Alright so I'm going to update everyone on my build so far:
As I noted in my last comment, shipping was not quick. Initially I had been quoted 15 days to shipping. The next 2 times I had asked for updates, Wendy said the frame would ship "by the end of next week", which was a lie on both occasions. Lesson learned, if you care about the lead time, ask for a quoted lead time BEFORE you pay. I had also ordered the frame with no rivets, but was told I would have to wait ANOTHER week for that one, but I could choose to take the riveted frame immediately, so I went for that. Not ideal but I'll live
Options chosen: 55cm frame, 100mm integrated stem, SP03 seatpost, black paint/no custom paint
Weights:
- frame: 1063g
- fork: 499g
- seatpost: 192g
- stem: 153g
Notes:
Frame: tubes look nice, feels very light, but the quality of the bottom bracket is dogshit. I don't know how this frame passed Hambini's BB-weenie test, because my frame's BB is terrible. HUGE deposit of resin on one of the cups that I had to file down. There's a big gouge/void in the other cup. Internal diameter was something like 40.3-40.8mm in diameter, when it should be a bit closer to 41. I've had to file down the void, and hit the cups with some sandpaper to clean up the surface. I'm using a token ninja thread-together BB, evidently the cups are not aligned because the crank has been binding like crazy to install, and does not spin freely. I'm hoping that most of it is just binding between the bottom bracket bearings and the crank spindle, but I might have to resort to a BBinfinite if the situation does not improve with some use.
Fork: Chunky and solid. I mean, it weighs half as much as the frame. Thru-axle threads were crusty and bind-ey. As on many budget forks, inside of the steerer is fiberglass.
Seatpost: The tube is very thick and chunky. Easily could be 50g lighter. Painted with opaque gloss black paint. Internal profile is slightly oval. I like the seat binding clamps. This post definitely won't fail on you! Definitely a part I look to upgrade soon.
Stem: Awful awful awful. Stem face bolts and threads are not aligned well so it binds when screwing. Internal diameter of handlebar clamp is slightly smaller than spec so it slightly crushes the handlebar (I may have damaged my handlebar, oh well). Heavy. Why did this need to be carbon?
Hardware & assembly: Stem spacers are split, good. Seatpost clamp face is machined to literally appear like a device for filing/grinding things. Pretty okay for post-security, but this will LITERALLY shred the paint/material off of your seatpost where/near you clamp it. Headset bearings are okay, fitment is spot-on, no notes there, good-job lightcarbon. Everything else is bog-standard solid & cheap parts. Steerer tube compression bung and topcap compressor are heavy steel parts. For assembly, I built up with SRAM Force AXS etap, so very easy to just route the brake hoses, especially since I didn't have an integrated bar. No surprises there, I used a magnetic routing toolkit to help me out.
So, overall verdict? I guess for $660, it's fine. I kind of have regrets about getting this bike instead of a used bike, but that's on me. I've spent so much on this bike it's not really competitive with used bike prices anymore, which is really what motivated my road bike build in the first place. As for the quality--I have questions. This frame has ended up in the workshops of several youtubers lately, who have sung its praises--and my experience definitely does not line up. Is this "Wendy's revenge" for me insistently bugging them about getting my frame shipped? Or is some funny business afoot--did lightcarbon decide to let QC slip with the new popularity of this frame? Who knows.
Anways, wish me luck as I finish this build out and attempt a season of cyclocross on it.
