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Messages - sbellote

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16
Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: Elitewheels Edge wheelset
« on: February 29, 2024, 11:29:12 AM »
fwiw, I have an Elite ENT pair with elite branded hubs (not sure the spec), and my previous was Superteam's with a Powerway R13. Both were loud out of the box, Elite's significantly more, but 1st maintenance adding some grease the sound lowered enough

Quote from: PLA on February 29, 2024, 06:34:29 AM
The guy who killed his neighbour's dog and went to jail?
as soon as I got to know this history (through Jesse on the Nero Podcast) I blocked this aussie a**hole's channel. It's a shame, his videos have really good maintenance and assembly tips, especially on the 'cost-efficient' side of stuff

17
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Chinese cycling clothes
« on: February 27, 2024, 09:32:32 AM »
if they don't advertise it as an EI pad, there's no way it's legit...
supposedly, the EI pad is higher cost, manufacturers pay extra to have the brand associated with them, so why would they pay more but not take advantage of the EI name to sell more? For me it just doesn't make sense...

my logic to buying clothes from Ali is to stick to known brands and known stores, with dozens/hundreds of sales and feedback.
Otherwise, it's just risk-taking. I'm then accepting the risk that could be money lost when a product without any quality is delivered...

18
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Interesting Aliexpress finds! - good deals, interesting stuff, new products etc!
« on: February 27, 2024, 09:25:47 AM »
Quote from: jonathanf2 on February 26, 2024, 07:05:11 PM
If you have a separate stem, I prefer stem computer mounts over the bar attached computer mount. This OGEVKIN CF stem computer mount is good...if it's not a lemon. I bought 3 of them. 2 work fine, but 1 had a bad garmin mount attachment which cracked. It's hit or miss.
(...)
I found this ZTTO stem mount to be solid with no issues. Only minor con is that weighs about 10-12g more than the OGEVIN CF mount, but is dirt cheap.
I'd advise against the ztto one, had 2 of these and issues with both, ended up on the trash. The spacers seemed to be a bit soft, so after mounting it up to the spec torque and all, after some rides it started to loosen

I bought the one from Og-Evkin and never had this kind of issue, last time I tightened was probably a year ago and it's still all well, total of 3yrs of use
a bit more expensive (not that much actually) and well worth the extra cost...

19
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Chinese cycling clothes
« on: February 19, 2024, 08:12:31 AM »
sometime ago there was some talk about long leg/thigh bibs, I've just got 2 bibs which maybe can fit whoever is looking for this..

After almost 2yrs using my YKYW bibs - which were the 'go to' for long rides - the foam started to not support as much (still good for ~3h tho), and especially that I've crashed while mtbiking with my favorite one and it scratched a little the side panel (just wore out the fabric, no opening tho)
So I've decided to try some new ones... risked on a Spexcel, although I had bad experience with them 2yrs ago, and also wanted to try a Lameda one, especially after it got complimented by Jon/ChinaCycling as something like 'best chinese bib'

So, this Spexcel one impressed me, quality is superb, straps are comfortable and hold well in place, the fabric is comfy too. The pad reminds the EI Paris one, is thick and for a 4-5hr ride it held really well.
the leg is long, about 2-3cm longer than the ones I got from YKYW and Darevie, although the same size (EU Small, or Asia M). And even on this long ride it held well to my skin, didn't went up much, to the point that it was just about to pinch the back of my knee when pedaling.
overall, liked it a lot! The green is beautiful.

The Lameda Starlight I've had issues... The sizing table is a bit wrong, I saw multiple pages on Aliexpress and even the PandaPodium one, through measures and weight I'd be a EU M size, which I've ordered, but unfortunately was a bit big.
What is strange is that the leg is pretty long, getting down to my knee, but the upper part and straps are comparable to the YKYW I have, bit smaller even. So I ended up passing on to a friend who's slightly bigger and to him it was perfect.
In the end, if I had gone with the size I'm used to with chinese brands (EU Small, Asian M) it'd be ok. What I can say, having ridden it for 10-15 minutes, is that the fabric is really good and comfortable, the 2 panel/seamless construction is nicely done, the quality honestly impressed me. The padding seemed thick and comfortable, but was a short use so cannot vouch for it
Main point is, the leg is long, similar to Spexcel, so I believe for the smaller size would be perfect. I'll order it next and see if it works

Quote from: cramy on January 30, 2024, 02:28:59 AM
Any product link that could help, with EI pad?
The YKYW ones I can say are legit, I have 2 from them

20
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Interesting Aliexpress finds! - good deals, interesting stuff, new products etc!
« on: February 08, 2024, 10:00:45 AM »
Quote from: jonathanf2 on February 07, 2024, 12:13:12 PM
In fact Pick 3 & Save is now my go-to for TPU tubes, lights and other small items. Some of the item are so cheap, I'm wonder how the f**k are they even making profit? Lol
I remember Joe (ChinaCycling) mentioning that Aliexpress subsidizes the freight for lot's of parcels. Especially this kind of 'pick 3' and those 'generic' stores that sell lots of different items (like bibs and jerseys by a lot less than the official brand store), which seems to be items that are on Aliexpress warehouse ready to ship
so maybe it's not only freight but actually the items too that have discounts on Aliexpress expense... on some items they lose, but others they have a bigger margin. Because yeah, I don't think the sellers and brands can deal with this kind of sales and cheap prices all year round

21
Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: Flybike - FM906
« on: February 08, 2024, 09:55:51 AM »
what contact did you try? take a look at this topic from an FM906 build it mentions an email that could maybe get you through

also seems Flybike is B2B while Carbonda is D2C, so maybe the frame is available from Carbonda with another name?
I remember Peak Torque mentioning Flybike in one of his videos, maybe this exact model, and I was interested at the time but didn't went deeper...

22
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Best and worst overall quality/value components/tools/gear from AliExpress?
« on: February 02, 2024, 05:46:50 AM »
any good option of sram 8 bolt compatible chainrings?
I have a Magene P325CS crank+chainring, and soon I'll have to replace the rings since they're pretty worn out (after all it's 3yrs and >20.000km on them). I could go for the official spare but the issue is the price and import duties for Brazil. Since it's >50usd I end up paying double when added taxes  :'(
so I'm looking for alternatives... considering even getting a spider + chainrings in a different configuration if needed


on another note, after taking some time out from purchases in Aliexpress, getting just the essential (some tools, tubes, etc), I'm back on buying some stuff for testing
just got 2 bibs (spexcel and lameda), a spare chest strap for my HRM, and I'm taking my chances with the Bryton Gardia R300L radar - been on the lookout for a long time, now it's on a good price and I'll risk it, it's less than half what I'd pay in any Garmin Varia here... I'll update when it arrives (but probably in the other topic about general stuff lol)

23
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Interesting Aliexpress finds! - good deals, interesting stuff, new products etc!
« on: January 27, 2024, 07:20:53 AM »
you guys are missing the point of Aliexpress' part on the dispute.
If the pictures were from an original product, and what arrived is (significantly) different, that's enough argument to sustain the dispute and a full refund. Also, in paper Aliexpress doesn't allow counterfeit/fake products, so that's also a strong argument

another thing is to buy something for a fraction of the original price and still expect it's indeed original, especially in Aliexpress where it's known to have fake products.
still, if the seller used photos from the original to try to sell his fake product, that's on them. Unfortunately a lot of people don't know how to differentiate and use a fake thinking it's an original, which is even a health hazard in some way

I don't know, there are arguments for both sides...

24
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Panniers, Bike Bags, Stuff sacks, and Saddle bags
« on: January 27, 2024, 07:14:12 AM »
Rhinowalk has nice options with a good cost (through 2023 the prices dropped and there are frequent sales too, on the superdeals and similar low prices promotions
I have top tube, handlebar, and saddle bags from them, but all are small - not the bikepacking type. Still, they're well made, and well worth the price. I'm not sure if I'd trust it to last years of frequent and heavy use, though. Like I imagine would be expected from a more known and established brand

used to find Roswheel products too on Ali that have nice quality, I have friends with their bags, but it's been a while since I saw products from them on Aliexpress

25
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Interesting Aliexpress finds! - good deals, interesting stuff, new products etc!
« on: January 11, 2024, 06:57:36 AM »
Quote from: impmonkey on January 10, 2024, 06:49:00 PM
Anyone aware of an Ali version of this bar?
https://coefficientcycling.com/products/rr-road-race-handlebar
I remember seeing it some time ago, and not from some random brand/store... but I've just look into Ryet/Og-Evkin/Toseek lineup and didn't find it, so not really sure

26
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Best and worst overall quality/value components/tools/gear from AliExpress?
« on: January 03, 2024, 06:11:25 AM »
Quote from: zxcvbnmjm on January 02, 2024, 02:32:24 AM
fake G8 insoles

i havent tried authentic g8 insoles but these are cheap as chips and work well for me. ive been using them for over a year

The real ones cost over $100 iirc

plenty of youtube videos teaching about the benefits and how to use them

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805604633625.html?channel=facebook&fbclid=IwAR39Kd1LtDdXYhtfLicUDkvbcLqwPc6I8EZEDhP2lRlnqxNvuhlzFylLfmU
I have these. Two pairs which I've been using for >2yrs
they're really good for the price and solved my issues with shoes, I definitely needed arch support and the 'common' insoles I've tried didn't work. Found these on Ali, bought one and another after around 3 months to have as spare (they actually went out of stock for a year or so, came back some months ago)

my experience is that they work really well, but the plastic on the arches is not the best, it starts to soften after some time. So like I started with the no.3 arch but it turned to a 2 effectively, so I had to change to a 4 to keep the support as it should.
Also the glue between the plastic part below and the foam is not good, if you get any water in it'll detach. But easily solved just glued back together

other than that, is really nice, and for sure worth the price. A fraction of the real one, but of reasonable quality, and the customization is worth it.

Quote from: Greenred on January 02, 2024, 09:38:10 AM
How does your Ryet 3D compare to the Mixed 5D?
I’m currently on the fence and have too many saddles laying around already.
I had the Mixed for some time, then changed to the Ryet 3D (pro stealth model) and now am testing a different Ryet 3D on my mtb
in terms of quality and finishing, I'd say they're on par with each other. But talking about comfort, definitely would go with the 3D. It softens enough when riding, but don't 'compress' like the foam saddle in long rides.
you need to be more aware of the shape, actually, and try a model that works better for you. Ryet have been releasing a number of different 3D saddles so a lot of shapes to choose from, grab the closest to a saddle you have and like and you should be ok

27
Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: Eddie's Airwolf YFR066 Build Thread
« on: December 11, 2023, 06:44:43 AM »
Been running that same combination of OG-Evkin bars+stem for >2yrs now. Very nice finishing, very nice riding too, although I don't have much experience with other bars/stems...
Only issue I had was with internal routing through the bars, lines seem too tight and couldn't make it work, so I ended up routing through the outside anyway, doesn't make that much of a difference

28
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Chinese cycling clothes
« on: December 01, 2023, 06:06:30 AM »
Quote from: kbernstein on November 29, 2023, 07:37:57 AM
Received YKYW kit and the jersey is COMICALLY large. EU L/Asia XL just like my darevie but it feels like a 3XL to the point I kind of feel scammed
I've gone through this kind of sizing error with Spexcel, a jersey that was an S but the measurements were of an XS. I've just took photos of the measuring tape showing it was like 50cm instead of 54cm and sent as attachment in the dispute, this was enough to get full refund

particularly I've never had this kind of problem with YKYW, their clothing was always according to the size table
but the size varies according to the brand, so it's like Pedaldancer said, you have to check with each one. I know my Darevie size is different from YKYW for example.
Some specific clothing may vary too - like one bib model is slightly different from the other - but usually is within range. I still double-check before purchasing, just to be sure. Sometimes it's like ordering something that has 'comfort' fit versus 'aero' fit

Quote from: TidyDinosaur on November 29, 2023, 07:47:24 AM
The store was"YKYWBIKE YKYWBIKE Cycling Store"
I think it's legit, but this store is just strange, the store and product pages, idk... I always buy on the 'Official Store', but could as well be the same just named different... (prices vary too)

Quote from: Pedaldancer on November 29, 2023, 02:35:16 PM
You can't just order the same size from a different company. Even for western brands that's not working. And this is why trying a new brand is probably disgusting.
If you take the sizing table. These values correspond to the jacket measurements (for ykyw.. that may be different for others).
When you measure that values. Are they in agreement to the table?

And why is it important to know whether the table indicates fabric or body measurement: E.g. if you have 100cm fabric measurement on the chest , your chest measurement must be larger, cause the elastic stuff is designed for minus values. If the jacket and your body have the same measurement, it will be to large. It's pretty ugly to get the right sizes when it's so easy ṭo get in this trap. And then it's also a question of ,'design'. If the designer wanted that to be very tight ,a size up could be good. And the other way round.
yeah, it's always complex to buy this kind of stuff online. And with western brands the description usually says what kind of fit it is, recommends the sizing accordingly. But it's not like Ali stores work, so even 'studying' the sizes you're still in a kind of 'hit or miss' situation
on top of having my body measures and comparing to the product's size table, I also compare the size tables between a bib/jersey I have and fit me well (ideally same brand) with the new one and see how they match. And you can also ask the seller what he recommends if you're between sizes and still in doubt

29
Component Deals & Selection / Re: Interesting Aliexpress finds! - good deals, interesting stuff, new products etc!
« on: December 01, 2023, 05:55:04 AM »
Quote from: carbonazza on November 29, 2023, 04:25:38 AM
Important question before purchase, did you get a flat already ?  8)
I have this 'rsskit' one that was posted, but with Cyclami branding. Had to use it twice at the road and easily pumped the tire up doing the hard work, then taking out my handpump to finish it off
it's worth the purchase for sure.

30
Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: Continental tires from aliexpress
« on: November 28, 2023, 06:27:01 AM »
I've been using Conti's Grand Sport Race for some years now, all from Ali, and it's been great
they're supposed to be 'supplier only', not d2c, so probably counterfeit in some manner. It's the silver ones which are supplied to factories for full bikes, not the yellow printed which are sold directly to customer

anyway, it seems to be the real deal, I've got 9 to 10 thousand km's on each of the 3 pairs of GSR I've gone through. The GSR seem to be the best bang for the buck, but now I'm testing the Ultra Sport 3 which seems to be more on par

it seems that for these cheaper models, it's real, since they're produced in China. I don't know about the more expensive ones, which some models say are from Germany, and for those I'd be concerned it's fake

in Brazil these tires are much more expensive, the GSR I pay less than half if I buy on Ali. For other more expensive models the difference is lower but still significant, so always worth to import this kind of stuff

Quote from: raisinberry777 on November 25, 2023, 03:09:22 PM
It seems like it's likely OEM supply. For example, you can buy the Grand Sport Race tyres off Ali which are OEM only - but these are made in China. From what I understand, they're similar to an Ultra Sport 3 but with more puncture protection.

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