Lightcarbon: LCR018-D (endurance all-road)

[Theolean]

looks nice and fresh. Regarding the response time: after ordering two frames I can say, that sometimes they are quite fast and sometimes it takes more than one mail...

btw: what tool have you used for the rendering?

[Woodenspoke]

the CEMA BB has directional marks on all parts. hard to get it wrong unless you accidentally interchanged L and R. always gently screw it in by hand first.

I ordered the ceramic CEMA (thought i try ceramic once again). took me 2 aproached with this thing to get dub wide chain line spacing sort of right.
after a few km i wanted to try different crankset. but ceramics bearings didn't survive a really really mild hit with my rubber hammer onto the spindle 

anyone got long term experience with the CEMA ceramic bearing? can't believe it is that fragile

CEMA is a high end Berring manufacturer and the quoted price from Light Carbon was well below retail. Pro teams use this brand due to the ABCE5 precision. I have seen standard BB selling in the UK for 150 pounds. So my price was under $80 dollars.

[Woodenspoke]

Has annyone have the new Decals on their bike, with a dark color frame that is not black and if you could share an image?

I am in the process of working through my option with Wendy before I order.

I was also wondering if anyone had measured the computer bolt pattern and tried to 3d print an adapter. I also noticed the pinarello F12 Computer mount om ALIX is close but only 2 bolt. I think I am just going to order the titanium and call it a day, unless it not a good mount?

[Mint Julep]

looks nice and fresh...
btw: what tool have you used for the rendering?

Thanks.
I used Google Gemini Notebook to make the rendering.  It's ok for concepts, but useless if you try to make small changes to details.

Here's a version with a crisper detail at the color transitions.  I needed to make final tweaks with MS Paint, so it's not as clean as the first concept.

[rosteven]

Has annyone have the new Decals on their bike, with a dark color frame that is not black and if you could share an image?

I am in the process of working through my option with Wendy before I order.

I was also wondering if anyone had measured the computer bolt pattern and tried to 3d print an adapter. I also noticed the pinarello F12 Computer mount om ALIX is close but only 2 bolt. I think I am just going to order the titanium and call it a day, unless it not a good mount?

FYI - I ordered and received both the Ti and the standard computer mount, after looking them both over and installing both I actually preferred that standard one.  I guess it all comes down to personal preference but the Ti one looked a little too ornate (bling) for my taste - YMMV...

[Woodenspoke]

FYI - I ordered and received both the Ti and the standard computer mount, after looking them both over and installing both I actually preferred that standard one.  I guess it all comes down to personal preference but the Ti one looked a little too ornate (bling) for my taste - YMMV...

I was thinking flat black paint would fix that 

[rosteven]

I was thinking flat black paint would fix that 

Yeah, but you would have to consider the extra grams that paint would add   

[flix]

Hi everyone,

Quick update after riding my LCF018D for about 1,000 km now.

For those who remember my previous post, I had spotted a suspicious crack/damage on the top tube of my initial frame after my first test ride. Here is how everything played out, along with some long-term feedback on the build, ride quality, and recent upgrades.

The support process with the LightCarbon team went well overall, as they agreed to send a free replacement frame for the damaged one. However, the whole timeline took quite a while:

• March 15: Initial order placed
• May 20: First frame received
• June 8: Noticed issue with the frame and contacted LightCarbon
• June 11: LightCarbon confirmed they would manufacture and send a replacement frame
• August 14: Replacement frame arrived

The replacement frame has a slightly different shade of purple/carbon finish compared to my original frame and fork. As a result, the fork and the new frame look a bit off if you look closely, but it's acceptable. According to LightCarbon, the color varies between mixing processes due to slight differences in proportions and temperature. I guess this makes sense, even though the visual difference is quite stark.

Build Experience
Having to tear down the first build and start over from scratch was definitely annoying, though rebuilding it the second time was much faster.

Unfortunately, I had to replace both hydraulic brake lines again (or to be precise, the front line as I was able to reuse the longer rear line for the front brake). Cutting them down to remove the olive and to be able to route them through the frame left them too short during the swap. On top of that, I accidentally installed one of the headset bearings upside down and only noticed after routing the lines, so I had to re-route everything once more. But overall, I'm pretty happy with how smoothly it all went considering this was my first build!

Riding Impressions & Fit
The bike rides amazingly well. The geometry and fit feel spot on, especially compared to my old bike which was a bit too big for me. I recently completed a 230 km group ride and didn't experience any pain or discomfort anywhere. It might not be the snappiest bike I've ever ridden, but it is no slouch either.

I've cut the steerer tube very conservatively during the build, so I am currently running 3 cm of spacers. Given how comfortable it feels, I think I can safely drop it down to 2 cm, though I still need to source a round top cap and matching spacers before making the adjustment.

As for common issues discussed on the forum:

• Seatpost: No slipping issues whatsoever, though I am fairly light (67 kg).
• Storage Hatch: My frame has the updated storage compartment latch. It did pop open once while riding over rough cobblestones, but I noticed it in time due to the rattling noise and closed it before the cover could fly off.
• Saddle Clamp: Really hard to use a torque wrench there and one of the screws is starting to round already, I will replace them with titanium ones soon.

Final Weight: The bike currently weighs 8.2 kg fully loaded, which includes pedals, bottle cages, computer mount, and the frame storage bag filled with tools. Stripped down to standard manufacturer weighing specs (without pedals, storage bag contents, etc.), it should come in right around 7.7 kg.

Full Build Spec List

• Frame & Handlebar: LightCarbon LCF018D (Size 500) in glossy raw carbon + crystal purple finish, paired with integrated handlebar (380 mm x 80 mm)
• Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2
• Crankset: Magene PES 515 (165 mm) with Magene Chainrings (52-36T)
• Bottom Bracket: TOKEN Ninja BB47V24
• Wheelset: Serenade TAR 50WS (Front) & TAR 60WS (Rear) (1350g, 25 mm inner width)
• Tires: Continental GP 5000 (32 mm Front & Rear)
• Tubes: RideNow TPU
• Brake Rotors: IIIPro (160 mm Front / 140 mm Rear)
• Saddle: LightCarbon SD01
• Pedals: Shimano PD-ES600
• Bar Tape: SUPACAZ Starfade Purple (2.5 mm)

Overall, despite the long wait for the replacement frame, I’m extremely happy with how the bike performs on long days in the saddle. Let me know if you have any questions about the frame or the build!