Seraph Bikes Superlight 836g X68 - Alternative to SL8 Fakes?

[Sander2177]

Here you go

Not the perfect picture, because mid of ride

Went with 45mm wheels from Easedon, SRAM Red cranks, and Ztto cassette paired with 11s Ultegra di2.

Good man!
Looks lovely

[glepore]

I also get creaking/clicking while seated, and it's most likely the seat post clamp against the top tube. It happens while I pedal, so with lateral pressure on the seat post and clamp. I didn't grease the clamp as described in the SL8 manual. I only put carbon paste on the seatpost. I will do it this week and report here if that helped.
In my experience, the creaking and clicking go away after reclamping the seat, and it comes back after a while. I did a 100k ride today, and by the end of the ride, it was creaking/clicking quite a lot. I got home and re-clamped it, and the noise is gone, so the noise is most likely from there.

Yeah, that could well be the culprit. I didn't grease the wedge parts, and only put paste on the seatpost, while the manual calls for paste between the wedge and the bare carbon, which makes sense...
RTFM

[glepore]

NM-just looked it up and they do measure c/c on the actual item, so keep in mind they're narrow...

Quick question-I just measured the replica cockpit on the x68, which is nominally 38 but it measures 36 c/c and 38 outside. So in road speak its effectively a 36. Anyone have a real Rapide cockpit that they can measure?
Thought it felt narrower than the 38's I generally run.

[glepore]

Reporting back. Greased the surfaces of the wedge where they interface, carbon paste on side that rests against tt, creak gone.
Also my lockring wasn't hella tight.

[jes2k13]

NM-just looked it up and they do measure c/c on the actual item, so keep in mind they're narrow...

Quick question-I just measured the replica cockpit on the x68, which is nominally 38 but it measures 36 c/c and 38 outside. So in road speak its effectively a 36. Anyone have a real Rapide cockpit that they can measure?
Thought it felt narrower than the 38's I generally run.

whoah really? maybe it could have been a mix up from when they were prepping your frameset?
dude, can you link us the 3d printed mount you used and how much was that?
and mind if I ask how tall are you and your weight? are you usually racing cause you went with a narrow handlebar but a long stem eh?
By the way the picture you have posted when you have installed the gold decals, the angle looks quite odd? or is it that you need to tell speedy decals the size of the frame so they can scale it properly or due to the gold color that the decal placement looks different?
Lastly I know I will be castigated for this haha but where could we find that carbon 12r or carbon 10r decal that needs to be near the bottom bracket and the one that goes on the fork too?
sorry for so many questions LOL

[Sander2177]

NM-just looked it up and they do measure c/c on the actual item, so keep in mind they're narrow...

Quick question-I just measured the replica cockpit on the x68, which is nominally 38 but it measures 36 c/c and 38 outside. So in road speak its effectively a 36. Anyone have a real Rapide cockpit that they can measure?
Thought it felt narrower than the 38's I generally run.

My Rapides are 40cm outside to outside

Speed decals to the Fact12R decal but as this is so small it is a single decal


Magcad mount I also gave this on my SL8
https://www.magcad-designs.com/products/magcad-garmin-roval-rapide-mount

[jes2k13]

My Rapides are 40cm outside to outside

Speed decals to the Fact12R decal but as this is so small it is a single decal


Magcad mount I also gave this on my SL8
https://www.magcad-designs.com/products/magcad-garmin-roval-rapide-mount

Hey man thanks so much for linking the magcad computer mount? do you happen to know if there are carbon fiber version of such 3d printed mounts?

And are both decals you have attached from SpeedyDecals or just the one below?

[Sander2177]

Hey man thanks so much for linking the magcad computer mount? do you happen to know if there are carbon fiber version of such 3d printed mounts?

And are both decals you have attached from SpeedyDecals or just the one below?

The purple decals are mine I’m having Matt Purple logos on my Gloss UD Carbon frame. Not keen on the Specilaized on the forks and chainstay I’m a less is more guy. My SL8 was repainted this year and I did not have them put back on.

The other decals are from Speedydecals site.

https://speedydecal.com/index.php?controller=search&s=SL8

But if your in the UK I know a Specilaized approved painter you can get decals from I would have ordered from them had I known before I ordered these decals. (Ooey Custom Paint)

[dovh]

Reporting back. Greased the surfaces of the wedge where they interface, carbon paste on side that rests against tt, creak gone.
Also my lockring wasn't hella tight.

I also greased it up and put the paste, and no more clicking noise.

Now the funny part.. While I was at it, I wanted to also grease up the saddle clamp parts as per the manual, and when I was putting it back together, I managed to cross-thread the saddle clamp bolt and strip the thread from that little nut that the bolt scrwes into. Until I get a replacement from tantan or manage to find the original part locally, I'm not riding the bike for a while by the looks of it..   

[Sander2177]

I also greased it up and put the paste, and no more clicking noise.

Now the funny part.. While I was at it, I wanted to also grease up the saddle clamp parts as per the manual, and when I was putting it back together, I managed to cross-thread the saddle clamp bolt and strip the thread from that little nut that the bolt scrwes into. Until I get a replacement from tantan or manage to find the original part locally, I'm not riding the bike for a while by the looks of it..   

Would a barrel nut not do the same job?

Or
Maybe this
https://www.performancebike.com/specialized-alpinist-upper-lower-seat-clamps-black-w-hardware-kit-s204900004/p1269982?srsltid=AfmBOopaFTJkUffOKx_O_bIMkixFrMTQwRdr8p_WNhuHQMf665VVdQh3

[glepore]

whoah really? maybe it could have been a mix up from when they were prepping your frameset?
dude, can you link us the 3d printed mount you used and how much was that?
and mind if I ask how tall are you and your weight? are you usually racing cause you went with a narrow handlebar but a long stem eh?
By the way the picture you have posted when you have installed the gold decals, the angle looks quite odd? or is it that you need to tell speedy decals the size of the frame so they can scale it properly or due to the gold color that the decal placement looks different?
Lastly I know I will be castigated for this haha but where could we find that carbon 12r or carbon 10r decal that needs to be near the bottom bracket and the one that goes on the fork too?
sorry for so many questions LOL

Not a mix up. Specialized measures oddly, its 36.5 center to center on the actual Rapide cockpit. A smidge over 38 outside to outside. 39 c/c in the drops. I'm only 5'5 (165cm). I'm between a 49 and a 52 if I use specialized calculator. I knew in advance what reach I wanted based on many existing bikes and fits, and wanted the smaller frame (partially for vanity-a fair number of my bikes end up with little exposed seatpost), and I knew what stem I'd need to get the bar center where I wanted. I ride 38 bars and have for a long time. Didn't realize the way the Roval bars are measured but in the end its not a big deal, I'm already adapted to them. I would caution that if you think that's a really agressive fit you might think about the geo of the bike generally as its a pretty racy geo overall. I'd be happier with a  bar with less stem angle (I really like the new enve with rise) but the cockpit is very nice generally. One thing that made a big difference in how the bike feels is to move the levers to a position that has the hood tips pointing slightly up and the transition from the top of the drop to the lever dead flat. Tantan sets them much lower, and that effectively drops the hoods riding position much lower and isn't as comfortable on the hands.
I don't think the decals look strange IRL, I think the angle that I took the photo from (standing rather than kneeling) may make them look that way. Speedy does scale them to the frame size.
I'm also of the less is more school. No FACT decals, no size decal. I did order the UCI sticker seperately.

[glepore]

I also greased it up and put the paste, and no more clicking noise.

Now the funny part.. While I was at it, I wanted to also grease up the saddle clamp parts as per the manual, and when I was putting it back together, I managed to cross-thread the saddle clamp bolt and strip the thread from that little nut that the bolt scrwes into. Until I get a replacement from tantan or manage to find the original part locally, I'm not riding the bike for a while by the looks of it..   

Not sure where you are, but ti parts has the barrel nut for 8 bucks, better bolts has the whole assembly for 15, and the oem wedge is available from any specialized dealer or online retailer (30 usd, or 20 for an ali clone).

[dovh]

Not sure where you are, but ti parts has the barrel nut for 8 bucks, better bolts has the whole assembly for 15, and the oem wedge is available from any specialized dealer or online retailer (30 usd, or 20 for an ali clone).

I'm in the EU(Czech Republic), so the shipping here would take some time, I guess. Btw, do you mean this part?

To clarify, I snapped this part that is circled on the manual screenshot.

[Bonus79]

Look more closely at the photo in the prom dress post, they're on.
They're tedious but not really "hard" to do. Get a squegee thing for vinyl application-amazon and elsewhere. The 2 issues with application are alignment-you don't want it to stick until its where you want it, and then the upper film removal-you have to go slow at a sharp 180 to the decal or it wants to lift the more delicate edges. If you see it start to come up, immediately go back down and over with the squegee. Follow the included instructions.
I didn't do all of the specialized logos, think its too much, just the sworks on the downtube. I did put the "specialized" for the chainstay on the inside of the fork legs for a custom look.
I'm aiming for 6.8 or 9. Not a lot of room to go. The expander was installed and I hear they're a faff to remove, so I'll leave it, rather than go extralight. The tires are tlr, but I like corsa controls in the og flavor and non tlr are getting a bit difficult to find. Already on tpu. Light Ryet saddle. Have chaser thru axles but its only 20g lighter than the clone Spec axles that come with the bike. Crankset could save 100g or so but at several hundred dollars as I'd need a different pm. I'll chip away over time.

Once the dacal is applied to the frame, can you feel the thickness by running your fingers over it?
I will also buy a set of stickers from SpeedyDecal, and I am undecided whether to apply them under transparent (I also have to paint the frame) or over transparent.
I was also wondering if the stickers are resistant to washing and weather conditions....do you already have experience with the durability of SpeedyDecal stickers?
Thanks

[Bonus79]

Reporting back. Greased the surfaces of the wedge where they interface, carbon paste on side that rests against tt, creak gone.
Also my lockring wasn't hella tight.

What kind of grease did you use and where exactly did you apply it?
Thanks