TopCarbon TCGF066 gravel frame

[hahel]

Now I've got 2 questions. 

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I've also never routed a road bike frame internally, I've only done external road bikes or internal 1x MTB's with full cable inner.  I'm running a SRAM front derailleur, so the cable housing has to stop inside the frame.  There doesn't seem to be any molded parts to seat the cable housing in the frame, just a channel under the BB for housing to go.  Does the cable housing just go up until the hole at the channel under the BB, bare cable runs through the channel and up through the seat tube hole?  Seems that would work, I was just expecting some sort of housing ferrule molding or something, not just a hole that the housing would sit up against.

Also the way the cable exits the hole in the seat tube, there's not enough clearance for the cable to exit without touching the frame.  Is it okay if I just use the cable liner like this?  The cable liner would have kind of a bend to it, but at least it wouldn't be cable rubbing carbon.
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@acedeuce802
I'm trying to wire up my frameset have you finished wiring your frame yet?
I've done a few internaly routed frames before but this one is different.
I assume the housing from the handlebars are supposed to end in the downtube block (pictured)
But i'm a bit reluctant to let the wires run directly against the carbon in the BB-area, did you use the liner you linked to?

[hahel]

I continue with my questions, i hope there is some one out there that has assembled this frameset before me.
I purchased the integrated handlebar from top-carbon, i has a couple of routing options, full internal or "half" internal im using a Shimano hydraulic/mech groupset, not sure how to route this for best shifting perfomance.
Anyone who can share experiences on shiftwire routing?

/Hakan

Edit:
Looks like i wasn't very clear with what i meant with "half-internal", tricky to describe things in a non-native language  .
There is two different headset spacers, one allows external cables to enter the headtube,  i was thinking of routing one pair all internal and the other pair going external for a few centimetres, not sure it will improve any radiuses thou.

Tried to illustrate the half external routing option and added pics of the two available headset spacers (lower) one  is for all hidden cables and the other for routing external cables into the headtube

[St0mpB0x]

Unless you have cable ports at the front of the frame which I suspect not, you have to use the full internal.

[acedeuce802]

@acedeuce802
I'm trying to wire up my frameset have you finished wiring your frame yet?
I've done a few internaly routed frames before but this one is different.
I assume the housing from the handlebars are supposed to end in the downtube block (pictured)
But i'm a bit reluctant to let the wires run directly against the carbon in the BB-area, did you use the liner you linked to?

I haven't built up my frame yet, I'm just going to turn it into a trainer bike because of how poor quality it was, I bought a Carbonda CFR707 instead. My frame didn't come with that block. In the bottom of the BB area there were just 2 holes in some carbon that didn't even have enough epoxy around it (so loose fibers) but no cable housing seat or anything.

[hahel]

Unless you have cable ports at the front of the frame which I suspect not, you have to use the full internal.

I think you misunderstood my question, i was problably not clear enough i my orignal post
I updated the original post with more pics and a sketch trying to explain what i were thinking of.

/Hakan

[hahel]

I haven't built up my frame yet, I'm just going to turn it into a trainer bike because of how poor quality it was, I bought a Carbonda CFR707 instead. My frame didn't come with that block. In the bottom of the BB area there were just 2 holes in some carbon that didn't even have enough epoxy around it (so loose fibers) but no cable housing seat or anything.

Sorry to hear that you had a poor quality frame, so far the CF on mine looks good. Ive been using a borescope internaly and havn't seen any dry patches. Where did you get your frame from? Ali/Lexcon or TopCarbon?

/Hakan

[St0mpB0x]

Ohhhhhh. In that case I'd definitely go full internal. Seems like you'll have much smoother curves on the cables.

[hahel]

I've finished the build of the TopCarbon TCGF066 for a friend.
Thought I should leave my build report.
Over all my experience has been good, I ordered directly from topcarbon contact and purchase through Alibaba.
Had an issue with the lower headset bearing when assembling the fork, the bearing I purchased had to much chamfer on the top edge causing the fork to sit to high and bind with the headtube. Seller helped me out and sent the correct bearings with less chamfer.
Routing of the integrated handlebar with a mechanical/hydraulic groupset was the all headache you could expect.
I did make some attempts to use partial outers that ended in the block in the downtube but I couldn't figure out how to avoid the outers from separating from the downtube block when assembling the cockpit. I finally ended up doing full outers to the derailleurs.
 
Over all the fit and finish of the frame has been good, my head tube looked good with some light sanding marks and the fit of the (correct) bearing is good.
Have no pic of the complete assembly, but only missing the chain in the attached pic.

[RDY]

There are still a bunch of cracks and voids near the cable hole .... still dangerous to ride IMO, even if it's not as bad as some of the others. 

[acedeuce802]

Another thread about Lexon reminded me about this thread.  Any updates on people riding the TCGF066/GFX?  Any new builds?  Doesn't look like too many people have been ordering the frame on Aliexpress since the last time I checked a few months ago, maybe the issues in this thread is scaring people off.  I got my parts ordered to make mine a dedicated trainer bike, haven't build it up yet though.

[RDY]

Another thread about Lexon reminded me about this thread.  Any updates on people riding the TCGF066/GFX?  Any new builds?  Doesn't look like too many people have been ordering the frame on Aliexpress since the last time I checked a few months ago, maybe the issues in this thread is scaring people off.  I got my parts ordered to make mine a dedicated trainer bike, haven't build it up yet though.

I can't imagine too many people are going to buy this crap if they do any research beforehand.

FWIW I contacted LightCarbon about this mold, as Yishun (their OEM / sister company) share several road molds with TCT, and I'm pretty sure the TCGF066 is open mold too, though nobody else seems to have picked it up.   I got a reply stating that they were familiar with this mold, but that it has design issues.  They didn't comment on the build quality of TCT / Lexon, except to say that they don't comment on competitors' build quality.

They said they'd consider this kind of geo (relatively racey w/ progressive seat / head angles) for a new '23 gravel bike.

[RDY]

For those still interested in this mold, as opposed to the TC / Lexon shit show of it, someone mentioned to me today that this mold is now available from another retailer / manufacturer .....  TanTan.  It's the GR045.