Carbonda Gravel Carbon frame CFR707

[Colt__Seavers]

Hi folks,

BIG NEWS! After Carbonda sold the CFR505 to Thesis, they were working on a new gravel frame set. It seems to be finished now. It's code name is CFR707 (FM1186 is the flybike name)
Common sizes will be available very soon. The uncommon sizes like XXL will be available at the end of this year most likely.

The frame set is like a combination of 505 and 696. It has a more appealing design like the 505 with its lower seat stays and the big tire clearance like the 696. Its wheelbase is pretty large to make room for big tires, so it's not like the 505 with its pretty short WB. So right now Carbonda is not offering road based / short WB / low stack gravel frame as a 505 successor, which might be a downside for some of you. Still, this new frame will be the right fit for a lot of you guys.

I like the sleek integrated seat post clamp and the 505 front end and seat stays. And I like the big tire clearance. If you want to run 700c 32mm on it, it might look odd with that big space between rear tire and seat tube.
Also the very high stack values are appealing. Top tube length is a little longer than the 505, but could be compensated by shorter stem.

Here are two pictures with 700c road wheel set, the frame drawing and the geometry sheet.

also check out the riding gravel thread, this forum get's a lot of attention.
https://forum.ridinggravel.com/post?10652655&pid=1312663477

Source: Carbonda staff

[Colt__Seavers]

geo

[carbonazza]

I've built quite a few 505, as a versatile bike.
You can use on road, or gravel, just by swapping wheels.
It has very good handling and is looking great on both.

There are multiple things that surprise or sadden me here:

The BB86, they were offering the 505 in BB386

The chainstay length, compared to the geo drawing, don't you think they did put 650b wheels for the picture? The gap between the seat tube and tire is so huge.

The 30,9mm seat tube will be harsher than a 27.2.
For more dropper options? Oh my...

The headtube is not the usual tapered, but two 52mm holes, is this for full internal routing?

And I'm not particularly fond on the moustache look of the seatstays connection.

[Colt__Seavers]

I've built quite a few 505, as a versatile bike.
You can use on road, or gravel, just by swapping wheels.
It has very good handling and is looking great on both.

There are multiple things that surprise or sadden me here:

The BB86, they were offering the 505 in BB386

The chainstay length, compared to the geo drawing, don't you think they did put 650b wheels for the picture? The gap between the seat tube and tire is so huge.

The 30,9mm seat tube will be harsher than a 27.2.
For more dropper options? Oh my...

The headtube is not the usual tapered, but two 52mm holes, is this for full internal routing?

And I'm not particularly fond on the moustache look of the seatstays connection.

Yeah same thought here too.

I just got the info that it will have BSA. Which doesn't match the pictures and drawing. Still have to confirm that.

I assume a lot of things might change until it's available for pre-order at the end of September

There will be two version for cabling they say.

Let's see what changes and what the future brings

[RDY]

Chunky joins seem to be increasingly popular on dropped straight (rather than noodley) seatstays, both with the big brands and the Chinese (LightCarbon & TanTan Gravel).... however that one looks bizarre, and very ungainly and ugly.

Personally I like the option for fully integrated, though I hope it comes with an option for just stem rather than full integrated 'cockpit', with a few options for angle and reach, and provision for spacers rather than solely zero stack.

I'm assuming the frame design is 'native' to BB86 and others will be retrofit. Or maybe it's just the proto.

30.9mm is a bizarre choice. This is hardly the most progressive geometry on a Chinese gravel bike ... so presumably won't really be in the running for dropper builds anyway.

I'm still interested in those new Workswell frames, if I ever see any feedback.

[carbonazza]

I'm still interested in those new Workswell frames, if I ever see any feedback.

Which ones ? Do you have some links, pictures ?

[RDY]

I'm still interested in those new Workswell frames, if I ever see any feedback.

Which ones ? Do you have some links, pictures ?

Thread in same subsection. Posted here and WW. Nobody seems to know anything. They started posting test photos of the 209 about a year ago,  but I think only recently went to production.

[carbonazza]

Thanks for the reminder !
http://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,2987.0.html

On their facebook page they have a picture from March, of the 208 that looks quite better than the CFR707.

[carbonazza]

The still best looking gravel frame I saw is this one, but it looks impossible to get it:

[RDY]

Having now seen the geo specs Colt posted elsewhere,  I think this is going to be too long for me.  Reach is very high for a gravel bike, or even a CX bike.

[Colt__Seavers]

The still best looking gravel frame I saw is this one, but it looks impossible to get it:

Wie, nice! Can't you find the company online?
Seems like 650b but can't identify the tire thickness.

Thanks for the reminder !
http://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,2987.0.html

On their facebook page they have a picture from March, of the 208 that looks quite better than the CFR707.

Isn't that pretty much the 696 from Carbonda? But let's stick to the other dedicated thread

[carbonazza]

Wie, nice! Can't you find the company online?
Seems like 650b but can't identify the tire thickness.

It is a Taiwanese company if I remember well. Peter who was a great seller here for a while, told me he didn't like to work with them. I did find a couple of email addresses, but didn't get any reply.

Isn't that pretty much the 696 from Carbonda? But let's stick to the other dedicated thread

You see 696 frames everywhere

[Colt__Seavers]

Wie, nice! Can't you find the company online?
Seems like 650b but can't identify the tire thickness.

It is a Taiwanese company if I remember well. Peter who was a great seller here for a while, told me he didn't like to work with them. I did find a couple of email addresses, but didn't get any reply.

A lot of great OEMs buy in Taiwan, OPEN Cycles for example. I assume they don't reply because they don't want to deal with single private customers. They might only reply if you are an OEM or pretending to be one.

[RDY]

Wie, nice! Can't you find the company online?
Seems like 650b but can't identify the tire thickness.

It is a Taiwanese company if I remember well. Peter who was a great seller here for a while, told me he didn't like to work with them. I did find a couple of email addresses, but didn't get any reply.

A lot of great OEMs buy in Taiwan, OPEN Cycles for example. I assume they don't reply because they don't want to deal with single private customers. They might only reply if you are an OEM or pretending to be one.

OPEN's quality is at best variable IMO, though that is not an indictment of TW.... they likely get what they pay for.  ORA are Taiwanese and I don't think there's a better Steel or Ti frame builder in the world.

[carbonazza]

...ORA are Taiwanese and I don't think there's a better Steel or Ti frame builder in the world.

They look great indeed https://www.oraeng-tw.com/titanium-bike-frame.html
Did you get a frame from them, directly?