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Messages - anikea

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Component Deals & Selection / Re: CSC Ultralight Gravel Wheelset
« on: May 10, 2026, 08:01:33 AM »
The feedback on AliExpress also mentions a defective ratchet. But if I counted correctly, that's a 54, so not the one he should have bought. This might also be the reason why he hasn't received a response from CSC. Another person reported a slipping freewheel. Perhaps too much grease and temperatures that were too cold were the cause. He replaced the ratchet with a DT Swiss one. CSC replied that the DT Swiss ratchet are not compatible. Does anyone know more?

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Component Deals & Selection / Re: CSC Ultralight Gravel Wheelset
« on: April 30, 2026, 08:55:10 AM »
I've ridden about 500km on the wheelset now and it's fantastic. I bought it with ceramic bearings and Pillar Aero Wing 20 spokes.
I'm using the Goodyear Vector XPLR, which is actually designed for the ZIPP 303 XLPR rims. 1.8 bar in the front and 1.9 bar in the rear, tubeless, works perfectly for me. Almost as fast as my road bike, but significantly more comfortable.


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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: Replica Factor Ostro VAM
« on: January 30, 2026, 10:37:08 AM »
First of all, my condolences for your defect.
From what I've read, we're not dissimilar in terms of our technical background, and I mostly have success with my analytical and demonstrative approach. Except—and this is the big difference—when dealing with Chinese sellers. Comparing them to European retailers with their warranties is pointless.

I've had similar problems with both, wheels and frames, and in my experience, it was like hitting a brick wall. Last time, I was happy that the seller's offer to send a replacement frame, although I had to pay for shipping and customs (150 euros). And this despite the fact that there was undoubtedly a manufacturing defect which the dealer did not dispute.

AliExpress support probably won't read your explanation, let alone understand it. Offering a 10-20% discount is standard practice and usually impossible to increase (no matter how much you argue). Having no guarantee and potentially being left with a total loss is now part of my calculations.

Nevertheless, I certainly hope things are different for you.

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I'm finding it very difficult at the moment to navigate all the different models and sellers. Most of them are just sellers, and the manufacturer is sometimes the same. The prices also vary considerably. What I've noticed is that the transition from the seat stay to the seat tube can vary greatly.

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I decided to order this wheelset on Singles’ Day and would like to share my experiences. I opted for the 60mm height with ceramic bearings and no decals. The ordering process was smooth, and it took exactly one month from placing the order to delivery. I chose XDB shipping, so I didn't have to pay any additional taxes or customs duties. The total price was $626.

Visually, the wheelset is very appealing. The structure of the UNI-carbon is subtle yet present, with the start and end of the wrapping barely noticeable. The finish is a silky gloss. The hubs are flawless, housing 6 ceramic bearings, and the aluminum freehub features a steel reinforcement to prevent cogs from embedding quickly. The high flange on the drive side ensures that the crossed spokes run almost straight into the rim. The rims are drilled asymmetrically according to the spoke layout. The carbon spokes are very smooth with no visible imperfections. Thanks to the double-sided hub flange, the spokes do not touch at any point. The nipples used for twist security show no tool marks from installation.

Here are the measurements I took:

Internal Rim Width: 21.3-21.6mm

External Rim Width: 29.7-29.8mm

Profile Height: 60.2-60.5mm

Both wheels exhibited a lateral stiffness of around 55N/mm (measured in the installed state). The axial deviation in the rim's roundness was 0.25mm, and the vertical deviation was between 0.15 and 0.25mm. During the spoke tension measurement, the rear wheel had one spoke with a tension difference of 15% compared to the adjacent one; all other spokes were within the 10% tolerance.

The wheelset is advertised at 1405g (+-3%) "naked," and I was pleased to find mine within these tolerances (no small feat with today's advertising claims!). My wheelset weighs 1372g (631g & 741g)—a pleasant surprise!

While the wheels are mounted, it will be a while before I can test ride them due to the weather. The variability in quality can be significant with direct imports, so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone without considering the risks. Ultimately, it's up to each individual to decide if they want to take the chance on such a product.

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I meant November 11th instead of Black Friday.

The

I wrote to the seller a few months ago and asked if Icould get the wheelset in matt black without branding. That's probably possible, even though I had the feeling that the seller didn't understand any of my other questions. Unfortunately, a salesperson who doesn't understand anything is not the best basis.

A UCI certificate is listed in the item description, but it probably doesn't belong to the wheelset because the number of spokes doesn't match at all.
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/S9f6f782393b5498ba277fadd13ed7afeJ.jpg

In my opinion, the wheels are good in terms of values, provided the information is correct:

carbon spokes,
tubless,
28mm wide with 21mm inner width,
T1000 Carbon, reinforced nipple pads,
Ceramic bearing, T52 ratchet,
Low weight,

Some time ago I also read a few reports about the Yuanan Wheels (identical to Elite Wheels Drive) and as far as I could remember, the ones with carbon spokes were significantly higher than this price even direkt from Yuanan.

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I've been keeping an eye on a set of wheels from Ali for a long time. Unfortunately, you can't find much about the manufacturer.

https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005007077184104.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.56d84ae4UG5boU&mp=1&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu

The wheelset has carbon spokes and in 50mm with ceramic bearings the weight should be 1285g.

At weightweenies they discussed a wheelset from gozone.
https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=175895

At least the hubs seem to be ok. Ali's reviews of the dealer for wheelsets are good, but rather bad when it comes to the handlebars that he also sells. The wheelset in question has already been sold 6 times on Ali, but has not yet been rated once.

With the Ali discount on black friday the price to my door with XDB-Shipping (inkludig tax) would be 600 Euro.

Unfortunately, I'm not an expert and if anyone can say something that would help me make my decision, I would be very happy!
If it's a good offer, maybe it will be interesting for some people too. If not, it is certainly a good thing if you protect buyers like me from making a mistake.

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