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i just orderd one of these!

please dont shout, or laugh out loud. i just orders one of these!

[link removed by admin]

im poor and would never be able to afford the real thing. am going to fit 105 groupset,a nd some nice wheels! anyone had an experience with these frames? wish me luck.  39

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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Well guys/gals

Its nearly build time, the frame looks great (exactly the photos by box).
The build will be as follows:

Groupset Sram Rival
Wheels Mavic ksyrium equipes
Bars FSA wings
Tyres Vittoria Rubino Pro3 (great price)
Seatpost FSA carbon

Am just waiting on the rest to be delivered from CRC & Merlin  1

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notfastenough | 12 years ago
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Cool stuff, do post some pics when done. I'd love to see a proper write-up as well if you can, I think a lot of people are interested in seeing how this turns out. Chapeau to you for having the balls to go for it!

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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No problem,

I will do a full picturial & written road test as soon as its built.  1

I will also tell all about how easy it was to build.  39

When ive put a few miles on it i will know better, its 1st (official....) run out in public will be the Greater Haywards Heath bike ride on April 1st.  4

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Super Domestique | 12 years ago
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I will add my 'hope it goes well' to the thread.

Enjoy the build process and that first ride.

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srphotos | 12 years ago
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very interesting read. Look forward to seeing you're full write up and pics once built!

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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The story so far. You all know the frame turned up, well so has 99% of the stuff im fitting (waiting on HongKong seatpost).... So the scary, but exciting task af the "build" started round my mates saturday at 9am, we know we have a 2hr window. Usual coffee, chat then a nervous spanner appears. 1st is the head bearing, no special tools here just a trusty piece of wood and a home made puller and its done. Next up the BB, that flies on and so does the crank, rear and front mechs. Exciting innit? Next up the wheels need tubes and tyres on, no problems there then. The end of part 1.
Honestly we`re all very interested in this project and so far so good, every part, screwthread, bearing face has been no different to any other known frame ive built.

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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the site i got mine from is on the 1st thread. The guy is called Walton. Hes realy helpful, i had loads of questions for him. My frame is the one in the pictures by a box, and the build up is going great (so far)and am just waiting on a seatpost so i can finish up, put the bars on, indexing and all the other silly things that tale for ever. Anyone set-up and indexed the Rival stuff on a new frame?  39

[link removed by admin]

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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Its done,  1
So this is part 2 of 3.
A lot of this stuff was new to us MTBers and casual roadies. Internal cabling, double click shifters/brakes and so on. After the initial bottle of beer we got to it. As ive already said the build quality is good. Everything we`ve bolted or pressed fitted onto the frame has fitted with no dramers. The Sram Rival is good quality stuff, the Mavic Ksyrium equipes are a nice wheel set, frameset is light and looks good and thing like tyres,seatpost. saddles are a personal choice!
So we finished it at 9.45 last night. It took 4.5 hrs ish to build so that was`nt too bad. Part 3will vbe after a 40 mile breaking in ride saturday. Heres some pictures.  4

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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Here it is in all its glory at 6.30 this morning. The misses didnt want it in the lounge.............

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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I can see the bars are going to need some tweeking.

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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Oh and it weighs 17.4 lbs, without pedals. Im still waiting for a lighter seatpost and saddle, so should be able to shed a bit more weight after that too.  1

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trikeman | 12 years ago
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Looks the biz Wheelz, good effort.
Looking forward to the ride report, seeing the 'angles' an'all it should give a stable ride and with a good weight too.
Good luck old chap and well done for documenting the build.  41
Regards

Trikeman.  3

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arrieredupeleton | 12 years ago
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Looks good. Thanks for posting an update. Enjoy your ride tomorrow and I hope you avoid freshly laid tarmac - it's too white for tar marks.

What size frame is that? 54? How much have you spent then? Would be interesting to compare to an off-the-peg 'equivalent' carbon frame.

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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yep its a 54.

The total build cost is around the £1350 mark!

You can get some nice bikes for that sort of price, but im very happy so far with the way its turned out.

Probably plenty of faffing on the initial ride tomorrow

 37

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notfastenough | 12 years ago
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Looks smart. Good luck. Remember to take tools with you, no doubt once the cables start to loosen you'll be adjusting the mechs a few times.

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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yeah,

Me and my riding bud will be taking a few essential bits and peices with us. We tryed to pre-stretch the cables but..........

Even the quick sprint up the road and back (100mm) told me the brakes are a whole lot better than the tiagra ones on my 1.5 Trek! It felt spritellier as well.  1

a quick spanner check this afternoon to make sure i forgot nothing.

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Fringe | 12 years ago
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it looks just like a pinarello!!!  4

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russyparkin | 12 years ago
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mate, looks very good. i dont foresee any problems. hope the maiden voyage goes well. £1350. no brainer. if it all works happy happy days!

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wheelz | 12 years ago
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well it made it!
we done a 50 mile shake down ride around west sussex this morning. heres the niggles.

chain slipping, 9 spd chain link, dont work on 10 spds!

front mech rubbing chain in big ring, after cables stretched it dissapeared.

steerer/stem creeking, needed tightening after a few miles, started creeking again probably needs some greasing.  7

seatpost slipping, have a 27.2 with shim instead of a 31.6. waiting for correct post, in post!!  2

apart from that few things and seeing it was only finished late thursday night it wasnt so bad.

the ride quality was great, steering quick and direct. it looks the b******s as well. compared to my Trek 1.5 work horse its a Ferrari. it felt so spritely, looking forward to puting loads of happy miles on it.  4

I will keep you all informed of any problems or mods as i go.  3

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wheelz | 11 years ago
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so,

1st sportive completed, with no dramas, creaking saddle only annoying thing to happen today. lovely sun too  16

beginning to like this roadie thing. so much cleaner than my normal xc riding!!!!  13

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russyparkin | 11 years ago
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ace, you will help alot of people make their minds up. lovely looking bike. well done, good to see its build happen

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Jon Burrage | 11 years ago
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You can get a well developed, world renowned bike brand carbon build for circa £1250. Yes it doesn't claim to be a pinarello dogma but this build is just claiming to be one.
What am I missing that has made building an untested, unseen chinese frame more appealing than getting a bike you can try, test, fit and has after sales service?

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wheelz | 11 years ago
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hoorah,
dear not all carbon is the same, you are right but, anyone who knows a thing about top end bikes will know its a fake!
im not claiming it to be a propper Pinarillo, if anyone stops me and asks i will tell them its a Chinpin.  44

i just thought some people would be interested in the fact "i" bought one! there seemed to be a lot of doom and gloom aroung buying these frames from china, fine, you dont have to read it, like you dont have to buy one. ive got 3 other bikes a giant, a kinesis which i built from a frame and a trek. the frame and paint quality of the Chinese frame are better than the kinesis  39
and as for road test and building problems, ive done all the hard work for you all. i just enjoy riding my bikes and its nice to build em too. the bike looks great, it rides good too! ive riden treks high end projects and to be fair its about the same ride quality if a bit heavier. 17.4lbs aint bad for under £1500.
happy riding.  16

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trikeman | 11 years ago
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Wheelz,
I am really glad you are happy with your build. I think you have hit it right on the button - enjoyment of the buying, building, riding and reporting, an excellent read whatever it says on the frame. I really wonder what the difference it would make to you if it was an 'original',,,,,,? Nowt I bet other than the 'bar talk'.
You have gone ahead and had a go in public which should be congratulated. I did my 'few now' in some sort of secrecy, not because I was ashamed, trying to con anyone or anything other than just private experimenting that I enjoy - I do of course ensure any frame is, as best I can 'safe' before build and not had a problem yet.

However, I did have an S-Works Tarmac split a chainstay on a hill a while ago that suprised me, being a top name an'all. I did have a replacement frame though.

Of the three now built (not decalled up, but from the same stable) I and my family members who ride them are over the moon with them.... You certainly have not built your bike to 'fool' anyone, you have done it for your riding fun.
Good on you mate - enjoy it.
Regards

Trikeman.  3

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notfastenough | 11 years ago
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I do get Jon Burrage's point - and yes, I know I could buy a comparable Felt from you that would be a very nice bike, and personally that is probably the route I would take rather than Wheelz' approach, but that's not to take anything away from him. He's taken a gamble with the frame source, but honestly, how different will this be to Dolan/Ribble/Planet X, or for that matter, Graham Weigh, of which I have one?

He's clearly quite confident in his ability to put it together properly, so probably not as bothered about aftersales support as I would be. More power to you Wheelz!

I'd love to see Road.cc take a look at it and give a review, just to see how an impartial observer would take to it.

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dave atkinson | 11 years ago
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I think what's interesting for me is that it underlines just how much discount bike manufacturers can swing from component manufacturers, and how much value you get from a factory-built bike. Whatever the frame, it's hard to make the case that building your own bike is financially the better option.

You've spent £900 on the finishing kit if my maths is right; We've got a Carbon Carrera sitting in the office that's £999 with a 105 groupset...

If you'd gone to planet x with your £1,300 you could get a Pro Carbon with SRAM Red. In terms of actual frame quality, it's probably comparable to the chinarello. not saying that's a better option for you, it's just interesting to compare and contrast.

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Jon Burrage | 11 years ago
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I didnt mean to suggest buying a bike from the place Im involved with - it was more about the reasons why, nothing tetchy, I was just interested.

It looks like a pinarello but my main thought was that you are dropping a lot of cash to get the bike to a point where you can try it and by that point you are stuck if it doesnt ride well (not meaning it wont ride well, its just that you dont know the ride characteristics until all your money is spent and if it was me Id like to know what I was spending the cash on)

Best of luck with it, Im sure it will give you years of happy riding.

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wheelz | 11 years ago
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no harm done,

ide looked at the geometry and rode a couple of bikes with simular character to the Pinchin, the rest was in the lap of the gods!  7

lets hope it all stays in one piece and as you said many more happy miles.

All i need now is a light, comfy and reasonably priced saddle!!  1

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matt637 replied to wheelz | 12 years ago
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wheelz - here's a review from 2009 (cycling weekly) about the updated version of the Sram Rival groupset - the guy even says that he thinks it is a *rival* to Dura Ace!!! (which i think is a very bold statement, if not a bit excitable!).

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/tech/gear/996/1/sram-rival-2009-groupset....

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cull69 replied to wheelz | 12 years ago
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Which seller on DHgate did you go through and was there any custom charges  39

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