Velobuild AERO GRAV Frame

[ricky1]

At Euro folks: How much was shipping for you?

I paid 140 usd with xdb shipping. Shipping was really fast though, only 9 days

[Daylate]

Here’s my build of the gravel frame. Took longer and cost more to build due to the headset play - fix below! - and a good few mistakes I made along the way. My first build so lots of learning on the job

I transferd the groupset from a Boardman road bike and got the kids/wife to doodle on it with some acrylic paint markers so looks a little different…

Headset play was a right pain in the hole - I’d thought it was fixed but it loosened on first ride so all taken apart again. Then new brake lines needed as I’d no slack in the cables left.  I ditched the expansion plug that came supplied - If your going to build this frame I would suggest spending some extra money on a better compression ring and expansion plug. Supplied parts just didn’t workout for me. 

Build:
Rival D1 AXS with single side power meter
Force E1 10-36 cassette
Ultrabite 45mm rear & 50mm front
Wheels - Alexrim aluminium (19mm internal. Tires as measuring 43mm and 48mm)
Hope headset bearings (supplied probably fine but I couldn’t take any more hassle so just replaced everything headset related)
Ali express for Saddle/BB/discs/bar tape/TPU tubes/computer mount)

Heat set play fix:
FSA Compressor headset for 1-1/8" carbon fork steerer
&
Deda Elementi Alanera RS Spare Part, Headset Compression Ring, Black, 45°x45° (For DCR Headset)
I used the supplied header spacers and headset cover

The deda headset compressing ring will need sanded down by around 4mm off the top. **important** - you want around 1-1.5mm gap from the headset cover to the frame when checking fit before installing the compression plug. 
Once you tighten everything up this gap will close up for a perfect fit.  It’s tight as a duck arse now and no play.  It was a 10 minute install with the higher quality parts.

I did email Chris about headset play and got a reply about adding a shim.  I knew what I was getting into from reading reviews on the frame and others so hey ho.  It is what it is.

Overall the paint quality on my frame was brilliant.  I couldn’t find a single flaw.  The bolt holes/bottom bracket/headset all needed a light sanding to get smooth.  There was a little overspray in the groove for the headset bearing so check for that.

For anyone interested in the doodleing. Light sanding to give it a key and the clear coat used was Spray Max 2k - this stuff is amazing if your ever looking lacquer. 

Tyre clearance is fine - the rear (measuring 43mm) is pretty close to the AXS battery so I’m not sure a 50mm would fit.  Expect you could move the front derailleur out a few mm by not sure. 

Bike rides well, taken it down some small drops and rough rocky paths. It’s sturdy and responsive.  Ultrabite tyres give decent grip too

Thank you to everyone who posted thier builds. Really helped me a lot.

[inyaki.gs]

Well, I’ve finally finished my VELOBUILD build. I haven't been able to take it out for its first ride yet due to an issue I'll explain below.

Overall, I'm happy with it, but there are a few things to keep in mind. In some cases, it was my fault for not looking into the details more closely:

My Mistakes:

- Matte Paint: I wouldn't recommend it. It shows every mark, and even the slightest rub leaves a visible scratch.

- Sizing: I went with a size S based on the Stack and "effective top tube" measurements. I don't think it actually measures 55cm; I’d say it’s closer to 53cm.

- 2x12 Setup (Sram Rival): Because of the battery size, the clearance with the rear wheel is very tight. Luckily, I’m running 40mm tires and it’s fine, but I don't think a 45mm would fit. If you're planning an all-road project with a double chainring, you should consider a Shimano group or Sram Wide.

Frame Flaws:

- I chose the non-aero handlebar, and honestly, the finish had some defects. It’s also a bit of a struggle to get it into the steerer tube. Plus, the included spacers are plastic, look very low-quality, and aren't very aesthetic.

- Brake Caliper Mounts: During the build, I found that the rear caliper isn't level, causing it to rub against the disc. The wheel is almost locked up. I’ll have to take it to another shop that has the right tool (a Park Tool facing tool), and that little "joke" is going to cost me over $50.

"Disappointments" (Component Weights):

- Frame (including all bolts): 1,215g (Size S)

- Fork (uncut): 480g

- Zero-offset Seatpost: 212g

- Integrated Handlebar (90x400): 395g"

[Pkd17]

I own this frame as well and built it already last year. No real problems in the build-up of the frame.

I used the delivered headset bearings, compression ring, cover and so on. My question: Is it in theory possible to install a normal FSA ACR headset and then pair it with an FSA ACR compatible AeroCockpit or do I run into any kind of problems? This whole headset standards-thing is confuing me a bit...

[Ghandy]

A little update on my build after I received my Elite Wheels Gravel Aero+ wheels. I am happy with the build for now, I am thinking about integrated bars for the weight savings and the looks but I do like the ease of maintenance with the bars I have now.

I really like the frame it feels fast and comfortable for me. Even with the aero seatpost. However I think I am going to try MyVeloFit to dial in my fit a little bit more.

The parts I used for this build are:
- AeroGrav frame size S
- 38cm ULLICYC gravel bars
- 90 mm Kocevlo semi integrated stem
- Supacaz lookalike aliexpress bar tape
- Ryet 3D printed saddle specialized mirror pro lookalike
- Titanium bottle cages from aliexpress
- Sram Force XPLR E1 groupset with 46T chainring and 165 mm cranks
- Sram t47 dub bottombracket
- Elite Wheels Gravel Aero+ wheels
- 40mm Hutchinson Caracal Race tires measuring 45.5 mm

[Ghandy]

Is there someone who has made a 3d printed radar mount for this seatpost?

[Rafaleon2.0]

Has anyone else has a similar problem? While riding, I can hear a loud, creaking sound, clearly coming from the derailleur hanger. What could be causing this? A cracked frame? The sound disappears for a few kilometers after I spray the derailleur hanger with multi purpose lubricant like wd-40 but then it returns. I've tried lubricating all the contact points between the hanger, the frame and the derailleur with grease, but it didn't help, the sound persists, making riding this bike unbearable. Here is a short video showing the problem:

https://youtube.com/shorts/gzvQ6XDUWGA?feature=share

[Unknownftp]

Is there someone who has made a 3d printed radar mount for this seatpost?

I can see if I can get my friend to design one, he's picking up his new 3d printer soon so gotta give him some things to practice on. But I think the Ridley ASTR one might fit.

[Inndoors]

Hi - yall I just got my frame in and I’m having a hell of a time trying to get this headset figured out. I’m trying to run it with, what I think is, a FSA ACR stem. The compression ring it came with didn’t have the holes to line up with my headset cover that came with my stem, so drilled some but there is still a large gap. I’m assuming I’ll need a new FSA compression ring.

Stem:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mMBI8gZ

TIA

[hubba]

Has anyone else has a similar problem? While riding, I can hear a loud, creaking sound, clearly coming from the derailleur hanger. What could be causing this? A cracked frame? The sound disappears for a few kilometers after I spray the derailleur hanger with multi purpose lubricant like wd-40 but then it returns. I've tried lubricating all the contact points between the hanger, the frame and the derailleur with grease, but it didn't help, the sound persists, making riding this bike unbearable. Here is a short video showing the problem:

https://youtube.com/shorts/gzvQ6XDUWGA?feature=share

Sound is movement, lubrication is only a temporary fix. Make sure everything is tight enough, thru axle, cassette etc. Many times a sound is not coming where you think it is.

[Ghandy]

I can see if I can get my friend to design one, he's picking up his new 3d printer soon so gotta give him some things to practice on. But I think the Ridley ASTR one might fit.

Why didn’t I think of that 

[Niculasch]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently finishing a build on a Velobuild aero gravel frame and I’m running into an annoying issue with the headset preload that I can’t seem to fully resolve.

The problem is that I cannot properly preload the headset: even when tightening the top cap quite a lot, there is still a small amount of play in the headset.

What I’ve observed so far:
   •   The headset cover seems to sit very close to the frame and may be touching the frame before properly compressing the compression ring.
   •   The compression ring itself sits correctly in the bearing but can still be removed easily if the top cap is not tightened.
   •   The expander that came with the frame is the typical short plug with integrated top cap.

I’ve already tried a few things:
   •   assembling with and without spacers
   •   adding a ~2 mm shim above the compression ring
   •   tightening the expander quite hard

Unfortunately the play is still there.

From what I’ve read in this thread and others, it seems many people replace the stock expander with a longer one (for example Deda / similar 70 mm expanders).

My question for those who built the same frame:

Did replacing the stock expander alone solve the headset preload issue for you, or did you also need to change the compression ring / add shims / modify the cover?

I’d really appreciate hearing how others solved it before I start changing more parts.

Thanks!

[Unknownftp]

Not sure how how helpful this is but my frame came with an expanded plug that didn't have a specific top cap, thus I'm running my own top cap from an old build. I do see a 1mm or so gap between my  headset cover and the frame W/o any shims on the compression ring. 

I run the expander plug around 4mm below the top of the steerer. Best of luck.

[Niculasch]

Thanks for the reply, that is actually helpful.

My frame came with a different type of expander plug – it’s the integrated type with the top cap built into it. I suspect that might be part of the problem.

Here are photos of the expander and the headset cover that came with the frame.

From what I can see, some Velobuild builds use different cockpits / headset covers, so I’m wondering if the tolerances might differ slightly depending on the cockpit version.

For reference, I just ordered a 70 mm Deda expander plug to replace the stock one.

Did your frame come with the same style expander or a different one?

[CycOps]

The expander plug must be two parted:
The head cap should be mounted with a screw and underneath there's a hex socket to mount the expander body.