Author Topic: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build  (Read 83445 times)

boulette

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #45 on: October 09, 2025, 10:28:43 AM »
Final print for the handlebar spacer. I love the look and feel, it completely matches w/ the stem aspect

I'm currently printing the bottle cage & bike computer holder prototype to see if mechanically it's a smooth integration on stem or if i need to do design changes.

Will keep you posted

MALIBA

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #46 on: October 09, 2025, 11:12:04 AM »
I don't even know what those holes are done for?

I use then to shimano di2 cables from the blip buttons.

MALIBA

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #47 on: October 09, 2025, 11:30:25 AM »
that is the plug
« Last Edit: October 09, 2025, 11:39:58 AM by MALIBA »

MALIBA

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #48 on: October 09, 2025, 11:55:17 AM »


Regarding the support, could you be more specific when you say to avoid flat surface? a picture would help me to understand.



When you have a flat surface it tends to be flexible (bear in mind I don’t know what your internal design looks like). So, to reduce flexibility and increase strength in one direction, if you make the surface with a crease, folds, or corrugations it will become much more resistant in that direction. Of course everything depends on your design and on how it will be printed. I’ll try to add a drawing below.

But of course it may be that, because of the thickness of your part, the assembly already has enough strength and doesn’t need any customisation. The example I drew would apply to thin-wall parts.

if it's thick enough you can make like honeycomb hexagon inside

boulette

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #49 on: October 09, 2025, 11:58:16 AM »
Gotcha
Thanks, i'll try to add liner bars behind on the surface that doesnt sit on the stock plate

raygutt

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #50 on: October 14, 2025, 04:19:13 AM »
Hi, Samir

I'm also living near Paris, and ordered a frameset that should arrive early november...

I read your thread with great interest, and asked Chris to add some spacers, just in case... i'm 181cm/89 inseam and chose a M-sized frame, so it might be useful...

kevinmx1

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #51 on: October 14, 2025, 07:59:03 AM »
Hello Boulete,

I built two of these bikes last year, one for myself and another for a friend, and I also ordered a third one for another friend (he will assemble it with a mechanic in Brazil).

Let me share a bit of my experience.

Regarding the spacers: I initially built the first two bikes (mine and my friend’s) for a 70.3 race here in Italy, and we both had the problem of the front end being too low. After the race, I contacted Chris and asked for two spacer kits with bolts to raise the front end up to 9 cm. He supplied all the material quickly. For the third bike, which is for a very tall friend, I requested from the start to raise it 12 cm, and the kit was sent perfectly.

About raising the front end only with spacers: there’s a risk we reach a point where the system starts to become fragile. Ideally, there should be a stem designed in different lengths and heights. (I’m thinking about trying to design those parts myself later, but I don’t know if 3D printing would be the solution—it would need testing).

I assembled mine with Shimano Di2, and it was chaos to route all the cables, so for a new build I strongly recommend what you did—SRAM all the way.

For the finishing of the blips on the aerobar and handlebar, check out a company called LEAP. They make amazing products.

For the Garmin mount, I simply bought a generic aluminum one on Aliexpress and screwed it onto the central bar between the two aerobars. Does it work? Yes! Is it pretty? No!
I even sketched out a design of a piece very similar to yours to replace the stock metal one. My idea was to make it CNC-machined in metal, longer so that I’d have more options for positioning the aerobars further forward, with an extension in the middle to mount both the bottle and another Garmin holder. I also thought about the 3D-printing option, but again, I don’t know the resistance level a printed part would have. For your design, I recommend adding grooves or ridges to the flat sections to generate more strength. A plain flat surface will be weak. At the joints where segments meet, always keep rounded corners—never sharp ones.

Regarding the holes in the stem, I work in a bicycle factory here in Italy, and I could send you two plugs to cover them, free of charge—you’d only need to pay for shipping. Or I could send you a picture of what they are, and you can check if you can find them in a bike shop over there.

Hi Maliba,

I just read your post about the chaos to route cable inside the frame. I'm actually thinking and listing all the parts to build this frame beginning of next year. I was thinking to build it with a shimano 105, because i want a double front rotor (can be discussed by everybody, but i prefer to climb on an easy way with a 34 or 36 rotor, instead of a solo 48 or 50)

And why a mecanical rather than electronic, 1st -> budget, 2nd -> i like "old schools" things :D

Do you think it's possible to route it ?

Thank you


MALIBA

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #52 on: October 14, 2025, 09:29:08 AM »
Hi Maliba,

I just read your post about the chaos to route cable inside the frame. I'm actually thinking and listing all the parts to build this frame beginning of next year. I was thinking to build it with a shimano 105, because i want a double front rotor (can be discussed by everybody, but i prefer to climb on an easy way with a 34 or 36 rotor, instead of a solo 48 or 50)

And why a mecanical rather than electronic, 1st -> budget, 2nd -> i like "old schools" things :D

Do you think it's possible to route it ?

Thank you

Good morning,

Let’s go step by step: according to Chris from Velobuild, the frame allows for a mechanical setup (I’ll comment more on that later).
If it were electronic, both SRAM and Shimano can be installed with a double chainring (standard).

Shimano electronic TT builds are quite tricky, because Shimano never produced components for a fully wireless 12-speed TT group. In other words, on the rear side of the bike you have all the Shimano 12v Di2 components (rear derailleur, front derailleur, and battery) — you set them up just like on a road bike. Then you need to add a third 12v electronic cable into the third port of the battery. This cable connects to a junction that converts 12v into 11v (the cables are very different). From that point on, everything will be wired with the older 11v standard cables.

At that junction, another 11v cable runs into a 4-port junction box (there are some models with 5 ports, but I used the 4-port because it’s much smaller). Out of the 4 ports, one will already be occupied by the cable coming from the battery that converted 12v into 11v. I then ran a single cable to each blip on the aerobar, and used a Y-cable for the brake levers. Here’s the catch: with this configuration I had a hard time fitting the stem into the fork and frame, because the Y-cable got in the way.

So, I routed the Y-cable to the brake levers inside the handlebar, plugged it into a junction (which I tucked inside the handlebar), and from there I ran just one long cable into the box. This way, inside my stem I ended up with 2 hydraulic hoses and 3 Di2 11v cables.

The build has to be done in reverse compared to the usual order where the handlebar is installed last. In fact, it’s much easier to assemble the handlebar first, already with the brake levers and all hydraulic/electronic cables installed, then slide everything into the stem, and finally into the fork/frame.

For a mechanical setup, you’ll need to route all the cables fully through everything. The stem will be your main challenge, but maybe if you follow the same process (assemble the handlebar first and then feed everything into the frame), it could be a bit easier. The stem is very narrow for so many cables, but it’s worth trying.

That’s why SRAM electronic ends up being the simplest and easiest solution — though still expensive.

Best regards,

boulette

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #53 on: October 14, 2025, 11:31:42 AM »
Hi, Samir

I'm also living near Paris, and ordered a frameset that should arrive early november...

I read your thread with great interest, and asked Chris to add some spacers, just in case... i'm 181cm/89 inseam and chose a M-sized frame, so it might be useful...
You Will need some extra spacers, no doubt about it.
I live in val d'Oise, what about you ? Could be funny to meet up once our Bikes are ready 😁

boulette

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #54 on: October 14, 2025, 11:38:22 AM »
Hi Maliba,

I just read your post about the chaos to route cable inside the frame. I'm actually thinking and listing all the parts to build this frame beginning of next year. I was thinking to build it with a shimano 105, because i want a double front rotor (can be discussed by everybody, but i prefer to climb on an easy way with a 34 or 36 rotor, instead of a solo 48 or 50)

And why a mecanical rather than electronic, 1st -> budget, 2nd -> i like "old schools" things :D

Do you think it's possible to route it ?

Thank you
I can only agree on building in w/ double rotor, 1st climbing tests definitely convinced me to upgrade at some point to a double one. It's stiff and quite heavier than my road bike (legit tarmac sl7) si good move here.

However i clearly don't recommend you to go with wired shimano groupset. Wait a bit more and invest in sram (or any other vendor which provides fully wireless système).
It Will be a mess to route

raygutt

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #55 on: October 14, 2025, 12:23:16 PM »
You Will need some extra spacers, no doubt about it.
I live in val d'Oise, what about you ? Could be funny to meet up once our Bikes are ready 😁

Opposite side...  Val-de-Marne ;D  I'm very close to the "Polygone de Vincennes", if you know this place. That's where I plan to get used to riding this bike, after bike fitting on my trainer.

Hopefully someday we can meet, ride together & have pictures of our bikes together.  8)

Initially, I picked the same raw/no painting frameset as you, and then I came across this color, which happens to be very close to my triathlon club's colors...

boulette

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #56 on: October 14, 2025, 02:30:48 PM »
Opposite side...  Val-de-Marne ;D  I'm very close to the "Polygone de Vincennes", if you know this place. That's where I plan to get used to riding this bike, after bike fitting on my trainer.

Hopefully someday we can meet, ride together & have pictures of our bikes together.  8)

Initially, I picked the same raw/no painting frameset as you, and then I came across this color, which happens to be very close to my triathlon club's colors...

I use to ride at longchamp, i Heard about the polygone but never been there.
I love your painting, it also matches w/ my triathlon club colors but i wanted to custom paint it myself if i décide too at some point.

Willos

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #57 on: October 16, 2025, 09:43:48 AM »
I am still trying to figure out my front 2x setup. I have a force derailleur at the back. I have in my possession a 2x red force d1 crank set but would like to use a power meter as well as shorter cranks. 

It seems like the easy way would be to use a magene P515 but then I am unsure what crankring I should pair with it so that it's compatible with SRAM flattop chain.

Swapping the cranks and buying the SRAM spider power-meter also seems like a viable option, albeit a more expensive one.

I would like to hear you opinion on this topic.

Thanks!

boulette

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #58 on: October 18, 2025, 04:08:25 AM »
I'm sorry but i have no expérience on it.

boulette

Re: VB TT-023: Here comes a new build
« Reply #59 on: October 27, 2025, 10:34:05 AM »
I have finalized the design of the BTA bottle & computer holder
I'm pretty proud of me, i believe it doesn't require any further developments now.
I tested mechanical assembly and it seems to work like a charm. I share here the drawings & a video illustrating how simple it is to assemble (i didnt want any screw to be used for assembly except the screws for the bottle cage it self (which passes through the whole parts)


EDIT: Sorry for the french, initially the video was for a friend of mine who was asking for a demo
EDIT2: If anyone would want 3D file to print it, feel free to DM me. I'll personally use PTEG CF filament (the one on the video is PLA but for prototype testing only)
« Last Edit: October 27, 2025, 10:36:01 AM by boulette »