Alright, frame is here, time for a short update. FEIA handed the package over to UPS somewhere in Europe, who made the final delivery. I was not asked to pay VAT. I was told by a friend that when he had 150+€ packages delivered by GLS and DHL that he would get a bill for VAT and import services in the mail separately, so I still have ~100€ ready on the side just in case.

Here are a few pictures: https://imgur.com/a/Kmq4cl5 I'll add to this that internally routed one piece handlebars are a thing from hell and I hope I don't have to do this again in this lifetime, as once will be challenging enough. Plus I have no clue at all how to route the front derailleur cable from the BB area up through the little hole in the frame.

If anyone would like any more details, closeup shots, boroscope pictures, measurements etc. now is the time! I'll document as much as comes to mind.

Weights for the JH034 Cinarello come in at:
•   Frame, size 53, TA and DH included: 1105 g
•   Seatpost: 214 g
•   Handlebar, 400x110: 344 g
•   Fork, uncut, TA included: 522 g (I expect to shave off ~9 cm off the top)
Total mass of carbon, for those counting: 2185 g. This will drop by a few grams when the fork is cut, then rise rapidly as other components are added. I'm not a weight weenie so I didn't bother measuring the small parts (fork crown, top compression ring, top cap, spacers, headset bearings, individual TAs, DH, handlebar and seatpost wedges and bolts), but can do so on request.

I'd have mostly finished by now if I wasn't missing a bottom bracket, saddle, a steerer cutter and all the correct bolts for R7100 calipers.^a Store is open today (it's 7 a.m. on a rainy Monday) so hopefully I have the thing assembled by the end of the week. I don't have any cable damping foam, either, and am now debating with myself whether I should order a roll. Anyway, I'll let you all know how this progresses.

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^a: Not yet 100% sure what size disks go on here. I've never worked with a disk frame before. Judging by my Tarmac (so new I haven't even had the opportunity to work on it!) it'll be 160 front, 140 rear. It's the disks I have, anyway. I ordered Shimano's special bolts, 2x type A, 1x C 38 mm, 1x C2 34 mm. The frame is approximately 25 mm thick in the back where the rear caliper mounts. They all seem like normal M5 bolts, except type C, which is extended to allow a safety clip to hold it in case it works itself loose. I can't find the size of the type A bolt documented anywhere online, my local hardware store is out of stock on M5 bolts longer than 20 mm, and anyway I don't have a grinder to shorten them even if I could buy them (doubt any hardware store sells exact length bolts like 33 and 38 mm).

Alright, I bit the bullet. Let's hope I don't regret this!

The seller is named "QILEFU Official Store" and their aliexpress page is here: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1430139
I bought the item labeled "New chameleon color 700C Fully concealed cable Road Bike 1K Full Carbon Fibre Thru Axle Disc Brake Bicycle Frame Handlebar Fork": https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010484026234.html⁽¹⁾

I bugged the seller a lot regarding shipping to Europe and import taxes. Their replies are as such:

QuoteFriend, we will ship your order after production is completed, and the estimated production time is 15-30 days，no matter which method you choose

The fastest and most convenient transportation method is DPD air transportation

The transportation time is uncontrollable, usually ranging from 25 to 40 days DPD air is about 10 days faster than other transportation methods, but additional fees need to be paid

Now, to be clear, I don't like DPD, but I dislike the national post service's expensive import procedure more. I caved and paid the 20€ extra. For an additional 70€ I was also offered air shipping, but I declined.

I placed my order on September 2nd. It's a size 530 with a 400x100 handlebar.⁽²⁾ The seller quickly messaged me to confirm that I really didn't make a mistake ordering the "workblank" (i.e. straight-from-the-mold) frame. He also let me know rather quickly that 400x100 handlebars were not available. Neither was the 400x90 size. I was offered the choice between waiting 3-4 weeks for my handlebar size to be produced or accepting a different size and getting the package shipped quicker. I opted for the latter.

There's some delay in my communication with the seller because their working time in Beijing is only until noon by my local time. I have work in the morning, and I have aliexpress notifications disabled on my phone, so it's understandable I can miss a message. So on September 7th, I received these pictures of my size 530 frame and 400x110 handlebar, plus accessories: https://imgur.com/a/1TgmeYW I will say that I think the pictures on the Aliexpress listing were rougher and uglier, and I'm a bit disappointed that my frame doesn't seem to have those cosmetic faults. I quite like the idea of a bicycle so ugly that nobody would steal it!

On September 9th (today), the package status on Aliexpress was "shipped". My parcel tracking website of choice says the carrier used is "Feia" and that the delivery will be done by UPS. I hope not--their service so far has been a bigger disappointment than DPD's!

That's it for now, I suppose. I just wanted to share some of my communication with the seller (fruitful so far!) and high resolution photos of the frame before it left the seller (the only other ones I can find are in Aliexpress reviews, which are lo-fi).
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<sup>(1) This is undoubtedly a Pinarello F clone. The geometry listed on the product page lines up exactly with the 2023/2024 model Dogma (the newer 2024/2025 model has a mm difference here and there but is effectively the same bicycle--as noted in my earlier post, that frame is also available, but it costs ~30€ extra, and I don't believe it to be a 10% better bike).

(2) I'm 179 cm tall and I know size 56 bikes are way too long for me. Despite this being the average height in many Western countries, frame manufacturers will often list me as between around 54 and 56. I will never understand the recommendation that a bigger frame is more comfortable. A bigger stack might keep you more upright, but the longer reach will stretch you out far enough that you might consider a 40 mm MTB stem! I am comfortable on my bone stock Tarmac SL7 size 54, and would have no problems using a 110 mm stem and slamming it.</sup>

Quote from: RBT on March 24, 2026, 03:53:18 PMWhen bits start to arrive I'm considering making a thread on here detailing my experience, from my newbie, cost-cutting perspective, as I'm sure I'm not the only person looking for a nice carbon road bike at a price point under $1,000.

Thanks everyone for all your comments and insights! Wish me luck!

RBT.

Apologies for the necropost (new account immediately starts reviving threads--ain't that something), but I've been scouring the internet for anything on this frame and this thread seems to be the only reference point outside of the reviews under the Aliexpress listing. Did you ever go through with this build and are willing to share any insights? I am on the verge of ordering a frame myself as soon as the seller explains to me why his shipping method is more expensive and would take a month longer than the cheaper Aliexpress Standard shipping.

At 400€ delivered (plus ~30€ in customs), including handlebars, it's very tempting. At first I wanted to equip it with Sensah or L-Twoo, but I got an absolute bargain on a whole R7100 groupset taken off of a new bicycle, at 400€ for both brifters, derailleurs, calipers, cassette, crankset, disks front and back, plus a set of Mavic Open Disc rims. Read all that again. Yes, I wrote 400€. I don't think the guy knew what he was selling; He explained that he upgraded to Di2 and wanted the old parts gone. I say that's more money than sense and absolves me of any guilt.

After a saddle, shift cables, housings, and bar tape, I reckon I have a whole fake Dogma F (2023; the 2024/2025 model clone, the one with no hole on the through axle screw points, is 20€ more, which I'm unwilling to spend for a cosmetic upgrade) for under 900€! Yes the looks are divisive, the frame is raw unpolished and unpainted carbon and it objectively looks bad, and it'll probably ride much worse than my much beloved bottom-tier SL7 Sport made of Fact 9R carbon, but I also rode frames much worse than this when I started cycling a decade ago (and without padded bibs!) so I think I'll live so long as the frame doesn't give.

If OP has nothing negative to add (hopefully not due to hospitalization after a Qilefu frame failure!), I'll place my order, wait for the frame, then---assuming I'm not banned for necroposting---document the build. It's incredibly fun to read the other threads on this forum and I hope I get to contribute soon enough!