The day has finally arrived!
Five days after assembly, it's time for the proper shakedown (first ride) of the TRIAERO GRARO.

It's been raining for days. I was worried about the weather right up until the last minute today, but luckily we were blessed with a beautiful blue sky.
In fact, it had been raining continuously from Tuesday, when I started editing the video, until Sunday. So, I was incredibly lucky to be able to go out for my first ride in such perfect conditions.

This isn't just a test ride.
It's a serious first ride to ascertain the "true capability" of this bike.

Thanks to the best partners

Kevin from Chroma Paint and Alexandre from Sa Roule are indispensable to this project.

For several years, I had a dream of building a bike from scratch with my own hands.
It was Kevin who suggested the custom paint job, and that's what made it happen.

If you're thinking about original paintwork or a custom bike just for you, be sure to check out their Instagram.
Both of them communicate carefully, and their work is truly superb. Their high reputation is evident from the reviews. And their prices are reasonable.

This bike was completed thanks to them.

First impressions of the integrated flared handlebars

The first thing I noticed when I started riding was the feeling of the handlebars.

This is my first time using integrated (combo) handlebars.
When I first got on it at home, I honestly felt a little uncomfortable, especially with the wide flare that spreads outwards.

Since the stem is integrated, the angle cannot be adjusted, making it a "fixed position."
I was a little worried at first.

But when I actually rode it, it felt surprisingly natural.
Now I ride with a very positive feeling.

High responsiveness and wheel presence

What I immediately felt when I started riding was how responsive it was.

It's light to start pedaling and accelerates quickly when you push down.
I feel the frame has quite high potential.

And the wheelset I'm using this time also plays a big role.
It elevates the overall sharpness of the bike by another notch.

Today, I'm mainly riding on flat canal-side routes, but I'm really looking forward to seeing how it performs on more technical unpaved roads.

Tire selection and winter difficulties

Currently, I'm using relatively slick 35mm tires.

These 35mm tires would be perfect for dry conditions in spring and summer.
However, it's been raining a lot lately, and the roads are quite muddy.

Honestly, I don't have the courage yet to plunge into deep mud with these narrow tires. I want to avoid falling.

Ideally, I'd like to have another wheelset with 40-45mm knobby gravel tires.

Currently, I'm using borrowed Zipp 404s, but they might be a bit too luxurious.
In the future, I plan to modify it to be able to ride through muddy winter roads without hesitation.

Current configuration and future evolution

The current setup is:

・Double chainring
・Road pedals

It's a fairly "road-oriented" specification.

This would be suitable for courses like long gravel rides or the Paris-Roubaix Challenge.
However, the beauty of this bike is its ability to evolve.

I'm currently considering converting to a single chainring and changing to SPD pedals.
I plan to update it to a more pure gravel specification.

After the first ride

I went through some muddy sections, and it gripped better than I expected.
It's always fun to push the limits.

Before I knew it, I was completely absorbed.

This series has covered parts introduction, paint, and assembly.
This riding segment brings a temporary close, but it's not the end.

I plan to provide a detailed review of the wheels and a final impression after riding it for a while.

The TRIAERO GRARO project will continue to evolve as I ride it.

Next time, on more serious off-road terrain.

See you then!