From Cargo Dad to Gravel Dad: My New Rare Setup

Life as a dad is a constant balancing act. For the past year, my fitness has mostly come in the form of “utilitarian miles”—hauling my kid and the groceries around on my Urban Arrow. Don’t get me wrong, I love that cargo bike; it’s a total lifesaver for city life. But let’s be honest: it’s not exactly “exercise mode.”

This week, I finally reclaimed a bit of my pre-dad identity. I cleared some space in the garage, grabbed the tools, and finally assembled the Thule Chariot Sport 2.

The goal? Pairing it with my Canyon Grail CF SLX 8.

The Setup: A Rare Breed

If you’re a bike nerd, you know this isn’t exactly a standard configuration. Putting a high-end, carbon gravel racing machine like the Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 together with a premium child carrier is… well, rare.

• The Bike: The Grail CF SLX 8 is built for speed and efficiency. It’s light, stiff, and designed to fly over dirt and asphalt alike.
• The Connection: Attaching a trailer to a high-performance carbon frame requires precision. To make this work, I used a Robert Axle Project thru-axle. It’s the gold standard for swapping out stock axles to ensure a rock-solid, safe connection for the trailer hitch without risking the carbon stays.

Giving the Urban Arrow a Break

The Urban Arrow has earned a rest. It’s been my daily driver, but it doesn’t get the heart rate up the way a gravel bike does. By switching to the Thule Sport 2 / Grail combo, I’m turning my outings back into true training sessions.

Right now, I’ve got one passenger in the back, but with another little one arriving in March, I’m getting the “double-wide” setup dialed in early. Pulling a child in a Sport 2 behind a lightweight gravel bike is the ultimate resistance training. I get the responsiveness of a performance bike, but with enough weight on the back to make sure my legs are burning by the end of the climb.

Why the Thule Sport 2?

I went with the Sport 2 because I wanted the best for both current and future needs. Much like the Grail, it’s the top-tier version. It features hand-activated disc brakes—which are essential when you’re descending on a gravel bike with a trailer—and adjustable suspension. If I’m going to be back in exercise mode, I want the gear to keep up with the pace.

The Verdict

It feels incredible to be back on the Grail. The transition from “Cargo Dad” to “Gravel Dad” has officially begun. It’s about more than just the gear; it’s about finding that window to practice, sweat, and push myself again, all while my kid gets a front-row seat to the adventure.

If you see a rare-looking Canyon Grail pulling a sleek trailer on the trails this weekend, give me a wave—I’ll be the one breathing heavily and enjoying every second of it before the chaos of two kids begins in March!