Chiner Components - Finds, Recommendations, Reviews, Knockoffs

[bxcc]

.bump

Still looking for thoughts on trustworthy vendors for handlebars/seatposts...aliexpress, web, ebay, amazon or otherwise...

I have had good luck with the Nashbar carbon seatposts. They can be had for under $40. They aren't super light at 220ish grams but not heavy either. Bars are 800mm wide and weight is similar to the other big name companies.

There is this Santa Cruz bar that's 720mm wide. Not super cheap but from reputable company.

https://www.steepandcheap.com/santa-cruz-bicycles-carbon-720-flat-bar?skid=SNZ008V-BK-ONESIZ&ti=UExQIENhdDpIYW5kbGViYXJzOjE6NDpzYWNDYXQxNDExMDAwMDE1MA==

[mr.doom]

Things I have found on Aliexpress I would buy again:

Santic Shorts - $23.00
Fox knock off long sleeve jerseys - $12.00 (definitely nowhere close in design and completely different fabric, but cool and wicks sweat great).
Headsets - $9
Rear axle with ratcheting feature - $18 (def worth posting a link: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2017-QR-86g-Bicycle-Skewer-front-15mm-rear-12mm-for-Carbon-Cyclocross-Fork-Thru-axle-12/32752388404.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.0.WTURaI)
Tideace Seatpost - $28
Tideace Handlebar (700 mm) - $20
Future Carbon saddle with Titanium rails - $30 (Selle SMP style - I have 2 and love them!)
Foam Grips - $2 (They are a little thinner than name brand, but $8 cheaper!)
Rock Bros Sunglass kit - $15 (This is the one that comes with 5 different lenses and case)
X2U Sport clothing - $12 to $15.  (I actually saw this stuff on a major European site for over $50! )
Tieboa Shoes - $52  (They made it though 1 season and still going strong).
Coospo Heartrate Monitor $20  (Works great with Strava and Wahoo)
Coospo Speed and Cadence sensor - $19 (Cadence works with Strava, Cadence and speed work with wahoo.  There are major compatibility issues with Strava on a phone and dual readout sensors, so it's a Strava issue, not a device issue).
Lixda Helmet - $15  I bought a second one because the first one smells like a jock strap... Now I take it in the shower with me after my rides and rinse it good. The new one has done much better just from the simple washings.
Rock Bros Multi Tool - $12
SNAIL brake rotors - $25 for a set.
Idqidao brak rotors - $10 per disk.  (Now I see DECKAS brand on the same 2pc rotor).
DECKAS chain Ring - $26
Aluminum Seatpost Clamp - $1.37


Things I would NOT buy again:

Any carbon part with ASIACOM brand on it.  My seatpost broke on the 3rd ride which was me just doing bunny hops in my front yard.  It broke in the air when I pulled the bike up underneath me and the seat slapped my butt.   I tried some handlebars... Seemed to be a little sketchy.  After about a dozen rides, I took them off to inspect them and the were cracked under the controls on both sides!!!! Glad I pulled that part.  The stem would not stay tight.  Every time crashed my handlebars would spin.  Kinda sucks because it was a 60mm x 15 degree which I used inverted to get my bars lower.  I really liked the positioning.  Now I'm on a Strynge 60mm x 7 degree inverted.

Most of the saddle bags I have tried did not last.  Granted I bought the cheap ones between $5 - $10.  I might give it 1 more round with the Rock Bros brand since the glasses and multi tool I have from them are holding up nicely.

Carbon saddles with carbon rails.  I'm only 155lbs and I broke the rails on the saddle within 2 weeks of riding.

My Asiacom handlebars crumbled like tissue paper (in the parking lot luckily).  No crashes, and the break did not occur at the controls/stem like other carbon bars normally do... They were as light as advertised unfortunately.

[gohloum]

Stay away from anything marked ASIACOM.  The bars and seatpost are not up to standard.  I broke a seatpost and found a crack in my bar after just a few rides.

However I have been running Tideace bar and seatpost for about 7 months and all is good. This includes my month stay in Georgia where I was riding some pretty rough stuff. 

DEKAS Ultra Light floating brake rotors are nice too.  Good fade/modulation and they are about 80g.

SNAIL Floating rotors are a bit heavier, but they have more contact surface and require less input for the same braking power. These would be great for trials or downhill riders, but for XC, I found them a little over the top and too much stopping power.

I am running Hope X2 single piston brakes just for reference.

[carbonazza]

... DEKAS Ultra Light floating brake rotors are nice too ...

Thanks for the tip !

Do you have may miles on them ?

I had KCNC Razor's, that were light discs too, but started to creak after a while.
Thorough cleaning, degreasing, etc. didn't do anything.

Putting back the heavy Hope ones stopped the creaks.

[gohloum]

I have about 1800 miles on the DEKAS.  I switched them from the SNAILS last February.  I've ridden 2500 miles since Jan 1st by what Strava says, so I am guessing at that number, but it's gotta be close.

[Bhaalgorn]

Does anyone know where to buy bulk shifting cables and housing for cheap? Can't seem to find any on Aliexpress. Doesn't necessarily need to be from China.

[carbonazza]

You can contact info@alligatorcables.com, they may sell direct too if there is no reseller in your area.

[Bhaalgorn]

You can contact info@alligatorcables.com, they may sell direct too if there is no reseller in your area.

I should probably clarify that when I say bulk, I really only mean for a handful of bikes at a time. I'd just like to have a some on hand in my home workshop, probably less than <20 meters of housing.

[carbonazza]

You can contact info@alligatorcables.com, they may sell direct too if there is no reseller in your area.

I should probably clarify that when I say bulk, I really only mean for a handful of bikes at a time. I'd just like to have a some on hand in my home workshop, probably less than <20 meters of housing.

Exactly like me 

[Bhaalgorn]

You can contact info@alligatorcables.com, they may sell direct too if there is no reseller in your area.

I should probably clarify that when I say bulk, I really only mean for a handful of bikes at a time. I'd just like to have a some on hand in my home workshop, probably less than <20 meters of housing.

Exactly like me 

Nice! So no distributor remotely near me.

Were you able to work something out with them directly?

[carbonazza]

Just a first contact, when they told me no problem to sell me directly.
In fact my initial need was to replace the blades of an Alligator plier I have to cut hydraulic hoses.
And I then saw their other products.
There are still some housing and cables in my workshop, but my stock will need a refill soon.

[MTB2223]

Does anyone know where to buy bulk shifting cables and housing for cheap? Can't seem to find any on Aliexpress. Doesn't necessarily need to be from China.

Didn't you search on AliExpress ? https://www.aliexpress.com/af/bike-shifting-cable.html?blanktest=0&origin=n&jump=afs ( Search on: bike shifting cable)

[Bhaalgorn]

Does anyone know where to buy bulk shifting cables and housing for cheap? Can't seem to find any on Aliexpress. Doesn't necessarily need to be from China.

Didn't you search on AliExpress ? https://www.aliexpress.com/af/bike-shifting-cable.html?blanktest=0&origin=n&jump=afs ( Search on: bike shifting cable)

Of course. I don't see any bulk shifting cables. Do you?

[Bhaalgorn]

Does anyone know where to buy bulk shifting cables and housing for cheap? Can't seem to find any on Aliexpress. Doesn't necessarily need to be from China.

Didn't you search on AliExpress ? https://www.aliexpress.com/af/bike-shifting-cable.html?blanktest=0&origin=n&jump=afs ( Search on: bike shifting cable)

Of course. I don't see any bulk shifting cables. Do you?

This is the best of what I've found:
Shift cable: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pc-Road-bike-MTB-Bike-Fixed-Gear-Bicycle-Brake-Line-Shift-Shifter-Gear-Brake-Cable-Sets/32668147422.html
Cable housing: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bicycle-Brake-Line-Tube-Hose-Transmission-Shift-Line-Cable-Wire-Feeding-Tube-1-Meters-Bulk-With/32794245267.html
Hydraulic Hoses: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3-meters-Bicycle-Hydraulic-Disc-Brake-Oil-Tube-bike-oil-Hose-for-Shimano-SRAM-Magura-5/32693806561.html

[Pack66]

Bxcc and Mr. Doom, thanks for the reponses. The Nashbar carbon bars look especially tempting. I'll probably go with the Nashbar bars for my carbon fat bike build. I also have a cheapo fat bike I'm replacing handlebars (has a 24mm? width as opposed to 31.. So besides the Nashbar house brand and Tideace, has anyone had any luck with Ali stores for carbon handlebars? I'll probably go with something cheaper for the cheapo fat bike to keep the build price down.