New gravel build - Lightcarbon LCG087-D, Wheeltop, Elitewheels

[HyperD]

My gravel bike is finally done.
Here it is and specs are:

Frame: Lightcarbon LCG087-D
Groupset: Wheeltop GRX, 93mm cage, carbon shifters
Cassette: Spedao 11-50 12-speed
Crankset: Racework N1 carbon cranks
Chain: KMC X12
Pedals: Racework MTB SPD
Seat: Ryet 3D printed carbon saddle
Wheels: Elitewheels Drive G45 CS carbon wheels with carbon spokes
Tires: Gravelking X1 R
Mudguards: Ass Savers gravel

Basic bar tape, carbon bottle cages


Feels pretty good after the first small test drive! Still need to fiddle around with the gear adjustments, they seem to work slightly differently in actual riding to how I was setting them up on the stand.

[SillyMochi]

Nice looking build.

What size of frame did you get and how tall are you/your legs? Was looking at that frame as well but I think even the L might be too small for me.

[HyperD]

Nice looking build.

What size of frame did you get and how tall are you/your legs? Was looking at that frame as well but I think even the L might be too small for me.

I’m 174cm and I took the M sized frame based on a bike fit I had done and Lightcarbon’s recommendation.

[HyperD]

And I got the result I wanted on weight, (just…

I had sub 9kg in my mind and the weight with everything on the bike as it is on the photos including pedals, cages and mudguards is:

[Lotnik]

Nice built! Love the color. You don't have brake caliper aero cover on the fork. Special order? How the overall built went?

[HyperD]

Nice built! Love the color. You don't have brake caliper aero cover on the fork. Special order? How the overall built went?

There is the aero cover, you should see it on the photos if you look carefully. That was/is actually one of the problems of the build; the wheeltop caliper is too thick to sit properly under the aero cover and the front disc rubs because of that. I decided to grind some material off of the inside of the aero cover to make the caliper fit better but it’s still not perfect.

The front fork also came with three accessory mount rivets not compressed on. That seemed like a problem originally but I happened to have a set of rivet pliers already that fit and I was able to tighten them myself.

Other than that the only issues I had with the build were my own mistakes, e.g. originally ordering the wrong type of bottom bracket and misplacing some front hub end covers from the front wheel.

[Scott1234]

Nice!

What size chainring did you go with?

I'm a bit torn as I'd like to go 40t or 42t to get a nice low gear with 50t cassette. But then I'm worried about spinning out, which suggests I then go with 10t cassette, but then I need to go with Sram XDR cassette and wheels or MSR.

[HyperD]

Nice!

What size chainring did you go with?

I'm a bit torn as I'd like to go 40t or 42t to get a nice low gear with 50t cassette. But then I'm worried about spinning out, which suggests I then go with 10t cassette, but then I need to go with Sram XDR cassette and wheels or MSR.

I went with a 42T. With the largest gear at the back it seems very light to pedal up even pretty steep hills and I haven’t had to get up from the saddle yet.

After some more test rides today I think it’ll be a nice bike overall. I still need to grind off some material from the aero shield thing at the fork as the brake is still rubbing. Also I need to move the hoods up a little bit I think and finally the biggest thing which is more adjustment of the gear positions.

Not sure about what I want to do with pedals really, the SPDs just don’t feel natural to me. Maybe it would be better to just put in regular mountain bike pedals…

[numberzero]

What do you think of the "suspension"?

[HyperD]

What do you think of the "suspension"?

Difficult to say anything conclusive after such a short amount of testing and especially since I don’t have a similar bike to compare to but to me so far it seems to do about the same as the suspension block on my Bromptons. So it takes up chatter from the road and based on gut feeling alone the back feels more supple than the front.
I am considering a suspension fork or a stem for the front…