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Which bike? Salsa Warbird CF vs Canyon Grail CF SL 7? (lemm.ee)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by [email protected] to c/bicycling

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Hey y'all! Wondering if people will share their opinions please on these two new Gravel bikes I am looking at.

First, I ride casually, on the weekends. I want to spend equal time on- and off-road; there are lots of compacted gravel and dirt roads near me I want to ride. I have a road bike now, but its 25mm wheels and its slicks don't do dirt and gravel like I want.

First, the Salsa Warbird C GRX 600 1x:
https://www.salsacycles.com/bikes/2024-warbird-c-grx-600-1x

$3300 USD MSRP but a LBS has one for $2800.

Warbird C GRX 600 is a carbon gravel bike with a few tricks you won’t find anywhere else. The frameset features our gravel race geometry, a perfect blend of stability and comfort that only comes from decades of gravel riding experience. Our Class 5™ VRS (vibration reduction system) cuts chatter — and fatigue — from rugged roads that would otherwise beat you up.

OTOH, the Canyon CF SL 7:
https://www.canyon.com/en-us/outlet-bikes/gravel-bikes/grail-cf-sl-7/3095.html

Actually a mix of GRX 600 and 800 parts and an FSA Crank.

If you need to shake up your riding routine, then gravel is the answer. The lightweight Grail CF SL 7 is a hugely versatile bike ready for all your year-round off-road adventures, and comes complete with Shimano’s GRX810 gravel groupset.

I'm leaning toward the Canyon, but would appreciate any feedback / other ideas you all have for a gravel bike in the same price range, available new in the US. Cheers!

Edited for clarity.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

The Salsa looks like a normal no-nonsense design. Clamps, handlebars and all. The Canyon has got some too fancy for comfort things. For example I don't know what's gonna happen if the handlebars are too low for me. It doesn't look like there's much possibility for adjustment. On the Salsa I can even replace the fork if I need to for more drastic changes.

Also seconding the opinion that generally aluminum is much easier to live with than carbon. Steel can be totally great too, it adds less than a kilo to the total. For some idea - my previous cyclocross frame was aluminum and it weighed about 1.7kg in large. My current steel frame weighs 2.07kg - a Soma Double Cross. You'll have to think about rust however. Most modern steel is painted on the inside to protect against rust. I still internally washed mine with ACF-50 prior to assembly.