Interesting Aliexpress finds! - good deals, interesting stuff, new products etc!

[coffeebreak]

Just an update on tires I bought from Wiggle. The package was delivered yesterday - so about 20 days from day of purchase. The shipping was $8 from UK to US. Not as good as from China but pretty good. All in all I am out $58 for a pair of Gravelking SKs delivered which turned out cheaper than any local retailer I could find for that particular size and color.

[coffeebreak]

One more update on other product from Aliex - Sunshine 11 speed HG cassette (11-42) which I got to use with Shimano M5100 derailleur. After spending hours tuning it, I could never shift it properly. There were always two or three spots where the shifts won't happen either up or down. So I changed the chain which I removed from my other bike but that didn't help.
In the end I got SRAM NX and Shimano M8000 XT cassettes and shifts are way better than ever. I can't figure out what is wrong with brand new Sunshine cassette but it's certainly the culprit.

I had a 12s version of the same which I was hoarding to build a 12s bike which I have sold now and will go for SRAM used cassette. Sunrace is almost as expensive as Shimano or SRAM. Any other recommendations?

[TidyDinosaur]

I have a comparable experience with the cheap 9-42 cassette. They are just not good... You will go trough 3 cheap cassettes for 1 of a big brand... One of the components where you will not be able to save money by going cheap...

[00Garza]

I have a comparable experience with the cheap 9-42 cassette. They are just not good... You will go trough 3 cheap cassettes for 1 of a big brand... One of the components where you will not be able to save money by going cheap...

Bummer. My sunshine 11-46 just arrived yesterday. Guess I’ll fork over for a sunrace or nx before I even try it. 

[TidyDinosaur]

It depends I guess... If you only want to do a couple of 1000km a year on a road bike in nice weather they will probably be fine... 5000-100000km on a gravel bike with a ride in the mud now and then will not be good for these cassettes...

[coffeebreak]

I'm okay with the low durability. It's the subpar shifting experience I can't live with. All is not lost though. I have another Chinese cassette called jfoyh or something weird like that and it's as good as Ultegra 8000 just a little lighter. I didn't see that brand making mtb style big cassettes though. May be I should look deeper. On even cheaper side than Sunshine, there's Think Rider whose cassettes are about $17 for 11-46. I might give it a try.

[00Garza]

Agreed. If the shifting is sloppy I'll be annoyed the whole ride.

[jcr]

I'm okay with the low durability. It's the subpar shifting experience I can't live with. All is not lost though. I have another Chinese cassette called jfoyh or something weird like that and it's as good as Ultegra 8000 just a little lighter. I didn't see that brand making mtb style big cassettes though. May be I should look deeper. On even cheaper side than Sunshine, there's Think Rider whose cassettes are about $17 for 11-46. I might give it a try.

Thinkrider cassette I had that came with the Thinkrider trainer was bad. There was one gear that I had difficulty in getting into.
Sunshine I was ok with it.
Now I am waiting to test my SRoad one when the weather gets warmer.

[coffeebreak]

I'm hesitant to pull the trigger on Think Rider. Keep us updated on SRED cassette. Which one did you get?

[jcr]

I'm hesitant to pull the trigger on Think Rider. Keep us updated on SRED cassette. Which one did you get?

You mean SRoad?

First impression... 11-28T... very light at 185g feels odd holding 11s cassette at that weight. The lockring is alloy but feels like cheese (stripped mine) and I had to buy a new one (another alloy one) that seems to be ok.

Took a while to tune it but I might have messed up my tuning at the beginning or maybe it required a very specific B-limit setting to get it smooth but now it seems smooth but weather is still too bad to ride outdoors.

[jonathanf2]

Since AliExpress is running some deep discounts right now, I bought the LTwoo alloy hydraulic 2x11 groupset for $204 USD including tax+shipping. I figure the alloy shifters should be more durable than the carbon version and for the price, it's a good bargain. I'll most likely run it with Shimano derailleurs, but I ordered the FD/RD kit because the price was the same as the shifters+calipers only from another seller.

I might have purchased the last "no box" set, unless they re-stock:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804911363509.html

[coffeebreak]

That sale pushed me over to purchase an obscure item that has been rotting in my cart forever. A Microspline  hub for DT Swiss wheelset:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805034661527.html

3 days ago, it started showing it will go down from $40 to $26 which was enough to make my mind but on top of it, they (World bike store) have $5 off $30 coupon too. Added a tubeless rim tape and made the deal even sweeter.

[jcr]

If someone is looking for a cheap Sensah Empire 11s shift kit (brifter and derailleur) the sale has it going for $100USD with free shipping https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005063051998.html

Good for a budget build, upgrade or trainer bike (which I am doing). 

[coffeebreak]

Got tired of not finding a cheapo direct mount top tube bag on Aliexpress despite almost every new frame coming with mounts on top tube. Not sure what’s going on there. There’s one aero bolt on bag that doesn’t seem like it has a zipper on top.

So I bought 1L model from here - https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832668022067.html

It’s pretty good quality and has a insert in the base to keep it sturdy. Drilled two holes thru the base matching with my frame. Used two thick washers and bolted the thing on the top tube! Now I have $14 bolt on bag.

[kbernstein]

Got tired of not finding a cheapo direct mount top tube bag on Aliexpress despite almost every new frame coming with mounts on top tube. Not sure what’s going on there. There’s one aero bolt on bag that doesn’t seem like it has a zipper on top.

So I bought 1L model from here - https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832668022067.html

It’s pretty good quality and has a insert in the base to keep it sturdy. Drilled two holes thru the base matching with my frame. Used two thick washers and bolted the thing on the top tube! Now I have $14 bolt on bag.

I've also been looking for a bolt-on top tube bag with no luck. I've looked at the one you linked probably a dozen times but all the pictures have straps. How come yours doesn't?