Author Topic: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]  (Read 7833 times)

Sergey Fly

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2023, 12:59:22 AM »
I am currently considering buying one of these bikes. So far I'm more inclined towards Trek Madone. I'm not a super cyclist and I want a bit of charisma on the bike.
Service with a box from Airwolf?
« Last Edit: August 14, 2023, 01:07:54 AM by Sergey Fly »

Kirkspants

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #16 on: October 30, 2023, 08:55:36 PM »
So it’s been a while since I’ve posted and I just popped back to see what everyone has been saying about the Airwolf YFR066…. BUT THEN I SAW THE SLR!

I want to do it. I was just gonna do the 066 as a random frame until I can finish a BMC teammachine I turned into a long term art project. (Bought the frame for $1300 but that was the easy part…)

Now, though, I have a calling bahahaha. I’m a jaded ex bike mechanic. I want to get it just out of spite for the years of trauma the industry has caused me.

I’ll chime back in if I get it. I think the SLR blows out the 066 budget.

Kirkspants

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #17 on: October 31, 2023, 03:13:51 AM »
OH MY GOOD GOD. They just informed me the frame weight is 1300g in a 52 cm, 1350 in a 58 cm.

ENEP

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #18 on: October 31, 2023, 03:41:47 AM »
OH MY GOOD GOD. They just informed me the frame weight is 1300g in a 52 cm, 1350 in a 58 cm.

Can it be reinforcements around the seatpost/seattube area? If yes, the weight might be a good sign.
But yeah, if you want a light frame maybe choose something else  :D

Deo

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #19 on: December 24, 2023, 03:12:06 PM »
did somebody go with SLR from airflow, at the end?

repoman

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #20 on: December 25, 2023, 02:00:28 PM »
I don't think this has the Trek butthole as on the SLR.
Good lord these frames are hideous  ;D

Emraize

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #21 on: January 25, 2024, 10:35:17 AM »
did somebody go with SLR from airflow, at the end?

Hi - i'm currently in the process of building an Airwolf SLR. Ordered in late November from their website and received around 6 weeks later in Germany (framesize 54/M, matte black)

Here are my impressions and issues so far:
- the paint job is quite good as far as i can judge, the matte is naturally a bit sensitive
- upper bore hole for the front brake caliper mount is around 2mm off -> had to file the caliper to make it fit
- lower headset bearing sits quite loose on the fork carbon crown but fits good into the frame (outer bearing diameter okay) -> have to measure the diameter of the fork and the bearing inner diameter. I fear the fork diameter is a bit off (or they send me an incorrect lower headset bearing)
- internal routing of the hydraulic cables through the handlebar is not the easiest job but managed to finish it with the help of an internal cable routing tool and sticking an older bowden cable to the hydraulic cable and pulled it through the bar.
- bottom bracket bearing (T47) fits pretty good
- saddle clamp and the area around the "iso flow hole" seem to be fine so far also

I'm installing a Shimano 105 12speed groupset and haven't decided which wheelset to put on yet. Overall it will probably not be the lightest build. Will upload some pics later on.

Emraize

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #22 on: April 06, 2024, 02:00:42 PM »
took me a while to get through all the hassles building this bike but here it is ready to ride now:

- issue with upper headset play solved by mounting an additional c-ring as a spacer above the compression ring
- lower headset bearing needed some alu tape wrapped around the inside (fork diameter was too small for lower headset bearing, but the bearing has the dimensions as the "original")
- front brake caliper needed to be filed as the upper bore hole in the fork was about 2mm off
- the delivered seatpost mount cracked at about 3-4NM torque while mounting the saddle tilt screw (see photo). As i think this is a general construction issue and i don't trust the replica here, i bought a slightly used original one
- no feedback coming back from airwolf, only that they will check with their quality control...

Overall the bike fits and rides quite good. Coming from an aero bike of the first generations i subjectively would say that this one feels a bit stiffer and more aerodynamic. However i guess that a big factor for this is coming from the wheels.


Serge_K

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #23 on: April 06, 2024, 02:11:51 PM »
Thanks for sharing. So, yet another anecdotal evidence against buying airwolf frames.
I'm extremely happy with my cockpits from them though.
Fast on the flat. And nowhere else.

MadClimb

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #24 on: May 31, 2024, 09:53:59 AM »
I just finished building my second slr from Airwolf (one for myself and one for a friend). Some experiences to share:
Ordering the frame went quite smoothly, as well communications with Airwolf during the whole process: easy to get in touch with them and they're willing to help.
Their statement that this is the original is obviously not true. Some small issues, especially with the small parts that come with the frame, indicate this is a copy. A good one though, as far as I can judge without testing it to and over its limits. Fair paint job, though it seems a bit easy to damage. We'll see.
Please note that though the website states the frame is also suitable for mechanical shifting, it is not. Just like the original gen 7 Madone, it is only suitable for Di2 (or any other electronic shifting). The internal routing of a rear shifting cable has to go through too many sharp bends to let it shift smoothly. I spent a lot of time and trying several things to get it shifting without any issues, but in the end decided to strip the mechanical groupset and replace it by Di2. Learning the hard way... The second build-up was an easy job after that.
Routing the brakehoses through the handlebar is really a pain. It took me quite some time and the help of an extra hand to get them through. I guess that'd be the same with an original; it's caused by the design.
The parts that come with the seatpost are a bit sloppy. The wedge used to fixate it in the frame is way to smooth and therefore too slippery. Using carbon paste is explicitly discouraged. Ordering an original wedge (which has a roughed surface) solved it easily. The sadlle clamp was skewed and too wide (and heavy), and again using an original solved it.
The headset bearings seem to fit well, but there's still some minor play in the headsets of both bikes after putting the bike together. In the second build I replaced the splitring on top of the upper bearings with an original one, but that didn't resolve the issue. My conclusion is it has to do with the first spacer. Adding an extra C ring on top as suggested above might solve it, not yet tried.
The holes for mounting the front caliper were in the right place (both builds), but quite rough on the inside. The threading of the holes in the forks had to be cleaned out/threaded, otherwise the bolts needed far too much force to get them in.
The mount for the rear caliper on one of the frames is not exactly even, so when I tighten the bolts the caliper will not stand exactly upright. This makes it almost impossible to adjust the caliper enough to let the disc run freely. Probably some paint issue. Solved by putting some thick nail polish on the frame on one edge of the bolt hole.

Both bikes have been ridden for a few hundred km and it feels fast and sturdy. The handlebar is pretty flexible, which I didn't expect from a carbon one. But that may be me not being used to an aero bar.
All in all I am quite positive about the Airwolf frame. If you go for this frame I'd advice to buy some original parts with it at the trek webshop right away: seatpost wedge and saddle clamp (together about 30€). But if you're thinking about building a very nice bike yourself, I'd certainly consider this frame.

Serge_K

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #25 on: June 01, 2024, 09:55:40 AM »
Thanks for posting about your experience. can you add pics of the 2 bikes?
And which bars did you use? Mine feel extremely stiff.
Fast on the flat. And nowhere else.

Emraize

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #26 on: June 12, 2024, 01:55:32 PM »
I just finished building my second slr from Airwolf (one for myself and one for a friend). Some experiences to share:
Ordering the frame went quite smoothly, as well communications with Airwolf during the whole process: easy to get in touch with them and they're willing to help.
Their statement that this is the original is obviously not true. Some small issues, especially with the small parts that come with the frame, indicate this is a copy. A good one though, as far as I can judge without testing it to and over its limits. Fair paint job, though it seems a bit easy to damage. We'll see.
Please note that though the website states the frame is also suitable for mechanical shifting, it is not. Just like the original gen 7 Madone, it is only suitable for Di2 (or any other electronic shifting). The internal routing of a rear shifting cable has to go through too many sharp bends to let it shift smoothly. I spent a lot of time and trying several things to get it shifting without any issues, but in the end decided to strip the mechanical groupset and replace it by Di2. Learning the hard way... The second build-up was an easy job after that.
Routing the brakehoses through the handlebar is really a pain. It took me quite some time and the help of an extra hand to get them through. I guess that'd be the same with an original; it's caused by the design.
The parts that come with the seatpost are a bit sloppy. The wedge used to fixate it in the frame is way to smooth and therefore too slippery. Using carbon paste is explicitly discouraged. Ordering an original wedge (which has a roughed surface) solved it easily. The sadlle clamp was skewed and too wide (and heavy), and again using an original solved it.
The headset bearings seem to fit well, but there's still some minor play in the headsets of both bikes after putting the bike together. In the second build I replaced the splitring on top of the upper bearings with an original one, but that didn't resolve the issue. My conclusion is it has to do with the first spacer. Adding an extra C ring on top as suggested above might solve it, not yet tried.
The holes for mounting the front caliper were in the right place (both builds), but quite rough on the inside. The threading of the holes in the forks had to be cleaned out/threaded, otherwise the bolts needed far too much force to get them in.
The mount for the rear caliper on one of the frames is not exactly even, so when I tighten the bolts the caliper will not stand exactly upright. This makes it almost impossible to adjust the caliper enough to let the disc run freely. Probably some paint issue. Solved by putting some thick nail polish on the frame on one edge of the bolt hole.

Both bikes have been ridden for a few hundred km and it feels fast and sturdy. The handlebar is pretty flexible, which I didn't expect from a carbon one. But that may be me not being used to an aero bar.
All in all I am quite positive about the Airwolf frame. If you go for this frame I'd advice to buy some original parts with it at the trek webshop right away: seatpost wedge and saddle clamp (together about 30€). But if you're thinking about building a very nice bike yourself, I'd certainly consider this frame.

Thanks for sharing your build experience! It seems like we've gone through similar issues building up this frame.
Did the diameter of your steerer tube fit to the inner diameter of the lower headset bearing? In my case i had to wrap a bit of aluminium tape around the steerer tube to make it fit. Also i had to mount a tiny spacer above the compression c-ring to avoid rubbing between the head tube and the first plastic cover.
Regarding the seatpost: Did you have no issues tightening the screw for saddle tilt?
Regarding the handlebar: I have the same impression that it feels quite flexible. Nevertheless it is not that noticeable while riding.
Overall i'm pretty happy with how the bike rides. Maybe on fast decents i'd prefer a bit more direct feeling but otherwise it feels pretty solid.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2024, 02:06:28 PM by Emraize »

MadClimb

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #27 on: July 08, 2024, 09:59:14 AM »
Thanks for sharing your build experience! It seems like we've gone through similar issues building up this frame.
Did the diameter of your steerer tube fit to the inner diameter of the lower headset bearing? In my case i had to wrap a bit of aluminium tape around the steerer tube to make it fit. Also i had to mount a tiny spacer above the compression c-ring to avoid rubbing between the head tube and the first plastic cover.
Regarding the seatpost: Did you have no issues tightening the screw for saddle tilt?
Regarding the handlebar: I have the same impression that it feels quite flexible. Nevertheless it is not that noticeable while riding.
Overall i'm pretty happy with how the bike rides. Maybe on fast decents i'd prefer a bit more direct feeling but otherwise it feels pretty solid.
Pretty similar indeed. And glad you're happy with the bike. As am I; it's really a pleasure to ride.
I added a microspacer (C-shaped) on top of the compression ring which helped somewhat with minimizing the play in the headset. So thx for that idea ;-)
My lower bearing fit very nicely actually. On the other hand you're right that the saddle tilt screw did not do the job. The saddle just kept tilting, even after trying several things to get it tightened better. In the end I replaced it with an original cilinder in the seatpost and it was solved. It underlines my experience that the frame itself is pretty good, but the parts that come with it are somewhat sloppy.

Specialf.

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #28 on: July 14, 2024, 09:26:00 AM »
I follow the discussion with interest, as far as I'm concerned the frame is aesthetically beautiful.  I'm eager to see photos of one you built.  Soon.

neobiker

Re: Airwolf: What is this model inspired from? [Trek Madone]
« Reply #29 on: July 15, 2024, 12:54:52 PM »
I sonder if sou saw but they already sell the newest Madone xD and a copy of the previous dogma F.