rdubbz

ffs, who cares if it's posted here. It is a road bike frame anyways.
nice bike op!

WhyFi

No $#!+, Sherlock, I conceded as much in my post. Should people start plopping down recumbent threads here? They're ridden on roads, after all. What about electric bikes? I'll bet that they're mostly utilized on roads, too. In fact, most types of bikes are primarily used on roads, so should they all be plopped here? No, of course not, because there are more specific categories available.

...and again, as I stated in my post, you've done absolutely nothing to justify the Road forum as being more appropriate than the SS/FG forum.

SlimRider

hueyhoolihan

boys! boys!

i'm not naive enough to believe this will resolve anything. and don't think you've put me to any trouble because i would have done this within the next year anyway, but i converted from SS to geared. it took about 10 minutes. i will still need to purchase a thumbie shifter at some point to make this work to my satisfaction, but it is "proof of concept" enough for me. not that i had any doubts...



nice dura-ace 7400?

Seattle Forrest

Seriously?

tanguy frame

aparently not.

Hiro11

Sorry, just noticed this. Here's the link to the frame I bought:
https://miracletrade.en.alibaba.com/p...bon_frame.html

As I said, interactions with Miracle Trade were very professional and responsive. They sent me a number of catalogues with prices on other items. I also bought a carbon stem and ergo bar from them. They offer tons of different wheels as well.

I paid $500 for the frame in matte black with a seatpost, spare RD hanger, three headsets (probably wise to get spares from the OEM, especially at $10/headset) and full-carbon fork. Clear coat would have been about $40 less. Other, less "sexy" open mold frames (FM015 or FM028) are a significantly cheaper (about $365 complete).

Custom paint and decals starts at $60 for one color paint and custom cut vinyl decals, two color paint is $90. I thought about custom paint but it would delay production and I'm certainly no graphic designer, so I stuck with basic matte. A "Foil Team Issue" (black and red) paint job is standard and runs $75. I'm not into pretending the bike is a legit Foil when it's not, so I didn't go that route. These guys can do some pretty nice paint if you have a good design in mind.

I haven't received my frame yet. This particular frame is a brand new mold, but I'd spoken to a few people at roadbikereview who'd purchased the frame. Quality was apparently high and the frame came in at right around 1Kg. Wait time is about two weeks for matte, maybe three months for custom paint. The wait is longer for me as I ordered it right before Chinese New Year when everyone disappears for three weeks. Shenzhen wholesalers squeeze these one-offs as last priority into the production schedules so the wait can be long if you're getting custom paint...

I have no idea if this is going to work out, but lots of other people have had success going this route. In particular, Hongfu, Dengfu (Carbonzone on Ebay) and Miracle Trade seem reputable.

mazdaspeed

I really like the idea behind this other than the flat bars, but I guess that's personal preference.

mihlbach

Without a front derailleur, you will need something to keep the chain on the chainring.

roflmao147

how? ive seen quite a few tt bikes with no front derailleur and the chain never came off?

thirdgenbird

i dont mind it either way but that looks really cool with the dura ace rear derailleur. too bad you werent going campy. i could help you out with some perfect 8 or 10spd thumb shifters.

i would recommend a pauls chain keeper if you end up using a RD. you may not need it for strictly road riding but i would want it just in case. you will aslo want a rear brake if you are not running fixed.

DropDeadFred

I buy from chinese manufacturers all the time. I have yet to be scammed, but I have received some stuff that I wasn't satisfied with. They offered to refund the money if I shipped it back or they said theyd replace them with my next order and add additional stock (which I accepted) I also ordered something once and it wasn't in stock or being manufactured anymore and since the product didn't ship within their allotted ship time I got a full refund, no questions asked.

hueyhoolihan

i didn't get into the controversial aspect of purchasing this frame because, frankly, i'm not interested in it. it was about the build really. but i would like to mention in passing that my meager two experiences in buying from a hong kong based ebay retailer over the past couple of years have shown little difference to those other 50 odd purchases via ebay from sellers from all over the U.S and Europe. i've had prompt delivery, and they have more than met my expectations. and boy, oh boy, can they wrap a package!

SlimRider

I've found this entire experience rather refreshing. It sort of rekindles my faith in both human nature and our quest for efficiency. Of it all, I've found you Huey, to be an open, honest, optimistic, and a quite an enterprising young man. It was an absolute delight to share this thread with a person of your stature, as just a genuinely warm human being.

Thank you!

- Slim

SlimRider

This is really nice to know.

I'm really beginning to develope a newfound respect and admiration for these people.

For the most, part my faith in human nature had been dashed up until now!

This is great!

- Slim

hueyhoolihan

did you read my post the other day on this thread about losing my wallet? i dropped it right in the middle of the road with about 3-400 dollars in cash in it. not more than two hours later, a saint of an elderly gentlemen (with a cane no less) found it, looked up my address, and came over to my apartment and gave it back. i usually don't hug elderly male strangers, but i did on this occasion.

all is not lost. stay thirsty my friend.

WhyFi

I like the 1x set-up.

hueyhoolihan

just got back from first test ride. about 25 miles. first impression is very, very good. no pic yet (forgot camera), but have a few errands to run, will provide more info this evening (PST).

hueyhoolihan

ok, this is it. this is my last post. i'm done after this one. i promise.

first a couple of pics. i ain't proud of these...

this is NOT what it normally looks like. ummm... sort of a houndstooth, don't you think?



then we have this shot. no that's not a brass bell. it's optical illusion. it's really the door nob on my cheesy storage shed.



and finally (yeah!), the best of the lot which is not saying much...



i'm surprised they let such a LARGE picture on here...

ride report as initially stated was excellent. i rode about 25 miles over a very, very well known route.

the most noticeable attribute is the light weight. most clearly demonstrated when climbing. no question about it. 13 pounds is 13 pounds. my other bikes range from about 16 to about 20. this one is different. the stiffness also adds to the climbing pleasure. this bike is noticeably stiffer than my steel framed, or custom 650c wheeled (ti/reynolds 753/alum fork) bike. it also AMPLIFIES SOUND! the freewheel is much louder on this bike. even the noise from the tires rolling on the road is much louder.

i am surprised that the vibration through the handlebars is noticeably greater than that of all but one other bike. i expected more damping there. and the saddle transmits road vibrations too, although i was expecting this, in that i've got the same saddle on another bike and it really viiiibbbbrrrrrates too.

overall i have no doubt that i will be looking forward to every ride on this bike in the near future and maybe for a long time. OTOH, i'm glad it is not too good. which was one thing i was worried about, because i really like my other bikes and didn't want to make them obsolete. this bike doesn't, but they (the other bikes) can hear the footsteps, i think.

in case anybody is interested, and there's no reason they should be, this setup is just right. the bar drop is perfect and so is the size. BTW this frame was advertised as a 54cm frame with a headtube of 155mm. it couldn't be a better fit. i'm 5'8" and 145 and legs, torso, and arms, if i do say so myself, are proportional.

DropDeadFred

well with the world market getting smaller thanks to the internet and china along with taiwan being world leaders in production they have to uphold a reputation with their largest consumers....

Bob Dopolina 

You may have ordered products from China but your this statement is way off the mark.

First, don't lump China and Taiwan together. The business practices/climate of the two couldn't be in sharper contrast.

Do some reading on Chinese history and culture and you will begin to see why a place (whose name in Chinese is MIDDLE KINGDOM or CENTER of the WORLD) could care less about their 'reputation' with an endless parade of ignorant foreigners.

renegaderider

Well done...

Thanks!