After 11 rides logging 650mi/1050km with 36 hours in the saddle...I can confidently and enthusiastically say
THIS FRAME RIPS!Rider StatsHeight: 175cm
Weight: 70kg
Inseam: 80cm
Saddle Height: 69cm
Bike BuildFrame: Yishun R086D 50cm (I normally ride a 54cm)
Cockpit: Yishun HB058 40cm Handlebars / ST062 130mm Stem (no spacers)
Components: SRAM Force AXS Hydraulic 48 x 10/28
Wheels: Elitewheels Drive 50D
Tires: Panaracer Agilest TLR 30mm with Muc-off sealant
Total Weight w/ Pedals: 7.7kg / 17lbs
Why the R086D? As a road/crit/gravel racer, CdA is very important to me. The vast majority of drag comes from our own body and let's be honest, modern road bikes have long since reached peak efficiency. My parameters in order of importance: (1) geometry, (2) fit and finish, (3) looks, and (4) affordability/sustainability.
(1), (4), and mostly (3) are knowable prior to purchase. A quick note on (4), I race a lot of crits so spending top $$$$ on a brand name is a value proposition my psyche couldn't handle. As mentioned, modern layups have come a long way. We're in an era of diminishing returns.
When it comes to speed, an aero optimized position is the 2nd-most important facet and the R086's geometry is
exactly what I was looking for. Many feel it's
too aggressive and that may be true for the majority of riders but there are many that *do desire* to perform well on fast group rides or sportives. Marc Graveline, inventor/founder of one of worlds first aerometers cited an average 22 watt savings to an aero-optimized rider. The speed is there if you want it.
I logged rides of
4:28,
3:04,
6:06,
3:19,
8:24, and
4:09 hours over rough desert roads in New Mexico, USA and despite having back issues from a crash in October the R086D came through with flying colors in terms of comfort. I also did a
1:38 smashfest in a 3-man breakaway with most the time in the drops with no pain or discomfort (other than lactate).
Some footage to get a sense of geometry...
Hoods:
Drops:
I love its looks, the black matte finish is both fantastic and resilient. It's been suggested as an analog to the Canyon Aeroad but I think it also bears resemblance to a Pinarello. I was convinced someone else on this past Sunday's group ride had a Yishun and it was only after a meet-n-greet at a rest step did I determine it was actually a Pinarello (F or Dogma, not sure)...same matte finish (w/ black lettering), same speed-sniffer and flare at the top of the downtube.
Referring back to my parameters, we're left with - and let's face it, the elephant in the room when you're dealing with brands based in Xiamen (2) fit and finish. I'm happy to report the unit I received was flawless (wish I could say the same for
the wheels). Caveats below notwithstanding, this bike was a pleasure to build. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to find a friction-free headset cap without the need of a 0.25mm micro-shim that several had suggested in this thread.
Things to know:1) Torque guess is as good as mine...Don't bother looking for instructions in the box because there aren't any. As other's have noted, only a few items have torque specs stamped on them but Dark17 was kind enough to reach out to Elitewheels to get some
general guidelines. From there, it's a bit of trial and error. I initially set the seat post bolt to 9Nm only to have it slide but 11Nm did the trick. Similar issue with the handlebar clamp bolts.
And while I went ahead and stuck caps (A) into the rear/front derailleur and Di2 holes, I still have no idea what B and C were intended for.
2) Go Long!The rear disc brake flat mount requires not 27mm...not 32mm...but 37mm bolts. I had to order a set and wait a few days.
3) Keep your head(set) straightI had forgotten to apply carbon paste to the steerer tube so the headset/cable routing cap started skewing left. While away from home for 2 weeks, I stuck in a rubber gasket for the time being and that did the trick until I could get home and apply the proper fix. WARNING: Avoid the urge to over-torque if this happens to you. Apply paste, tighten the compression plug to around 6Nm, remove slack then tighten the clamp bolts to 6Nm and you should be fine.
4) Braze On, Braze OffI made the silly mistake of assuming the braze on bolts were properly torqued from the factory and spent a good hour trying to figure out why my chain kept dropping.
Thank you to the many in this forum who bring awareness to the largely under-appreciated products that come out of the Red Dragon. Special shoutout to
Patty who produces wonderful content and helps us all make informed decisions!
Edit 1/10/24 - Rehosted some images
