Over the weekend in Daun, Germany an all-new prototype Canyon x DT Swiss short-travel gravel suspension fork was noticed racing on some muddy tracks and rocks. And fortunate for us, a photographer buddy of Bikerumor was there capturing the race, and despatched us over some wonderful Spy Photographs.
So what do we all know?
Canyon x DT Swiss race-ready gravel suspension fork proto
At German gravel nats in Daun – which occurs to be simply 70km from Canyon HQ in Koblenz – Peter Schermann of the Embrace The World gravel crew sponsored by Canyon, raced a considerably camouflaged DT Swiss gravel suspension fork. He nonetheless races the Canyon crew dazzle camo paint job of sponsored athletes earlier than the present Grail formally launched final summer time. However now he has a brand new suspension fork with a brand new sort of more-handwritten Canyon camo patterning.
Of observe, there’s a definite label on the underside of the prototype fork’s crown calling it a Canyon product (designed or engineered?) by DT Swiss. That’s key as it would possible be an unique to a Canyon gravel bike, at the least at first. However it seems to be very very similar to a DT Swiss suspension product, consistent with their earlier mountain bike fork designs.
Now let’s simply begin off with a fast assertion that, we don’t have official particulars in any respect but. And almost definitely this isn’t hitting the market too quickly. It’s the primary and solely occasion we’ve heard about of this new fork, and it’s on a stable racer, however not one actually preventing on the entrance for the rostrum. This seems to be loads like Canyon & DT Swiss amassing efficiency and sturdiness information in a real-world racing state of affairs to us.
Tech particulars
After all, most notable is the reverse arch design… similar to we see on Fox’s newest light-weight XC & gravel forks because the Manitou patent has opened up. What we are able to surmise based mostly on zooming and measuring how the bike sat initially of the race with Schermann leaning on the bar… I’d guess that this prototype Canyon x DT Swiss gravel suspension fork presents 40mm of journey, with 30mm stanchions.
We additionally see a distant lockout, with controls both wi-fi or mechanical routed internally to a lever that Schermann has mounted on the left-hand drop of his handlebar. And entrance brake line routing that comes out of the again of the fork crown. Plus, there are bolts on the base of both aspect of the arch, possibly for a fender mount, maybe?
The prototype DT gravel fork options the identical fashion of built-in covers on either side of the fork crown like we first noticed on their unique 535 One all-mountain fork. After which, there’s an analogous cutout within the stepped decrease left leg to offer entry to a rebound damping adjuster like their 232 One XC fork.
Canyon x DT Swiss gravel fork timeline?
We reached out to DT Swiss for a remark they usually did then truly admit that it’s a new gravel fork they’re engaged on. They usually even verify what the label on the fork crown says – it’s “a co-development” between Canyon & DT. However past that almost all primary degree, it was extra of a ‘no remark’ sort response, acknowledging ongoing product growth and real-world testing within the suspension realm. No official remark but from Canyon.