We took the Hammer & Cycle All Roads out on its maiden journey today. We went hunting for dirt and mud. Unfortunately, Winter still has its clutches on our trails and dirt paths. We did find a small section of the Minuteman trail to at least kiss the dirt and mud with our tires. 
It wouldn't be a proper ride on an All Roads without riding some dirt! Its been a cruel Winter. As the snow banks recede they are leaving a wake of potholes, sand and road debris. The first impression I had on the bike was just how smooth the ride was. With 40 mm tires I didn't even really need to avoid the potholes. Sure I instinctively did so to avoid a flat or dinging a rim but it was mostly unnecessary. This bike was built around Shimano's new Hydro road disc brakes. The levers and brakes are mated to a Di2 Ultegra group. Both performed flawlessly. The lever action was light, the stopping power firm but not overpowering.
The two words that com
e to mind are stable and smooth. Two great traits for a bike built for long days in the saddle riding all manner of road and trail. This is not an overbuilt cross bike. It rides very much like the road bikes we all used to have before "race" bikes influenced the geometry of the modern road machine that is built more for office park crits than all day riding on broken surfaces. Di2 shifting is on a whole other level at this point. Smooth, silent and shifts across the cassette with a flick of a finger or knuckle.
Spring is coming. And to say we can't wait to ride this bike all day with good friends is an understatement. This bike is is going to get a lot of action in the next couple of months. The Ronde de Rosey, Divereged, Rasputitsa.
Look for a more in-depth posting in the coming weeks!