Author Topic: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac  (Read 6579 times)

designer1

Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« on: April 21, 2020, 11:38:56 AM »
So, i've decided to build a winter bike, using a Chinese carbon frame as the basis for the build.

I would like something that resembles the Sworks SL6 Tarmac preferably with BB386 b/bracket.  Thinking comfortable and practical.
The Velobuild VB-R-086 looks like a good deal and ticks all the boxes.
Only thing which niggles me is that the inner & outer cables run internally through the frame.
http://www.velobuildmall.com/2019-velobuild-own-deisgn-carbon-fiber-aero-road-frame-28c-tire-p0113.html

Ive also noticed this which looks similar to the venge
http://www.velobuildmall.com/2017-toray-800-carbon-fiber-aero-road-frame-vb-r-068-hot-sale-p0097.html
Which looks like the inner cables only run internally.
BSA B/B - nice option.

If anyone has any experiences with these i'd appreciate their input, bike or Velobuild wise...
Equally any other recommendations would be superb.

Many thanks in advance.



designer1

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2020, 03:36:04 AM »
Well, I took the plunge and went for the 068 in the end.

May well do a build thread on it - if theres any interest?

Chris @ Velobuild has been great thus far, I also purchased some wheels from him too NSW 454 clinchers.

Id ideally like the Venge cockpit on it, anyone got any Chinese experience with the Venge stem and Aerofly 2 bars? Any links would be brilliant!

Thanks

mtbluvr68

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2020, 08:06:13 AM »
This has become my full time frame. I built a Tideace frame , FM-R185  bought on eBay,  they were very easy to deal with ,  i got XL frame , 59 cm, fits perfect, came with bb 386  and headset both fit well. I had it partially painted with decals to match and all shipped to USA for $500.00 which was $425.00 for the bike and $75.00 for painting and decals,  all in matte.  And no tariff in USA.  Took about 30 days from order date to receive.
I have TRP hy/rd flat mount brakes on it, 160 mm in front and 140 mm in back, these are  cable actuated hydraulic brake, love the brakes.  Set up  1X11 ,  50 11/28 right now.
It also has toseek carbon stem, toseek carbon bar 440mm and Light Bicycle 56 mm wheels with schwalbe pro one tires 700X28 running tubeless with Pillar bladed spokes 28 hole and novatec 791/792 hubs, both are bolt thru and cable with the thru axles, 12X100 and 12X142.   I haven't weighed it but its light.  All the rest of drive train is shimano 105.  I use shimano spd pedals and have a Fabric Cell saddle. 
The only issue to date has been the aero seat post.  I found by putting a layer of thin tape once around the frame that gives removes any play and slippage coupled with good fiber grip paste, i like both Park tool and finish line.  Most bikes both big manufacturer and open mold with aero posts deal with slippage problems. 
2021 Tan Tan Seraph FM027  w/Light Bicycle wheels(XC)
2022 Marin Rift Zone 3 w/ elite wheels (trail)
2021 Tideace FMR185 w/Light Bicycle Wheels (road)
2023  Chasing Wind w/ elite wheels (Gravel)

designer1

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2020, 11:11:38 AM »
Bike looks great - like the attention to detail.

Mine should arrive pretty soon - although things are taking longer than usual with everything that's going on at the moment (C-19).

Icyseanfitz

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2020, 10:57:18 AM »
I have had my 068 for just over a year now, love the bike, only issue I had with it was a slipping seat post. Tried everything to stop it from carbon paste, sandpaper, toothpaste, sanding the post up a bit, until eventually I just glued it with gorilla glue. Hasn't moved since :D other than that one issue the bike is perfect. And I'm around 210lbs so no lightweight either.

cyclemadkiwi

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2020, 03:20:55 PM »
I have had my 068 for just over a year now, love the bike, only issue I had with it was a slipping seat post. Tried everything to stop it from carbon paste, sandpaper, toothpaste, sanding the post up a bit, until eventually I just glued it with gorilla glue. Hasn't moved since :D other than that one issue the bike is perfect. And I'm around 210lbs so no lightweight either.
A trick I saw was to wrap a piece of plastic around it, the soft type that you get from the packaging of a set of sheets, it's a soft rubbery type plastic and works a treat. Saw it on a youtube review of another chinese frame.

Having read this thread, I too have taken the plunge and bought the 068 frame, Chris was very helpful and prompt with his emails. Can't wait to get it, will detail my build here too!

cyclemadkiwi

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2020, 09:51:08 PM »
Well, I took the plunge and went for the 068 in the end.

May well do a build thread on it - if theres any interest?

Chris @ Velobuild has been great thus far, I also purchased some wheels from him too NSW 454 clinchers.

Id ideally like the Venge cockpit on it, anyone got any Chinese experience with the Venge stem and Aerofly 2 bars? Any links would be brilliant!

Thanks

Have you got your frame yet? Very interested to know how it goes! Hoping mine arrives in the next week or 2. Got a wicked paint job designed up for it. :-)

cyclemadkiwi

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2020, 05:19:30 AM »
Well I got my VeloBuild VB-R-068 Frame set a few weeks ago......today I went racing on it, it was bloody awesome!
I got the matt black 54cm frame (I'm 1.8m / 5'11") and the fit was great. I stripped the matt black back to raw carbon on the forks and left the frame. Wet saned the whole frame and did my own custom paint job (Courtesy of Martin Grey's Etoe Youtube channel) and the result was awesome. From AliExpress I got the saddle, wheelset (50mm x 25mm carbon rims) Ultegra Crankset and brakes, Carbon bars with integral stem, Bar tape, shifter cable set, BB109 Ceramic Bottom bracket and from NZ online off Facebook (Bikeshelf) second hand near new Ultegra shifters and derailleurs. After about 40 hours work doing the custom paint job I put this all together and came in at a very nice 7.7kg ready to race.

I did see a review that said it was not very exciting/responsive but I have to disagree....it was agile and a real rocket ship on the downhills...very stable at 61+ Kph. I did however have to make a 3mm washer for the headset to work properly and pack the outer ring of the top headset bearing with ptfe thread tape to give it a nice snug fit.

Chris@velobuild was awesome to deal with and replied same day to all emails I sent him, I cant recommend this frame and Velobuild website more highly. Very impressed overall.

YEEPYEEP

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2020, 07:33:11 PM »
Well I got my VeloBuild VB-R-068 Frame set a few weeks ago......today I went racing on it, it was bloody awesome!
I got the matt black 54cm frame (I'm 1.8m / 5'11") and the fit was great. I stripped the matt black back to raw carbon on the forks and left the frame. Wet saned the whole frame and did my own custom paint job (Courtesy of Martin Grey's Etoe Youtube channel) and the result was awesome. From AliExpress I got the saddle, wheelset (50mm x 25mm carbon rims) Ultegra Crankset and brakes, Carbon bars with integral stem, Bar tape, shifter cable set, BB109 Ceramic Bottom bracket and from NZ online off Facebook (Bikeshelf) second hand near new Ultegra shifters and derailleurs. After about 40 hours work doing the custom paint job I put this all together and came in at a very nice 7.7kg ready to race.

I did see a review that said it was not very exciting/responsive but I have to disagree....it was agile and a real rocket ship on the downhills...very stable at 61+ Kph. I did however have to make a 3mm washer for the headset to work properly and pack the outer ring of the top headset bearing with ptfe thread tape to give it a nice snug fit.

Chris@velobuild was awesome to deal with and replied same day to all emails I sent him, I cant recommend this frame and Velobuild website more highly. Very impressed overall.

How did you strip the fork back to raw carbon and why did you only do it on the fork ? Also what grit did you use for the wet sanding. Nice job btw!

cyclemadkiwi

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2020, 10:57:08 PM »
Why not whole frame?, well mostly due to time and upcoming races. I used 400 wet N Dry to sand the fork back, and I guess it took about 2 or 3 hours. My current (Old Giant TCR) had naked carbon finish on the fork so I copied it. My time was limited to attempt the whole frame was just not going to work and when I put the Holographic Gold shimmer clear coat over the matt black it really popped :-)
The frame was sanded with 800 grit wet n Dry, clear coated with gold shimmer, mask and paint red detail, clear coat, 800 wet n dry to remove bumps, decals painted on, clear coat, 1200 wet n dry to remove bumps and final 2 pack clear coat. 2000 wet n dry and then polish.

Oh and to find out more, check out the youtube channel "Etoe" Martin Grey is a total crack up but his work is amazing!
« Last Edit: August 18, 2020, 11:28:31 PM by cyclemadkiwi »

dpitel

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #10 on: October 16, 2020, 10:27:08 AM »
These frames are UCI certified?

cyclemadkiwi

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2020, 09:22:24 PM »
No, this frame is not UCI approved as far as I know, I've simply made my own water slide decals to make it look like it is.
I'm not sure that club racing warrants an official UCI approved bike, despite this frame being more than worthy!

mtbluvr68

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2021, 01:29:39 PM »
I have had my 068 for just over a year now, love the bike, only issue I had with it was a slipping seat post. Tried everything to stop it from carbon paste, sandpaper, toothpaste, sanding the post up a bit, until eventually I just glued it with gorilla glue. Hasn't moved since :D other than that one issue the bike is perfect. And I'm around 210lbs so no lightweight either.

I think most of these aero bikes with that fucking horrible aero seatpost slip.  My Tideace slip, i wrap it with a piece of tubeless rim tape then a bunch of carbon paste and usually lasts a couple of weeks.  I can't imagine we're gaining that many watts from the earo post,  i'd rather have a regular post.  When  I buy a new frame that will be a chief concern. 
2021 Tan Tan Seraph FM027  w/Light Bicycle wheels(XC)
2022 Marin Rift Zone 3 w/ elite wheels (trail)
2021 Tideace FMR185 w/Light Bicycle Wheels (road)
2023  Chasing Wind w/ elite wheels (Gravel)

cyclemadkiwi

Re: Looking For A Chiner Road Bike Frame - SWORKS Tarmac
« Reply #13 on: April 28, 2021, 03:57:07 PM »
I have never had my seat post slip at all, I guess it's due to it being fully home and is the correct height for me!
The best way to stop a seat post from moving, cut a bit of the Rubbery clear plastic packaging that sheet sets come in, it's a little stretchy and it grips really well :-)