Literally 2 days ago I picked up this 2023 canyon grizl 7 AL, it's a great bike and I've been loving it! However I was reading some things and apparently bike touring Vs bikepacking is different.. I want to go 4 months around Europe and I want to ride mainly roads and sometimes go on gravel roads but I asked Gemini and it was saying that the bikes are quite different and that the grizl cant handle the load of camping gear, cooking gear, clothes, camera gear etc. I was wondering if anyone has done bikepacking with a grizl 7 but like done it with panniers, forkpacks, and frame bags etc as I want to go fully loaded. Thanks 🙂
by Purple-Character2077
20 Comments
The grizl, especially in Aluminum, is made for bike packing. Just adapt the tire to the main surface of the road of your trip. If its mainly road you might want to change the original G one for more « roady » tires.
I bought the same bike 5 month ago as I wanted Aluminum, so its more adventure proof.
They also just released a new version, with a more upright position, as gravel to be more on MTB side now, when it was more on the road bike side back ine the days (2 years ago lol). Might be more comfortable for long distance…
https://www.reddit.com/r/bikepacking/s/0FRKxAGAKs
Regardless of the bike, gear, terrain, hotels or tents, it used to all be called touring. Now some are calling it all bike packing and others say they’re two completely different things.
I have found that the people who have doing this for a really long time, like the cool 70 year old dudes with the big beard who have ridden everywhere, call it all bike touring. Those new to the sport are more likely to call it bikepacking.
Sorry, didn’t really answer your question about the bike, but if those mounts on the rear are advertised as rack mounts, then rear panniers should be good.
fun v/s fun
It’s like  comparing a bike ride with apples to a bike ride with oranges. Two completely different things.
You can totally load a grizl down, and it’s quite at home on mixed paved/gravel roads. It’s pretty much what the bike was made for.
You do want to be careful when strapping things to the forks, though. This is more of a manufacturing flaw in the Grizl than a problem with all carbon forks, but the fork eyelets are known to pop out when attaching something to them, even when torqued to the correct 2nm spec. Just be aware of that and be very gentle when mounting anything to them.
If you have boat loads of cash and a trust fund you can probably differentiate. If your pockets aren’t so deep, you’ll probably be mixing and matching. Go have funÂ
It’s just semantics. You can TOUR with any kind of bags. Extreme bikepackers that do narrow single track don’t like to use panniers usually. But you can tour with any combination of bags or panniers you like. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Doesn’t matter. Bags are bags. On tours i prefer back panniers. I just find them easier to pack and unpack. But then i have a combination of handlebar bags, frame bags etc. Create your own set up any way you want. Watch videos and get ideas what others use. It’s fun.
It’s not ideal for a super heavy load, but that just means you’ll have to be more selective about what you bring. Personally for me I would skip panniers (don’t trust them on aluminum frames) and go with a large frame bag, handlebar roll, and saddle bag. If you really want to bring cooking gear you could put it all in a 500mL pot and strap it to your handlebar roll, or invest in a full frame bag so you have plenty of room.
Your carbon forks have eyelets so you could always attach mini racks to them. And you can add a rear pannier if needed.
Imagine, I bikepacked through the Middle East on a folding bike with nobbies. So yeah, **ride what you got**
In my understanding (with all the caveats since I’m fairly new) and how I feel about the two concepts:
– Bike touring = A lot of panniers, a lot of gear and really long routes. Bicycles with rigid forks and steel frames to support all the load for longer periods of time. Mainly roads. “The journey is the destination” vibes.
– Bikepacking = Frame and saddle bags. Expensive, small, and cutting-edge gear to keep the weight to a minimum. Aluminum and converted gravel bikes. Routes wherever the shortest path takes you (the reason to avoid weight and bags that make the bike wider) and “following the challenge to get from point A to B as quickly as possible” vibes.
That bike will handle more than the rider can handle.Â
To me the difference between bike touring and bike packing aren’t in the bikes and panniers vs bags but in the goal.
Bike Touring goal: visiting different places via bike. Because the goal is the places, most travel is done on roads or paved trails for efficiency.
Bike packing: it’s more like backpacking where the journey is as important or maybe even more than the destination. Generally this leads to more scenic off the beaten path routes.
I have a 2023 grizl 6 aluminum and use it to bike pack (just did 8 days in France) with no issues. I have a rear rack with panniers and usually use two front fork cages for either strapping 10 L dry bags to (clothing usually) or sleeping pad/camp equipment. No issues or complaints. Have bike packed on and off road with it carrying backpacking gear (tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, etc) using the system described
I think it really depends on your set up and how you want to travel. If you’re going to carry a lot of gear, bike touring might be a better option.
I ride my gravel bike fully loaded on road, gravel and sometimes a bit of knarly stuff, I don’t care what it’s called. I enjoy it. I use a mix of rear panniers and bike packing bags on the front.
Maybe don’t ask Gemini. It has never gone on a bikepacking trip no ? Your bike can handle that and more. If it can handle a human on the saddle after all, 5-7kg of luggage won’t make a difference.
Nice bike !
That bike will do just fine with whatever you choose to hang unto it.
Its the same thing. Some people just like to think its not for reasons.
You are cycling over land to see places, experience things, carrying your home on your bike.
That’s it.
You can use whatever bike you want. Don’t get caught up in the marketing.
I just finished a tour of the Scottish Highlands with a 92 Cannondale Beast of the East.