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For our Issue 007, we absolutely had to feature someone a little out of the ordinary. Dany Maffeïs is one of those cyclists who can do just about anything: ride fast—on the road, on the track, or on gravel—understand the equipment, prepare for a race, talk about nutrition, and, above all, find a solution when others start looking for excuses. Having served in the French Army in the early 2010s alongside Julian Alaphilippe, he remains a stalwart of the French amateur peloton today. Now leading the Gravel Crit Series, he has built a machine around his Berria Naii that reflects who he is: fast, versatile, thoughtfully designed down to the last detail, and never quite set in stone.
By Jeff Tatard – © Photos: 3bikes.fr
For some cyclists, choosing a bike takes weeks. Comparisons, Excel spreadsheets, second thoughts, going back to the first choice, then more second thoughts. With Dany Maffeïs, it can happen much faster.
Two years ago, during a seminar at Berria, he test-rode the new Naii. A few kilometers were all it took. “I want one.”
The funny thing is that even before he had it, Dany already knew which parts he was going to replace. The bike arrived, and the modifications were made immediately.
That’s pretty typical of him. Dany knows his way around a bike; he’s been riding long enough and at a high enough level to know exactly what he wants. And when he doesn’t know, he usually figures it out. Even at 11 p.m. on a Saturday night when his alarm is set for 5:30 a.m. the next day.
Maffeïs. Dany Maffeïs. For a #007, we probably couldn’t have found anyone better. Welcome to 3bikes’ Bike Check #007.
What? What kind of bike do you ride?
A Berria Naii—but more importantly, Dany Maffeïs’s Berria Naii. And that distinction matters.
Because while the frame is obviously the starting point, almost everything around it bears the owner’s personal touch. Not necessarily out of extravagance, but because Dany already had his setup in mind even before he received the bike.
Why? Why this bike?
Because it didn’t take Dany very long to make up his mind. “During a seminar at Berria two years ago, we tried out this new model. I fell in love with it right away!” There was no long deliberation behind the choice of frame. The Naii’s performance on the trail won him over.
The build, on the other hand, was much more carefully thought out. “Even before I assembled it, I already had in mind which parts to replace. I did that right away.”
That’s probably what sets this bike apart from a simple high-end build. Dany didn’t set out to pile on the most expensive components or replicate a setup he’d seen elsewhere. Above all, he knew exactly how he wanted his bike to perform.
Lightweight. Dynamic. Fast. But versatile enough that he wouldn’t have to decide in the morning what kind of gravel riding he’d be able to do.
Because Dany comes from road and track cycling. He knows what it means to push the gears, maintain speed, and seek efficiency. Gravel riding hasn’t erased that background. It’s simply given him a much bigger playground.
How? How did you build it?
This is perhaps where the bike gets the most interesting. A 48-tooth chainring up front and a 10-46 cassette in the back let you maintain a high gear ratio when riding very fast without making the bike unusable when the terrain levels out.
The SRAM Red XPLR handles the drivetrain, the SRAM sensor tracks the watts, and CeramicSpeed keeps friction in the bottom bracket to a minimum.
Up front, the choice immediately catches your eye: a Bontrager RSL one-piece cockpit that’s 130 mm long and just 39 cm wide. Long, narrow, aggressive—these two numbers alone say a lot about how Dany approaches his gravel riding. The handlebar setup says almost everything about Dany’s background as a road and track cyclist: seeking an efficient, compact, and aerodynamic position rather than turning the handlebars into mountain bike-style bars.
Add a Fizik saddle, Zéfal bottle cages, a purple Lizard Skins handlebar tape, a K-Edge computer mount, Look X-Track Race Carbon pedals, and above all, that Yaban Gold chain—which brings just the right amount of unapologetic bad taste to become indispensable.
But lately, it’s the wheels that really catch the eye.
ENVE G 6.7 Pro wheels. Tall—very tall for gravel—and clearly not chosen to turn the Naii into a climber. Their spectacular rim depth almost changes the bike’s personality. Dany admits it himself: with these wheels, the Naii loses a little of its versatility. “These are wheels made for riding super fast. On hills, that’s not really to their advantage.”
And in the photos, covered in dust with its number 151 still attached, the bike certainly doesn’t look like a machine set up for a photo shoot. It looks like a race bike that’s just finished a race.
And that’s precisely what makes it interesting. Because Dany doesn’t claim that every component represents the perfect compromise. He tailors his bike to what he wants to do with it. With the G 6.7 Pro, the focus has simply been shifted heavily toward efficiency and speed.
We asked him what his favorite part was. His answer actually sums up his way of thinking pretty well: “I don’t really have a favorite part. I really like the whole package. I think it’s super cool. ” So Dany’s favorite component is his bike. And when you think about it, that makes perfect sense.
So what? How does it perform out on the trail?
Three words: Light. Dynamic. Ultra-versatile. And when we ask Dany to name the main flaw of his Naii, the answer comes immediately: “For me, this bike really has zero flaws.” So we have to look elsewhere.
The only caveat comes from its current setup with the ENVE G 6.7 Pro wheels. It’s not the bike itself: the wheels are so speed-oriented that they naturally make the whole setup less effective when the climb gets steep.
As for the rest? “It doesn’t matter how you ride it.” That’s probably the best way to describe this Naii. On fast-rolling gravel, its 48-tooth chainring, riding position, and ENVE wheels really shine.
When the terrain gets rougher, the Naii remains versatile enough to keep going. And when it’s time to simply ride fast, Dany is the one riding it.
This isn’t entirely coincidental: after years on the road, on the track, and among the top amateurs, Maffeïs has adapted perfectly to gravel. He currently leads the Gravel Crit Series, proof that both the rider and the bike are here for more than just discussing gear over coffee.
His rating? 8.5/10.
That might seem almost harsh for a guy who just told us his bike had no flaws.
But with Dany, a bike can apparently be flawless and still lose a point and a half. 007 is still 007.
Will someone steal it from you tomorrow? Will you buy an exact replacement?
This is usually where we force the owner to make a decision. This time, someone beat us to it. No one stole the Berria.
But its replacement has already been announced. “It wasn’t stolen… but the next one will arrive within a month.” And that next bike will be the new Ridley Kanzo 2.0. That makes the answer much more interesting than a simple yes or no.
Dany loves his Naii. He finds absolutely nothing wrong with it; he thinks it’s light, dynamic, and ultra-versatile, and gives it an 8.5 out of 10…
…and yet he’s still moving on to the next one.
It’s not really a contradiction. It’s probably another defining trait of his: understanding what works never stops him from wanting to try what comes next.
So the Berria hasn’t been beaten. It’s simply going to have to make way.
Dany’s Bike Check
A quick note from Dany: “I don’t really have a favorite component. I really like the whole setup—I think it’s super cool.” Dany gives it an 8.5/10. What does he love? Ultimately, not a single component but the overall balance of his build. What annoys him? Nothing enough for him to call it a flaw. And yet, contrary to what one might expect after such a review, he won’t be buying the exact same one again: his next gravel bike is already on its way. |
Same concept. A different bike.
One bike. Four photos. Four questions. Four answers. Bike Check, the 3bikes series that’s less interested in what a brand says about a bike than in the reasons why its owner chose to ride it.
=> To learn all about the components on Anthony’s bike: BERRIA BIKES
=> And here, if you want to check out all our other Bike Checks: All Our Bike Checks
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