New Avenger R8-RS

[Dark17]

Only thing that refrains me from choosing this frame is that 73 STA on size 540. Other than that, this frame looks amazing

[Samuel BMR]

Just received my black and gold frameset. Anyone know what is this little screw hole  at the headset areafor? Thanks!

How did you get that paintjob ? It looks great!!

[CoffeeNbikes]

Thanks! I emailed them what i wanted. Cost a extra 150 Usd.
Piano black gloss and brushed gold decals.

[CoffeeNbikes]

Frame received a few weeks ago. Built with Dura Ace and Campagnolo Bora Ultra 60 wheelset for a total weight of 7,12 kg. The bike is insanely fast (coming from a 2009 Cube and a 2014 sub-6 kg Focus Izalco Max 0.0). Stack is indeed very low, I almost wanted to ask for more spacers but ended up with just the standard 6x5mm spacers. It's an aero bike after all and that would have been not really nice aesthetically. I actually feel very good on the bike now, quite comfortable. I had some issues with some screws and engaging the thread in the nuts (used a tap to clean the threads). Another issue is that I have to apply a lot of torque on the headset to remove any play (there is enough space between expander and top plate and bearings are not compressed at all). I'm guessing it's because there is a lot of friction between the fork and stem. Headset fine tuning was not easy, but maybe I'm just bad. Really happy with the frame regardless.

What did you do to solve issue? You overtighten the top cap or the stem bolts? I have same issue. Thanks

[Mariuszuzd]

Okay, so my build is finished. Just quick update from my perspective. I build the bike myself, like the others and previous Avenger Shuttle SL. I'm having Tagoola Pulse 50UL and 1x12 SRAM AXS with Force shifters and the rest is RED. As I will probably use XMCS crank, I bought the tripeak 3 in 1 BB. In general, i had no issues with cables, or with BB or screws, or honestly with any element of the frameset. Assembling was pretty easy and fast, I did all based on the R8-RS user manual. Only one elements is missing in the user manual, the screws and elements that holds the upper bearing or I haven't seen it. The routing with the Y bar was a pleasure and there is only one way of going thru. Those two pieces are very easy to connect. Top cap is pretty funny and with unusual shape. I'm wondering if 4 Nm and enough for handlebar and fixing screws. I will check and verify that on the ride today. I didn't encountered any issue with the headset play. I used 4 Nm for the top cap as adviced. No information what should be the tightening power for the handlebar and stem. Seatpost and clamp the same, no issue, Nm as in the manual. I didn't cut the seatpost. For the axles a used 10 Nm at the moment. I used 4 cm of spacers so 8 of them, not looks very bad, of course without any of them is the best. However, as I mentioned previously, after calculation I have the same level as on my shuttle. For me the comfort is the most important, I will survive how it looks.

I will prepare some reel and post on my instagram of course.

For now the weight is less than 7 kg in size 58, with pedals, bottle cages, garmin and varia mount.

[CoffeeNbikes]

Okay, so my build is finished. Just quick update from my perspective. I build the bike myself, like the others and previous Avenger Shuttle SL. I'm having Tagoola Pulse 50UL and 1x12 SRAM AXS with Force shifters and the rest is RED. As I will probably use XMCS crank, I bought the tripeak 3 in 1 BB. In general, i had no issues with cables, or with BB or screws, or honestly with any element of the frameset. Assembling was pretty easy and fast, I did all based on the R8-RS user manual. Only one elements is missing in the user manual, the screws and elements that holds the upper bearing or I haven't seen it. The routing with the Y bar was a pleasure and there is only one way of going thru. Those two pieces are very easy to connect. Top cap is pretty funny and with unusual shape. I'm wondering if 4 Nm and enough for handlebar and fixing screws. I will check and verify that on the ride today. I didn't encountered any issue with the headset play. I used 4 Nm for the top cap as adviced. No information what should be the tightening power for the handlebar and stem. Seatpost and clamp the same, no issue, Nm as in the manual. I didn't cut the seatpost. For the axles a used 10 Nm at the moment. I used 4 cm of spacers so 8 of them, not looks very bad, of course without any of them is the best. However, as I mentioned previously, after calculation I have the same level as on my shuttle. For me the comfort is the most important, I will survive how it looks.

I will prepare some reel and post on my instagram of course.

For now the weight is less than 7 kg in size 58, with pedals, bottle cages, garmin and varia mount.

Hi Marius, did you try the bike? Loose headset happens after a big ride with torque/sprints, did you try that?

[Mariuszuzd]

Yes, I'm after two rides, I did around 90 km for now. I have a race on Sunday so I have tapering, no big watts however I hit around 950 w for a quick and short sprint. I haven't noticed anything unusual. All is stable, tight and no play. Yesterday I did some small adjustments on my saddle and I checked the handlebar and headset, all is good, I checked the torque, I have 4 Nm on those elements, as it is in the manual - I attached it to the post.

[massarob]

Very interesting frame, very temptted to get it (I found the french shop, thanks for the tip!).
Unusual but *important* (for me) as I don't like to look for specific bearings (see Giant OD2), which headset bearings are used? Thanks if anyone can get me this info.

[Pehem]

What did you do to solve issue? You overtighten the top cap or the stem bolts? I have same issue. Thanks

I have answered in the other thread.

[smichal]

Very interesting frame, very temptted to get it (I found the french shop, thanks for the tip!).
Unusual but *important* (for me) as I don't like to look for specific bearings (see Giant OD2), which headset bearings are used? Thanks if anyone can get me this info.

I was inquiring about the headset type and got this reply: 51.8*45*36*L8.

EDIT: however In the user manual there is a different figure:
Headset Upper Bearing MR128R 1.5*45*×45* 070R A2
Headset Lower Bearing MR128R 1.5*45*×45* 070R A2

Anyway, I just made an order, with one extra Y stem for 100 usd.

[Mariuszuzd]

I used the standard one, which the Avenger provided in the frameset. I have shuttle sl and even after 15000 km and several rides in the rain and even in snow, no issues or corrosion. Both are still working very smooth. I put a lot of grease in there, in the headset.

About the play, I didn't see any other thread, maybe you could post it also here ? Just for the future.

[Pehem]

What did you do to solve issue? You overtighten the top cap or the stem bolts? I have same issue. Thanks

https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,7448.0.html

I didn't know about the torque spec, I didn't receive the manual. When I asked them, they gave me much higher values 8 Nm for the stem (it is written on it but I couldn't figure out whether it was 3 or 8 Nm) and 12 Nm for the expander. Torque spec of the top cap is not really relevant because the torque needed to remove the play is different for every bike. The best torque is as low as possible with no play. The value of 4 Nm they gave is maybe an average value, but certainly not the max torque the screw can withstand.
So at the beginning, I screwed the top cap (probably lower than 4 Nm) enough to have no play in static with the front brake test. After a ride, I had play. I progressively screwed the top cap higher and higher until 8 Nm (max torque I found for this type of screw), it was better but the play came again after a few rides. I tested then 12 Nm (I'm pretty sure the screw can withstand 20 Nm before rupture), again much better. But still not perfect. The play is less and it has taken more time to comeback but I still have a slight play. My guess is that the plastic spacers (I use 6) are creeping with load, they reduce slightly in thickness and thus preload of the headset dissapears. Now I'm thinking of repeating the procedure I mentioned in my second post. Maybe the creeping will reduce over time if the plastic becomes harder. I'll look if the play takes more time to come back. If I don't resolve the issue I'm thinking to modify the spacers : remove material in the middle to put hard carbon spacers and use the original plastic spacers as a "cap" for aero and aesthetics.

In addition to that, I might try carbon paste on the fork/stem to make sure it's not sliding.

I also had 2 thin metal spacers for the headset that are not shown in the manuel. I have put one under the lower plastic spacer and one above the upper one.

[Mariuszuzd]

I'm after 5 rides, and that includes one race. I have no issues with the headset, I did all based on the manual, so as follows, expander 10 Nm, screws and cap bolt 4 Nm. Usually it's around 5 Nm, sometimes it's 6 Nm. I have never seen more than 6 Nm for the carbon handlebar. I checked the values on my two torque wrenches. I attached the screen and my photo of the bike. I used 4 cm of spacers so 8 spacers. Are you sure that you assembled the spacers correctly, and the handlebar is properly connected/inserted. There are some holes and pins. The metal spacer/washer should go on the cable port grommet, it's not in the manual. Lastly, maybe the fork was not cut properly ? There is no space of too much space? Could you provide some photo of the bike and the space between the fork/spacers ?

[massarob]

Another little detail question: what's the distance between the 2 holes/screw under the handlebar to install the Garmin/Wahoo mount? 15mm? Are the two holes angled, as it looks from one photo? So, is the provided support similar to this one--> https://it.aliexpress.com/item/1005006088002264.html
Thanks if you can answer

[Mariuszuzd]

I cannot open it, so I don't know. The mount is rather one of a kind, the angle is strange, the holes are angled. I tried to use one I have for the shuttle, and it's different. The mount fits, but the garmin is really angled. Could you please provide a screen. Moreover, someone above put a photo of how it looks.