FLYXII Gravel Build FR609

[jerschwab]

I just purchased this Cyclocross frame FR609 from Aliexpress after browsing the Flyxii website and comparing the FR603.  It shipped a few weeks ago, so hope I get it soon to start my build.  I haven't seen any builds or posts on this frame at all, so wondering if anyone here has purchase this frame or built up their bike yet?

The FLXII-FR603 was cheaper... but it wasn't thru axle, weighed a tad more, steeper head angle and seat angle, shorter wheelbase and slightly narrower wheel clearance (negligible... 38mm vs. 40mm, fork is measured 53mm width).  Anyway, the fork looks nicer on the FR609 and seems to be a newer design.

I'm going to build it up as a gravel bike and have purchased the Shimano 1x11 GRX800 groupset along with the following components:
- FSA K-Force Light Carbon 650b Wheelset (1395 grams weight... $800 shipped vs. maybe $600 for generic China carbon)
- Shimano GRX800 Gravel Groupset
  - 1 x 11 (long cage with XT 11-42 cassette, ultegra chain)
  - RT86 XT Ice Tech Rotors
  - BBR60 ultegra bottom bracket
- Zniino Big Flare Handlebar (Aliexpress) 420mm (555mm full width) / 30 deg flare, Drop 110mm, Reach 73mm
- Seatpost: Brand-X Ascend Internally routed CX Dropper (85mm)
- Tires: Panaracer Gravel King 47c (hoping these fit on 650b rims), also may get Teravail Cannonball which have more tread
- Pedals: Shimano DXR BMX SPD's (2 deg float, 9 deg release) - got for cheap, $60 CAD
- Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Lite Manganese

Est. weight around 18lbs with dropper.

The communication was spotty with Flyxii... but I'm hoping I was sent the 15mm Thru Axle fork to match my wheels.  As well, I noticed that Aliexpress sometimes charges for shipping from FLYXII but their website is usually free. Something to keep in mind.  The price on this frame varies +/- $15-20 almost daily (I paid $350 USD/$500 CAD).

Any thoughts on the frame, build or other??  Thanks all!


Note: I've seen this referred to as FLX FR 609, FLXII-FR603, FR609, FLX-FR-609

[carbonazza]

It is interesting to use a more racy geometry for a gravel which is generally more oriented on endurance geometry for long rides.
Did you check the fork since your post ? 15mm is harder to swap wheels with road ones for instance.
This is an interesting feature to have for a gravel bike.
So if they sent you a 12mm fork, you didn't loose everything but returning your wheels

I would have chosen wheels built by a known Chinese provider, for $800 you would get a great hub and spokes, and equivalent or maybe better rims quality.
Although it may be not the case here, brands generally make compromise on hubs and spokes. With parts difficult to source.

The new XTR rotors, are a bit more expensive, but they are lighter and looks awesome 

[jerschwab]

Hey, thanks for your reply!

I should have said $800 CAD ($650+duty paid).  I'm still trying to confirm which forks were sent.  I would like these wheels to work as they're a high quality hand built rim by a reputable company, ceramic bearings, offset rim etc. 

I can't return the wheels (or pretty much anything else) and really want to make them work (even if I have to get adapters or a new fork to match).

As for the rotors, I actually accidentally ordered the RT800 Freeza rotors which look awesome but they're centerlock (oops).  So I'll have to Craigslist those.

Cheers,

Jeremy

[jerschwab]

Just to follow up... the seller confirmed they sent the 12x100mm front fork.  Also, since I had ordered a 12x100mm axle out of confusion as well, I just decided to get an adapter sleeve that goes in the hub.  I think this is actually better all around anyway.  As you said, I can run more road wheels with 12x100mm hubs that way rather than have to go with an MTB or cyclocross 15x100mm wheelset.  Not sure I'll do that, but I have the option.

Definitely one of the hard things ordering direct is the communication.  I've built up 4 or 5 bikes before, but not experiences with road bikes.  While I did chat with the seller about needing 15mm, I should have confirmed and got them to repeat back to me what they understood.

In addition to this mistake (which I've lost a bit of sleep over until I found there are adapter sleeves)... I ordered centerlock rotors (I mentioned) by accident, and an 11-46 cassette which isn't compatible with my GRX rear derailleur.  I may lose a very small amount of money and convenience reselling on Craigslist, but that's not a big deal for the deals I got.

So far, I'm about $3K CAD into the project (I estimate full retail for everything is around $7,500).  Having fun doing it and I certainly hope this frame (or the China carbon gravel handlebar) doesn't buckle underneath me... but I'm willing to give it a shot!

[carbonazza]

I learned by many mistakes too 

With a sleeping 15mm fork in my garage ...
As well as a couple of DT-Swiss free hubs, axles with different lengths and thread pitch, disc rotors, finally useless brake adapters, incompatible bottom brackets, seat posts, etc.
As I build bikes regularly, I find usage for them little by little, but the many standards make mistakes hard to avoid.

[jerschwab]

I used to work at a bike company (Norco) in the warranty department many years ago... so learned a lot and I saw lots of parts come and go (and some I bought for my own builds).  It's a super fun thing to do and I know many people pay more to build custom, but I usually save a bunch.  My favourite thing at the time was seeing demo/prototype frames coming in... I even managed to get one of them for my own build (Amp Research B2).  Sweet bike at the time!

[NorthboundRick]

Hi Jets hw ab,’

How is the FR609 build coming along? Any feedback, good or bad?

-Rick

[jerschwab]

Still waiting on the frame unfortunately!!  Big backup with freight from COVID... waiting patiently.

[NorthboundRick]

OK, good luck with the build then. I am considering their Carbon Cyclocross Fork since I ruined mine during restoration, but I am having nightmares purchasing a bad fork and nosedive mid ride. I could not find much comforting information about FLYXII out there on the internet. Did you come across some positive reports?
Cheers, Rick

PS, the frame you ordered seems very leightweight, certainly less than the carbonda alternative a lot of folks seem to go after these days..

[jerschwab]

I purchased after watching some YouTube videos and the fact that FLYXII has been doing business over 15 years.  There is generally positive reviews of the FR602/603 as well and I wanted a frame that was a bit more current so I went with the FR609.
https://www.youtube.com/c/TraceVelo/videos

I've since found that this frame is also branded as the Workswell WCB-C-112, Miracle GR029, TanTan GR029, and a few others.  As well, it appears similar to the Bianchi Zolder but I don't see any perfect match among the major manufacturers.
http://m.miraclebikes.com/Product/detail/id/37.html

Here is a 10,000km review of the Workswell:
https://www.reddit.com/r/cyclocross/comments/91n17a/chinese_carbon_10000km_review/

Anyhow, I'm still waiting on the frame.  Due to COVID it was stuck in China for 2 months but is now in transit and should be here in a week or two.

P.S. I have added the frame to Geometry Geeks for those that want to compare:
https://geometrygeeks.bike/compare/flyxii-fr609-2020-54,santa-cruz-stigmata-2019-54,cannondale-topstone-carbon-2020-md,giant-revolt-advanced-2020-m,bianchi-zolder-pro-disc-2020-54/

[cst_jpr]

Those are $1,300 wheels: https://shop.fullspeedahead.com/wheelsets/mtb/k-force-off-road-wider25-wheelset  Not really comparable to $600 china wheels. If you found them cheaper thats great though.
Did the frame arrive yet?

[jerschwab]

Those are $1,300 wheels: https://shop.fullspeedahead.com/wheelsets/mtb/k-force-off-road-wider25-wheelset  Not really comparable to $600 china wheels. If you found them cheaper thats great though.
Did the frame arrive yet?

Not those ones... mine are from 2015 or 2016 I think.  I bought new from Chain Reaction.  So yeah, could have bought China carbon wheels for $600 but managed to get these instead.  https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/fsa-k-force-mtb-wheelset/rp-prod189664

Didn't get the frame yet.  I read (an opinion probably) that carriers aren't taking big bulky things they don't make much profit on.  Aliexpress refunded me on the frame already since it's way past the date.  Not sure if it will come, but I believe it hasn't been loaded on a flight wherever it is.  I ended up ordering another bike actually... the Vitus Substance CRS-2 which uses the Carbonda CFR696 frame and has GRX components (I'll likely just swap on my carbon wheels... and big flare gravel handlebar maybe).  I do hope this ones arrives, but I feel like I keep throwing money into the wind and hoping I get bike stuff.  It's beyond frustrating.  Especially since I also ordered a MTB frame form the UK which is lost somewhere in Canada for over a month.  Not a good time to be building bikes with overseas components.

This is the bike I ended up ordering by the way.  I got for the current price (30% off), so I think it's great value:
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/vitus-substance-crs-2-adventure-road-bike-2020/rp-prod185535

[cst_jpr]

Good deal.

If it hasn't been loaded on a flight the seller probably tried to screw you and it will never show up, intentionally or not, don't know.
The frame I ordered Aug 5, shipped Aug 11, arrived in Canada Sep 3rd, now will sit in customs for 1-4 weeks then deliver.

Chainreaction stuff should come fairly quickly but they will ask for duties to be paid before delivery (14% + tax I believe) if you went with the cheap shipping method, if you went with the duty paid option you will pay about the same (for this bike) but it should arrive slightly faster via courier.

[jerschwab]

Good deal.

If it hasn't been loaded on a flight the seller probably tried to screw you and it will never show up, intentionally or not, don't know.
The frame I ordered Aug 5, shipped Aug 11, arrived in Canada Sep 3rd, now will sit in customs for 1-4 weeks then deliver.

Chainreaction stuff should come fairly quickly but they will ask for duties to be paid before delivery (14% + tax I believe) if you went with the cheap shipping method, if you went with the duty paid option you will pay about the same (for this bike) but it should arrive slightly faster via courier.

Yup, I have some experience in overseas logistics and Aliexpress haha.  COVID is unprecedented, but I figure things will arrive eventually.  I did order the frame from the official FLYXII store, so I would hope they didn't skip the shipment.  It's completely covered by Aliexpress anyway (and they were the ones who reimbursed me). 

I don't mind the odd 14% duty thing with Chain Reaction (or maybe 25% after fees)... I tend to try to place smaller orders and use the "this order MAY charge duties" option.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't (although lately, it seems there's duties every time).  For the wheels, I paid up front but for the chance I may not get charged and/or what I would get charged is probably less than the up front payment I think I would just chance it.

I did actually order another MTB wheelset from CRC... I got hit with duties from both shipments but it was about 40% less than what I would have paid CRC up front (maybe $15-20 service fee plus 14% of shipment value).  I'll take those chances any day.  For the complete bike I ordered, they wanted $685 up front.  I figure I would wait to see what the courier charges... I think probably $400-450 plus the $90 shipping which is about $150 less (or so).  Plus, the odds it somehow slips through and I don't get charged.

Cheers

[sOKRATEs100]

Any updates on this build?