VeloBuild VB-TT-023

[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

[mattgolt]

I get the feeling that VB is making a lot of errors on this frame, no? I'm following from a distance because fundamentally, i'd like to get a TT bike, but i really, really dont need one, but is it me or a lot of people are having problems with the front end?
Or is it user error mostly?
Like the inside of that steerer looks absolutely horrendous?

Not sure if this is survivorship bias and people who didn't have issues dont post.

I for myself, did not have any issues building the VB TT 023 and I'm supper happy with it. My VB R 213 on the other hand, did have some quality defects around the bottom bracket and also the mounting points for the disc brake calipers.

[ejump0]

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.

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

yes, its called compression plug.
on aliex, theres longer plugs ver too if you want security of propper clamping, if vb again aend kinda short one. 

as for the saddle rail clamp, unless they include 2 types of rail clamps (round n oval rails), indeed thats an error of sending 2 threaded side clamp

[Hmpf]

I get the feeling that VB is making a lot of errors on this frame, no? I'm following from a distance because fundamentally, i'd like to get a TT bike, but i really, really dont need one, but is it me or a lot of people are having problems with the front end?
Or is it user error mostly?
Like the inside of that steerer looks absolutely horrendous?

Basically, this is normal for frames from Asia in a certain price range: a bit of tinkering and trial and error is simply part of the deal - that's the deal for the low price.

My biggest struggle was the cockpit. The order of the screws was not self-explanatory and the centering ring was missing.

But: Velobuild's support was excellent. I always received a reply within 24 hours, and the missing ring arrived two days later (from China to Germany).

In general, TT cockpits are often fiddly - here too. The Velobuild cockpit is not perfectly thought out, but it is modular. The basebar, for example, has a classic 31.8 mm clamp, so you can easily mount something else if necessary.

[RickyM]

Well maybe I got a lemon. We bought 2 frames with a friend. His frame is perfect, he´s been using his bike for a month now and 0 problems.
Mine came with all of this: a not finish fork which I need to file and sand in order to fit the compression plug; came without the upper cup of the headset and came with the wrong rail oval clamps (the round clamps are ok, but my seat has oval rails). So I can´b build my bike.
I knew that with chinese frame I would have to tinkering but this is not little.
Anyway, I wrote to Velob with photos and they inmediately answer, saying that they will send asap the correct clamps for the saddle and the upper cap of the headset. But didn´t answer anything about the fork.
The problem is where I live, mail and customes takes months, so now I put everything in the box again. Maybe in August I can test it, hoping that everything else is fine.

[Juul]

I was totally up to tinkering and solving all these tiny issues - as i completely expected from a Chinese frame.

The stuff that challenged me most was also the cockpit.. bars slipped on the first ride (because I "too carefully" torqued them up).
Now with greater torque, everthing seems fine.
Coincidentally, I asked a couple of hours ago to VB for the max torque just to be sure. I will edit it in the post later when they reply =)
Edit: they responded that the max torque is 5NM

I actually never build a bike up before.. but it was surprisingly more straight forwards than expected.
Also had to cut the fork by myself.. but with care that was easily enough.
But.. for sure.. specific torque settings would have given me more confidence in the build stage and test rides

[RickyM]

This is the full list of what I bougth to build my bike:

Frame: Velobuild TT-023 U$1100
Wheels: Velobuild Wave 60-25 U$490
BB: Kactus Ceramic SKF U$73
Crankset: Rockbross carbon U$190
Powermeter: Xcadey spider  U$330
Chainring: PassQuest aero 52T U$55
Rear D: SRAM RED axs U$350
Cassette: SRAM RED 10-28 U$225
Brakes: TRP HD T-910 U$300
Chain: SRAM RED axs 12s U$60
Shifters: SRAM blips x4 U$200
Disc Rotors: ENLEE 140mm U$45
Tires (for training): Pirelli Pzero 26 U$110

TOTAL (without shipping and customs): U$3.530

[RickyM]

I was totally up to tinkering and solving all these tiny issues - as i completely expected from a Chinese frame.

The stuff that challenged me most was also the cockpit.. bars slipped on the first ride (because I "too carefully" torqued them up).
Now with greater torque, everthing seems fine.
Coincidentally, I asked a couple of hours ago to VB for the max torque just to be sure. I will edit it in the post later when they reply =-

I actually never build a bike up before.. but it was surprisingly more straight forwards than expected.
Also had to cut the fork by myself.. but with care that was easily enough.
But.. for sure.. specific torque settings would have given me more confidence in the build stage and test rides

I think that a basic build in their Youtube Channel would be great for them too. I guess most of us that buy the frames are diyers and a simple video could answer most of our questions and could decide a buy for a lot of chinese brands searchers