LTK266-D-SL, race frame, 680g, <800g w/paint & metal parts (M), fits 35mm+ tires

[andyitslit]

Hi all, I placed an order for a LTK266 last week. The quoted delivery time is 35 days. Does anyone have current experience if that is accurate?

19 Days from date I paid to delivered (I'm in West United States)

[AndyR]

My frameset in size XL arrived yesterday. Order placed 30.06, sent 10.07 and arrived 4 days later - speedy process

Frame with RD and metal for FD was 835g.
Fork uncut 315g and seatpost incl. metal 150g.

My plan is to build it up with Ultegra Di2, but change cassette and crankset for something lighter. CRW HB1 cockpit 36x140 is on the way, with FSA ACR no55 as suggested from this thread.

What are you guys opinion/experience on wheelset and tire choice for this frame? Modern rims like XMCS/Zen etc. is often 25-26 IW and 34 at its widest, which should result in a 30c tire as the most optimal solution for performance.

[Takiyaki]

Im building my next bike around XMCS D50CU-36 (50 deep, 36 external, 28 internal) with the raciest 32mms I can find

Will prob mount at 35mm or so, will be so comfy and quick.

[Serge_K]

Im building my next bike around XMCS D50CU-36 (50 deep, 36 external, 28 internal) with the raciest 32mms I can find

Will prob mount at 35mm or so, will be so comfy and quick.

I personally like the sound of that, but worth noting it's not ETRTO compliant. This thread here is confusing AF: https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,7212.0.html. And i started it...

TLDR: i do not know what rim to use with a GP5000 35C tyre, nor what frame clears it. I expect it should / will measure 38-41mm (40mm day 1 on a wide rim, 41 after it stretches), so i also do not know if 35C frames make sense, because if you can run a 40mm measured tyre, then surely your frame is 40 compliant, not 35C? As stated in the latest Nero show, there's no standard on how to report frame clearance (we should get Xmm+4mm all around, but even that raises the front derailleur clearance question, and yes, i want a front derailleur).
And we dont know how to run 35C tyres on aero optimised rims. Rule of 105 (which in absence of anything better is the standard for speed, afaik, or, put simply, you dont want a light bulb shape as a tyre over a rim) tends to go against ETRTO. Some report that going directly against ETRTO results in a safer ride.
conclusion: confusion.

[Takiyaki]

W/the front derailleur, unless I'm mistaken aren't they all basically kind of a fixed distance from the center line? That might be the limiting factor.

And yea these wide road tires and wheels are entering new territory. I think ETRTO needs an update. I imagine Chinese wheels are the wild wild East, but IIRC there are Western brands with wide gravel wheels. Like the Roval Terra Aero has 38/27 EW/IW and is recommended for 40mm minimum tire width. I feel like the lower pressures of wider tires may be less amenable to wider internal widths. In any case we are entering uncharted territory with tire sizes and wheel widths......... def need clarity

[Sakizashi]

I wouldn't worry too much about a 35mm GP5K fitting in this bike. I think the reason why the clearance seems understated to me is that I am running the bike 1x, and I think the limitation you hit first is clearance to the shift cable on a mechanical FD setup. That clearance shouldn't change much, if at all, with wider rims.

Regarding ETRTO, I wouldn't hold my breath. They seem to be a very bureaucratic industry association, focusing on reaching a compromise between rim and tire manufacturers. The reason why the guidelines don't make sense is that it's more a reflection of what the two sides agree to validate and use as references when designing tires or rims rather than a safety standard. High-end bike tires likely have a lot more engineering time put into them than the frames and wheels discussed on this forum, so expecting tire manufacturers to want to take on more cost with no benefit to sales volume seems difficult.

Edit: NVM, I didn't realize people were talking about using a 32mm IW rim with 35mm tires. Yeah that could be tight. Its also...risky. Likely riskier than 28mm tires on a 25mm IW rim, which is usually heavily discouraged to the point where manufacturers backed away from exceptions and started making 29mm and 30mm marked tires.

[jamez]

I just said that im using Gp5000 35 on a 32 IW rim on my LongTeng.
It fits , but its very tight on the left chainstay. Would be better with a slightly narrower rim.
Measured 40.7 at first. Probably over 41 now.

[AndyR]

+/- 41 measured tire is really wide, but that looked like a tight fit as well. Coming from a rimbrake with 25c tires I wonder if there is any benefit performance-wise with 35c over a 32c or 30c tire. The latter should be much easier to comply with the 105-rule, and a 32 would in many cases stretch to a 34-35 width.

[Serge_K]

+/- 41 measured tire is really wide, but that looked like a tight fit as well. Coming from a rimbrake with 25c tires I wonder if there is any benefit performance-wise with 35c over a 32c or 30c tire. The latter should be much easier to comply with the 105-rule, and a 32 would in many cases stretch to a 34-35 width.

2 things to consider:
1. think in terms of measured width, as stated tyre sizes vary across models and brands. The race pirelli in 30C measures as much as the GP5000 32C on the rim of the same IW, for eg. And the 35C GP5000 simply never seems to measure 35mm, unless maaaaybe if you put it on a really narrow rim, which you wouldnt want to do for aerodynamics (if you dont care, then buy a cheaper tyre that will last longer, like the GP5000 all season for eg).
2. your weight and road surface. If you're 80 odd kg and ride on questionable asphalt, go 35C (believe me). If you're 65kg and ride on great asphalt, light dudes say you dont need to.

I just said that im using Gp5000 35 on a 32 IW rim on my LongTeng.
It fits , but its very tight on the left chainstay. Would be better with a slightly narrower rim.
Measured 40.7 at first. Probably over 41 now.

Thank you v much for that datapoint. GP5000 35C measures 40-41mm on a 32mm IW rim. Starting to feel that tyre shouldnt be labelled 35C

[jamez]

I dont think the 35 was meant to be used on a 32 IW rim. But its also 41mm ext and I think quite aero. Not much slower than my other wheels with Pirelli Sl-R 30 on. But sooo much more comfy. And probably faster on rough road and gravel. (Did 4 Hours at 34km/h average on the 35 yesterday, and 2 Hours at 37km/h average the day before. Dont feel that the tires are holding me back.)

The 35s on a wide rim is a really really good combo for bad tarmac, concrete and mixed gravel I think.

I have a bit less room on the left side of my LongTeng with these wheels. Would be perfect if the wheels were dished 1mm more to the right. As long as I dont hit thick mud like yesterday (on the photo) its actually fine and doesnt rub. But a slightly narrower rim would probably be a safer combo if your concerned with your paint.

[Serge_K]

I dont think the 35 was meant to be used on a 32 IW rim. But its also 41mm ext and I think quite aero.

Agreed, ETRTO is against you, but also, ETRTO is shit. i'm very confused by the topic of rim selection for a GP5000 in 35C. I dont want a lightbulb, but then it's outside (or very much outside) of ETRTO specs if the profile is aero. And some people on the forum say they feel safer riding that tyre on a wide rim than on one that's ETRTO compliant. And either way, the tyre never measures 35mm, so i'm then unclear on what frame can clear that tyre.
Meanwhile, i'm riding my existing bike, i'll let others figure that out

[AndyR]

85kg rider - so I should be considering the 35 then. I wont be riding on mud, but on some occasions light gravel, typical on a gravel section in a road-race.

Performance matter more than comfort, but why not both. I am probably scared from years on racing with 22’ tubulars on 8 bar.

35 would mean going for a wider rim (gravel?). Alot to consider

[PowerWadln87]

The rig is finally finished! It was a really stress-free build. Routing the cables through the head tube and cockpit was easy. I’ll have to hold off on initial ride impressions for now—I want to take this beauty out in nice weather. 😀 It tipped the scales at 6.645 kg in the end (ready to ride, including pedals, bottle cage, and Garmin mount)—that’s a solid weight to work with. Now my own body needs to go on a similar diet; otherwise, the rider and the bike won't really match. 😁 A parts list with weights will follow. The total cost came to around €3,800 (though I reused the crankset, chain, and cassette from my old bike).

[pieter bevernage]

Hello,

I have just ordered this frame in matte black with glossy black accents. I would love to personalize it with my own custom gold logo, similar to the example shown in the photo.

I was wondering if these kinds of logos are typically made from die-cut vinyl using a cutting plotter like a Cricut Joy or Silhouette Cameo?

Vinyl Selection: Which type of vinyl is best suited for this application? Is cast vinyl (e.g., Oracal 751 or 951) the right choice for a bicycle frame?

Design & Application: Are there specific things I should keep in mind during the designing, cutting, and application process?

Aesthetics: Does anyone have experience applying metallic gold or brushed gold vinyl onto a matte black frame?

Protection: Is it recommended to protect the decals afterward with a layer of transparent frame protection film?

Any tips, personal experiences, or photos of similar projects are more than welcome.

Once I receive the XXL frame, I will post some photos of the build process. Perhaps by then, some of you will have additional tips for designing and applying the gold logos.

Thanks in advance!

[andyitslit]

Had my first ride on the build today, feels so good coming from a old rim brake Giant Defy. Haven't cut the steerer yet, probably will after a few hundred miles. Seatpost was cut about 4cm

LTK266-D-SL size Small
Drivetrain: Shimano 105 di2 50-34T, 165mm Cranks, 11-36T Cassette
Shimano 105 160mm Brake Rotors
ZTTO T47i Bottom Bracket
Di2 battery holder: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256811959426438.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.35.72e71802PLxDPY
Enlee Bottle Cages: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256812041137594.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.41.72e71802PLxDPY
FSA no55R Headset
Quick ZEPHYR-SSL Cockpit 360x90mm - Fizik bar tape : https://www.pandapodium.cc/product/quick-zephyrssl-integrated-handlebar/
Ryet Saddle: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256807350692873.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.47.72e71802PLxDPY
Heppe thru axles
Elite ENT 2.0 wheels 50mm
30c Pirelli tires

Final weight 17.3lbs, 7.8kg