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

[00Garza]

Hello, has been a while since the last time I've posted here. My build plans have changed quite a bit, ended up getting a second hand bike that I'm now equipping with finest Aliexpress special (and other places) stuff.

I wanted to ask if anyone has experience with these handlebars? € 99,74  40%OFF | RPANTAHI Road Bicycle Handlebars Integrated Carbon with Stem 28.6mm Cycling Bike Broken windmill Handle Bars 380/400/420/440MM
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mK8q5sC

They look quite clean and nice and even the listing itself looks somewhat professional.

No idea about the handlebar, but that seller has some pretty terrible reviews. Buy at your own risk.

[carbonazza]

...Do you know of any Ali sellers that can supply an extra derailleur hanger for the CFR696 frame?

Why not ask directly to the builder?
They can ship you parts too. By post it's usually cheap.

[TidyDinosaur]

So my bad luck with my latest purchases during the sales a few weeks ago keeps going...
I ordered a set of Novatec D411/412 hubs from this store: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/910561074
They sent me the cheap 791/792 hubs instead. I opened a dispute to get my money back, but they want me to sent the hubs back to china which probably will almost cost as much as the hubs...
Since the sales are over it will probably cost me about 25€ more to get the right hubs this time.

I am really disappointed about my experiences with aliexpress these last few weeks... A lot of sellers don't have the stuff they list in stock and one wanted more money after the sale. You get your money back after a while, but you lose money since you have to buy again at a higher price after the sales and you have to pay the credit card fees twice when you get money back...

[coffeebreak]

Do you know of any Ali sellers that can supply an extra derailleur hanger for the CFR696 frame?

I'm looking for one too but didn't have luck on Aliexpress. This hanger however should work for 696, albeit expensive -

https://obedbikes.com/products/derailleur-hangers?variant=41588316471471

I'll try to do some visual search on Aliexpress matching with pictures from above link.

Edit, I have a feeling this should fit 696 -

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mqGQXl2

[Flying Trunk Monkey]

Cool, keep me posted. It might be worth contacting Carbonda, I just wanted an AliX option for the sake of convenience.

[coffeebreak]

Okay the Aliexpress link says it fits ICAN Xgravel which is same as cfr696 so that hanger will fit 696.

[BalticSea]

No idea about the handlebar, but that seller has some pretty terrible reviews. Buy at your own risk.

Yeah, I did check the reviews of seller. Rhese bars are available from other stores as well, so at least there are options to choose from.

I am not a fan lf how Tosseek integrated bars look like, SPCycle does not have the right size in stock (thinking about picking up 380/120 bar, currently using 420mm bar with 100mm stem)

[Tijoe]

This is a really cool find...  Has anyone tried these before?

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805075392810.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.3.74184ccdQL4QUM&algo_pvid=cc501f6b-04eb-423d-ac03-a27bac6d0ad8&aem_p4p_detail=202304071929226617655711795360003729643&algo_exp_id=cc501f6b-04eb-423d-ac03-a27bac6d0ad8-1&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21USD%2126.4%2111.88%21%21%21%21%21%40211bea6216809209623844673d07ae%2112000032400147618%21sea%21US%21122805404&curPageLogUid=DmAPpb4UpGtv&ad_pvid=202304071929226617655711795360003729643_2&ad_pvid=202304071929226617655711795360003729643_2

[carbonazza]

This is a really cool find...  Has anyone tried these before?

They look great!! Maybe the spring seems a bit weak.

[TidyDinosaur]

They look great!! Maybe the spring seems a bit weak.

I have a comparable set on my Brompton and the spring is indeed not strong enough to make the lever return completely for the rear brake

[Tijoe]

I am wondering how they might work on my Gravel bike that presently has flared gravel bars and regular road cable brake levers combined with Juin Tech GP4 cable/hydraulic brakes.   My most recent build is using the new hybrid 22.2 based handle bars with full mtb. hydraulic brakes.  I wonder if these levers would work for the Juin Tech hydraulic/cable brakes.  (They don't have much return force on the cable being hydraulic.)  I am thinking of swapping to a pair of the ZNIINO Carbon Gravel H handlebar

[jonathanf2]

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804954468515.html

I've recently ordered a few more RideNow TPU tubes from this seller and I feel like they've finally have matured the manufacturing process. They look and function much better than the first generation batches that came out. At this point, I can recommend these as the go-to budget TPU tubes if you're not in the mood to go tubeless on your road bike. Though I'm 100% pro tubeless for gravel tires! 

Also a few tips I've developed while using these: I tend to lower my PSI than I would with latex and butyl. I ride them 5 to 10 PSI lower than my recommended weight for a more supple ride (they tend to ride harsh depending on tire) and I feel it helps minimize potential flats. I use a schrader valve adapter when airing theses tubes so the presta valve cores don't get damaged. Especially if you need to change a flat out in the field this will minimize any problems. Lastly I find glueless patches work best with TPU tubes. In fact if properly applied, you can use continue to use the patched tubes as normal (as long as they are single hole punctures and not snakebite double hole punctures).

[kbernstein]

They look great, do they all come with glueless patches now? Although I'm a little sad they replaced the metal pink caps with the generic black plastic ones... I must have 10 of these from old inner tubes already. I'm gonna pick up some gravel tubes (I run tubeless, they're just emergencies) and hopefully report back.

[jonathanf2]

They look great, do they all come with glueless patches now? Although I'm a little sad they replaced the metal pink caps with the generic black plastic ones... I must have 10 of these from old inner tubes already. I'm gonna pick up some gravel tubes (I run tubeless, they're just emergencies) and hopefully report back.

I'd just order a set of glueless patches from either AliExpress or from your local online dealer like Amazon. I find tears in TPU doesn't stretch so once properly patched they hold in place. I also miss the pink caps. I still use the pink ones because they're more visible if you drop them on the ground.

I was thinking of order some RideNow tubes for my gravel bike as well, but I still have a few wide profile latex tubes laying around that I carry in the saddle bag.

[hazzer19]

I tried using Park Tool glueless patches on the RideNow TPU tubes before and they didn't work. It sounds like RideNow is going to start including their own glueless patches with tubes in the near future though. In the meantime, I ordered some glueless patches that should work with TPU tubes specifically from AliExpress.