Chinertown
Chinese Carbon Road Bikes => Cyclocross Frames, Wheels & Components => Topic started by: Lapskaus on January 16, 2025, 03:19:20 AM
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Hi everyone,
I am currently sourcing the materials for my first bike build. Now I need a little bit of input, about some of the parts, especially on the frame and handlebar I am planning on using. My current list looks like this:
Gravel Bike Parts (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RRoMulnS6vWl0A4tvrQnrdrRy0ckutJV9gENL91tNUE/edit?gid=0#gid=0)
I am more or less locked on the Carbonda 505 SL framset and the LightBicycle AR46 wheels, I am not 100% sure about anything else yet, some parts more some parts less.
My current bike is a Rose Backroad AL Randonneur (2020 edition, size 59). Now I am looking for a slightly more sportiv bike. According to the Rose employee, who sold me the bike back in 2020, I am between a 57 and 59 ( My height is 188cm with ~88-89cm inside leg length. ) and since I was looking for a relaxed commuter bike, he suggested the 59.
Here is a comparison of the Rose in 59 and the Carbonda in XL (https://bikeinsights.com/compare?geometries=5f3f016dd61c7000172ec38c,66a0551a74f097001b2b55d8,) (60 according to their website).
Now my questions are as follows:
- Is the Carbonda XL is the right size for what I am looking for or if I should go with the 57? I know too little about frame geometry to make more than an educated guess here.
- I like the aesthetics of a fully integrated handlebar/stem combo like the one Carbonda offers. But I think being able to change the stem separately has some benefits too. Should I just go for the Carbonda Handblebar/stem, or are there better (budget friendly) alternatives? My initial Budget was 3000-3500€ but I didnt account for the shipping cost of the frame and wheels, which is around ~350€ (for both together, already inlcuded in my list). That's why I currently lean towards the Carbonda Handlebar, because it seems to be the best to stay somewhat in my budget (would 440/100 be a good choice, given that I am happy with the handlebar on my current bike?)
- Am I missing anything very obvious in that list? (Other than the entire cockpit)
- Are there any all black, compatible casettes? (10-36 12 speed, the all black cassettes I found so far are mostly 10-50 or similar)
[EDIT]
Edited the bike part list. Getting closer
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505 SL does seem like the right frame for that tire choice, I assume you're going for an "all-road" type bike? Road tire size with a bit of knob for off-road, but not off-road enough to need a true gravel tire? Do you ever see yourself wanting a full width gravel tire in the 40-50mm range, which would then push you to a true gravel bike, like a CFR707? Just sparking some discussion in case anyone else has frame suggestions.
1. What's your goal of the bike? The Rose and 505 in your comparison have nearly the same stack, and 505 has 14mm longer reach. So if you ran a 10mm shorter stem on the 505, or pushed the saddle forward a bit, it'd feel nearly identical. Which sparks the question, do you want it to feel the same? You say you want more sportiv, do you want a more aero position, so lower stack?
2. I chose the integrated handlebar with my CFR707, but I'm switching to a separate bar/stem. You can mostly hide the cables with an FSA/ACR stem, or heavier knock-off version on Aliexpress. I want to dial in my fit with a handlebar narrower than I could find in integrated, so that drives a separate bar/stem. Plus integrated bars have handlebar angle fixed. If it works for you, then the integrated bar is awesome. But if it doesn't, there's nothing you can do about it.
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505 SL does seem like the right frame for that tire choice, I assume you're going for an "all-road" type bike? Road tire size with a bit of knob for off-road, but not off-road enough to need a true gravel tire? Do you ever see yourself wanting a full width gravel tire in the 40-50mm range, which would then push you to a true gravel bike, like a CFR707?
The goal is to get an Road/Light Gravel Bike. I dont intend to use it for anything more than relatively flat, light gravel roads for now. Allthough I thought if I add a 2nd pair of wheels with ~40mm tires and a 10-44 cassette I could do some (lighter) gravel trails with it too. Which is why I am currently indecisive about the groupset.
Which sparks the question, do you want it to feel the same? You say you want more sportiv, do you want a more aero position, so lower stack?
Currently I am sitting very upright on my Rose, which I want to change to a more aero Position, but I dont want to go crazy so that frame seemed like a good compromise. The decision is more or less only based on the evaluation @bikeinsights saying that the Rose frame has "Average stack and reach" and the Carbonda has a "Somewhat aggressive stack and reach". But if I go to the Carbonda in L the reach stays nearly the same but the stack of the Carbonda is 15mm shorter. Hence the question, which frame size is better for my goal.
2. I chose the integrated handlebar with my CFR707, but I'm switching to a separate bar/stem. You can mostly hide the cables with an FSA/ACR stem, or heavier knock-off version on Aliexpress. I want to dial in my fit with a handlebar narrower than I could find in integrated, so that drives a separate bar/stem. Plus integrated bars have handlebar angle fixed. If it works for you, then the integrated bar is awesome. But if it doesn't, there's nothing you can do about it.
I think I will go with the Carbonda handlebar for now, as you said I could change it later on and I don't think I will get a better deal for a handlebar and stem.
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The only thing I have to say is: damn... almost 4k on a chinese bike! At that pricepoint and having to purchase all pieces I'd just go around the local shops and look for deals and get a western brand which might not be having the Sram fancy Force, but a simple rival or even mechanical.
Last month I saw a Merida 105 di2 for 2.3k, a couple of days ago I saw a ridley and with shimano 105 di2 for sth like 2.2K, all new. You add some carbon wheels for 600 (and can even sell the old ones) and you save yourself 30% of the investment and support local businesses.
I feel that nowadays china stuff is becoming less and less appealing
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Well I also can just ride my Rose Backroad, and spend 0 bucks, or sell it for some bucks and start running.
Seriously though, I like to build stuff and tinker, I like to cycle and I have money to spare. Now if you can point me to a "western frame" (that was most likely mass produced in china anyways) with similar specs that doesnt eat up 80+% of my whole budget, I gladly take that. On top of that LB and Carbonda seem to be somewhat reputable.
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The only thing I have to say is: damn... almost 4k on a chinese bike! At that pricepoint and having to purchase all pieces I'd just go around the local shops and look for deals and get a western brand which might not be having the Sram fancy Force, but a simple rival or even mechanical.
Last month I saw a Merida 105 di2 for 2.3k, a couple of days ago I saw a ridley and with shimano 105 di2 for sth like 2.2K, all new. You add some carbon wheels for 600 (and can even sell the old ones) and you save yourself 30% of the investment and support local businesses.
I feel that nowadays china stuff is becoming less and less appealing
The value proposition depends on many things. Even as the price gets closer, for me there's still a lot of value in building from a frameset - I often find that many things on stock bikes aren't right for me such as handlebar width, stem length, preferred saddle, crank length, cassette size, tyre width (and just tyres generally), rim depth etc. so being able to build it as I want the first time holds a lot of appeal. I can see here that OP is targeting a pretty lightweight build and it would be hard to get that kind of weight on a build for 4k.
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The value proposition depends on many things. Even as the price gets closer, for me there's still a lot of value in building from a frameset - I often find that many things on stock bikes aren't right for me such as handlebar width, stem length, preferred saddle, crank length, cassette size, tyre width (and just tyres generally), rim depth etc. so being able to build it as I want the first time holds a lot of appeal. I can see here that OP is targeting a pretty lightweight build and it would be hard to get that kind of weight on a build for 4k.
Don't get me wrong. I get you but the OP is asking for which size he should get. So I guess the "fit" here is a bit questionable. Such as "light weight". It's a measurement. Bikes are hard to measure, i get it. It's the "only" feature you can objectively measure. Aero crap measurements are just marketing. But weight... come on... having a 7kg or 8kg has little to no difference. If we were talking about 11 or 12. There is a difference and you can definitely feel it. But it's common for human to focus on the details and forget on the bigger picture - that's the marketing effect has on us :)
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How many spacers are you running now with your current bike? If you are already slammed and with a -17deg stem, I would say go for a size smaller. If you have some spacers below with a -6deg stem, the XL will be fine.
As an 505SL owner (in XL), I can say this is really a top tier frame where a lot of big brand's gravel bike cannot compete with. It has the modern features like T47BB and UDH, the ride quality is like a road bike with sharp cornering, it's stiff yet very lightweight (mine was 1050gr for XL), and I've been able to put 45mm schwable G-One RS in it without any scratching damage in muddy conditions. I can imagine if you combine this with LB's wheels it's gonna be a fast machine. Almost a kill for a commuter bike.
Going for an integrated cockpit on a new bike is always a gamble concerning the fit. Compared to the big brands, the investment is not that big, but still it can be a waste of money if the fit is not right. You could always buy a different one afterwards. There are plenty of options on aliexpress around 150EUR.
Bike parts list: You could have a look at the Rival shifterset rather than the Force. Personally I prefer the fit of the Rival shifters (less bulky) and they are cheaper while having the same weight. Also since you are running 1X, you might want to opt for the Xplorer deraileur in case you want to do more intensive gravel. But that's depending on your riding terrain.
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How many spacers are you running now with your current bike? If you are already slammed and with a -17deg stem, I would say go for a size smaller. If you have some spacers below with a -6deg stem, the XL will be fine.
As an 505SL owner (in XL), I can say this is really a top tier frame where a lot of big brand's gravel bike cannot compete with. It has the modern features like T47BB and UDH, the ride quality is like a road bike with sharp cornering, it's stiff yet very lightweight (mine was 1050gr for XL), and I've been able to put 45mm schwable G-One RS in it without any scratching damage in muddy conditions. I can imagine if you combine this with LB's wheels it's gonna be a fast machine. Almost a kill for a commuter bike.
Thanks for your input. It isn't meant as a commuter, thats what my Rose is for. This is for regular workouts and trips, where I - until now - used my Rose too. I guess I will go with an XL frame then. Did you order/use the Carbonda axles/headset, are they any good?
Going for an integrated cockpit on a new bike is always a gamble concerning the fit. Compared to the big brands, the investment is not that big, but still it can be a waste of money if the fit is not right. You could always buy a different one afterwards. There are plenty of options on aliexpress around 150EUR.
I guess I will take the gamble on the Carbonda Handlebars then.
Bike parts list: You could have a look at the Rival shifterset rather than the Force. Personally I prefer the fit of the Rival shifters (less bulky) and they are cheaper while having the same weight. Also since you are running 1X, you might want to opt for the Xplorer deraileur in case you want to do more intensive gravel. But that's depending on your riding terrain.
Yeah I'll def. have a deeper dive into that on the weekend I am jumping back and force between the xplr/non-xplr and rival/ force and compatible cassettes.
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Did you order/use the Carbonda axles/headset, are they any good?
Yes. The axles are good: they are lightweight and durable. I would opt for them to make sure you have the right dimensions.
The headset is standard FSA ACR dimensions. My experience with headset bearings is that for longevity it's mainly a matter of putting loads of sticky grease on them to avoid water ingress rather then choosing the relatively more expensive branded (from FSA, canecreek) ones over the cheaper ones.
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But it's common for human to focus on the details and forget on the bigger picture - that's the marketing effect has on us :)
It's also very common for some humans to tell others what is right and wrong, neglecting that besides math there might be several right solutions for one topic.
And jeah currently there are indeed some good deals around. But as it's the goal to have a build from scratch, they might be not the fitting choice in this case.
For the question of the handlebar.. if you are shouting for infernal solution at the end, but are unsure about the dimensions and see willingly to have a test phase you can start with a semi integrated setup. Like having a "common" stem and handlebar and the hoses are entering the frame at the dust cap. Once you are fine and want to shift to an infernal routing, you "only" need to reroute the hydraulic hoses through the integrated handlebar. And you need to change the dust cap.
For that you will most likely need to cut the olive barbs unfortunately.. so you need some cm free length.
And this approach has one weakness: the dimensions of stems, handlebars, integrated Cockpits are sometimes not identic, even if they come with the same printed numbers. But that's a part of the game. ;D
Is there the second fork to have an external routing possible? I think with the semi integrated dust caps (also available from FSA, Acros....) you could think about saving that. This is really working out pretty fine, if you want to use the frame with a common stem and handlebar. I have built 2 frames like this, and you can just use the infernal fork and are fine.
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Yes. The axles are good: they are lightweight and durable. I would opt for them to make sure you have the right dimensions.
Thanks, I will go with the axles and headset from carbonda.
For the question of the handlebar.. if you are shouting for infernal solution at the end, but are unsure about the dimensions and see willingly to have a test phase you can start with a semi integrated setup. Like having a "common" stem and handlebar and the hoses are entering the frame at the dust cap. Once you are fine and want to shift to an infernal routing, you "only" need to reroute the hydraulic hoses through the integrated handlebar. And you need to change the dust cap.
Thanks for your input. I will go the opposite route and take the Carbonda Handlebars and risk having to switch them, if I end up not liking them.
I also made up my mind about some of the other components (I updated the list). I will go with a mix of rival and force groupset, that and some other stuff, like a saddle from AliExpress etc. brought me pretty close to my budget. The saddle brings me to another question though, that I couldnt answer through carbondas website:
What type of rails do I need for the carbonda seatpost?
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This style of clamping does only clamp on the top and bottom part. So it doesn't matter if you put 7x7 or carbon rail with 7x9 in it.
E.g. this is the same clamping design and allows explicitly for both:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EvTtIZS
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Does anyone know how good Carbonda's paintjobs are and if they do somewhat complicated jobs? I am usually relatively picky with such things and I would rather go with their unpainted black version than getting something that I don't like in the end. On top of that I did find a couple of posts reporting that the paint chipped easily in certain places. The paintjob would be based on the Cube Nuroad C:62 SLT (https://www.cube.eu/de-de/cube-nuroad-c-62-slt-mineralgrit-n-black/830600) Design (see image ). I wrote to their salesteam but didnt get an answer yet.
(https://i.imgur.com/bYSNlk0.jpeg)
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Does anyone know how good Carbonda's paintjobs are and if they do somewhat complicated jobs? I am usually relatively picky with such things and I would rather go with their unpainted black version than getting something that I don't like in the end. On top of that I did find a couple of posts reporting that the paint chipped easily in certain places. The paintjob would be based on the Cube Nuroad C:62 SLT (https://www.cube.eu/de-de/cube-nuroad-c-62-slt-mineralgrit-n-black/830600) Design (see image ). I wrote to their salesteam but didnt get an answer yet.
(https://i.imgur.com/bYSNlk0.jpeg)
Their paint is pretty good considering the price and seem to have no issue with more complex designs. However, unless things have changed recently, they also just buff out matte and glossy paint and only put a clear coat on metallics. My 505 from 2018 with just a single glossy color has held up well with minor scratches in the paint but no real chipping.
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All pictures greatly appreciated of all 505SL builds as I'm considering one.
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I will definitively order one. Just not sure if with or without a paintjob. The salesteam told me that they will check if they are able to do such a paintjob after their new year holidays, as they never done anything like that before. The cost for the paintjob would be 265$. So my build wont be ready for at least a couple of months :(
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Yeah, same here. I ordered a frame (an ICAN GRA04) with a custom paint job over a week ago. Its not as complex as yours,
but it will be ready early march to be shiped to Germany ::) My hope was to get it earlier. But I wanted my first build to be the
color of my choice so I have to be patient (not one of my greatest characteristics) :)
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I requested clearcoat with the top being translucent blue fading into the raw carbon. It's light and still adds a special element to it. The attached video gives a better representation than the picture
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Have you built it?
How was that?
What's it like to ride?
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I requested clearcoat with the top being translucent blue fading into the raw carbon. It's light and still adds a special element to it. The attached video gives a better representation than the picture
I do like the fade and the overall look of it, expecially the translucent blue/carbon part. It's not my cup of tea though, I guess mainly because I don't find the clearcoated carbonfiber look very appealing in glossy. But that's totally subjective. It looks incredibly well done.
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I've been riding this bike for about a year now. It's good enough to place in the top 20 in a gravel world series with the elites, so I guess it gets the job done. 8)
I chose the frame mainly for the specs – it was, and still is, the best performing race gravel bike in China. It's lightweight, made with T1000 carbon, and features modern components like the T47 bottom bracket and UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger). There might be more modern-looking bikes out there, but I doubt they're any faster. I love the lack of unnecessary bolts almost every gravel frames seem to have. Only a minority uses fork bolts and they just make the frame heavy.
As I mentioned earlier, the bike rides like a road bike. The bottom bracket stiffness feels on par with my road bike when I use road wheels and it smoothens the terrain when needed. For comparison, my Tideace winter gravel bike is unforgiving on every bump. With a 73-degree steering angle, the bike is also very agile and great at cornering.
Regarding the cockpit: Last year, I used it with the Ritchey Logic-E 1.5" Integrated IS headset solution to run a regular stem. Due to the high stack of this headset, I needed a -17-degree stem. This winter, I've installed a Roval cockpit and printed a custom spacer to make it compatible with the ACR headset top cap. I haven't had a chance to ride it yet, but I'm excited to see how it performs.
Concerning paintjobs: we all have our own taste, I just wanted to demonstrate carbonda has some paintjob knowledge inhouse and easily accomodates to your desires. They delivered exactely what I wanted.
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What material did you use to print the spacers? Is PLA sufficiently strong or would you need to print PETG/ABS? I thought of printing some stuff too, e.g.handlebar end caps and spacers.
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I'm using SLS Nylon PA12. In case you want to be really secure for headset spacer, you could make them purely cosmetic by using a normal round spacer and using the outer diameter of that one as inner diameter of your custom spacer. Not that I've done that, because I'm confident its structurally sufficient for its purpose.
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I'm using SLS Nylon PA12. In case you want to be really secure for headset spacer, you could make them purely cosmetic by using a normal round spacer and using the outer diameter of that one as inner diameter of your custom spacer. Not that I've done that, because I'm confident its structurally sufficient for its purpose.
Thanks. Taking round spacers and printing a cosmetic cover sounds interesting. Will check it out when I get the frame.
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Can you give me an idea of what your set up here is? Less interested in wheels, but am interested in components and how it was getting it built up.
Were there any problems with internal routing etc etc. Or did you make it someone else's problem and get the shop to build it?
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[quote author=jfcb link=topic=5633.msg73449#msg73449 date=1737747981 They delivered exactely what I wanted.
Can you give me an idea of what your set up here is? Less interested in wheels, but am interested in components and how it was getting it built up.
Were there any problems with internal routing etc etc. Or did you make it someone else's problem and get the shop to build it?
The build up was very smooth, no issues to notice actually.
- Internal cable routing (especially with SRAM wireless shifting) is easy with the frame, no fiddling. I did use foam hose protection to avoid rattling inside the frame.
- The brake mounts were faced, no issues
- with Sram 1X, installing a groupset goes very fast
Apart from the groupset and pedals, it's quiet a chinabuild:
- T47 BB install, as al my BB's I buy them on Alixpress and replace the bearings with NTN/SKF once the original ones wear down. Afterwards they last very long.
- Crankset: now (different from the picture), I'm running a SRAM RED DUB crank with sigey PM, 50T Stone oval chainring. For training periods and climbing races, I will go back to 46T. I also mounted a ZTTO chain catcher. I've ridden a period without chainring cachter which went smooth, but rather don't take the risk in races.
- Drivetrain: force XPLR derailleur and (Goldix?) 10-44T cassette. They are very long lasting cassettes and work with Shimano 12sp chains.
- Cockpit: originally I ran an UNO stem with carbon handlebar (ali, similar shape as 3T ergonova) using the ritchey headset. This is a super light yet sturdy combination. As mentioned earlier, I replaced it this winter with a roval cockpit which I could buy from a friend for which it was too short.
- Furthermore: seatpost (ali), carbon bottle cages (ali, arundel style), farsports 40mm gravel wheels (1300gr), some helicopter tape on the downtube to protect it from the gravel impacts. I also replaced the bolts on the downtube with Nylon bolts
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[...] 50T Stone oval chainring. For training periods and climbing races, I will go back to 46T. [...]
Did you need to hack anything in order to run a 50t oval/46t Chainring? According to carbonda 42t is max in 1x.
farsports 40mm gravel wheels (1300gr)
I am currently torn between Lightbicycle and Farsports/Wheelsfar. Farsports seem to be ~200$ cheaper for similar setups, plus I read in some post that they basically manufacture in the same building. Lightbicycle seems to be a tad more popular/reputable though. The specific models I am looking at are
- LB AR 46 either with the LB pace hub as the budget friendliest option (770€, ~1400g)
- LB WR40 with DT Swiss 350, Pillar 1420 Spokes (1100€, 1480g)
- Wheelsfar Hyper Disc 45 deep, DT Swiss 240, CX Ray (1080€, 1357g)
(prices include shipping/tax)
I highly doubt that I - as a recreational cyclist, who does no racing and only rides for fun - would need anything more than the AR46. Would the difference even be noticable for me? I mostly ride flat tarmac / very light gravel. The only concern here would be the pace hubs. I can find very little information about these.
The WR40/Hyper45 bring me pretty much dead on budget, but seem to be overkill. Any thoughts on this?
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thanks @jfcb
How much was the frameset?
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The prices I got quotet 1-2 weeks ago were:
660$ Frameset including seatpost, clamp and fork, (2 UDH, 1 mounted)
820$ Frameset + CGB02 Handlebar with Spacers
+8$ per extra UDH
+26$ per R+F axle
+15$ per headset
+195$ shipping to EU (265$ if you get 2 frames, no tax/duties on top)
+265$ paintjob
+4.5% PayPall fee
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That's really helpful thanks.
What are the headsets like?
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Yes. The axles are good: they are lightweight and durable. I would opt for them to make sure you have the right dimensions.
The headset is standard FSA ACR dimensions. My experience with headset bearings is that for longevity it's mainly a matter of putting loads of sticky grease on them to avoid water ingress rather then choosing the relatively more expensive branded (from FSA, canecreek) ones over the cheaper ones.
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Between farsports (FS) and light-bicycle (LB): whatever you choose, you cant go wrong with both of them. I believe LB has a bit more high-end options with their flyweight rims, but since the price of FS is unbeatable, I often end up with them. They just offer a large variety of excellent rims (and wheels). I'm using their gravel rims for 2-3 years now on all sorts of terrain and so far they have been indestructible.
Last black friday, I ordered a FS wheelset for a friend similar to the ones I'm using:RD261 hubs, Pillar 1420 spokes, alloy nipples and fs50/30g hookless gravel rims -> 1350gr -> 800EUR incl shipping because of their Black Friday deal. Those hubs are similar to the DT swiss style hubs with similar freehub system.
On the chainring size: likely since I used a 2X spider and installed it on the outer ring to make it 1X, you can go easily up to 50T. If you would use a 1X specific crankset, the chainring ends up in the middle of where a small and large chainring would come, so I imagine the space is less.
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Sorry for asking more questions - I'm speaking with Carbonda, what mounting points does the SL come with?
I don't want frame warts all over the place, i only need two bottle holders rather than fork mounts, bb mount, top tube mount etc.
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AFAIK 2 bottle cages and front derailleur on the frame and bike computer mounting point on the handlebar. None for bike packing etc.
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email from Wing (v fast)
bottle cages and one under the bb.
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email from Wing (v fast)
bottle cages and one under the bb.
correct.
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After purchasing the frame I am currently sourcing the rest of my build. While doing so I came across a problem when buying stuff on aliexpress. There are sometimes several listings for the same item:
- Goldix 10-36T XDR Cassette | Ali Cycling Store -> 77,39€ (https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005006688101350.html?pdp_npi=4%40dis%21EUR%21198.21%2167.39%21%21%21%21%21%40%2112000038034737869%21afff%21%21%21&af=335013&dp=10748_1738919143_782fc0b0187b9c40412dbb40180e112b&cn=10748&Afref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.globerada.com&sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=335013&awc=10748_1738919143_782fc0b0187b9c40412dbb40180e112b&aff_fcid=6db845cbcd424f858103a0998267a75a-1738919143556-02158-b7S7Ir9e&aff_fsk=b7S7Ir9e&aff_platform=link-c-tool&sk=b7S7Ir9e&aff_trace_key=6db845cbcd424f858103a0998267a75a-1738919143556-02158-b7S7Ir9e&terminal_id=60e72cd2b0ea486197f8bbf394a21855&afSmartRedirect=y)
- Goldix 10-36T XDR Cassette | Goldix Store -> 105,39€ (https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005005136330219.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.3.6e1dL8McL8Mc89&algo_pvid=9a3879fb-baeb-4300-ae71-d37f7b506361&algo_exp_id=9a3879fb-baeb-4300-ae71-d37f7b506361-1&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%225%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21EUR%21150.60%2197.39%21%21%211113.08%21719.80%21%402103892f17389194330423745e694d%2112000031807240830%21sea%21DE%210%21ABX&curPageLogUid=LvN61Fjl7o8b&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A)
I did enough research to at least trust that the goldix cassette is a good enough alternative to the original SRAM cassette. Is there a rule of thumb, that I should avoid non official stores? Is it safe to buy from the other store or are there too many fakes? What makes me especially skeptical is that the weight is listet alot lower on the "Ali cycling store" than on the official one.
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It will be the same product, but concerning weight: yes likely it's better to rely on the weight provided by Goldix.
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Sorry to keep asking questions in here - but it seems like the right place:
is there internal routing for a dynamo on this frame?
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I don't know, but I don't think so. I can not verify that as my frame has not arrived yet. Best ask Carbonda, they answered relatively quickly even during their holidays.
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Is there a rule of thumb, that I should avoid non official stores?
I think the concept of 'official' stores is fraught with uncertainty. It is my impression that store owners can name their store pretty much anything they want, no matter whether they are affiliated with a given brand or not. Which doesn't mean that factory stores don't exist on AliExpress but it's difficult to discern what is what. It's probably safest to assume that there isn't any direct affiliation between a store and a brand unless there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary - more likely than not it's just an enterprising store owner trying to lure in unwitting customers by using the brand name.
The store very well may purchase their goods from the brand but so can anyone, no matter whether they are called Official Brand Gold Store or Sundries and Scented Candles 60 Designer Store.
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I just found out, that there seems to be a kind of certificate from AliExpress called "Top Brands".
From AliExpress:
Top Brands are top-rated stores on AliExpress. When you're shopping at these stores, you're either directly buying from the brand itself or from an authorized reseller.
According to most articles I found about this, TopBrands are verified sellers and you can be relatively sure that, if you buy from a TopBrand, you get the real deal. I guess that doesn't help alot in finding out if the 20% lower priced non top brand store sells fakes or not, but still.
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Do you know the max chainring size in 1x and 2x setups?
ta
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Hi there,
I'm new to this forum. Looking forward to order this frame.
Guys, could you share some images with 40+c tires, how much space left there? and what's your rim internal width?
And another question, is there a space for left side crank power meter?
TIA
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How is the ordering process going? What the status of your build/order/thinking process/decision making? ;)
I'm also interested in building an all-road racebike based on the CFR 505 SL.
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I received the frame a couple of weeks back, but I am still waiting for my wheelset - should arive in ~1-2 weeks - and a couple of smaller items. Like the screws for the rear brake mount (those didn't come with the set I ordered). I wanted to fit the fork today. Here is a question:
I got the headset and handlebar from carbonda too. In the picture you see the premounted endcap of the compression plug (left) that has a rounded bevel on top and bottom. Now my question is, is the one on the right an alternative endcap? It has a flat top and fits better (visually) on the handlebar since the handlebar is flat on top too. I just cant figure out what else this should be. But the bottom is completly different from the originally mounted cap.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZsRC6xC.jpeg)
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The protrusion of that right endcap sometimes needs a extra spacer on top of the stem (and handlebar in your case). It depends on how deep your compression plug sits in the steerer. Most important is that it has enough room to pull the compression plugin. You can measure it with a caliper.
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Great to read about the Carbonda CFR-505 SL. The frame doesn't have it's own topic, I'll post my item here. (moving it from this topic (https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,4372.0.html))
I'm new in the world of direct OEM market carbon frames. I'm new in this forum. Until two weeks ago I thought I was going to order a new aluminium gravel racer from a small company. Before that I wanted a Vitus Venon Evo but it is not available as a frameset. Then my interest in Chinese OEM got triggered.
I'm thinking in buying a CFR-505 SL because I need a gravel racer which is low weight and not a bikepacking gravel bike with many mounting points (like CFR-707). It needs to feel at home in the middle high mountains of France and Germany and the Eifel area. Forest roads. Light weight but occasionally it will be used for 2-3 day trips so strapping a saddle bag, small frame bag and handlebar bag needs to be no problem.
Currently I'm riding a 11kg heavy steel bike (Vitus Substance) and although this bike is great and has seen mountains as high as the Alps, it's time to retire.
See below, my 56 cm sized steel frame (white) compared with both L and M size CFR-505 SL (black). I'm 186 cm, inseam of ~88 cm. Both frames - steel and CFR-505 SL - don't differ much in geometry. Another reason not to choose frames like the CFR-707 or Tantan Seraph GR201.
I don't think I order the CGB-02 integrated stem/handlebar. See below cockpit example (FSA SMR), this for me, is good enough. Is makes maintenance easy. Maybe I go with a Deda Superbox. Not sure. I need a round handlebar.
Now, I filled in the contact form on Carbonda's website but didn't hear from them yet.
Some questions:
- Can you think of a reason why not to go with the size L?
- What do you think, is the 505 suitable for these small adventures or is that 707 specific territory?
- Does somebody have a recent contact/employee at Carbonda where to place an order/ask some questions?
- There's a place near me where they can paint the bike per my design. This is more expensive than Carbonda but I want the frame to have a logo and name. Can Carbonda do lettering or vinyl stickers?
- Is the example cockpit possible with the 505?
- The seat stays intersect the seat tube a few centimeters down. My Vitus Substance is "old" triangle. (I don't see that in Bikeinsight compare tool) Does this effect compliance? I'm about 70kg, I can use every bit of compliance since my weight won't effect bending seatposts or rigid triangles, etc.
- I might have some more questions...
Thank you.
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Does somebody have a recent contact/employee at Carbonda where to place an order/ask some questions?
They are kinda ghosting me atm too. I asked wing what the maximum spacer height for the steering tube would be but didnt get an anwer since sunday. Which I find odd. Usually they answered within a day, two tops. Does anyone know?
And: Is it fine to ride the bike, if the compression plug is not all the way down to the stem clamp? Just to test bar height before cutting the steerer that is, not for a long ride or anything.
There's a place near me where they can paint the bike per my design. This is more expensive than Carbonda but I want the frame to have a logo and name. Can Carbonda do lettering or vinyl stickers?
If they would do lettering on their own frames I wouldn't think twice that they are capable and experienced enough to get that right. It's not that hard to apply masking tape and spray over it if you have the right tools and done it a couple of times. But I didn't see a single carbonda frame with lettering so far, and it's quite easy to get unsharp edges if you use the wrong masking tape or to much pressure with your spray guns etc. The thought that something might go wrong and they are a couple thousand miles away just sending some pics for me to sign off on (if even that, I am not sure about the process) is what made me to decide that I didnt want them to paint the frame.
If you are handy and have someone with a plotter who can cut your lettering, there are really good DIY tutorials by a guy called ETOE on youtube. He has a couple of videos where he uses spray cans and shows how to apply lettering in detail. Using his techniques you would pay ~100 Bucks for spray cans, masking tape etc. with the down side that you would need to take a couple of days of spraying, waiting, sanding, repeat.
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Thank you. I have been in frequent contact with Carbonda sales the last two days. Sending and answering about ten mails a day. I'm about to sign the invoice. The first mail ended up in my spam, the reason why I thought they didn't react.
I will spray paint the frame by a specialized (no capital S ;D) motorbike spray artist. I expect them to have enough knowledge on how to make a beautiful bike for me.
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They will sure do a great job, send some pics when it's done.
I sent a picture with the last email, they didnt respond to, might have landed in their spam.
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Joining this thread again to try and ask about respraying/colouring. How do you send over what you need?
I have a colour scheme I want but it's subtle transitioning.
Any help in how to send the requirements, rather than pictures or poor wording would be great.
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The pictures on page 1 are what I sent them. Since it's based on an exisiting design from another brand, just with some more black panels they had plenty of photos to look at and said they would try to replicate it. They never did though cause I decided against it later.
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For anyone interested, I did print this (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4802723) steering tube cutting guide. It prints well and fast, the assembly is very easy and it's sturdy.
(https://i.imgur.com/J3Bzo6E.jpeg)
I did cut the fork very easily with this.