My TanTan TT912 build

[ejump0]

#asscrack blue.
A 5 dollar hacksaw from any diy store will cut a seatpost. Just throw the blade afterwards. Bigger teeth cut faster. For a seatpost you don't actually need to be precise. Dremel is next level imprecise though, I hope you wore a mask.
I don't understand the issues with the headset play but if it means you have to fill the bearings seats with random crap hoping the bearings sit properly, that's kind of textbook frame you should send back?
Front ring: if in doubt, go bigger. First of all, it will impress the ladies. Second. It's more efficient. Third. You can get a bigger cassette. 4th. You should aim to ride in the middle of the cassette when you're pushing, not the smallest cogs, so go big. I have an oval 56T on mine and I don't know why I ever had smaller. And I largely suck.

i finally solved my headset issue. yay
i was re-reading tip#3 here few times(https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,3781.0.html) , then it recalled to me the supplies headset did came with those micro spacers. back then i dont know what it was.
fit it between c-ring n stem, now all tight 

thanks for the tip. my housemade did the cut for me, with mask. reddit recommend me to also cut off the flat D-part of the seatpost base to a slope, so in event the post slipped down, it wont puncture the seattube indent part. will fix that when my housemate is free.

on my roadbike i spend most my time in 13-17. with your recommendation, i will go with 54T, straight chainline at race pace considering im now on a more capable bike in the wind

[ejump0]

So i had a breaking-in spin last Wed evening at a small loop in industrial zone where i live in this 90% form. its comfortable in aero position, though due to the brake lever now a lil further to reach, it took a while to get used to it. by 23km, ratling got loud. the angle-riser got loose, whole right extension was moving around. called it a day.

1st impressions:
- friggin stiff.. this is my 1st ever carbon bike, n 2nd time ridden a carbon bike (1st was a rental bike in Jeju for round-island solo attempt, Gusto RCR on 23mm tires).
- maybe it felt so stiff coz i havent install bar tapes. but i think i need to put some paddings at the wrist area on the curved extension. on uneven road, my wrist n watch was rocking against the hard carbon
- i need to cut the saddle post more. the clamp mechanism really gave few extra cm height.
- i havent weighted my bike, but its heavy. maybe coz low tier components, oh well. at least it had momentum once it got to speed
- sketch in crosswind. to be expected is the tubes are so much fatter against my TCR
- braking with mech disc onirii+compressionless jagwire is good. the bite is gradual. comparable to my Giant Conduct hydraulics on my tcr. not sure whats the faff that mech+disc is crap. (granted my test is in dry on flats)
- sizing wise, stack n reach seemed fine, though the top tube height is a lil high for my liking ince i install the bento box. going one size down i may end with shorter reach as this frame inly have 100mm stem max

Sorted both angle riser with propper torque.
Now to fit my Xlab torpedo base plate, i had to extend my aero extension bar to max, and the clamp still dont sit properly. its the arm cup design as its not flat inside.
Also swapped to my Chiner Pro stealth saddle temporarily as its few cm lower

needs longer ride on the weekend.
its really a head turner lol 


 

[TidyDinosaur]

My experiences with those brakes are really bad. They work OK in the beginning, but after a while and after a few bad weather rides they became very bad. Switched to hydraulic and I will never ever buy cable actuated disc brakes again.

[Serge_K]

Looks awesome, well done!
The whole thing looks stiff indeed. That seatpost is scary, i dont see how anything can deflect, so good thing you have fat tyres and steel spokes and not carbon ones. Make sure you follow recommended PSI and dont go italian by putting 100psi in 32C tyres. I have italian friends, i stopped trying to explain to them that it makes no sense to over inflate big tyres. Good, big tyres at the right PSI completely change a bike.
Such a chonly boi will never be light, if you check out triathlon forums, you will see people's bikes are super heavy, comes with the territory.
The bike looks like a sail, for sure it's going to be awful in cross winds Be careful when you see trucks, you can get pushed or sucked in hard on something like that, try not to die.

Thanks for taking the time to post, it's great to see Chinese TT frames.

[fluffycustard]

Really great to see updates on this, the price of TT bikes at the moment is painful. I would love to know the actual weight of this and if you manage to sort the rattling / things getting loose

[ejump0]

I still need to revisit the Versa BTA plate. its rocking against the arm cup, making annoying noises.
i will probably swapped the armcup to the ones on my Controltech aerobar kit on my TCR(currently the bolt is siezed).
swapped to my old  tcr giant approach saddle, since its lower stack. i may be in market for a short-nose saddle as my aliEx Pro Stealth saddle base getting soft n saggy

btw, this frameset used Sram UDH style hanger.

I finally got the bike completed, minus the temp crankset 
im a lil afraid to do bike photoshoot since its like a flag/sail, can topple at anytime when theres wind

Frame: TanTan TT912 size52 + IceCrack blue paintjob
Stem: TanTan alu stem 100mm
Basebar: TanTan HB096 400mm
Aero extension: TanTan HB086 44° + 80mm w/ 15° angled riser
Brake lever: Tektro TL720
Saddle: Giant Approach  (from tcr)
Crankset: 105R7000 170mm (from tcr)
Chainring: 50/34T (from tcr)
PM: xcadey xpower2 left crank 170mm (from tcr)
BB: ztto bb386-24 normal bearing
Shifter: Microshift BS-A11
RD: 105R7000 SS
Cassette: 105R7000 11-28
Wheelset: Parcours Chrono 77/86
Rotors: 140mm MT-RT900
Caliper: Onirii BR005 mechanical

Looks awesome, well done!
The whole thing looks stiff indeed. That seatpost is scary, i dont see how anything can deflect, so good thing you have fat tyres and steel spokes and not carbon ones. Make sure you follow recommended PSI and dont go italian by putting 100psi in 32C tyres. I have italian friends, i stopped trying to explain to them that it makes no sense to over inflate big tyres. Good, big tyres at the right PSI completely change a bike.
Such a chonly boi will never be light, if you check out triathlon forums, you will see people's bikes are super heavy, comes with the territory.
The bike looks like a sail, for sure it's going to be awful in cross winds Be careful when you see trucks, you can get pushed or sucked in hard on something like that, try not to die.

Thanks for taking the time to post, it's great to see Chinese TT frames.

Currently im still on 28mm gp5k front n back. once the rear worn out, definately gonna fit in 32mm. the cockpit felt a lil better now with the bartapes.
Since i already have the frame, folks can just AMA 

Really great to see updates on this, the price of TT bikes at the moment is painful. I would love to know the actual weight of this and if you manage to sort the rattling / things getting loose

in SG even 2nd hand tri bike market going at silly price for the age of the bike. my build(minus parcours wheelset) literally can get almost 2 new speedmax cf7 105 mech.
the headset rattling issue was sorted with the micro spacers that i forgot.
tomorrow i'll weight the bike

edit: it weights 10.3kg equipped as in pic. bta not yet attached.
heavy AF.
i did considered a lightweight build ala Sebastian Kienle Norseman Tri scott foil tt-cockpit, but decided to go proper tri frame geo

[fluffycustard]

From looking around a lot of TT bikes are around 9.0-10.5kg for mechanical, so it seems pretty comparable to an entry level TT bike. Its pretty tempting to get one

[ejump0]

today i just ordered the 54T Passquest ring and 105r7000 170 right arm crank on aliEx sales. 165 is too expensive for both side arms. expect arrival in 2weeks.

Where im at Speedmax CF7 forever notavailable, and importing Q.Roo PR or Cervelo Pseries will make em so expensive after shipping n tax. not much option for disc brake bike in local marketplace, though today i found a few expensive used pseries. the cf7 is advertised as 9.4kg. not sure how its 0.9kg lighter than my bike .. hmm...

btw, today i found out this tantan extension bar is factory/copy of profile design asc aerobar

[BadIdeasMakeGoodStories]

Any chance you can post a photo of the rear of the seatpost / saddle clamp? Curious to see if it's 10mm rail accessory compatible.

[ejump0]

yesterday the headset felt a lil loose(probably the bearings now has seated properly in the cups).
opened the stem cover n found my rear brake housing has been rubbing the notch. i did the housing a lil extra long anticipating easy stem disassembly to put into bag(the fork can be fully removed from head tube for easy bottom headset bearing access). put a bit of film protector tape hope it will mitigate the rubs

Any chance you can post a photo of the rear of the seatpost / saddle clamp? Curious to see if it's 10mm rail accessory compatible.

will these do?

[mattgolt]

Hey ejump0,

Hope you're fine and still rocking that blue rocket! Thanks for all the detailed pictures in this thread, I'm considering building a Chinese tt as well and I'm looking into this frame aswell as the velobuild tt023. Could you maybe share some pictures of the storage compartment by the seatube? How large is it?

Honestly speaking, I prefer the look of the velobuild frame, but it does not come with any storage whatsoever. What other frames did you consider before going for the tt912?

Cheers!

[ejump0]

currently is still having issues with headset. i believe the 2pieces micro spacers were not enough. after few rides the headset rocking again. temp solution is using my 5mm spacer till my ordered 1mm n 2mm arrives. 

also turned out my Racework saddle(aeolus copy) gave best comfort. but having issue the clamp always getting loose(happens with other saddles too). am waiting for loctite blue to arrive

Hey ejump0,

Hope you're fine and still rocking that blue rocket! Thanks for all the detailed pictures in this thread, I'm considering building a Chinese tt as well and I'm looking into this frame aswell as the velobuild tt023. Could you maybe share some pictures of the storage compartment by the seatube? How large is it?

Honestly speaking, I prefer the look of the velobuild frame, but it does not come with any storage whatsoever. What other frames did you consider before going for the tt912?

Cheers!

Hi matt
the storage at the seatpost is kinda narrow. attached are references using kmc chain box. its that narrow. you can fit tpu tube n hex-keys, but not quite some-bulky multitool or e-pump. not sure co2 cartrige fits as i dont use em. if you have short-skinny handpump, maybe might fit at where they design di2 batt would go(top tube, under bento box

back then i considered these frames:
- hongfu/dengfu
- avenger tm6
- velobuild
- winow/bxt tri frame
- tt912/915

i ended with 912 as it looked the most modern,with fat forks. and this frame design also used by Yeoleo T9/T9s, so kinda larger userbase.
tantan just released tt913, check that out.

[ejump0]

my thin spacers arrived on Friday.
the original 2x 0.3mm wasnt enough, so i tried 1mm. it seemed to do the trick. i also solved my bta cage rubbing the arm cup by using 7mm washers to raise the bottle cage. Also changed the saddle again, this time using shortnose Racework(bontrager aeolus). Nose shorter n lil wider than the Giant Approach.

today for the 1st time this year i went to the coastal road(theres 8km stretch) to test the speed.
the bike is so stiff, but crazy fast. i could ave 39kmh solo 16km loop without hitting max hr. my cycling fitness is subpar coming after fasting month, but i beat my TCR pb by a whole minute.

with this my bike is funtionally complete n ready for race. yey

just to share, i managed to get my SS RD to work with 11-34 casette by having that chain long. its for just in case i need climbing gear on some race course. for now im mostly on 15-17cog on 11-28