Wheeltop EDS GeX

[trcycling]

Does anyone have both wheeltop and ltwoo? I'm swapping out ltwoo for wheeltop and would like to leave the ltwoo calipers (makes life easier). The ltwoo with the wheeltop calipers will then go on my winter bike.

Any issues doing this? Anyone with both have a view on which calipers are better?

An indirect answer to your question: I'm running Shimano calipers with LTWOO (because they LTWOO ones wouldn't fit on my frame with their weird bracket). They work well. I've also read that Wheeltop work fine with Shimano (or other oil based) calipers. In fact, in China some sellers offer a kit without calipers (not the US store).  So, I see no reason why it wouldn't work.

That said, I'm wondering how the swap would be easier than moving over fully? Internal routing issues?

[Chamomile]

[off]
Speaking of Twitter.
Their road full carbon bike, R15 Pro, with WheelTop road set, is 1040 USD. The WheelTop itself is 700 USD on the website or AliX. Yeah yeah, I know when you're a company selling complete bikes, all components go chipper. But this? You guys really enjoy being part of this overpriced paid beta-test?
[/off]

[gloscherrybomb]

That said, I'm wondering how the swap would be easier than moving over fully? Internal routing issues?

I can leave the hoses in and just swap the levers and the RD. Sure it's just a time and effort thing.

[darkening]

R15 Pro, with WheelTop road set, is 1040 USD. The WheelTop itself is 700 USD on the website or AliX.

Yeah, it's mind blowing. I have no Idea how they do that: full carbon bike including wheels, electronic shifting and integrated carbon handleber for just above 1000 USD... I see no reason to buy this without a complete bike.

[eeney]

I got full GeX groupset for 630 AUD ($411 USD) + postage from Taobao.... so would be even cheaper for wholesale or bulk purchase.

[Phaxe]

Interestingly here in OZ you can get a SRAM mullet upgrade kit (Force shifters, Eagle derailleur and Force brakes) for the same price as the Wheeltop.  Yes the Sram requires XD hub and Cassette to get the 10-52t.  However, it enables a bigger spread of gearing, bought locally with Sram quality and support.

Makes for a tough choice.

Someone mentioned the wheeltop ability to tune individual gears/sprockets.  I see the benefit of this, but I can imagine that once you start you never stop tinkering until it drives you made, whereas the Sram should 'just work' out of the box.

I'm interested in the Wheeltop, very interested, but I would have expected 33% cheaper than Sram electronic.  I have an Xcadey power meter and top end Chinese wheels, both are great, the companies are great, but when things go wrong it still takes 2-4 weeks to xchange info and actually get any new parts from the time I raise an issue..... not necessarily the fault of the company but the geographical and communication logistics. I'm not complaining here because the products were somewhat cheaper than local mainstream alternatives...... and this is without talking about going into a local bike shop for help, and the look they will give you when they realise you have an unknown groupset for which nobody has been trained or carries parts.

All food for thought, I was super excited for the Wheeltop groupset, but the price has put a damper on that excitement.

I read your reply and couldn't believe it, but you're right! Absolute no-brainer here in Aus, I'd go SRAM any day of the week.

The reason I chose L-TWOO a while back was because of how much cheaper it was than the GRX equivalent.

[eeney]

Yeah, I was close to buying the Sram outfit, but went with wheeltop. https://thebrig.com.au/products/sram-mullet-upgrade-kit-x01-force-etap-shifters?Title=Default+Title.

Only time will tell if it was the correct decision, at the moment I'm still working through the initial gear indexing which has been slow and frustrating.... note that the frustration may be from my lack of skills and learning as I go, I've only ever fit and tuned mechanical before.

[raisinberry777]

That's crazy cheap - I wish I'd known about before I started my recent gravel build!

[rockerplates.de]

[off]
Speaking of Twitter.
Their road full carbon bike, R15 Pro, with WheelTop road set, is 1040 USD. The WheelTop itself is 700 USD on the website or AliX. Yeah yeah, I know when you're a company selling complete bikes, all components go chipper. But this? You guys really enjoy being part of this overpriced paid beta-test?
[/off]

with carbonwheels shipped to Germany 1200 Euros? man , that is very cheap....

[TidyDinosaur]

with carbonwheels shipped to Germany 1200 Euros? man , that is very cheap....

Well, there is this:"Customers are responsible for understanding and complying with their country's importation rules. This includes any customs clearance fees, duties, or taxes, even when free shipping is provided."

[darkening]

with carbonwheels shipped to Germany 1200 Euros? man , that is very cheap....

It was a price of a local reseller in Russa, converted to USD. (yeah,  delivery and customs are included)

[trcycling]

Yeah, I was close to buying the Sram outfit, but went with wheeltop. https://thebrig.com.au/products/sram-mullet-upgrade-kit-x01-force-etap-shifters?Title=Default+Title.

Only time will tell if it was the correct decision, at the moment I'm still working through the initial gear indexing which has been slow and frustrating.... note that the frustration may be from my lack of skills and learning as I go, I've only ever fit and tuned mechanical before.

I clicked through and was like "uh, that's a grand, not that cheap". Then I noticed the .au    That IS a good deal. If only SRAM would support at least an 11s alternate configuration (it's only software).     This is one of the key things for the Wheeltop and LTWOO options. They aren't forcing a full 12s upgrade but can be installed on an existing (and hardly obsolete) 11s cassette and wheelset.  By the time I replace a 10-50 cassette (2 in my case with two wheelsets), the price goes WAY up for the full upgrade. And one of the wheelsets has a freehub that doesn't support 12 so another wheel. Ugh.

So for a fresh build, I'd be looking at what the shipping and import costs from Australia to me are. But as an upgrade, it sadly doesn't work.

[eeney]

These are the reasons I went Wheeltop, I intend to upgrade one wheelset to 12sp and leave the other as 11sp.  I hoping that wheeltop, in the future, add a wheel/bike profile feature where you can setup different indexing for different wheels and then swap between easily.

With this flexiblity the Wheeltop isn't just cheaper, but it's also technical ahead of Shimano and Sram..... in this specific area. Downside of flexible configuration of indexing and gearing is that it can take a lot of work to get it perfect - as I am finding with my GeX ATM, some learning on my part. So for Sram and Shimano, if they want a great customer experience and minimize support calls, having it 'just work' Apple style is important for the wider consumer market.

[trcycling]

These are the reasons I went Wheeltop, I intend to upgrade one wheelset to 12sp and leave the other as 11sp.  I hoping that wheeltop, in the future, add a wheel/bike profile feature where you can setup different indexing for different wheels and then swap between easily.

With this flexiblity the Wheeltop isn't just cheaper, but it's also technical ahead of Shimano and Sram..... in this specific area. Downside of flexible configuration of indexing and gearing is that it can take a lot of work to get it perfect - as I am finding with my GeX ATM, some learning on my part. So for Sram and Shimano, if they want a great customer experience and minimize support calls, having it 'just work' Apple style is important for the wider consumer market.

An excellent example.

The setup issue you mention is one thing that gives me a moment's hesitation with the Wheeltop. Only per-sprocket tuning is powerful but a challenge. I'm hoping that normally it's just basically right in the first place.  The SRAM model of only a meta setting works ok. But if you have any sort of glitch for whatever reason, there is no way to adjust it. LTWOO's approach is pretty good IF you read the instructions     I did not read carefully and started tuning each sprocket. Yeah, no. They do it right and you are supposed to set it on a mid sprocket and only tune the separate ones if needed.  But I don't see a profile capability like you ask for there either. (It's a good idea)

[darkening]

These are the reasons I went Wheeltop, I intend to upgrade one wheelset to 12sp and leave the other as 11sp.

There are aftermarket cassete options for 12sp that will work on your 11sp HG freehub.  You dont have to buy new wheels for that.