The "luxurious ride quality" was real. — Four staff members tried riding the CICLORE Around Ti
How the Around Ti came to our shop
I first saw the CICLORE at a morning ride held in conjunction with Cycle Mode Tokyo. A CICLORE staff member was among the participants, and that's where I first saw the actual bike.
(You can see what happened then on Grumpy's YouTube channel.)
Later, at BIKELAND Onomichi, another CICLORE staff member came to Grumpy's booth riding the Around Ti, which is the bike I'm introducing this time. This was our second encounter.
I asked if I could borrow it, and they readily agreed. So, I took them up on their offer, brought it back to the shop, and we all took turns riding it and reviewing it for a while. That's the story behind this article.
At Grumpy, we have already ordered the Urban and Gravel models of the CICLORE Around series as stock items. We are currently undecided between the Gravel and the Ti for the test ride bike.
The Around Ti: This Kind of Bike
CICLORE is a bicycle brand that aims to create "companions ('Buddy') that you can be with for a long time." Based on the concepts of "small adventures in the extension of everyday life" and "the joy of riding," and the philosophy of "nurturing your beloved bike," these bikes are built to last.
Among them, the Around series is a product line that focuses on metal frames such as titanium and chromoly. The Around Ti, which we are introducing this time, is the high-end model that uses titanium material.
CICLORE positions the Around Ti as follows:
"Road bike-level performance with the casualness of a minivelo," "a luxurious ride," and "a unique presence in the market."
It's a bike that intentionally uses a non-folding frame, sacrificing the folding mechanism for riding performance. The handlebars, wheels, and parts are all standard specifications, making it a versatile base for customization—that's the official self-introduction.
The price is ¥385,000 (tax included).
Three Reasons We Wanted to Handle It
1. Easy to handle: Elevators and indoor storage are no problem
Because it's a small-wheel bike, it has a short wheelbase, so it easily fits in apartment elevators. It's also a size that doesn't get in the way for indoor storage.
If you live on an upper floor of an apartment, it can often be quite a hassle to bring a full-size bike into your home. The practical question of "where to put it when you're not riding it" becomes a significant factor. The Around Ti clears this hurdle from the start.
As CICLORE itself states with its concepts of "nurturing your beloved bike" and "an extension of everyday life," for a bike to be touched daily, maintained, and enjoyed for a long time, it must first and foremost fit properly in your home. Being able to effortlessly incorporate the satisfaction of owning a titanium bike into your daily life is a significant practical advantage.
2. Rides well: It flipped our "minivelo perception"
Until now, we've honestly never had much interest in small-wheel bikes. While they are easy to handle, we had a vague impression that the "ride quality was a bit...", meaning they might be good for city riding but not the kind of vehicle you "enjoy riding" like a road bike.
However, after test riding the Around Ti—our perception was completely flipped.
The official description states that the Around Ti possesses "road bike-level performance with the casualness of a minivelo." If we hadn't ridden it, we might have thought, "Isn't that an exaggeration?" But it's true. To everyone on staff, the first impression was "surprisingly good." The official tagline "luxurious ride" also felt justified once we rode it.
Climbing is surprisingly easy.
Perhaps due to the combination of small wheels and the lightness of titanium, it climbs hills well. The 8.1kg weight also contributes.
Descents are a bit unstable (compared to 700C)
This is a characteristic common to all mini velos, rather than just the frame, but the steering becomes a bit unstable at higher speeds. However, this is only in comparison to 700C, and it still rides well in normal conditions.
3. Reasonable: A complete titanium set, with this equipment, for ¥385,000
Titanium frame + carbon fork + carbon wheels + carbon handlebars + hydraulic disc brakes – all this for a complete bike at ¥385,000 (tax included).
A titanium frame alone can be quite expensive in this category. This price is, I believe, in the affordable range.
The Around Series Lineup and How Grumpy Handles It
CICLORE officially positions the Around as a series "focused on metal frames such as titanium and chromoly." It's tiered by material, with a lineup that includes an entry-level Urban, followed by Gravel, and then Ti.
| Model | Price | Material / Condition | How Grumpy handles it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Around Urban (GLOSSY SLATE / TYRIAN PURPLE / LODEN GREEN) | ¥165,000 | Chromoly | Ordered for stock |
| Around Gravel (ORANGE PEEL / BLUE HOUR) | ¥198,000 | Chromoly | Ordered for stock / Test ride bike candidate |
| Around Ti (This article) | ¥385,000 | Titanium | Flagship / Test ride bike candidate |
| Around CHERUBIM | ¥572,000 | Collaboration with builder Shinichi Konno | — |
A Closer Look at Each Part
The official description of the Around Ti can be summarized as a bike that "intentionally chose a non-folding structure for improved riding performance." At the same time, it states that the "frame is designed with standard specifications, allowing for extensive customization with many aftermarket parts," highlighting its versatility as a customization base.
Frame: Distinctive Rear Triangle
The rear triangle is where the bike's character shines through the most. The segmented seat stays are visually striking, and the top tube features the "Around Ti" engraving plus the CICLORE logo. The butted tubes are an original design specifically for this model.
According to the official statement, titanium as a material is "not as sharp as high-modulus carbon or mega-tube aluminum, nor is it as laid-back as typical chromoly." The reason Around Ti chose titanium is to hit that "sweet spot" between carbon and chromoly, as explained.
Front side. Cables are internally routed through the frame.
Front Section: Wide Tires + Carbon Fork
The carbon fork with rack mounts is paired with SCHWALBE BILLY BONKERS 20(406) x 2.0 tires. It can accommodate up to 2.3", and is also compatible with 20-451 inch-up, offering considerable versatility.
Cockpit: Semi-riser bars for a relaxed position
It features flat mount + thru-axle, allowing for customizability such as conversion to drop bars.
Brakes: Flat Mount + Thru-Axle
Rear brake details. Hydraulic disc (flat mount), rotor, thru-axle. The tire sidewall shows "406CDB".
Drivetrain: Key Components are CICLORE Original
Rear. Shimano R7000 series, 11-speed external (1×11s). In the official words, it's a "Shimano R7000 1×11 set that can cover everything from city streets to gravel."
The crankset is a CICLORE original two-piece aluminum design.
Equipped with a standard center stand mount.
Finally, check the numbers (from the official Japanese website ciclore.co.jp)
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Price | ¥385,000 (tax included) |
| Frame Material | 3AL-2.5V Titanium (Original Butted Tubing) |
| Fork | Original Carbon UD |
| Weight | 8.1 kg |
| Size | One size (suitable for heights 158-180cm) |
| Standard Tires | SCHWALBE BILLY BONKERS 20(406) × 2.0 |
| Compatible Tire Width | Max 20(406) × 2.3 / Compatible with 20-451 inch-up |
| Tire Valve | Schrader valve |
| Drivetrain | Shimano R7000 External 11-speed (1×11s) |
| Brakes | Hydraulic disc brakes (flat mount) / Thru-axle |
| Crank | Original aluminum 2-piece |
| Handlebar | Carbon semi-riser bar |
| Seatpost Diameter | Φ31.6mm |
| Other | Equipped with center stand mount / Segmented seat stays |
So, what's the bottom line?
The CICLORE Around Ti is a high-end titanium mini-velo that the official brand proclaims to be a "game-changer in the mini-velo concept." After four people rode it, we concluded that it definitely lives up to its ¥385,000 price tag.
True to CICLORE's philosophy of being a "companion you can be with for a long time," the handlebars, wheels, and parts adhere to standard specifications. This makes it an excellent base for "nurturing" through later upgrades like handlebar replacements or wheel changes.
At Grumpy, we've already ordered the Urban and Gravel models for stock. Our current dilemma is which one to make the test ride bike—we're torn between the Around Gravel and the Around Ti. If you have any opinions on "which one you'd prefer as a test ride bike," we welcome your input. Whichever we decide, we'll let you know again.