VeloBuild VB-R-268 frame

[volan]

Yeah, it's pretty much red, cherry red tint kinda. Camera distorted the paint.

[Tilmanstoa5ty]

Looking very nice. Can't you just remove the handlebars and cut the steerer a little shorter? That's how i did it after i decided how many spacers i want to run. I just removed the handlebars, put on the cutting guide and sawed off the top piece. Worked like a charm without disassembling everything again.

[2Burgen]

Beautiful bike.

And nice to see, that other people make the same mistake when cutting the fork as I did ...

[volan]

Just did a first proper ride. I'm really satisfied with how the bike feels. Although it's my first road bike, it's more then I expected tbh. Feels really fast, plenty stiff and it's more comfortable then I expected, expecially after years of full sus mtb's and fat tyres. Small road chatter is really nicely absorbed.

Had to do some additional fiddling with RD and it's cause of ztto cassette. I had some experience with ztto cassettes on mtb and they need some additional attention in order to get it to shift properly.

Only thing I noticed that I didn't think about before is the braking power while descending at high speeds. It's nowhere close as it is on fat mtb tyres and 4pot brakes. Have to get used to it and modulate before turns.

[Tilmanstoa5ty]

Looking really good. Breaking power usually gets a little better after the first few rides. New brake pads need a little breaking in to unfold their full performance.

[Serge_K]

Just did a first proper ride. I'm really satisfied with how the bike feels. Although it's my first road bike, it's more then I expected tbh. Feels really fast, plenty stiff and it's more comfortable then I expected, expecially after years of full sus mtb's and fat tyres. Small road chatter is really nicely absorbed.

Had to do some additional fiddling with RD and it's cause of ztto cassette. I had some experience with ztto cassettes on mtb and they need some additional attention in order to get it to shift properly.

Only thing I noticed that I didn't think about before is the braking power while descending at high speeds. It's nowhere close as it is on fat mtb tyres and 4pot brakes. Have to get used to it and modulate before turns.

Looks very civilised, well done!
Your rotors went on a diet. If you barely have any material left, i doubt they will perform too well. I'd consider cheap ass bulkier rotors. More mass more good for alpine descents. Steel is real.
Also, brakes do need bedding in, and not all pads are made equal.

Happy riding!

[bremerradkurier]

Sample size of one, but this Magura rotor was much straighter out of the box with a tighter and deeper spline interface than my Shimano Icetech rotor as well as being surprisingly inexpensive.

Also seemed to take longer to get hot and squeal, perhaps due to more thermal mass.

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/magura-usa-mdr-c-cl-disc-brake-rotor#product-info

[smu55]

Quick review after one year and over 5000km and near 60000m:
The frame seams stiff but the seatpost is very harsh. The straight construction of the seatpost leaves no room for flex for a little ride comfort. I had to buy another saddle which is more comfortable and lower the psi to 75 of my 28mm tyres (I used to run them conservatively hard at 100psi).
Altough there seams to be little to no flex in the frame the fork is a different story. I have constant brake disc rubbing while riding out of the saddle. There is just to much flex in the fork to avoid the disc rubbing against the brake pads. I have to admit though that I use cable accentuated hydraulic disc brakes that I have to run very tight to be able to apply enought force at my leavers. Maybe this would be different with full hydraulic brakes that maybe, would retreat farther.
I assembled the bike myself, but it wasn't straight forward. Especially as I am running a totaly mechanical setup with 4 cables running through the integrated cockpit. The canal underneath the "stem" where the cables are supposed to run has the effect, that the bend into the frame is much to tight. It would have been better if vb had made simply a hole and a lead out and they would run in the inside. Then we had more room for the cables.
After half a winter the headset bearings are done already. The quality could be better. I will have to replace them soon.
Other than that I am very pleased. I like the geometry and the look that resembles a sl7. I love this bike and my avg. speed has gon up 1km/h this year with exactly the same training intensity and total km and elevation compared with my previous road bike that wasn't aero.
I got the complete bike under 8kg with everything mounted (pedals, bottlecages, computer mounts) and there is some potential to lower the wheight eaven more. Here some facts about my components:
Elite Edge Wheels 50mm, Sensah carbon empire leavers, empire rear and front deraileur, a cheap crankset, scenix double chainring, zrace hybrid disc brakes, carbon saddle, old and heavy ultegra pedals, GP 5000 tires with tpu tubes: 7,9kg

[volan]

I also had brake rub when out of the saddle on my first ride. However, I noticed the disc was slightly off center between brake pads, so I adjusted it and voilla, no rub when sprinting. 105 hydraulics

[volan]

Looking very nice. Can't you just remove the handlebars and cut the steerer a little shorter? That's how i did it after i decided how many spacers i want to run. I just removed the handlebars, put on the cutting guide and sawed off the top piece. Worked like a charm without disassembling everything again.

Considered it, but I want to try with 0.5mm spacer under to see it the fit is better, then after that I will decide weather to go with the spacer or to cut it couple of mm's.

[ZacItaly15]

I also had brake rub when out of the saddle on my first ride. However, I noticed the disc was slightly off center between brake pads, so I adjusted it and voilla, no rub when sprinting. 105 hydraulics

what about the cheap rotors?
Are they any good?
I remember i used the same rotors with 29er MTB and the braking was noticeably flimsy compared to stock (shimano?) rotors.

I' currently running cheap Aliexpress 88grams rotor (round shape) and I feel the braking power is definitely lower than RT-900 icetech Shimano rotors.

[volan]

Well, haven't had a chance to ride again due to bad weather, but one thing I've noticed is that I didn't put the rotors properly in the first place (wrong roatation), so that "not-so-good" experience I had the first 3 rides are probably due to that. Although I doubt they will have the same braking power as meatier shimano rotors.

[ZacItaly15]

Nice thanks for your feedback.
I lightly sandpaper the braking surface to remove the fingerprint and production oil and then clean with brake cleaner in order to do not contaminate the pads.
They brake decently but they're very loud due to vibration.
Shimano's are supersilent

[Tilmanstoa5ty]

Can anybody tell me which screws i exactly need for the handlebars? One of the handlebar screws is already starting to get round even tough i torqued them to exactly 5 nm. I think they are pretty cheaply made and want to replace them right away before i struggle to remove the handlebars.

[volan]

Had same thing on my mtb handlebars but I had spares from another bar. I guess I'd go with these ones, but make sure you measure them. should be compatible. I could order a set as a spare.

edit: wont let me use the link for some reason. Just search "carbon handlebar screws" on aliex.