I am new to this field. I am a MechE student and thus know a bit about composite materials. I woked on some parts myself, so no need to explain that or call it "high tech".
I relatively spontaneously bought a Canyon Grizl SL AXS ( https://www.canyon.com/de-de/gravel-bikes/adventure/grizl/cf-sl/grizl-cf-sl-6-axs/3696.html?dwvar_3696_pv_rahmenfarbe=R095_P11 ) for 2099€ and will receive it soon. I was also considering this one: https://www.focus-bikes.com/de_de/atlas-8-7 for about the same price. Those are good offers, for sure. But I am really wondering whether going with aluminium would have been the better choice. Maybe I decided too quickly. I can still return it for free, so I was wondering about your experience with this material during crashes. I don't want to ruin a new bike in a few years because of a crash or it falling over somewhere. I don't want to baybesit it everywhere and keep renewing protective foils after x-months. After all, the price is about half of my overall savings and such accidents happen. I remember of falling because of ice during winter abour 3 times and because of pedestrians about 2 times during the last 10 years.
– Have you destroyed a frame by having it fall over on something?
– Have you had mild crashes like the following, that caused structural damage? https://youtu.be/51eZ6rvpL4A?si=FN26TWm53i1jL5_4&t=204 https://www.instagram.com/p/DCwi0jZshNh/- Have you had hard crashes, that did NOT damage the frame?
I would be very thankful for some input. I might get the Grizl AL or any similar model for about 1500€ instead. I really liked the electronic shifting and the design of it, though.
My plan is to use this for a broad field of usecases. I previously had a 1997 Müsing Izalco (AL, 9kg, Ultegra equipped) road bike and loved it. It now just broka at too many places to repair economically viable. I like going on weekend rides, but I always felt limited and in danger of an accident by being restricted to highways and roads. I thus would like to take it on local agricaltural roads, that pass through fields and forests. Many of which are gravel. I could also imagine going down some singel trails with it. During the next holidays, I will try going bikepacking with it. This is why I chose the Grizl over the Grail. Yet only the Grail AL would have had the mounts for the convential "luggage rack".
by Narrow-Coyote-6257