Valentino is two years old—three by Korean age reckoning. For our family, preparing for his first international race made this delivery feel especially meaningful. From opening the box to Dad assembling and adjusting each part, our preparations for Okinawa began to take shape as a bike.
Today we’re recording Tino’s first reaction to his new Rockfish bike and the setup we shared as a family.
His expression changed as soon as we opened the box
The colorful frame inside the box caught Tino’s attention right away. He looked closely, touched it with his small hands and tried lifting it himself. Seeing him smile at that mix of yellow, red and blue made the wait worthwhile.
At two years old, we don’t know how much the name Okinawa or the idea of an international race means to him yet. But his face made the excitement of meeting his new bike perfectly clear. As his parents, that is the part we’ll remember longest.
What we noticed before the ₩2.85 million reference price
A race bike for a two-year-old with a reference price of around ₩2.85 million may sound surprising. This figure is an illustrative conversion of the US$2,099 price listed for Rockfish’s GTR-Elite complete bike, using approximately ₩1,359 per dollar. It varies with exchange rates and configuration, and excludes shipping and import costs. It is not the amount we paid for Tino’s custom build or a Korean retail price.
For our family, this bike is a new practice partner as we prepare for Tino’s first international race. We are setting it up one part at a time, hoping he will enjoy riding it, build confidence and show what he has learned in Okinawa.
Now it’s Dad’s turn
Once Tino had finished exploring his new frame, I started the setup at the workbench. As the separate parts found their places, the bike gradually took shape.
I was excited too, watching the frame, fork, handlebar and wheels come together. Imagining this bike on the Okinawa start line made me care even more about each small detail.
Yellow grips and blue bar ends: a little more Tino
Yellow grips and blue bar ends completed the look. They echo the frame’s colors while making the handlebar stand out.
The video includes the process of fitting the grips. It was fun to see the bike become more Tino’s own with every small addition. Even after assembly, we’ll keep adjusting the saddle height and handlebar position as we watch him ride.
Toward Okinawa, together with this bike
Seeing the finished bike made his first international race feel a little more real. Tino will now get familiar with it, practise his starts and gradually develop his feel for corners.
I hope this Rockfish bike becomes a dependable partner for his Okinawa challenge. Finding a setup that fits, practising repeatedly and lining up on a familiar bike should help him feel more confident.
Of course, we’ll work hard toward a good performance. I want to see Tino start with confidence, show what he has practised and ride hard all the way to the finish. If he also shares the track with new friends and comes home smiling, that experience will be a meaningful success for our family too.
We’ll hold on to the smile he showed beside the box today and keep recording our practice and the journey to his first international race.
Road to Okinawa. Cheer Tino on as he prepares for his next start.
Watch the journey from unboxing to finished bike
We’ve put together the moment he opens the box, his first time holding the frame, Dad’s setup and the completed bike in one short video.
What do you think of Tino’s yellow grips and blue bar ends? Tell us in the Naver blog comments or on Instagram, and follow the journey to Okinawa.
This is Valentino’s balance-bike story with VRT Korea. For parts and setup enquiries, visit our main website below.