Order just arrived from AliExpress.
Despite ordering the H496 tyres, I have received Arisun C2 Ultras.
Not sure if this is an upgrade or a similar tyre, will have to give them a go and hope for the best.

If you don't mind answering, how does Chaoyang tier their tires? They also have the Arisun, which I believe to be a high performance tire that tiers above the Merlin/Cobra.

Yes, that would be interesting to know. The Arisuns were a few pounds dearer and I could find zero information on them, whereas at least the H496 had some positive feedback to go on.

Here's what chatgpt had to say on the difference between the 2:

Chaoyang's own specification actually makes them look almost identical underneath: the premium H-498 Woven option uses 120 TPI + Dino Skin + Silica-Maxx + folding bead, exactly the combination we liked in the Merlin.
A separate retailer lists the 30c tube-type H-498 Woven at about 265g, which is still a very respectable weight for a 30c tyre with a dedicated puncture layer.
So what are you getting for the extra money?
Primarily the H-498 Woven tread/shoulder design.
Chaoyang has designed the Woven with a textured woven-style shoulder and narrow grooves. Their Japanese distributor specifically describes that shoulder pattern as being intended to give smooth, predictable cornering in both dry and wet conditions.
The newer H-498 line is also being positioned by Chaoyang distributors as their higher-end all-round racing/endurance tyre, sitting between a pure race tyre and a heavy durability tyre. The recent H-498TR launch material specifically targets riders wanting speed plus durability, rough-road tolerance and long-distance reliability.

Here https://www.bike-components.de/de/Michelin/PRO5-TS-TLR-28-Faltreifen-p212519/?o=1001006878-schwarz-transparent-28-mm-28-622.
Granted it is the 28-622 and not the 30-622, but the price difference is pretty minor.
And I wouldn't bother with Tubetype tires, but everyone is different.

Yep 28mm is out, I want 30mm minimum, plus bike-components have a €165 minimum order to the UK, so definitely out!
Thanks for suggesting though - it is appreciated.

I think these Chaoyangs are well worth a shot - theres enough positive evidence around the company as a whole and now a few positive reviews to make less of a pure punt.
I wish Trace Velo had released his video as no doubt he's already tested them, but I can't wait any longer so they are now on order.

Coming from a GP5000 I've actually ran 28c H496 for a couple of kilometers and I'm running the 30c version now and I can say that aren't as good as a GP5000 but they are not far behind honestly.
I've also ran the 28c Grandprix and for me the H496 were a lot better, I ran all of them with TPU tubes by the way.
I was able to get the H496 for around 40/50€ per pair on Aliexpress and compared to the 80/90€ that the GP5000 costs I think they are worth the price.

Thanks very much for the review - thats exactly the sort of reassurance I needed!
Definitely not expecting them to match GP5000, but just a good solid all rounder that will offer some level of protection on crappy roads.
Getting fed up with the crazy prices of everything, so these seem like they're worth taking a chance on.
Thanks again.

Need new tyres for my Lightcarbon LCR018 and can't stomach the price of GP5000AS.

Has anyone tried the Chaoyang H496 Merlin Tyres?
Available in 30c at a great price and specs look good - would just love some real world feedback before taking the plunge.

Planning on running the tube version with Vittoria latex tubes.

Anyone ordered spares at a later date from their original bike order and what postage did you pay?

I thought it might be sensible to order another set of through axles and seatpost expander with them being custom and worried they may get lost or damaged in the future.

the cost of the parts themselves are quite reasonable (30USD in total) but the cost for postage to send them to the UK is $33USD! They will only send them via DPD express and I asked whether a cheaper slower option was available and was told this wasnt.

Hi Pandaman,

I wouldn't mind picking up a set of thru axles as well - would be happy to split the cost with you (and cover the forwarding post to me).
Send me a message if you'd be interested!

LC sent me the v3 for free. I paid nothing.

LC have been great, I’ve already received the v2 door and a new seatpost from them, so don’t want to push it, I’m more than happy to wait. Let me know how it goes with the install - never riveted anything before so always good to try something new!

I haven’t ridden it much yet—only about 50 to 70 km so far.

Moving from my trusty old mechanical 105 to the Ultegra Di2 feels a bit strange at first, but it is surprisingly good.
I absolutely love it.
Don't get me wrong, my 11-speed 105 setup is excellent; it shifts crisp and clean, but it is nowhere near as quiet and smooth as the Ultegra.

Building up the frame and bike was pretty straightforward.
However, what I didn’t like was tightening the bottom bracket cups against the carbon frame.
There was some slight abrasion during tightening. I really wish there was a steel washer between the cup and the frame. The current setup just doesn’t feel right or look good.

Setting up the brakes on this frame is also much harder than on my aluminum Radon R1—it’s quite strange.
On my Radon, I simply loosen the caliper bolts, squeeze the brake lever hard, and torque the bolts down. The brakes end up perfectly centered.
Doing the exact same thing on the LCR18 just doesn’t work at all.

I initially torqued the seatpost to 6 Nm, but that didn't hold. It slipped twice during a ride, even though I used Dynamic carbon paste.
I have now tightened it to 9 Nm, hoping it stays put this time.

The thru-axles do not feel high-quality either. I can already tell they will fail at some point.
It’s a pity they aren’t standard axles but use a proprietary cone shape instead.
LightCarbon should stop producing these immediately and switch to a more standardized solution.

On top of that, the internal frame storage was rattling like crazy. I had to glue extra foam inside to quiet it down, which is something that should have been sorted out straight from the factory.
For me, it simply didn't work out of the box.

Finally, the bike is twice or even three times as vulnerable to crosswinds as my Radon R1.
It is incredible how much of a difference there is.
While I was actually considering 65mm deep rims for my Radon R1, on the LCR18, I would now rather run shallower wheels with a 30 to 40mm depth.

The frame is nice, painting is incredible for that price. The storage and the things they ship it with are super.
There are lot of good things, but its only fair to tell the complete story, with all its downsides as well, for people considering buying it.
I heard they also raised prices.

Couple of really crazy claims mixed in here.
I’ve been riding this frame for over 5000km now and it’s been crazy good, and I’ve had a lot of very nice bikes.

Very curious on your comment about the thru axles. They look absolutely fine to me and never given a problem - would love to know why you think they’ll fail.

On the crosswind/aero issue - I’m not sure what you’re used to, but this frame is absolutely no worse than any bike I’ve had before - TCR/SL6/Aeroad for example. I’m used to a lot of gusty winds here in Ireland and this bike is as planted as I could ever hope for.

Prices have gone up, but they were giving this bike away in my opinion.

The aftersales service has been excellent and they continue to develop and iterate on problems that have been found. I can’t wait to be able to afford the LCR020 - the frames these guys are coming out with put the western bike market to shame in terms of performance and value.