Dropping a wad cash on a bike you’ve not even seen….

I have the Grail.  Bought

I have the Grail.  Bought unseen.  I’m happy with it but if you purchase the CF version with the carbon ‘double decker’ cockpit you should be very aware of the fact that there is NO possibility for adjustment of that cockpit.  None.  You can fiddle with the saddle position but that’s it.  It’ll either fit or it won’t.  I was lucky but in retrospect it was a very risky thing to do. 

Otoh a 10 minute test ride doesn’t give you all the info either.

Their size calculator is good if you’re an average build but be very, very cautious if by chance you’d fall exactly on the limit between two sizes.  They have an option to send the bike back for an exchange but that’s a lot of aggra.  Canyon gets you a lot of bike for your hard earned.  The only caveats are almost systematic delivery delays and an ignorant customer service.

No experience with the other two bikes.

I’ve spent without testing

I’ve spent without testing too.

Of your picks they are all very nice.. I’ve ridden a grail and liked it a lot. The handlebar thing might be marmite to some. However the weight on the Canyon for that kind of bike looks good,. with decent wheels and it comes with excellent tyres out of the box too. Three plus points over the others, but minus a point for customer service, no first hand experience, but of the many people I know who have had canyons, they all seem to have had some sort of issue or delay in getting a resolution when they’ve had issues. Also I’d question whether they are still using that awkward headset?

The Giant, I’ve seen and touched and honestly they seem good, I’d happily own and ride one, but they aren’t very exciting to look at, I think they look a bit odd with the compact frame and larger tyres.  However I ‘trust’ the brand of Giant more than most to put together an excellent bike at a good price.  Plus points for bike quality and warranty/service.

The Orbea I think ‘looks’ the best of the three, spec wise it’s as good as the others.. however I’m put off by their wheel upgrade option, having to spend another £150 to get the same wheels as the Canyon.  Plus point for simple looks. 

Having a bicycle that fits

Having a bicycle that fits you is going to make all the difference.  I once rode a Specialized Roubaix, and I found it to force me into a much more upright position than I normally ride.  Also, I didn’t like the feel of the brakes and shifters.  It might have been a great bike, but it didn’t fit me.  So I didn’t  buy the bike.

That said, every single bicycle I currently own was purchased without being ridden.  Actually, none of them could have been ridden because I built them up from frame sets.

But I know what my sizing range is, and I only buy a frame in that range.  And I have a strong preference in brakes and shifters.   And I have no problems swapping components to tailor the fit.

So, if you know what size frame and cockpit you want, buying from specs is just fine.  If you don’t, ask around and find someone who can tailor a bike to you.

I bought a frame online based

I bought a frame online based on matching up the geometry from a bike fit at a local bike shop I trusted. Still my Sunday best bike and I still love it.

Would have been very hard to return it, as I had to build it up to test it – helped that I had a reassuring second opinion from a very knowledgeable and trusted friend based on the data. He helped me put it together and reckoned it’s one of the best bikes he’s ever built.

If the worst happens, you can always sell it as a whole or strip it and swap the frame.

Canyon do test rides around
Canyon do test rides around the country at various points in the year, check out their website to see if any are convenient to you.

But as long as you get the right size, I doubt you’ll be disappointed (love mine!)

Before that I bought a Rose cx bike without seeing one in the flesh. Again, was a great purchase.

I once came into a fair bit

I once came into a fair bit of cash from share options in a small biotech company I worked for. I blew some of my ill gotten gains on a brand new Ducati 748 without even a test ride. About 200yds down the road after picking it up I was convinced that I had made a huge mistake, uncomfortable, heavy clutch, weird over the nose riding position but trade in would have cost £thousands so I was stuck with it. Hated it for about 1000 miles, then it started making sense, 18 years later it still lives in my garage but doesn’t get ridden much.

It has lasted better than my shares in the Biotech company which tanked pretty soon after and eventually became worthless.

Sorry, not much of a story and no help to the OP except maybe to say that purchasing as an object of desire can turn into a serious long term relationship if you are prepared to compromise.