VeloBuild VB-TT-023

[Hmpf]

Handlebar problem solved!
The support was great - they sent a new stem and handlebars.
I re-routed the brake lines and used sturdy downhill lines.
I greased the contact surfaces on the handlebars and stem really thickly with carbon grease.
Screws tightened crosswise in 0.2 Nm increments up to 4.4 Nm. Holds bombproof, tested for 530 km, even on potholes.

It was probably due to the paint on the clamping surfaces or the grip film on the handlebars, or it was a material defect. Because I did the same with the old stem and handlebars, also tried till 5Nm and had still the issue.
Just a theory, but now everything fits!

Many thanks for your help and thanks to velobuild!

[Juul]

Handlebar problem solved!
The support was great - they sent a new stem and handlebars.

Great to hear! Did my first outdoor ride on the bike today.. handlebars slipped and indeed pinched the brake ducts.
Got back home safely, redid the cockpit, and torqued to 4NM.. everything seems to be ok now.

Just another thing: are you handlebars also 'super' flexy? If I'm in the aero position, the flex is not noticeable. But if i hold the bars at the brakes, the flex is super noticeable. Especially when putting power down after corners
I would suspect that the carbon was super stiff.. but apparantly not

[Hmpf]

The Basebar doesn't flex any more than the carbon handlebars on my road bikes.
The flex was one of the reasons why I switched to carbon. It is more comfortable.

Theoretically, the center of gravity is somewhere else on the TT, so more weight is placed on the basebar. Maybe that's why it works like that.

After fitting the new cockpit, I stood in front of the bike, grabbed the outside of the basebar and pulled and pushed myself up with my whole body weight - as an additional test to make sure everything was really secure.

[mineBikes]

I really like this frame and I am considering pulling the trigger and buy it but I just can't figure out where to store gels during IM/70.3 events
I don't like the idea of the box on the top tube because kinda defeats the purpose of having a nice flat stem and top tube.

What real alternatives are there? Does anyone have any picture of their setup?

[Barry McCockiner]

I really like this frame and I am considering pulling the trigger and buy it but I just can't figure out where to store gels during IM/70.3 events
I don't like the idea of the box on the top tube because kinda defeats the purpose of having a nice flat stem and top tube.

What real alternatives are there? Does anyone have any picture of their setup?

I thought of this issue too when buying, and my solution is a mixture of Gels in the back pocket and running 2x bottles up front. 1 1L bottle with my carb mix and then 1 small 500ml or elite aero bottle with a load of gels squeezed into it.

[mattgolt]

I thought of this issue too when buying, and my solution is a mixture of Gels in the back pocket and running 2x bottles up front. 1 1L bottle with my carb mix and then 1 small 500ml or elite aero bottle with a load of gels squeezed into it.

Same, I'm doing 100% liquid feed as well. Otherwise I'd have gotten the tantan 912, because it has a bento box. I like your cockpit setup! I haven't dared to pull the trigger on the winow bars yet as I am afraid they are too short (fasttt makes an XL variant, winow not..). How tall are you and what bar size you have?


By the way, are you keeping the colored bracelets on your bike so you can shorten the next run during an IM? 

[Hmpf]

@mattgold
You have already provided a very cool toolbox.
Can you show a few more photos of how you solved the cockpit with the BTA bottle?

[Barry McCockiner]

Same, I'm doing 100% liquid feed as well. Otherwise I'd have gotten the tantan 912, because it has a bento box. I like your cockpit setup! I haven't dared to pull the trigger on the winow bars yet as I am afraid they are too short (fasttt makes an XL variant, winow not..). How tall are you and what bar size you have?

I am 187 cm (6ft2 ish) and pretty sure I am on the L version (I got these when they first were released by Winow). I've paired them with the FastTT reach extender brackets and they now fit really quite nice.

By the way, are you keeping the colored bracelets on your bike so you can shorten the next run during an IM? 

haha I never thought about that. I kept them as fuel for the fire after I DNFd that IM and didnt get all the bracelets!

[RickyM]

Hi guys, I´ve been reading this thread as I´m building a bike with this frame.
I have a question: Does the lower headset bearing needs a cap for the frame or it just sits on the steerer tube?
I only got 1 cap in the headset box installation.
Have a nice sunday
Thank you

[Juul]

I learned so much from this thread (and forum as a whole), so the least I can do it to show you the finished build:

VB-TT-023 build with:

Ultrega crank (with powermeter)
Passquest 50T chainring
Praxis T47 BB
SRAM Rival AXS RD
SRAM wireless blips
Shimano 11-36T cassette
KMC 12s chain
Riderever Trivia brakes
Bontrager COMP5 wheels
Shimano Ultegra 160 disk brakes
Schwalbe one 25mm tires (tubeless)
Bontrager Hilo Comp TT saddle

Bought almost everything (except for like chain/chainring/..) second-hand to reduce the cost. And that got me to a proper finished build at 2.8k

[Hmpf]

Hi guys, I´ve been reading this thread as I´m building a bike with this frame.
I have a question: Does the lower headset bearing needs a cap for the frame or it just sits on the steerer tube?
I only got 1 cap in the headset box installation.
Have a nice sunday
Thank you

You need everything on this picture.

[RickyM]

Yeah I don´t have that piece that you marked in the picture. Thanks for the info
Also they sent me 2 threaded pieces for the seat rails, so I can´t adjust the seat to the seat post.
And I had to file the steerer tube because the compression plug won´t sit in the tube, it got stuck halfway.
So I´m having some issues before I can even ride it.
Hope I will ride it someday.
Thanks

[RickyM]

This is how my fork looks inside 

[Hmpf]

It will ride one day and you will be happy, don't worry.

1. what you call the “compression plug” goes on the bottom of the fork cone. It is the centering ring for the lower bearing. Once you have fitted it, the head tube will no longer rub on the fork . (look attached picture)
2. the marked part is the centering ring for the upper bearing. The recess must be at the front for the cable routing.
3. can you explain again about the seat stays or take a photo? I don't quite understand it (may be due to the language, sorry).

4. write to Velobuild Support, they will send you a replacement part very quickly.

[RickyM]

Hi. Sorry english is not my native language.
What I call the compression plug is the insert that goes inside the fork. You can see in the picture that is not going down any further in the fork, so I can´t put the top of the stem.
Thank you for the explanation, I wrote to Vb and they will send me the missing part.
And I will attach a picture with the seat post issue. To clamp the seat, you need a screw and 2 parts. Onepart must not be threaded, only the one in the end of the screw. Mine are both threaded