Bike Build & Testing
The build itself is kinda straight forward process. However, i've been through few issues that i've been able to take over by myself or thanks to Chris very precious help (he's very responsive & always propose a workaround once required).
As part of the issue i noticed and would want to share w/ you all
1. Rear brake caliper adjustment: Installing it without the rotor touching the brake pads was quite challenging. It took me several hours to fine-tune the setup. I also had to sand the pads slightly to avoid small scratches at some point — I don’t think it affected performance, but I wasn’t happy to hear it.
2. Screws tightening torque: No instructions were provided. Except for a few parts where the torque values are indicated, there’s no way to know exactly how tight the screws should be. This led to quite a bit of trial and error, especially for the stem, fork, and seat post, as I didn’t want to damage the carbon by over-tightening. I’m still not 100% sure that the torque is correct at this point.
3. Rubber plugs for stem: They don’t stay in place — even a light touch is enough to make them fall out and get lost. It's not critical but will leave the stem w/ wholes which is not optimal & doesn't look good.
4. No bike computer holder/bracket: This is a real shame. The bike design is great and efficient, and the stock TT handlebar is excellent compared to other TT bikes. The only downside is the lack of a bike computer mount. If you want to install one, you have to figure it out yourself either by designing your own bracket (which I’m doing) or by purchasing a third-party adapter. I might be dreaming, but I feel it would be logical for Velobuild to offer, even as an upgrade, an official option for this.
My First Riding Impressions
After testing the bike about ten times on a home trainer (though not always on the aero bars, as it’s really hard to hold that position for hours), I finally had the chance to ride it outdoors (65km) under optimal conditions: smooth road, light wind, and almost no traffic.
The bike feels very stable. It’s stiff without being harsh or overly rigid.
Not being very accustomed to riding in an aero position (I had aero bars on my Tarmac SL7 for two or three months, but I’m not a specialist in the discipline), I quickly noticed some discomfort in my neck, and more notably, the onset of a headache and eye strain. The cockpit is too low, forcing me to lift my head significantly and tilt my gaze upward.
I made a few adjustments to the saddle rail position and saddle height, but it clearly wasn’t enough. The drop is too high even with the saddle at its lowest height and the cockpit at its highest one.
I contacted Chris, who helped me design larger spacers and source the correct screws in the right dimensions.
I tested by raising the cockpit height by 25 mm, which improved comfort significantly, but I feel that an additional 10 to 20 mm would make it perfect.
I’ve therefore printed spacers to the correct dimensions and ordered two sets of longer screws to continue testing when I return to France (likely mid-next week). Currently in PLA w/ Carbon fiber, i'll print the final version in PETG once the final height is found
I’ll keep you updated. In the meantime, here are my impressions and some photos of the setup.
