Chinertown
Chinese Carbon Road Bikes => Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components => Topic started by: alfiomotrambo on November 18, 2024, 09:29:33 AM
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Hey all! I’m stuck trying to decide between the VeloBuild 177 and 268 and would love some feedback from you guys.
I’m on a budget and plan to invest more in wheels/components after picking the frame. The 268 gets a lot of love here as a solid all-rounder, but I’ve heard the 177 might be better if you’re into more aggressive riding.
For those who’ve tried either (or both), I’ve got a few questions:
Stiffness vs. comfort: Which one feels better for long rides vs. max effort?
Ease of build: Any quirks to watch out for during assembly?
Versatility: Is the 268 better for mixed terrain, or is the 177 a better fit for fast road rides?
Future upgrades: Which one would you recommend if I plan to upgrade components over time?
Thanks in advance for any advice—really appreciate it!
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I've gone back and forth on this one, originally saying the 268 "feels" like the "best" road frame VeloBuild offers. It's certainly better than the 168, but I'd argue both the 268 and 177 have their respective places on the market.
VB-268
-Not offering a 15-20mm setback setpost is almost a deal breaker. But I'm probably in the minority here. You bike fit may vary.
-If you plan on ever running 32c tires then this is your only option. The 177 can just barely fit 30mm measured at the rim. Only on dry roads. With that said, I pretty much exclusively 28c on rims that stretch out to around 30.
-The Mavic thru axle system is easy to use once you get the hang of it.
VB-177
-Personally speaking this frame looks better to my eyes. Not as aero looking of course, but classic proportions. And the design will most certainly age better over time.
-27.2 seatpost = 3rd party aftermarket support.
-I find the geometry overall worked much better for myself over the 268.
Performance wise (stiffness, speed, etc) they are about the same, with the 177 being slightly better over bad pavement. Wheels and rider position affect riding dynamics more than anything else. Both are a nightmare to route cables if you plan on using a mechanical groupset. Especially the FD. It's not impossible but will take some time to finesse properly.
If you need the option of 32c tires but don't require a 15-20mm setback seatpost, the 268 is probably the better option.
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Which bike did you go for at the end?
I have the same dilemma..... leaning towards the 177 for a 27.2 seatpost.
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I'd go 177.... more aggressive geometry (would have saved me $$$ to not get a 130mm stem Tavelo Avro), standard seatpost, isn't a ubiquitous Tarmac SLx clone
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Is it easy enough to get stems aftermarket for the 177?
Not sure if the ones for 236 are just the ones Velobuild sells....Anyone knows?
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Ooooo that's a good catch. 177 runs a 1-1/2 fork stem. Kind of a dumb design choice. I wonder if you can run a conventional tapered fork with a thicker bearing. That's a dealbreaker for me
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Ooooo that's a good catch. 177 runs a 1-1/2 fork stem. Kind of a dumb design choice. I wonder if you can run a conventional tapered fork with a thicker bearing. That's a dealbreaker for me
177 has a standard tapered fork.