″ tire clearance on 25mm internal rims
- only the 24″ Young Hero version sticks with QR axles and an old-school derailleur hanger
- both 24″ & XXS 27.5″ Young Hero versions omit the seattube water bottle mount
- available in 7 sizes to fit mountain bike riders from 125-202cm tall (4’1″-6’8″)
- 29″ wheels on sizes S-XL, 27.5″ wheels for XXS-XS, 24″ for XXXS – all tubeless ready!
2025 Canyon Grand Canyon – Pricing, options & availability
Canyon offers the all-new Grand Canyon in 4 complete build specs at the full adult sizes XS-XL, with 27.5 wheels for XS and 29″ wheels for everything bigger.
Plus, they add two Young Hero kid-specific specs for the smallest 3XS, 2XS & XS sizes.
All get 2.25″ tires, which Canyon says is the sweet spot here for lightweight, all-around riding.
And all are available now, although not yet in the US market.
Young Hero editions for kids
The Young Hero models are the most affordable, but both come in special Cloud white Fabio Wibmer edition paint jobs for a little extra flash for the groms. The small-wheeled XXXS-only Grand Canyon Young Hero 24” sells for 600€ with a Shimano Cues 1×9 drivetrain, just an 80mm SR Suntour fork, but slick kid-specific Tektro 2-piston hydraulic disc brakes (11.44kg claimed weight).
The Grand Canyon Young Hero 27.5” steps up to bigger wheels and the full 120mm SR Suntour XCT Junior fork for 700€ in two sizes (XXS & XS) with a wider Cues 1x10sp drivetrain and Shimano hydro brakes (13.36kg).
Adult versions from XS-XL
The entry adult bike starts at just 750€ for the Grand Canyon 5 with the extra-durable Cues 1×11 LinkGlide drivetrain (like I ride on my own trail hardtail) and a SR Suntour XCR32 air fork (13.45kg).
The 1000€ Grand Canyon 6 steps up to a RockShox Judy Gold RL fork, a proper modern Shimano Deore 1x 12speed mechanical drivetrain, and a bit lighter & quicker Schwalbe Rocket Ron tire spec (12.76kg).
Then at 1300€, the Grand Canyon 7 gets an even smoother, lighter RockShox Recon Gold fork. Plus, a drivetrain upgrade to SLX 12sp, and finally a Canyon dropper seatpost (13.06kg).
Lastly at the top, the 1700€ Grand Canyon 8 gets upgraded to a Fox 32 Rhythm fork. Then, a Shimano XT drivetrain with 4-piston SLX brakes, and the Canyon dropper (12.54kg).
