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Messages - hsaus

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1
I think that it would be because the spider itself comes back slightly over the BB shell.

This is probably only an issue on some BB386 and T47 frames, but out of caution I assume they've said that it's generally not compatible.

Yes, I have no issues on my frame with T47 internal BB, but clearance is minimal, so I expect some frames would be problematic: https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,4952.msg60729.html#msg60729

2
I replaced the unbranded blue batteries from eBay that I used at first with branded ones from DLG. Specifically the button-top variant from here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005871463985.html

So far, so good. I did a 35km ride today with lots of undulating hills, so loads of gear changes, both front and back. By the end of the ride, the battery capacity had dropped from 100% to 99%. The previous unbranded ones dropped more charge from shorter rides.

3
Where did you buy this? I see only b2b offers following that link? Would need sale to Germany.

I ordered it from TradeINN/BikeINN (Spain): https://www.tradeinn.com/bikeinn/en/icetoolz-disc-brake-caliper-hole-cutter/139125461/p

4
Bike looks great, how did the fitment with t47 and p505 go? Magene says its not compatible with the t47 BB.

In short, no issues at all. I purchased the crankset some time ago, and I don't recall seeing that warning at the time. So I set it up completely oblivious to the claimed incompatibility. ;D

Speculation: Magene may be concerned about the gap (or lack thereof) between the inside of the spider and the frame bottom bracket shell - and perhaps also the outside edge of the bottom bracket itself. My setup doesn't have much of a gap, but it's enough clearance to not have any problem (see the attached photo).

5
It didn't take long for the L-TWOO eR9 groupset to cause drama. I posted details on the issue and the fix in the eRX/eR9 thread: https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,4242.msg60363.html#msg60363

6
eR9 issue and fix

I had an issue with my L-TWOO eR9 groupset today that I later fixed. It was most likely user error, and I'm posting it here in case it could help someone else in the same situation.

tl;dr
Problem: The front derailleur wouldn't shift, but the rear derailleur shifted just fine.
Fix: Ensure both derailleurs are firmly plugged into the battery, by unplugging them at the battery end, and firmly plugging them back in.
Likely reason: Poor connection to the seatpost battery on the battery end, possibly caused by vibrations by being transported in a car.
Other plausible reason: Dodgy batteries.

Situation

I was going for a ride in the morning, and I loaded my bike (https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,4952.0.html) in the boot (trunk for those of you in the US) of my sedan (saloon for those of you in the UK), lying on the side (NDS). The drive to the start of the ride took about 20 minutes. When I took my bike out of the car, the rear derailleur shifted just fine, but the front derailleur wouldn't budge.

I tried the following:
  • Shift using the shifters
  • Shift using the app
  • Unplug the rear derailleur, wait 10 seconds, then plug it back in
  • Unplug the front derailleur, wait 10 seconds, then plug it back in
  • Calibrate the front derailleur using the app
  • Adjust front gears using the app
  • Change front derailleur high and low limits in the app
  • Swap the gear shift responsibilities of the left and right shifters
  • Try with one-touch shifting both on and off
  • Try with gear protection both on and off
  • Rear derailleur firmware update - was using version 0.1.1, no updates available
  • Front derailleur firmware update - app reported current version 0.0 and latest 0.0
  • Reset to factory settings - this reset all my derailleur position settings (which I fortunately had saved)

The only response I got from the front derailleur was when I plugged the front derailleur cable back in. It was a buzz reminiscent of Trace Velo's issue (https://youtu.be/32UDzOrqK2I?t=78s).

Other behaviour I noticed:
  • The app reported 91% battery level.
  • The app reported that I used the latest rear derailleur firmware version 0.1.1
  • The app reported that I used the latest front derailleur firmware version 0.0. This was different to what it previously reported, which was 1.12
  • The app would show that the front gears had changed when I used the app, but nothing happened.
  • When I tried to adjust the front derailleur position for the large chainring in the app, the app showed a position of 0. This doesn't match what I saw from Trace Velo's video. The position for the small chainring showed correctly what I had set it to previously (12).

Other points of note:
  • The app reports that I'm using model ES-R9001.
  • The serial number on the rear derailleur starts with 250123.
  • The battery holder uses coil springs rather than leaf springs to hold the batteries in place.
  • I'm running the groupset as 2x11.
  • I haven't ridden the bike in the rain or on wet roads, and I haven't washed the bike.

At this point I thought the rear derailleur was toast (which apparently was Trace Velo's problem in the end), but I decided to do a short solo ride anyway, with the front stuck in the small chainring. After riding for about 50 meters, I tried to change to the large chainring, and it shifted! Actually, it over-shifted, because I had lost my position settings when I "Reset to factory settings". So I stopped, put the chain back on, and tried to shift down. No response. The rear still shifted just fine. I then proceeded to try many of the steps listed above one more time, but no luck.

So I started riding again, and after another 50 meters of so, I could shift back to the small chainring. That was the last time the front derailleur shifted until I got back home, so put my rear derailleur position adjustments back as they were and did the ride in the small chainring. It was fairly hilly, so I could at least get up the hills!

After I got back home, the front still wouldn't shift. At that point, I wanted to check the connections on the battery end. So I pulled out the seatpost carefully, as I wanted to see what state the connections were. But as I pulled the seatpost slowly and carefully up and out, both derailleur cables came loose from the battery case connectors. I then plugged both of the cables into the battery holder, and immediate success! I could shift up or down without issue as before, and the front derailleur firmware now showed the correct version.

My main hypothesis is that I didn't plug the cables properly into the battery, and that the vibrations from being transported in a care shook them loose. Then when I started riding, the movement caused just enough of a connection to be established so I could shift.

Assuming that's the cause, does anyone have suggestions for how to better secure the cables at the battery end?

Another hypothesis is that the issue was caused by dodgy batteries in the battery holder. I don't have anything to support this hypothesis currently, apart from the fact that I'm using unbranded batteries from eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/256250808223). They've been charging fine, and the reported charge hasn't dropped much with each ride. Regardless, I now have a branded set on order.

I'll also keep this bike for shorter trips for the time being, and be ready to pull out the seatpost should the problem reappear.

7
For me, it's actually quite the opposite. I have easier time bleeding the calipers, especially with the additional air port. I very much prefer L-Twoo's system compared to previous 11 speed Shimano. I haven't tried the new 12 speed system from Shimano, but I'd guess it's similar.

Agree, I've bled both Shimano 11-speed 105 (R7020/R7070) and L-TWOO eR9. I found L-TWOO to be easier, the threaded bleed port on the calipers results in less mess.

8
how much does shipping cost for wheels and frames to Australia, typically?

Frame shipping cost USD 106 (VeloBuild), while the wheels cost USD 53 (AliExpress).

Your airtag thing under the bottle cage is screaming airtag thing though ;)

Haha, yeah I agree, that was the first thing I noticed after taking the photo. The AirTag has now been relocated.  ;)

9
I recently completed a new build based on the VeloBuild VB-R-066 2023 Disc endurance(ish) road bike frame and the L-TWOO eR9 electronic groupset.

I've only ridden it for 30km, and so far, so good, but this is no long term ride review, instead I'll focus on the build. In short, it met my expectations.

Let's start with the summary: Total weight of the built bike, including pedals, bottle cages, out-front mount for computer/light, seatpost mount for light/radar, and bike pump mount: 7.85 kg, or 17.3 lbs. Total cost for all components, including shipping, sales tax, etc was AUD 3347, which based on today's exchange rate is USD 2225 or EUR 2055.

The frame is size S in a matte black finish. I'm sure I'll regret choosing a matte finish, but for now it looks great. The frame weighed 885 g, with all bolts and attachments removed. The uncut fork was 359 g, and the seatpost was 203 g (400 mm). I didn't order a handlebar from VeloBuild.

The frame also came with thru axles, rear derailleur hanger, front derailleur mount (bolted on, not riveted), cable exit rubber gaskets for both electronic and mechanical shifting, expander plug, top cap, headset bearings, seatpost bung and cover, crank scuff plate, and a headset cover for using a non-integrated stem and handlebar. The headset ring and cover wasn't deep enough to reach the top bearing, which perhaps could be fixed with some headset spacers, but I used a Ritchey upper headset instead. The extra rear derailleur hanger I had ordered didn't come in the box, so I contacted Chris, and I got it in the mail a few weeks later.

Frame and fork quality was ok - fine - about what I expected from VeloBuild after following this forum for some time. The frame had some sharp edges around the headtube and bottom bracket shell, but otherwise it was quite smooth. I noticed some pitting inside the fork steerer and in the lower bearing seat in the headtube, but that was all the pitting I could see.

There was some paint overspray on both the brake caliper mounting holes, in particular on the fork - not a surprise. I faced these myself using an IceToolz "Shuriken" Disc Mount Facing Tool #E272 (https://www.icetoolz.eu/en/icetoolz-disc-mount-facing-tool-shuriken-e272/a9232) that I had ordered in advance. I didn't have a bolt with a nut that was long and thin enough for clamping the tool so I could face the rear caliper mounts, but I was able to solve it by using one of the long caliper mounting bolts and the L-TWOO adapter plate (see photo). I think the facing helped - aligning the calipers at the end to avoid brake rub was very straightforward.

The lower entry point for the hydraulic brake hose on the fork required a little filing with a round file before I could push the hose through. Again, not a surprise, but a quick fix.

I've never built a fully internally routed frame before, so I spent quite a bit of time pulling and pushing foam damper casing as far as I could into the downtube and chainstays. I even pulled the electronic power cables for the derailleurs through the foam damper casing in the chainstay and around the bottom bracket area. Enabling mechanics to use old gear cables to pull the hydraulic hoses through the frame and the foam damper casing is a great feature of the L-TWOO groupset.

For the T47 bottom bracket, I installed a cheap Lingmai branded one from AliExpress with internal bearings for a 24mm crank spindle ("t47-24i"). I also ordered a ZTTO branded one as a backup, it was identical in both looks and weight (except the logo), so they're probably from the same factory. It threaded into the shell without any issue.

I had an unused Elita One Carbon seatpost lying around, so I used that instead of the one supplied by VeloBuild. Both had a very snug fit in the seat tube, and I have had no slippage so far, using only carbon paste and torquing the bolt to 4 Nm.

Installing the L-TWOO eR9 groupset went well, by following their user manual (https://oss.ltwoo.com/download/en/eRX_User-Manual_V2.6_EN.pdf), with a couple of exceptions - see below.

The user manual refers to a "stability adjustment screw" at the back of the front derailleur, but my eR9 version didn't have this. Related to the front derailleur, I added a chain catcher for peace of mind, but so far I haven't had a dropped chain. I'm running the groupset as 2x11, with 50/34T chainrings and a 11-32T cassette.

For chain sizing, I followed the Park Tool instructions (https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/chain-length-sizing), which resulted in a slightly shorter chain than by following L-TWOO's method. I figured since there's no clutch, and the rear derailleur cage spring is weak according to some reports, it was better to make the chain shorter rather than longer, for improved tension.

To reach the mounting bolt for the shifters, I folded both the front and the rear of the hoods, and inserted the ball-end of an Allen key from the front. Make sure you have a high quality Allen key for this!

For bleeding the brakes, I followed the method in the manual of pushing mineral oil from the caliper to a funnel on the levers. I didn't do the extra step of opening the vent hole. However, after the first shake-down ride on a bumpy road, I did another quick lever bleed (funnel on the lever, brake pads left in the calipers, pump the levers). I got some more air bubbles out then, and I now have great brake feel from the levers.

Components:
Tools purchased for this build:

10
Component Deals & Selection / Re: SROAD lightweight cassettes
« on: April 27, 2024, 01:40:30 PM »
So I received a 2nd Spedao/SRoad cassette from the Lexon store which I purchased during the last sale, this cassette doesn't appear to be skipping. I'm wondering if the 1st cassette (which I returned) had a bad 12t cog causing it to skip? Anyways, just to verify, does everyone else's cassette make more noise in the 1st-2nd small cogs compared to a standard cassette?

I have an 11 speed 11-32T Spedao/Sroad cassette. No skipping or unusual noise on any cogs.

11
lol i'll make sure to put them on the bars first before doing any work. do you think they stretch enough for integrated aero bars?

I managed to remember putting them on for my second bike build. They're a tight fit on a round bar, you may get them to stretch enough for wide flat tops, but it'll be a bit of a struggle I expect.


12
I used a bikinGreen adapter to lower my FD for the Senicx 46/30T chainrings. Worked great. On some frames the chainstay would limit how much you can lower the FD, in particular smaller sized frames. I used it on a size small 52cm frame, and there was enough clearance to get it low enough for good shifting. But the adapter may not work so well on a size XXS frame, say.

Here's the listing I bought from: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/155224761356

13
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Improved hoods for Sensah brifters
« on: August 27, 2023, 07:18:02 AM »
Do you have version one or version two of the hoods? The early batches had sloppy hoods, the newer ones is tighter and feels more grippy than the original. I have two version of Empire 11s and the hoods on the newer ones feels much better.

These are their new version https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003970724670.html there is no "graining" on the rubber, Gen 1 had the graining

My original Sensah hoods are smooth and without any grain, so I believe they're the new version. I wouldn't say they were a very sloppy fit, but towards the front they would slide forward and above the lip in the lever body itself, instead of being flush. I had the same experience both on a set of Team Pro brifters and on a set of Empire 11s brifters. I purchased both sets of brifters this year, from "SENSAH factory Official Store" on AliExpress

14
Component Deals & Selection / Improved hoods for Sensah brifters
« on: August 26, 2023, 05:50:42 AM »
Although I really like my Sensah Team Pro shifters, the hoods bothered me. It sounds minor, but when the hood moves around and no longer line up with the shape of the lever body, it's really noticeable.

My brifters were fairly new, so the hoods were of the newer smooth variety, with no hint of the sandpaper-like surface that the older hoods supposedly had. However, while they may have been an improvement compared to the previous model, I wasn't satisfied.

I had previously purchased some aftermarket hoods on AliExpress for a pair of old Shimano 5700 brifters, and I liked those better than the original Shimano ones. So when I saw that aftermarket hoods were also available for Sensah, I decided to give them a go.

And I really like them! They're a little shorter and much tauter than the original Sensah ones, with a less shiny appearance. So far they've stayed firmly in place.

I ordered two pairs from the same seller, and though one pair came in a Shimano-inspired blue cardboard box and the other pair in a ziplock bag, they appear to be identical. The cardboard box said "Haining Qi Ke Sports Goods Co.,Ltd." on the back.

Here's the link to the seller I purchased from, but there are other sellers on AliExpress that appear to sell the same product: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005428727777.html

I've attached some photos of the Sensah hood for the right brifter (on the right) and the aftermarket hood for the left brifter (on the left).

15
I have a Seaboard GR02. Been meaning to write up a longer review, but haven't got around to it yet.

In short, I'm happy with it. The main problem I had when building it was the non-standard front brake caliper mounting position. It's offset by 20mm, so set your flat mount adapter to 140mm for a 160mm disc. And if you have a 160mm-only caliper (Juin Tech), you'll need a 180mm disc - which the fork is rated for. Internal cable routing is only in the downtube and in the left fork 'leg', which makes it easy to cable - a feature in my book.

Got a size 50cm frame, which fits me well with a 110mm stem and short 70mm reach handlebars, I'm 174cm. Most bike brand size guides place me on a size M, but I'm more comfortable on smaller frames (S or S/M). I'm not all that flexible though, and I prefer a somewhat upright position.

Paintwork looks good to my untrained eyes, I have the Pearl White one. The only paint overspray was on the rear rack mounting points.

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