Anyone who has seriously tried to build a gravel bike must have thought this at least once:

"In the end, seeking high performance makes it incredibly expensive."
"Choosing a famous brand offers peace of mind, but the frame alone costs hundreds of thousands of yen."
"If I try to keep the price down, I worry if the quality and design are truly reliable."

I myself have been riding both road and gravel bikes for many years, but finding a frame that offers the "triple threat of satisfactory performance, design, and price" is honestly quite difficult.

That's why I started this "Gravel Project."
The theme is simple:

"Can a gravel bike capable of directly competing with professional-level bikes be built using only parts from 100% Chinese brands?"

And the "core" I chose for this project was the
ICAN TRIAERO GRARO Carbon Gravel Frame.

Let me get straight to the point.
This is not a "frame to choose because it's cheap."
It's a "frame to choose because it makes sense."

Why I chose the ICAN Graro

I had been paying attention to ICAN's design philosophy for a while.
The reason is simple: "What they do is unusually serious for the price."

The Graro is clearly different from the so-called "cheap open-mold frames."
There is clear intent and future potential in its design, materials, and standard choices.

Moreover, ICAN is not just a gravel-specific manufacturer.
The Quick Pro R1 road frame, born from the same factory,
has a proven track record, with young rider Harry Ozon winning the Junior World Championship on it.

This means that
"carbon technology for winning races" is
seriously being applied to gravel frames as well.

Generously using professional-level carbon materials

"Lower price = mediocre materials"
This preconceived notion does not apply to the Graro.

The ICAN TRIAERO Graro utilizes Toray's high-modulus carbon, differentiated by area.

• Toray T1000
  → Used around the bottom bracket and in high-stress areas. Ensures high rigidity and responsiveness.

• Toray T800 / T700
  → Balances overall frame weight and vertical compliance.

This combination
achieves both "rigidity that propels you forward when you pedal" and "a ride that is less fatiguing over long periods."

Looking at the specs alone,
they are equivalent to, or even surpass, those of high-end brand frames.
The fact that this is available at this price point is honestly quite shocking.

Even custom paint, as a "treat," is available

Another major appeal of the Graro is the freedom of paint customization.

With major brands,
it's common to hear "only these two colors this year" or "please wait until next year."
Such restrictions are standard.

However, ICAN has its own paint factory and is very flexible with custom orders.

• Replica colors in the style of pro teams

• Matte finish, gloss finish

• Completely original designs

• There even exists a frame with a "cat illustration"

I personally chose a glossy gray and black finish in the end,
but even just browsing Instagram, I'm amazed by the sheer number of options.

"I want to value not just performance, but also the joy of ownership."
This is undoubtedly a point that will resonate with Japanese cyclists.

Cable routing designed for both aerodynamics and serviceability

Fully internal cables look beautiful, but
everyone has experienced the nightmare of servicing them.

The Graro adopts the Blade R handlebar system.
This design bundles the cables within the handlebars and processes them just before entering the head tube.

This results in:

• A clean appearance

• Significantly easier maintenance than fully internal routing

• Practical for bike travel and position changes

This is a very well-balanced design.

Honestly, the size variations (combinations of stem length and handlebar width)
are a bit quirky, but I highly commend the "internal routing design that considers the user."

Fully equipped with the latest standards for future compatibility

The Graro looks not only at "now" but also at "the future."

● T47 BB (86mm)

• High rigidity

• Threaded, so fewer problems

• Extremely low risk of creaking

● SRAM UDH Compatible

• Compatible with the latest 12-speed / 13-speed drivetrains

• SRAM T-Type (full-mount RD) is also within view

● Max 45mm tire clearance

• Gravel racing

• Long rides

• Bike packing

• Even cyclocross use with 33mm tires is possible

It's a true all-rounder that can handle multiple roles.

What about the actual weight?

I'm quite particular about weight.
So, I measured everything myself.

(※ Including thru-axles, hangers, and all bolts)

• Frame: approx. 1170g

• Fork: 535g

• Blade R Handle: 360g

• Seatpost: 150g

The fork has many bolt holes for bikepacking,
so some might feel it's "a bit heavy for race use only."

However, even with that taken into account,
the frame weight is clearly in the high-end class.

No compromise on internal finish either

What truly differentiates carbon frames is the invisible interior.

Although I couldn't use the endoscope effectively,
visually inspecting the bottom bracket and head tube areas showed:

• No resin pooling

• No burrs

• Very clean internal walls

I received no impression that it was "sloppy because it's cheap."

Summary: The era of "cheap Chinese carbon" is over

The ICAN TRIAERO Graro stands completely apart from being "chosen for its price."

• Professional-level carbon materials

• Full compatibility with the latest standards

• Practical design

• Added value of custom paint

Considering these points,
I feel that the era of "uncertainty without a famous brand" is definitely coming to an end.

Next, I plan to fully assemble this Graro as a complete bike
and thoroughly test it in races and demanding rides.

The question is,
is there still a reason to pay hundreds of thousands of yen for a "brand premium"?

For now, my answer is almost NO.

▶ For those considering the ICAN Graro frame

• You don't want to compromise on carbon performance

• You want to be compatible with future parts standards

• You want to build your own unique bike

For such Japanese cyclists,
the Graro is definitely worth serious consideration.