I like red

Red Chiner - http://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,139.0.html


This pic is from a few months ago, when I first finished the bike. I now have some matte black carbon rims.  I may add some color to them, but I don't want to paint them all red like the frame.  Maybe a checkerboard or stripe pattern in black and white, to match the DT Swiss 350 hubs.

Peter at iPlay sent me a link of the color codes they use here-
http://m.blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_5f9142c70100piqn.html#page=1
The page is mostly in Chinese and the colors don't show up when I view it on my ipad, but I the past I was able to see them on a PC.  They are Pantone codes, so if you already know which one you want you won't need the link. 

Plastidip is another option if you want to spray it yourself- I haven't seen one in person, but supposedly it gives a durable coating which can be peeled off when you want to change the color. 

Edit- MTB2223 posted about it, but no pics yet.
http://chinertown.com/index.php?topic=182.0

From the weights on Iplay's site, it looks like the frame and wheels together will be around 150 g lighter.  I guess the tires will knock off a bit as well, but this seems pretty close to insignificant.  I haven't thought that my -057 had any problems with maneuverability, so to paraphrase CD, I see no reason to want anything but my Chiner.


Besides, Chi-27.5er just doesn't roll off the tounge

I gotta plug Merlin Cycles again- http://www.merlincycles.com/mountain-bike-groupsets-44166/

I got my XT 2x10 groupset from them.  They have XT including brakes and rotors for around $600 (+ or - depending on options), or Deore including brakes and rotors for $370.   Deore is out of stock right now, but if you're not in a hurry this would be a good option.  You can convert to a 1x with either set, then put the front der on ebay. XT has the clutch rear deraileur so it may be better for a 1x, but the Deore should work with a chain guide.

To get it to $1500 you could look at an ebay frame (around $425 shipped) and rigid fork.  That and all of the Ali express bits are a little of an unknown, but you've got all winter to research. 

Congratulations on finishing, and thanks for the awesome write up!

Maybe you can figure out a way to store some toilet paper in that hatch at the bottom of the frame...

£700 will probably require you to find used parts, and you will probably be closer to 11-12 kg unless you go with a rigid fork.  The cheapest Rockshox 29er fork will save you over $300/£180, but it also weighs almost 800 g more than an air spring fork (2320 g vs. 1550 g). 

Tires are probably the cheapest area to save weight, but you have to keep paying.  The cheaper ones are around £15 but over a kg due to wire beads.  More expensive ones come in at up to £50 each and wear out faster, but will save as much as 400 g per tire compared to the cheapest ones.   

For new parts, you can get a full Deore group (including brakes) from Merlin Cycles for about £220.  Not sure how much VAT you have to pay, but that will add a bit.  Wheels will be another ~£110, with cheaper ones adding 200 - 350 g depending on what you're comparing to.  That still leaves the seat, seatpost, bars, stem, and other bits, but they will be minor after the frame, fork, group, and wheels.

             £
Frame        330
deore           213.75
fork           78.13
Wheels        109.38
Tires         43.75
   Total      775.00


You may be able to save a little going with an ebay frame, but I don't know enough about them to say which is closest to the -057 or which sellers are good.

They are now complete and holding air- the tensioning and truing wasn't difficult, it's just very tedious.  I assume it gets faster when you know what you're doing, but right now if I was making wheels to sell I would have to charge Enve's prices

I got a Park truing stand, but decided to go by feel and sound for the spoke tension.  The only ones that seem super tight are the front wheel, brake side spokes.  These seem quite tight and the nipples are a bit hard to turn, but I'm using a tiny spoke wrench off a Crank brothers multi tool so that may be part of the problem.  Otherwise, they make a nice twang and sound/feel like all of my machine built wheels. 

For dishing and truing, I was able to get the wheel within the tolerances listed in the Barnett manual without much trouble.  (The wheel truing section is free online at https://www.bbinstitute.com/dl/dx_demo_chapter_17.pdf ) I used an old set of feeler gauges to confirm how out of round they are.  They look very good side to side, but there is a bit of a hop in the front wheel.  Barnett's recommends a tolerance of 0.5 mm (0.020") and it is within this, but it is still noticeable when you spin the wheel on a stand. 

I got a pair of Rocket Rons, figuring I may as we'll go light and see for myself how they hold up. The RoRos were easy to put on the rims, but they leaked air very badly until I put sealant in even though they are the Evo tubeless ready version.  There seemed to be holes all around the sidewall to tread seam- when I rubbed soapy water on them, I could see miniature geysers spraying up.  With about 2 oz of Stans in each they sealed up, and so far are holding well.

Weights are as follows-
Front- 730 g
Rear- 840 g
Rocket Ron Evo- 530 and 535 g
Add 45 g to each for 1" wide Gorilla tape and Stans valves
Front with tire and Stans sealant- 1360 g
Rear with tire and Stans sealant- 1495 g

I need to switch over the brake rotors and cassette, and will try to get a ride in this weekend.  The weight difference is about a pound and a half compared to my Shimano wheels with Conti X-kings.

You may want to double check the head tube length on your frame compared to the Chiners- looks like you have the steerer cut pretty short, it would suck to find out you need a new fork as well.