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Re: 11 Speed Cassette Recommendations - XD 10-42T or HG 11-42T
The SPEEDAO 1-piece cassette is a design that's been sold under a lot of different brands including S-ROAD and ZTTO. It's a solid unit, I've bought 3 of this specific kind of cassette in HG guise, used them for road, CX, and commuting. It's a solid-performing ultralight cassette for the price. I'll echo the sentiment that they aren't as refined, but I haven't managed to put noticeable wear into any of my units so far. Contrary to nicklej, I actually prefer the HG design. In the XD/XDR design, the cassette is clamped to the splines (near the hub) by the threads, and all static forces are cantilevered off these splines. (you could argue that some force transmits through the sleeve, but since this is a sliding component, it will only transmit force if the cassette flexes into it--potentially causing wear and creaking) There's also the issue that the soft aluminum threads on these XD/XDR bodies are super-fine and susceptible to cross-threading. OEM SRAM MTB cassettes are manufactured with super tight sleeves that are almost impossible to turn without using a lot of force, making it very hard to feel the engagement of the threads. I've watched a couple bodies get damaged in this way. The GOLDIX XDR cassette that I've used doesn't have this tight-sleeve problem, interestingly. The other issue is that since XD/XDR is a system of moving parts, arguably the manufacturing tolerances of the system need to be stricter in order for the system to work properly. The HG cassette is much simpler to manufacture in comparison. When you're buying cut-rate equipment on AliEx, it's generally safer to buy the design that has fewer moving parts and lower demands on precision. Lastly, HG splines do not really wear with these one piece cassettes. The main reason HG splines wear is that when you use cassettes with loose cogs (and fail to tighten them properly, which everyone does), the force applied to the spline is only distributed along the width of a single cog. One piece cassettes have solid engagement splines spanning the the width of ~2 cogs on each side. This means all forces are transmitted to the freehub splines over a much wider area compared to single cogs. I've been using one-piece cassettes for around 8 years now (SRAM Red before the SROAD cassettes), all freehubs I've put these one-piece designs on look virtually brand-new. If you don't have a pressing need for a 10T cog (i.e. 1X bike with large demands for range) I can't really recommend pushing for XD/XDR, but I also won't recommend against it. April 02, 2024, 10:06:52 AM |
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Re: Looking for Tri/Short nose saddles
I have the padded carbon sitero copy, and the WildSide version in plastic and metal rails. The WildSide is slightly wider than the carbon. On both, I find it difficult to not sit pretty much on the nose, forward of the cutout. And I have pretty wide hips for a man AFAIK. As a long-time sufferer of numbnutz, compared to my Spesh power saddle that is my reference, both are supremely comfortable for nose sitting, but will not make you impervious to numbness. I think for that you need something like a Dash saddle. Anyways, it’s a nice saddle. Its width makes it hard to use a lot of the surface area, but also makes it fairly comfortable to sit on the nose. I’m still deciding if I’m going to swap out my power saddle, but I think it’s worth a shot if you think it could be a fit for you. April 02, 2024, 02:55:25 PM |
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Re: Magene QED 12spd groupset showcased in Shanghai
I just really want directmount chainrings I bought Magene's QED crankset with direct-mount chainrings before it got pulled from the markets. Horrible experience, Magene bungled the design and they would bend and become permanently deformed from normal pedaling loads. Magene's warranty department was useless and asked me to delete my chinertown thread on the issue to cover up their screw-up. The most I got from this was a new chainring, which bent again. My experience might be part of the reason why that product got pulled from the shelves in the first place. Even worse, they have a proprietary chainring interface and no aftermarket spider or alternative chainrings, which means I am completely fucked and have a $500 brick of a crankset. In summary, be thankful they learned from their mistakes and aren't making DM chainrings anymore. I know the spider based PMs are great, PES is great, and their accessories are great, but damn do I feel bitter about Magene after my QED experience. May 07, 2024, 10:02:33 AM |
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Re: How addictive is bike building?!
Wheelbuild has been phenomenal. 1320g for a set of 50/55mm deep/28mm wide wheels, steel spokes. I'm planning to make a dedicated post detailing the adventure soon, as well as some tips and tricks. Lots of time invested though.
May 07, 2024, 11:41:21 AM |
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Re: Magene QED 12spd groupset showcased in Shanghai
What's the difference between the QED chainrings, and the optional chainrings supplied with the PES? I'm trying to understand by Magene's QED video. As a follow-up: The QED crankset was launched in 3 versions. 1) A standalone crankset with the integrated chainrings, no PM, 2) crankset with the beloved spider-based PM and bolt on chainrings--the exact same PM and rings as on the PES, and 3) with integrated chainrings and Stages/4iii-style P325-model PM in the crankarms, dubbed the "QED P325". You can watch my unboxing on the P325 model video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt1B119gEiA&t=157s&pp=ygUKbWFnZW5lIHFlZA%3D%3D May 08, 2024, 03:17:44 PM |
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Re: Tavelo Aero Frame
Actually I must apologise, I misunderstood what tavelo is and can understand their prices now. They're not a bike company, they're a marketing company selling bikes, it's like specialized on steroids. They charge this much because they can. At the end of the day it doesn't matter what the value proposition product is if it sells. I really don't get what the hand-wringing is over the markup. They are charging what they think the market will bear for the perceived quality and service. I've bought a Lightcarbon LCG071 and a Seka Exceed; the Seka Exceed cost me around 3x more and frankly I think I got my money's worth with the Exceed. The finishing kit on a Seka is much nicer, and every part included is far-superior quality spec. They replaced my whole damn frame (and even painted a new frame just for me with an out-of-production color) at no extra cost after I discovered an issue with it over 6 months after buying it. It's just a much nicer bike with much better after-sales service than what I'd ever expect from Velobuild or Lightcarbon. I absolutely think that a company that essentially exists to retail, market, paint, and (hopefully) QC frames can add enough value to justify a markup like this, and I also think that if PP adds enough value through after-sales service, then their markup is justified too. (note: I still haven't seen evidence that they really do enhance the after-sales service) The calculus here is easy: is the added risk/hassle of going through a Chinese company worth the cost-savings when compared to buying an equivalent-spec frame locally? Different people will make either decision depending on their circumstances, and hopefully PP and Tavelo have found a price and level of service that adequately suits the needs of many people making this decision. May 10, 2024, 10:34:54 AM |
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Deerobust/Goldix wheel build 50/55mm 1319g
I wanted to share with you all the results of my first wheelbuild. The headline specs/stats are:
I've been meaning to make this thread for a while. I've been busy finishing my PhD and finally had the time to cobble it together. Theres some more build info I want to add in a later post but I'll put this up for now. I had recently bought myself a truing stand and tensionmeter to rebuild a wheel with a rim that I broke racing CX. Now having the tools to build wheels, I got curious about the phenomenally low prices on wheelbuilding components, as well as the freedom to pursue interesting build configurations. I'll be transparent here: this is a vanity build driven by questionable weight and aero-weenie-ing. Experienced wheelbuilders will probably cringe at my choices, and that's fine with me. The irony of scraping for grams on this build while I could stand to lose 20lbs of body fat is not lost on me. At the end of the day I had a lot of fun building these up, I think they look super cool, it's exciting to me that I've built up such a lightweight wheelset, and I've had a pretty good experience riding them so far. Given this premise of vanity over practicality, I hope you can appreciate my wheelbuild for what it is. Rims: I did a bit of searching for the manufacturer of the lightest rims and landed on Deerobust. It helps that they are the first result when you search "lightest carbon rim" into aliex. This is no exaggeration, the 21mm-internal-width, 50 and 55mm-deep rims I chose ("featherweight"-spec + paintless finish) were quoted at 390g and 420g respectively; the only manufacturer that seems to come close is Lightcarbon. I chose 50/55 simply because it's a depth that seemed to strike a good balance between weight and aero. I also won't lie and say that the decision was influenced by the fact that the Enve SES 4.5 rims used by Pogi and UAE are 50/55mm deep, even though if we're being realistic those are completely different wheels. I chose 21mm internal width because it seems that this is still the ideal rim width for aero given a 28mm tire. I understand the rule of 105% says otherwise. On the other hand, Peak-torque's testing results (particularly the comparison of the Polaris Ascent 42 against the ICAN Aero 35 across 28mm and 32mm tires) suggests that a 28mm tire is faster on a 21mm internal width rim compared a wider one. Another feature I chose for my rims is internally-drilled spoke holes. For one, there is the (dubious) aero benefit of having hidden nipples. But more importantly--as ENVE's marketing material points out--smaller spoke holes means stronger spoke holes, and therefore a stronger, safer rim. I paid $507 (inc. shipping) to order my rims from Deerobust, with bespoke paintless finish, hole-drilling, and logo. The rims weighed 410 and 415g respectively. I was a tad disappointed that my front rim came 5g over the spec weight +/- 15g margin of error. On the other hand, my rear rim came 5g under spec weight, the average weight between the two was under the +/- 15g per rim margin of error, so I called it good and decided to not complain. Hubs As for hubs, I chose GOLDIX 21-spoke hubs with 2:1 lacing. These have no official model number but appear to be a DT-swiss style ratchet hub with straight-pull lacing. I chose these because a) Goldix seems to have a fairly decent reputation on here, and b) these hubs are very lightweight. The standout unique design feature of these hubs is that there are 21 spokes, 14 spokes laced in a 3x pattern on the stressed side (drive side on rear, brake side on front), and 7 radially-laced spokes on the non-drive side. I went for this unusual design because fewer spokes theoretically means lighter and more aero, while the 2:1 3x lacing, especially when paired to such deep rims, potentially could make up for the loss in stiffness. Remember, this is a vanity build. When my hubs arrived, they seemed to be of decent quality. The bearings were a tad notchy--something that has gone away since I started riding them. The bearings are "NBK" brand, and have metal ball cages, which are a feature of decent-quality bearings. These aren't showstoppers, but they aren't complete garbage either. One criticism I have about these hubs is that that to achieve radial lacing on the non-stressed side, the hub axle has a hole drilled out to allow a spoke to be passed through into the back of the spoke hole. This means that the wheel bearing on the radially laced side is offset inboards an entire centimeter. This is bad for hub stiffness and longevity. The further inboards the bearing sits, the longer the unsupported section of the axle is (making less stiff), and the bearing has to bear more axial/side loading (which harms longevity). In the future I might swap these hubs out for a different design. Spokes and nipples For this build I chose Pillar Wing 20 with Pillar hex-10 internal nipples. I have a whole extra story to tell about these nipples that I will get to another time. I chose these spokes over the alternative (Sapim CX Ray/DT aerolite) because they are supposedly stiffer, lighter, just as aero, and definitely are cheaper. The idea that a wider spoke section is just as aero as a narrower one baffles me, but I'll trust in Campagnolo and Boyd, who have supposedly tested this difference and chose the Pillar wings. I also spoke-prepped my threads using Rock n Roll Nipple cream. Finishing touches As is common, I have wrapped my wheels in 28mm Continental GP5000 clincher tires, with RideNow 19gr tubes inside, likely the lightest and lowest-rolling-resistance combo in the Continental range, barring the GP5000TT. I'm also running ONIRII's super-light 160mm floating disc rotors, and an S-ROAD one-piece 11-32 cassette Overall impressions So far I've logged about 100 miles on these new wheels on my road bike. They certainly sound cool and feel fast. And they do not feel like they're particularly lacking in stiffness. One major complaint I am experiencing is that my freehub ratchet has been slipping occasionally. I serviced it and found that I had reinstalled the o-ring incorrectly and that some dirt/grime had made its way into the ratchet. After a bit of cleaning and regreaseing it was nearly perfect once again, perhaps I need to clean it more and regrease with the special DT swiss ratchet grease. Are these truly "fast" wheels? Who knows. They haven't stopped me from setting a bunch of Strava PRs here and there. But as far as bling factor, these are 10/10, super cool and super fun wheels to have. Thanks for reading my wheelbuild story. Would love to hear your thoughts and questions. Hopefully soon, I can make a quick post about how I dealt with some challenges I experienced using the Hex-10 nipples. May 15, 2024, 03:30:12 PM |
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Re: Deerobust/Goldix wheel build 50/55mm 1319g
Hey Sebastian, thanks for the notes and kind feedback! Quote If this really is your first ever wheelbuild then you chose something with quite the steep learning curve I've rebuilt 2 wheels in the past to replace carbon rims broken in racing incidents. Not sure if that counts! Definitely was my first time speccing out a full build and calculating spoke lengths, I think half the fun was playing around with spreadsheets and fantasizing about different builds. I definitely agree with you that the decisions to go for 21-spokes and internal nipples are the most disagreeable and impractical choices I made. I've already had to strip my rear wheel to re-tension and true after the first 100k, and the front wheel will be next soon. No doubt a PITA, one I knowingly signed up for. I appreciate your notes on spoke hole sizes as well, good to hear a more experienced perspective on this idea. I also appreciate your notes on the 2:1 lacing; The decision to go for the 21-spoke build felt like a risk. At the back of my mind I still worry that I am subjecting the rear rim to bad stresses via the radially laced spokes on the disc-side. Will it be worth the 29 grams, and indeterminable, marginal CdA that I saved? Only time will tell, I suppose. Quote Ever since disc brakes, both side's spokes had to move inboard and the difference in spoke angle and tension isn't as bad as it used to be. So the advantage of 2:1 isn't really as big as it used to be. Something I noticed is that on the rear wheel, I have pretty much dead-even spoke tension across both sides. In my mind this seems desirable, no? Obviously since I'm new to this, I could be overlooking something or overstating the importance of this. On that note, something I do not like about these hubs is that on the front wheel, the radially-laced side achieve significantly higher tension than the crossed spokes. The idea that a minority of the spokes on a wheel are at a higher tension than the majority does not sit well with me, especially on a design that is supposed to "balance" spoke tensions. In retrospect, I agree that an asymmetric rim is probably the better way to do it, the asymmetric rims on my ICAN Aero 35s does a much better job balancing spoke tensions on the front wheel. Anyways, I definitely learned a lot from the experience of building these wheels. I think next I'll build up some gravel wheels, and stick to a more traditional build  May 16, 2024, 10:41:30 AM |
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