Lightcarbon: LCR018-D (endurance all-road)

[Indyrunner03]

I submitted my order earlier this month and just sent Jim a message to see if I could amend mine to include the top tube mounts.  I had no idea that was an option, either.

Edit: Jim just told me that it adds 15 days to the delivery timeframe (which at this point might be a meaningless estimate based on what others have said).

[jksu]

new to the forum.  really appreciate folks posting updates on shipping times, photos, and reviews!

i ordered mine or at least paid 4/4/26 (PayPal).  worked with tina who's been very responsive (same day or at most 1 day).

had a couple of weeks of back and forth in making my final paint choices (darker metallic red than ferrari red, fade to clear coated raw carbon, raw carbon LC logo on headtube).  not sure if that delayed anything (hopefully not), but told 2 months eta so we'll see.  i mean i hope it doesn't turn out to be 4 months, but +/- 2 weeks i'm ok with.

it's honestly pretty awesome to be able to spec so much detail, paint color/fades, frame storage (or top tube mounts apparently), handlebar/stem size, etc when ordering..it's basically a made-to-order custom carbon bike, which is a new experience for me.  i added the 53db wheelset in 50mm depth - a great price for decent specs (23mm ID, 1380gm, dt swiss style ratchet hub).  also added their ceramic bb bearings, extra downtube storage bag as others have suggested, as well a pair of bottle cages.  last little touch was to go for the titanium out front mount.  none of the accessories are life changing but are aftermarket accessories it's nice to get upfront. considered adding the elillee carbon cranks but changed my mind last minute

hopefully it rides well.  i've got a parlee altum rim brake mechanical shifting bike i got used for $2500 6 years ago.  it rides great but limited to 26-27mm measured tires and roads here in LA are rough and my 52yo body is getting beat up.  so finally took the leap when this modern endurance aero frame showed up that was affordable.... factor monza and envy fray were on my short lists, but they are so expensive and/or the colors weren't super exciting.

only wish light carbon  sold shimano group sets and it could be shipped pre-built. then it'd be perfect.  for now, i've got 2 months to shop for a groupset. 

XDS/X-Lab entering the us market is going to shake things up even more.  i've ordered a set of elite wheels for my mtn bike which was great.  and initially was going to get a western brand bike and maybe upgrade to nicer/lighter carbon chinese wheels.  but i'm excited to jump on this wave and give LC a try. 

ps. i asked tina @ light carbon if my bike could get the hambini level QA treatment and was willing to pay more for it - she said that level of QA was already being done for my LCR18D and included in the price.  so here's to faced everything and easy build for my mechanic.

[Indyrunner03]

new to the forum.  really appreciate folks posting updates on shipping times, photos, and reviews!

i ordered mine or at least paid 4/4/26 (PayPal).  worked with tina who's been very responsive (same day or at most 1 day).

had a couple of weeks of back and forth in making my final paint choices (darker metallic red than ferrari red, fade to clear coated raw carbon, raw carbon LC logo on headtube).  not sure if that delayed anything (hopefully not), but told 2 months eta so we'll see.  i mean i hope it doesn't turn out to be 4 months, but +/- 2 weeks i'm ok with.
...

only wish light carbon  sold shimano group sets and it could be shipped pre-built. then it'd be perfect.  for now, i've got 2 months to shop for a groupset. 

...

I ordered on the same day and was told 45-60 days by Jim for delivery. On the groupset front, I've had good dealings with EuroBikeParts on Ultegra groupsets - you can customize just about every component of the groupset to your liking.  And, the price is very very reasonable.

[mingc]

I ordered mine about a week and a half ago. Wendy told me production will take about a month, painting and logo another 20 working days and delivery 15 working days. I figure the quickest I can expect it to arrive is about 3 months from payment.

[STEGPB]

Affirm.

I made the mistake of thinking the order contained two, so had to re-order the second a few days later.

Both with 45° / 45° ?

[JQCyclist]

you all are lucky, jim does not even reply to my emails :-)

I’m still waiting on a reply from an email I sent on April 9 to Chloe on the status of my order.  March 4, when I ordering, I was told 2-4 weeks (but I figured 6 week at the soonest).   Guess I need to send another message to try again to get an updated timeframe.

[Hualicopter]

I've had zero issues with building the bike beside this rear caliper issue. I probably could do it myself, but I've been spending money on replacement adapters in case they were the issues so I'll just take it to the shop to settle it once and for all.

The screws have also been pretty consistent, no concerns from me.

[Bros]

Well, i suppose they prefer oem or mass orders above one piece....the bike has hit some fairs and oem orders seem to be high.....but i agree, ordering january should be early enough to have the bike built and be ready when spring hits

​I don’t think it’s my concern what or to whom they sell. When I placed my order, I was given a lead time that they significantly failed to meet. Had I known this from the start, I would never have ordered from them.

[2wheeledbarbie]

I wouldn't go under 23mm inner width. For larger tyres 32-40mm I would look for 24-26 mm inner. 21mm inner I would considered old school.

absolutely no issue running 21mm rims. 

[NB87]

Seeing a lot of frustration about lead times on this $700 frame.

Yes, if they say X days, reality might be closer to 2X. Mine arrived about two months later than first promised. Was it annoying? Sure.

But also… perspective matters.

We’re ordering highly customizable carbon frames direct from overseas for a fraction of what big brands charge. Incredible value, tons of options, and a seriously good end product. That combo usually comes with a trade-off somewhere, and in this case it’s patience.

We can’t have premium quality, bargain pricing, full customization AND Amazon Prime speed all at once.

So if your frame is running late: take a breath, ride the bike you already own, maybe stop refreshing tracking for the 14th time today, and remember there are bigger problems in life.

Good things come to those who wait. Mine did.

[POTOOOOOOOO]

Seeing a lot of frustration about lead times on this $700 frame.

Yes, if they say X days, reality might be closer to 2X. Mine arrived about two months later than first promised. Was it annoying? Sure.

But also… perspective matters.

We’re ordering highly customizable carbon frames direct from overseas for a fraction of what big brands charge. Incredible value, tons of options, and a seriously good end product. That combo usually comes with a trade-off somewhere, and in this case it’s patience.

We can’t have premium quality, bargain pricing, full customization AND Amazon Prime speed all at once.

So if your frame is running late: take a breath, ride the bike you already own, maybe stop refreshing tracking for the 14th time today, and remember there are bigger problems in life.

Good things come to those who wait. Mine did.

I absolutely agree 100%
Add the language barrier and this frame has been way more popular than expected, I think there needs to be some perspective and slack give to LC.

Most of the time it’s the bars that cause the delay in shipping, not the frame.
38-100 bars are extremely popular and they’re causing a backlog in shipping - sure, let’s make lots of 380-100 bars, unfortunately that takes time to get up to speed.

There are 130+ pages of searchable information on the frame and entire process, but somehow people are too lazy to run a quick search for the info.

[Tasthal]

Yeah I was also told upon asking a month ago that delay was caused by the handlebars. They offered other sizes that were still available. Changed to 10mm wider bars and the frameset was sent out the next day. They are very willing to help, but I think it is wise to check every now and then as they didn't contact me about the delay or alternatives.

[ncf]

Same delay here due to bars. I asked for a different size as a temp solution for free, they politely declined, and everything showed up about a month late overall. I'm glad I stuck with the 380x110 bars the math said to get. They fit great. Maybe would have been ok on 360 width, or 100 or 120 length. I just didn't want to pay $ to experiment.

The real annoyance is their lack of follow up communication in the delay. I waited about 4 weeks to ask about when it would ship and they had already shipped it. No agreed up pre ship pictures and verification on anything else. It was already out the door and I'm not sure they would have ever bothered to let me know had I not asked.

[Bros]

In my opinion, some of you are confusing brand fascination with what is actually happening. Extending a shipping lead time from one month to three or four has absolutely nothing to do with buying a 'premium' or 'custom' product. It’s a clear sign that something went wrong. It looks like LightCarbon (LC) simply decided to prioritize larger orders without bothering to inform individual customers who had already paid.

​What’s even worse is the inconsistency. On one hand, people point to the custom paint as an excuse, but on the other, LC claims the delay is due to a handlebar shortage. If a simple handlebar size is holding up an entire frame delivery for months, it makes LC look even more disorganized. How many orders do you have to overbook to turn a 4-week estimate into 16 weeks?

​As others have mentioned, the lack of proactive communication is incredibly frustrating. You don't get any info unless you go looking for it. At the same time, there is no option to cancel the order or receive a discount for the massive delay.

​At the end of the day, 'great quality' or 'custom paint' means nothing to me if I can't actually ride the bike. I am about to leave for a two-month trip on my old bike. As things stand, I won't see the LC frame until July at the earliest, even if they were to ship it tomorrow. This isn't a premium experience—it's a logistics failure.

[GammaDriver]

In my opinion, some of you are confusing brand fascination with what is actually happening. Extending a shipping lead time from one month to three or four has absolutely nothing to do with buying a 'premium' or 'custom' product. It’s a clear sign that something went wrong. It looks like LightCarbon (LC) simply decided to prioritize larger orders without bothering to inform individual customers who had already paid.

​What’s even worse is the inconsistency. On one hand, people point to the custom paint as an excuse, but on the other, LC claims the delay is due to a handlebar shortage. If a simple handlebar size is holding up an entire frame delivery for months, it makes LC look even more disorganized. How many orders do you have to overbook to turn a 4-week estimate into 16 weeks?

​As others have mentioned, the lack of proactive communication is incredibly frustrating. You don't get any info unless you go looking for it. At the same time, there is no option to cancel the order or receive a discount for the massive delay.

​At the end of the day, 'great quality' or 'custom paint' means nothing to me if I can't actually ride the bike. I am about to leave for a two-month trip on my old bike. As things stand, I won't see the LC frame until July at the earliest, even if they were to ship it tomorrow. This isn't a premium experience—it's a logistics failure.

I was told during my ordering that the handlebar I chose would add a couple of months, so I chose a different size handlebar.  That's really not an issue to get mad over if it isn't a very common size of handlebar.  And it isn't an issue to get mad at if you're a late-comer to the ordering when these frames - and this manufacturer - is becoming really popular.  You had the chance to not wait as long by ordering in the middle of 2025, but you didn't.  If you waited until the youtubers all proved to you that LC is making great stuff, well, you and thousands of others now want something that the rest of us felt would be a great addition earlier on.

Stop pouting and crying.  It works the same when ordering a car or truck that all of a sudden took off in popularity.