…was yesterday, actually, but today I was able to take it out for a first proper spin.
Van Rysel Triban GRVL AF GRX 2×12 – it wasn't initially the bike I was planning to get, as I had my eyes set on Trek Checkpoint ALR 4, but I ordered the VR on a slightly better deal (because reasons), and decided to keep it, given a better groupset and despite its slightly bigger weight.
Size L, fully stock for now, aside from conversion to tubeless and the spd pedals.
by k0nfuse
3 Comments
Congrats!
A few initial impressions after a ~26km ride on a mix of surfaces:
– After ~10 years of riding exclusively single speed bikes, the 2×12 drivetrain and cadence-based pedaling are quite an adjustment. It will be some time before I get the most out of it, but I am already enjoying it a lot!
– The geometry feels really nice and stable, definitely less nimble than my ’80s bianchi frame or the polo bike, but much more confident downhill and in the rough – even more planted and ‘on the rails’ than I expected.
– 40c Terra Trails dropped to ~2 bars were quite comfortable across different terrain – I rode through a combo of quite loose and rocky gravel, hardpack dirt tracks, differing quality of tarmac roads and bike lanes. Sure, It was not as smooth as the suspension bike would be, but still ok, and plenty fast.
– It feels a bit short coming from the slightly oversized bianchi nuova alloro frameset (61×59), but I am confident that a slight underbiking (being 187 tall I was right between L and XL sizes) was a good choice, as I finally can ride on the hoods comfortably.
I will probably test out a longer stem (100mm) at some point, or get a proper bike fitting session to adjust the setup fully.
For now the only adjustment I really need to do is leveling the saddle, as I hadn’t noticed a slight downward angle before heading out, and was sliding a bit to the front constantly, adding to the “short” feeling.
– The bike looks really classy and somewhat understated with this glossy black paint and minimal beige/gold decals, but boy, does it get dusty! On the upside, it will probably lead me to cleaning it more often and better maintenance overall :D.
Honestly I would probably have picked the off-white colorway of the Apex 1×12 config if it was possible, but the black looks fine as well and will likely only grow on me.
Planned/considered mods and upgrades:
– I already have full fenders (Bontrager NCS) ready for the daily commutes in the coming months.
– I will definitely swap out the bartape for something nicer (the stock is a cheap cork/foam one) as soon as it starts show any wear or tear – I have a spare Fizik Tempo Microtex Bondcush Classic that will do nicely I think.
– If I decide to lenghten the stem, I will likely hunt for a decent deal on a carbon one for that extra bit of dampening.
– Same for the seatpost – I will definitely be on a lookout for a deal on carbon.
– I might swap out the chainring to the 1x one and get rid of the FD down the line if I notice I rarely use the extreme gears.
I don’t see myself switching over to the “proper” stock 1×12 GRX drivetrain though, as that would mean new cassette, RD and a freehub body, if not a whole wheel.
– I will definitely consider getting a second set of wheels for pure road rides, and a general upgrade to carbon rims, but that’s probably way down the line