Chinertown
Chinese Carbon Road Bikes => Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components => Topic started by: patliean1 on December 13, 2021, 09:09:52 AM
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Hey All!
My name is Patrick. I've been lurking for a couple of months and finally have enough newsworthy details to create a post. Have not seen much discussion on the Dengfu R12 frameset, so I'm happy to share my first impressions and build experience. Included below is a 10 minute video of my unboxing and thoughts.
https://youtu.be/Kp8BXC1_pPA (https://youtu.be/Kp8BXC1_pPA)
Here is what I currently own/have built for comparison sake:
Dengfu R12 - Just finished building this past weekend. Currently conducting test drives :)
Allez Sprint - Fully built with Winspace Hyper 65 rim brake wheels.
Yoeleo R6 - Fully built with Yoeleo SAT C50 wheels.
Winspace T1500 Disc - Awaiting build, with Hyper 65 wheels and Integrated Handlebars.
VeloBuild 177 - Just arrived today!! Will share my first impressions soon.
Ordering Process: Their customer support is decent and always reply to emails with 24 hours. They also answered every question I had from specs, to various options, and pricing.
Main criticisms - I requested the 400mm/120mm integrated bars. They told me it was in stock. Two weeks later AFTER I made the purchase they said it was not stock, and had to go with the 400mm/110mm cars. This was quite frustrating because since I have a professional bike fit, my overall is very dialed in and I can immediately tell the 10mm difference. Also I would have loved to a rubber seatpost cover included.
Already I think I've been rambling for too long. The video explains everything much clearer. Im happy to answer any questions thanks!
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Cool!
Thanks for sharing.
You have an awesome collection. I'm looking into the vb-r-177. Looking to know how yours goes.
Awesome video btw.
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For some reason...the forum can't/won't load my YouTube URL. My apologies if this is against the rules.
Here is the title of the video: I May Have A Problem - Dengfu R12 First Look
A couple of other thoughts:
1. This was my first time building up a hydraulic disc brake frameset. It absolutely was AWFUL and thankfully all the learning lessons means that I could probably build my next disc bike in a single day....rather than over four days :o
2. What took the longest during the process was undoubtably routing the cables and bleeding the brakes. And that's including using the Park Took internal cable routing guide tools as well as a legitimate brake bleed kit. While routing from the calipers to the lever is easier...next time I'd rather start from the levers. I initially had some brake oil leak from the levers so I'd rather have that setup properly first.
3. Having now built 3 bikes in the span of just over one year, I've learned that you really have to take your time. Watch as many YouTube tutorials as you can and don't skip or fast forward like I did haha. I originally overlooked the "burping" of the levers by tilting the bike up/down at 45 degree angles.
I'll upload a couple of finished photos later today.
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For some reason...the forum can't/won't load my YouTube URL. My apologies if this is against the rules.
Here is the title of the video: I May Have A Problem - Dengfu R12 First Look
A couple of other thoughts:
1. This was my first time building up a hydraulic disc brake frameset. It absolutely was AWFUL and thankfully all the learning lessons means that I could probably build my next disc bike in a single day....rather than over four days :o
2. What took the longest during the process was undoubtably routing the cables and bleeding the brakes. And that's including using the Park Took internal cable routing guide tools as well as a legitimate brake bleed kit. While routing from the calipers to the lever is easier...next time I'd rather start from the levers. I initially had some brake oil leak from the levers so I'd rather have that setup properly first.
3. Having now built 3 bikes in the span of just over one year, I've learned that you really have to take your time. Watch as many YouTube tutorials as you can and don't skip or fast forward like I did haha. I originally overlooked the "burping" of the levers by tilting the bike up/down at 45 degree angles.
I'll upload a couple of finished photos later today.
Thanks for sharing your videos! I think I might have watched your PRO Stealth review awhile back before pulling the trigger on a practically new PRO Stealth carbon on EBAY for $100.
Definitely a learning curve with any bike build, but Chinese open mould frames are super special. I've also built up 3 separate frames since COVID, but I've rebuilt my Chinese frame at least three times, not including cable and hose changes which practically require a entire rebuild. Does get easier each time. The problem with disc brakes is that the routing issues make the brake bleeding much more complicated. What you think may be a bleeding problem is just a hose that's pinched somewhere because of all the 90 degree bends and choke points from the levers through the headt tube.
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The problem with disc brakes is that the routing issues make the brake bleeding much more complicated. What you think may be a bleeding problem is just a hose that's pinched somewhere because of all the 90 degree bends and choke points from the levers through the headt tube.
Thanks for supporting my videos! Much appreciated.
Yeah this was my first open mold build. I wasted A LOT of mineral oil trying to bleed the brakes of bubbles. In theory the process is straight forward but can easily become a literal mess if not handled properly.
To be fair...I was totally rushing to build the bike over this past weekend because the weather forecast for Chicago had a three-day window of 45F+ degrees (7+ Celsius) in the coming days, before the cold is permanently here to stay. This week will probably be my final chance to ride outdoors comfortably until the Spring :(
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Subscribed!
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And here is the final build.
The decals/logo are my own design and I painted the frame at home myself: 3 coats of Dupi-Color Special Effex metallic paint and 3 coats of Spray Max 2K clearcoat. Wanted a little sparkle and protection while maintaining the "raw carbon" showing through.
The Hyper 65 wheels are intended for my Winspace T1500, but these will do until my other wheels arrive.
7.8kg without the PowerTap P2 pedals
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Was painting a challenge in the cooler temperatures, or do you have a heated indoor space for this?
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Was painting a challenge in the cooler temperatures, or do you have a heated indoor space for this?
I would keep the paint and clearcoat sitting in a warm bucket of water right until it was time to apply. Had some minor drips and orange peel but nothing that a little compounding did not diminish. Plus it was first time so I'm pretty happy of the results. With perfect technique and ideal room temps you probably would not need to buff like I did
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And here is the final build.
The decals/logo are my own design and I painted the frame at home myself: 3 coats of Dupi-Color Special Effex metallic paint and 3 coats of Spray Max 2K clearcoat. Wanted a little sparkle and protection while maintaining the "raw carbon" showing through.
The Hyper 65 wheels are intended for my Winspace T1500, but these will do until my other wheels arrive.
7.8kg without the PowerTap P2 pedals
SOOO GOOD
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It's beautiful! I bet it's even better looking in person.
Did you polish the clear coat? I'm debating whether or not to do that when I paint my frame. Part of me wants to, but the more pessimistic part says it will just get scratched up before long anyways when I ride offroad.
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It's beautiful! I bet it's even better looking in person.
Did you polish the clear coat? I'm debating whether or not to do that when I paint my frame. Part of me wants to, but the more pessimistic part says it will just get scratched up before long anyways when I ride offroad.
Thank you! I'm gonna explain this in a video, dropping this weekend. But yeah I spent 2 hours compounding/polishing the frame before the decal work. It made a subtle but huge difference in both the shine and allowing the raw carbon to seep through.
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Finished bike looks super sick!
I'm an R12 owner myself too.
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Finished bike looks super sick!
I'm an R12 owner myself too.
Nice! What are your thoughts? And where are the pics lol?
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I'm liking it a lot!
I have no comparison to other "modern" bikes tho, so I'd be interested about your opinion comparing it to the other 3 chinese carbon frames.
Still haven't got any good photos of it yet.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51212938412_657323390b_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m2vGmL)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51275275485_2214f5f80b_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m82bZT)
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Hi, guys, following closely on this topic as this bike made my short list.
Understanding the difficulty of sourcing groupsets and parts, I think the full bike offering from Dengfu seems reasonable
So I got a few questions that I hope you guys can answer before I hit Dengfu
- Are the prices negotiable as with other Chinese sellers?
- I cannot find customized painting in their website. Do they offer it?
- What about their hubs (Chosen)? They seem to have selected a CX model. I just don't want to service hubs after a wet ride, which is a complain with some hubs.
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Schumo, beautiful pics. Where were they taken? Question, what was the seat post length from the clamp to the bottom? May try to make some modifications.
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Hi, guys, following closely on this topic as this bike made my short list.
Understanding the difficulty of sourcing groupsets and parts, I think the full bike offering from Dengfu seems reasonable
So I got a few questions that I hope you guys can answer before I hit Dengfu
- Are the prices negotiable as with other Chinese sellers?
- I cannot find customized painting in their website. Do they offer it?
- What about their hubs (Chosen)? They seem to have selected a CX model. I just don't want to service hubs after a wet ride, which is a complain with some hubs.
When I contacted them, they directly offered me a lower price than on their website.
And about painting and hub options I would just ask them.
Schumo, beautiful pics. Where were they taken? Question, what was the seat post length from the clamp to the bottom? May try to make some modifications.
Thanks! First one was taken on top of a hill called Vogelsang, in my area (Sauerland) in Germany. Rather a place for MTBiking or hiking tho. ;D
https://www.komoot.de/highlight/971503
The seatpost has some markings on the back, I think mine is set to 9 (of 10), so there's I'd guess around 12cm of it in the frame.
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Below my experience with the frame:
I have the frame myself now for 2 years and love it!
It can compete with know branded frames that I've ridden in the past in terms of stiffness, handling and appearance.
For me, the decisive elements choosing for this frame where:
- the geometry and especially a relatively high stack to avoid tons of spacers required for a tall person as me
- 32mm tire clearance making it suitable for some 'allroad' riding as well
I wanted to ride with a normal handlebar, so needed to look for those ACR-type of headsets like FSA in order to make it fit. I did noticed the integrated cabling into the headset makes the frame unsuitable for smooth mechanic shifting. So I would recommend going electronic.
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I’m running mechanical shifting Ultegra through the integrated handlebars. No issues at all with smooth shifting.
Using Jagwire Pro shift cables which probably make a difference.
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The video on painting my Dengfu R12 is live. By no means was my technique professional, but I'm happy with the results of the paint and decals.
YouTube Title: Spray Paint A Bike At Home Plus Custom Decals - Dengfu R12
https://youtu.be/VtpsyVo6aYk (https://youtu.be/VtpsyVo6aYk)
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Great video! Can't wait to get started on painting my frame!
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Looking forward for the 177 review.
Had two bikes from Velobuild and a MTB from Carbonda, have to say the quality finish from Carbonda was superior. In terms of quality which brand do you rate the highest so far?
Hey All!
My name is Patrick. I've been lurking for a couple of months and finally have enough newsworthy details to create a post. Have not seen much discussion on the Dengfu R12 frameset, so I'm happy to share my first impressions and build experience. Included below is a 10 minute video of my unboxing and thoughts.
https://youtu.be/Kp8BXC1_pPA (https://youtu.be/Kp8BXC1_pPA)
Here is what I currently own/have built for comparison sake:
Dengfu R12 - Just finished building this past weekend. Currently conducting test drives :)
Allez Sprint - Fully built with Winspace Hyper 65 rim brake wheels.
Yoeleo R6 - Fully built with Yoeleo SAT C50 wheels.
Winspace T1500 Disc - Awaiting build, with Hyper 65 wheels and Integrated Handlebars.
VeloBuild 177 - Just arrived today!! Will share my first impressions soon.
Ordering Process: Their customer support is decent and always reply to emails with 24 hours. They also answered every question I had from specs, to various options, and pricing.
Main criticisms - I requested the 400mm/120mm integrated bars. They told me it was in stock. Two weeks later AFTER I made the purchase they said it was not stock, and had to go with the 400mm/110mm cars. This was quite frustrating because since I have a professional bike fit, my overall is very dialed in and I can immediately tell the 10mm difference. Also I would have loved to a rubber seatpost cover included.
Already I think I've been rambling for too long. The video explains everything much clearer. Im happy to answer any questions thanks!
-
Looking forward for the 177 review.
Had two bikes from Velobuild and a MTB from Carbonda, have to say the quality finish from Carbonda was superior. In terms of quality which brand do you rate the highest so far?
I'm building the 177 as I type this LoL. So far there are tangible differences between my Dengfu R12 and VeloBuild 177:
1. The EPS latex molding that VeloBuild uses on the 177 makes a HUGE difference when routing cables though the frame. No rough edges for the cables to catch on.
2. Velobuild seems to have put more "thought and care" into frame accessibility for cable management.
3. Paint quality is good although no real world tests yet obviously. Granted I did paint my Dengfu at home, but the VeloBuild paint is obviously better.
4. Overall VeloBuild paid more attention to smaller details. Dealing with them felt more like they were actually bike enthusiasts rather than just a company wanting to sell me a generic frame.
My first impressions video on the 177 will be later this week. I'll keep everyone posted
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I'm building the 177 as I type this LoL. So far there are tangible differences between my Dengfu R12 and VeloBuild 177:
1. The EPS latex molding that VeloBuild uses on the 177 makes a HUGE difference when routing cables though the frame. No rough edges for the cables to catch on.
2. Velobuild seems to have put more "thought and care" into frame accessibility for cable management.
3. Paint quality is good although no real world tests yet obviously. Granted I did paint my Dengfu at home, but the VeloBuild paint is obviously better.
4. Overall VeloBuild paid more attention to smaller details. Dealing with them felt more like they were actually bike enthusiasts rather than just a company wanting to sell me a generic frame.
My first impressions video on the 177 will be later this week. I'll keep everyone posted
Thank you for committing your time and money into showcasing these internet darling independent bike brands. I think we're headed to a new golden age in cycling where there is more transparency in bike technology and less dependence on bike retailers.
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Happy Friday Everyone,
Just uploaded a video of my finished R12 build. Actual ride and road impressions are coming at later time. Perhaps I should do a battle between all of my framesets. We shall see...
YouTube Search Title: My Dengfu R12 Is FINISHED!
https://youtu.be/QGW1VUEBOe0 (https://youtu.be/QGW1VUEBOe0)
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Happy Friday Everyone,
Just uploaded a video of my finished R12 build. Actual ride and road impressions are coming at later time. Perhaps I should do a battle between all of my framesets. We shall see...
YouTube Search Title: My Dengfu R12 Is FINISHED!
https://youtu.be/QGW1VUEBOe0 (https://youtu.be/QGW1VUEBOe0)
did you notice anything funky with fd shifting? i have etap axs and the braze on mount is slightly slanted so the fd has to sit higher than manufacturer recommendations bc the chainring will hit it, so the shifting is a little wonky on mine, hit or miss.
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did you notice anything funky with fd shifting? i have etap axs and the braze on mount is slightly slanted so the fd has to sit higher than manufacturer recommendations bc the chainring will hit it, so the shifting is a little wonky on mine, hit or miss.
Yep had the same issue. Thought it was just me. In order to get the FD to shift properly I had to switch from my 53/39 crank to a smaller 50/34. This could probably be remedied with some sort of shim. I'll be sure to mention this in a follow up video.
Obviously if this was my only frameset I would be a bit upset. But since Chicago is super flat, I never use my FD anyway and I have other bikes for climbing and Zwift.
I'm probably gonna turn my Dengfu R12 into 1x setup with a 53t or 54t chainring, and use it as a backup crit machine.
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I like that mindset.
In the rack it shifts fine but on the road it requires some motivation. I cant hit it directly underpower, i have to stop pedalling sometimes, or do less than 200w, and kind of give it motivation and TLC. Its annoying enough to where i wouldnt recommend the frame to someone but not annoying enough where im gonna trash a good $700 frame. My next build will probably be a velobuild 168 or 177. Let me know And update this post if you figure out a shim solution. Id assume itd have to be angled almost like a door stopper to make it work. Thats kind of out of my realm but just food for thought. How does the bike weigh compared to ur velobuild? It seems a bit on the heavier side but not that it matters much.
And honestly switching to a 1x maybe a 46t would be a great crit idea. Run a 46/36. Which is an easier gear than 36/28.