Chinertown
Chinese Carbon Road Bikes => Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components => Topic started by: ppxhh on March 11, 2026, 09:39:56 AM
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Hey everyone! I’m finally starting a project I’ve been dreaming about: a raw, industrial-style gravel build, matching my vintage Zaskar. There’s something about the look of brushed aluminum that just beats any paint job for me, so I’m on the hunt for a budget-friendly alloy frame that comes completely unpainted (raw) but still offers a modern, clean aesthetic. I’m looking for something that can handle rougher paths but won't break the bank, as I'm planning to put the savings into a high-quality carbon wheelset.
To make it easier, here are the specific boxes I’m looking to tick:
* Material: Aluminum (Raw/Unpainted/Brushed finish).
* Cable Routing: Internal (for that clean look).
* Brake Standard: Flat mount disc brakes.
* Axles: Thru-axle (12x142mm preferred).
* Budget: Looking for the best value-for-money "hidden gems" or direct-import options.
I’ve already looked at some common suspects like Seaboard and CNC, but I’m sure this community knows some even deeper cuts or specific direct-import sellers that offer great quality for a fair price. If you’ve built something similar recently or know a shop that sells "naked" frames with internal routing, I’d love to hear your recommendations and maybe see some photos of your own builds for inspiration. Thanks a lot for your help!
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Did you take a look at the Twitter Gravel-G3 if this ticks your boxes?
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i think aluminum is an awful material for a gravel frame. it's subject to fatigue failure, and it rides poorly vs carbon. And ofc it's heavier. and less aero. And usually alu frames that aren't 100% dog $hit use carbon forks, so, might as well live with the times and get a carbon frameset. Velobuild gravel frames are 100% capable. Long Teng too. If you put 50C tyres on that, as long as you pick the right geometry, i wouldn't buy any marketing spin that you NEED to spend more. I would avoid aliexpress.
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Have you seen my Gas Cycle post? ;)
https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,6762.0.html (https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,6762.0.html)
I like this company. They're quite active on Chinese social media and they seem passionate about building an affordable, well-performing frameset.
Gas Cycle Nitrogen with 35c max tire clearance -
New version with raised seat stays, Di2 routing, UDH:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256811455627033.html (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256811455627033.html)
Old version with dropped seat stays, Tarmac style:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808715144266.html (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808715144266.html)
Gas Cycle gravel frame with 45c max tire clearance:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256810407613221.html (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256810407613221.html)
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Purchase a carbon frame and paint it to look like an aluminum frame. :-\
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Thank you very much for highlighting the Gas Cycle frames. This is exactly what I was hoping for. The new frame in GT-style looks even better and it's geometry is exactly Carbonda CFR696 - not a bad choice.