What are you unsatisfied with on your current carbon Topstone?
What are you goals with the new frame?
What are the features you're looking for that the Topstone doesn't have?

If you're on stock Topstone 3, I suspect a solid set of carbon gravel wheels plus splurging on some G-Ones is going to make the biggest difference.

If you really want electronic shifting, you can just upgrade that. Selling GRX parts is going to be substantially easier than selling a frameset.

Otherwise, I doubt a negligibly lighter frame, aero cockpit+seatpost etc will make a huge difference unless you're racing.

Quote from: Tijoe on October 26, 2026, 03:44:51 PMAnother squirrel to chase.  Has anyone measured the weight of an "equivalent volume" seat tool-bag, and compared this to the added frame weight that an "in frame" storage area, and cover adds to the frame?   

Knowing this could justify one approach versus the other. 

Based on frame weights I've seen with "in-frame" storage, this is adding 100 to 200 grams to a frame's weight.

They're often using carbon saddle with carbon rails on a carbon seatpost. Might be nice to avoid abrasion from typical 3-strap saddle bags.

I have 2 Senicx 2x cranksets for HT2, and a Meroca 1x for a square taper on my commuter. Neither are weight-weenie, just solid for the budget.

And the most I can pay is USD$400 shipped to my door!

Cainiao, but you're still going to get wrecked by delivery fees because of package size.

For a package 3kg, measuring 85cm x 85cm x 20cm, Cainiao UK prices delivery at GBP87 (ocean freight, 50-75 days), GBP257 (air, 7-10 days), or GBP245 (air, 8-12 days).

Solid taobao brands are VOSO, 0011, Novatec, Farsports, Lun Hyper.

But you'll probably still end up with the same cost/quality for ICAN or Elitewheels on Aliexpress.

LTWOO GRT is still thumb lever, and Sensah SRX is SRAM-style doubletap. So I don't really consider them comparable.

The closest thing to Shimano-style shifting is... LTWOO RX Pro with GR9 rear derailleur? Which ends up ~60% the cost compared to Shimano R7120 (idk UK prices)? Questionable value prop

Saw something on chinese tiktok about fake SUMC chains.
The one with the beveled edge on the outer plate is supposedly real.

Quote from: afabians on September 28, 2026, 09:22:52 AM
I far as I know, the new groupset will no longer be sold under the Sensah name. We've seen Sentyeh ECS Pro and Whaleroad R7 - they look indentical. Sentyeh for domestic sales, Whaleroad for global? So, the release date is for both brands/products or what?

Domestic sales on Taobao.
99% of Aliexpress are random bike shops doing their own thing, so search for both I guess.

Sensah 1x14 ECS electronic "full" groupset sales will begin Oct 15, 2026.

RMB 3699 - Shifters, derailleur, special UDH, crankset, chain, cassette, rotors.

RMB 647 Cassette + chain + special UDH. Requires chainstay >410mm
The special UDH is a little thinner than standard UDH to accommodate extra cog space.

Cassette is 470g, 11-46T.

Crankset chainring options only 46T, 48T, and 50T available. Easton interface. 624g cranks, 172g for 46T.

Chain - not flat top, 249g.

I think it's reasonable to expect a better level of customer service if they're mostly doing international sales.
Mondince (like quite a few other brands featured in this forum) isn't really in the domestic Chinese market battleground any more so there's no excuse.
I wouldn't be as concerned with poor communication if it's a well-reviewed domestic brand like Pardus or Seka.
Personally my next buy is going to secondhand via Xianyu w/ Cainiao delivery.

Quote from: crazyravr on September 03, 2026, 09:48:45 AM
Its not about the external cabling its about the geometry. The V1 and V2 Aethos are very different bikes.

Could you elaborate on this? I don't really understand geometry.
From bikeinsights and geometrygeeks it seems like the only difference is 15mm higher stack in the Aethos 2 with the exact same reach?

Oh, it's CAD717=USD520 shipped to Canada lmfao.
Checked a few of the others and everything is about USD100 cheaper to Canada. Hmm.

edit:
Oh, Alibaba is a lot cheaper too. Wonder what the catch is.

Quote from: Jakoble2246 on September 03, 2026, 04:26:07 AM
Cwind gt30 should be in the pool!

$900ish now... I don't know about that

Have a bunch of components to do a build for a family member (Shimano 105/GRX-ish hydraulic groupset, decent takeoff TA wheelset with tubeless 40mm tires).
Thinking about a cheap frameset <USD500 all-in. In a pretty bad bike market area, so that's about how much I'd end up paying for the frame parts of 'decent' bikes (Diverge, Checkpoint, Topstone etc) in 100mi radius to part out.

Aluminum:
Twitter G2Max $343.85
Twitter C6
Seaboard CT1 $409
Sodce $491

Steel:
TQIQT $404
Dark Rock $430

Carbon:
Airwolf, BXT, Meinier in the <$600 range, then a lot of SPCycle and Velobuildmall options around $650.
SPCycle R088 $596, G068 $562
Flyxii $512

Seems very difficult to go <$700 with carbon and still be reliable so I'm not getting my hopes up.

Any options I missed?

Also, I recall there was someone who had a spreadsheet of Chinese bike frames with geometries, features, prices etc. Appreciate it if I get a link.

edit: adding people's suggestions as they come
Should also account for ~$50-60 from coupons

Quote from: Edopizzo on August 31, 2026, 02:41:31 AM
Is the Sensah 14 speed cassette available? I've heard it's something special that's fits on an HG free hub but requires UDH. Couldn't find it on Taobao

They don't make their own cassettes, it's mostly Sunshine OEM. There's a Sunshine 日辉 14 speed cassette.