Change Bike 650B
#151
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I was pretty prepared to have wasted my money on a dubious Aliexpress contraption.
"If its good, more people will have reviewed and Youtubed about it right?" was my argument
Well, it turns out that cheap stuff can't pay for GCN AD-ducation videos.
This stem turn out to be quite the game changer.
It comes with 4 springs for various suspension compliance and swaps out easily with an allen key (from the top).
I choose the default spring, but then changed to the softest one for my preference.
Ride wise, it provides something like 20-30mm of travel and makes that difference when hitting bumps and holes.
All this helps to keep the bike planted on the trails or rough roads.
Together with the Suntour NCX seatpost, its really be most budget gravel upgrade that works.
Not everyone knows that there was a similar parallelogram-based suspension stem made in the U.S.A. by Softride and sold in bike shops in the late '80's through the late '90's. Their slogan: "Suspend the Rider, Not the Bike!" (The picture below is from an eBay listing.)
I used one for trail riding with a cobbled-together hybrid starting in 1990 or so. Worked great.
Guys who rode mountain bikes back then loved their motorcycle-looking fork suspensions ("Just Like Dad's!") and sneered at my Softride stem. Once or twice, I had what, in retrospect, was a classic Bike Forums-like back-and-forth with one of them:
Them: What is that thing? A joke?
Me: Works for me.
Them: You don'r ride off-road with it, though, do you?
Me: I've been using it off-road for a year or so.
Them: But no one would use it for off-road racing. It wouldn't hold up under a racer for five minutes.
Me: Softride sponsors a pro team. They've been using the stem for several seasons now.
Them: There's no way anyone on a bike with one of those stems could keep up with a bike with a suspension fork.
Me: One of the team members won the Mountain Bike World Championships using the stem last year. Another team member won the World Cup.
Them: But suspension forks rule! No way that stem is as good as a suspension fork.
Me: [Sigh.]
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#152
Newbie
Just wanted to share my Change 700c dropbar conversion. Everything is stock, folding with the stock wheels you just need to go slow and align the shifter in between the spokes.
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#153
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Great find! That stem looks beautifully engineered. The only downside is that if you want more travel, the only way to get it is with a longer stem.
Not everyone knows that there was a similar parallelogram-based suspension stem made in the U.S.A. by Softride and sold in bike shops in the late '80's through the late '90's. Their slogan: "Suspend the Rider, Not the Bike!" (The picture below is from an eBay listing.)
I used one for trail riding with a cobbled-together hybrid starting in 1990 or so. Worked great.
Guys who rode mountain bikes back then loved their motorcycle-looking fork suspensions ("Just Like Dad's!") and sneered at my Softride stem. Once or twice, I had what, in retrospect, was a classic Bike Forums-like back-and-forth with one of them:
Them: What is that thing? A joke?
Me: Works for me.
Them: You don'r ride off-road with it, though, do you?
Me: I've been using it off-road for a year or so.
Them: But no one would use it for off-road racing. It wouldn't hold up under a racer for five minutes.
Me: Softride sponsors a pro team. They've been using the stem for several seasons now.
Them: There's no way anyone on a bike with one of those stems could keep up with a bike with a suspension fork.
Me: One of the team members won the Mountain Bike World Championships using the stem last year. Another team member won the World Cup.
Them: But suspension forks rule! No way that stem is as good as a suspension fork.
Me: [Sigh.]
Not everyone knows that there was a similar parallelogram-based suspension stem made in the U.S.A. by Softride and sold in bike shops in the late '80's through the late '90's. Their slogan: "Suspend the Rider, Not the Bike!" (The picture below is from an eBay listing.)
I used one for trail riding with a cobbled-together hybrid starting in 1990 or so. Worked great.
Guys who rode mountain bikes back then loved their motorcycle-looking fork suspensions ("Just Like Dad's!") and sneered at my Softride stem. Once or twice, I had what, in retrospect, was a classic Bike Forums-like back-and-forth with one of them:
Them: What is that thing? A joke?
Me: Works for me.
Them: You don'r ride off-road with it, though, do you?
Me: I've been using it off-road for a year or so.
Them: But no one would use it for off-road racing. It wouldn't hold up under a racer for five minutes.
Me: Softride sponsors a pro team. They've been using the stem for several seasons now.
Them: There's no way anyone on a bike with one of those stems could keep up with a bike with a suspension fork.
Me: One of the team members won the Mountain Bike World Championships using the stem last year. Another team member won the World Cup.
Them: But suspension forks rule! No way that stem is as good as a suspension fork.
Me: [Sigh.]
Sometimes its down to marketing and hype that elevates items into the mainstream.
Often enough nowadays, there is a lot of mainstream marketing that gets passed on into an echo chamber and people think those are the only products that work.
#154
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The 700c road bike version of the bike is a nice looking bike.
Cool 'slot in' of the road bar when folded.
My many spoked MTB wheels don't allow it unfortunately.
#156
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Another trip with the Change Bike 650B.
'Gravel' ride that turned out to be more of a trail ride.
I was happy that the bike and setup worked fine.
The suspension stem and seatpost added confidence on the descents with no worry that I'd hit a depression, bump and it affects steering or jar my control of the bike too much.
The tire choice could be better when the surface turned to loose pebbles, but then, even those with studded tires struggled.
'Gravel' ride that turned out to be more of a trail ride.
I was happy that the bike and setup worked fine.
The suspension stem and seatpost added confidence on the descents with no worry that I'd hit a depression, bump and it affects steering or jar my control of the bike too much.
The tire choice could be better when the surface turned to loose pebbles, but then, even those with studded tires struggled.
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#157
Newbie
It really seems like a great bike. I would love a distributer here in Europe. The closest we have is UK but appart from paying import fees/ customs taxes they do not reply to my emails.
When I contacted Change bike Taiwan through ebay they said it would be too expensive to ship to Portugal. So I guess I am out of optioins.
The good news is that they told me that in a few months they will release a new type of bike!
When I contacted Change bike Taiwan through ebay they said it would be too expensive to ship to Portugal. So I guess I am out of optioins.
The good news is that they told me that in a few months they will release a new type of bike!
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#158
Newbie
It really seems like a great bike. I would love a distributer here in Europe. The closest we have is UK but appart from paying import fees/ customs taxes they do not reply to my emails.
When I contacted Change bike Taiwan through ebay they said it would be too expensive to ship to Portugal. So I guess I am out of optioins.
The good news is that they told me that in a few months they will release a new type of bike!
When I contacted Change bike Taiwan through ebay they said it would be too expensive to ship to Portugal. So I guess I am out of optioins.
The good news is that they told me that in a few months they will release a new type of bike!
#159
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It really seems like a great bike. I would love a distributer here in Europe. The closest we have is UK but appart from paying import fees/ customs taxes they do not reply to my emails.
When I contacted Change bike Taiwan through ebay they said it would be too expensive to ship to Portugal. So I guess I am out of optioins.
The good news is that they told me that in a few months they will release a new type of bike!
When I contacted Change bike Taiwan through ebay they said it would be too expensive to ship to Portugal. So I guess I am out of optioins.
The good news is that they told me that in a few months they will release a new type of bike!
Sorry to hear about your situation in Europe. (and the UK for that matter)
Keen to see what they will come up with as a new bike offering.
#161
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#162
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#164
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+1. It'd be nice to have retailers within the EU.
https://newatlas.com/bicycles/flatbi...dventure-bike/
https://newatlas.com/bicycles/flatbi...dventure-bike/
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Last edited by tds101; 03-13-24 at 01:36 PM.
#165
Newbie
Speaking of gears - just to confirm if what I took from here was correct (for the MTB style frame):
- the max (without changing the chain line) is a 42T chainring?
How about a 2x double chainring - anyone has experience with that? Any limitations with that?
Thanks!
- the max (without changing the chain line) is a 42T chainring?
How about a 2x double chainring - anyone has experience with that? Any limitations with that?
Thanks!
#166
Newbie
The gravel bike is tending to road bike more. If you need heavy loading, you may need to choose the MTB.. I am not sure when the gravel is available. Which country are you from? If you go to Eurobike, you will see the gravel bike on the show.
Anyone going to Eurobike beginning of June in Frankfurt, Germany? Still way to go, let's see if they themselves publish and sell it before...
#167
Newbie
And here we go:
For comparison:
DF-733 road frame, 28C
DF-833 MTB frame, 27.5*2.1
So there is more tire clearance compared to the road bike, though 35mm is still not tooo generous.
Would be interesting to compare geometries if there's anything else different compared to the two previous frames.
The tire max width 35C
DF-733 road frame, 28C
DF-833 MTB frame, 27.5*2.1
So there is more tire clearance compared to the road bike, though 35mm is still not tooo generous.
The frame had just passed the testing .. not mass production yet. Need to wait for 3-4 months
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#169
Newbie
The tire width limitation is also with the rear triangle I was hoping it was more an issue if the front fork that could be fixed by swapping it.
That's a bummer, at least for me. A dedicated gravel frame that maxes out at 35mm is not exactly what at least I have been waiting for.
Looks like I have to tamper with the MTB frame after a short moment of hope and excitement.
That's a bummer, at least for me. A dedicated gravel frame that maxes out at 35mm is not exactly what at least I have been waiting for.
Looks like I have to tamper with the MTB frame after a short moment of hope and excitement.
#170
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And here we go:
For comparison:
DF-733 road frame, 28C
DF-833 MTB frame, 27.5*2.1
So there is more tire clearance compared to the road bike, though 35mm is still not tooo generous.
Would be interesting to compare geometries if there's anything else different compared to the two previous frames.
For comparison:
DF-733 road frame, 28C
DF-833 MTB frame, 27.5*2.1
So there is more tire clearance compared to the road bike, though 35mm is still not tooo generous.
Would be interesting to compare geometries if there's anything else different compared to the two previous frames.
E-version of the bike makes sense and probably will sell well for them.
Not that special to the current non-e version and just add a bafang motor (or similar) to it though.
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#171
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The tire width limitation is also with the rear triangle I was hoping it was more an issue if the front fork that could be fixed by swapping it.
That's a bummer, at least for me. A dedicated gravel frame that maxes out at 35mm is not exactly what at least I have been waiting for.
Looks like I have to tamper with the MTB frame after a short moment of hope and excitement.
That's a bummer, at least for me. A dedicated gravel frame that maxes out at 35mm is not exactly what at least I have been waiting for.
Looks like I have to tamper with the MTB frame after a short moment of hope and excitement.
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If it wasn't for you meddling kids,...
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#173
Newbie
Regarding the bike and europe. I went to change bike UK page in facebook, got the number and called it. I spoke with the owner, Simon, who was very helpful and answered all my questions and now I can say I am also a proud owner of a change bike! I will start a new post with all the info regarding importing the bike to europe.
#174
Newbie
Regarding the bike and europe. I went to change bike UK page in facebook, got the number and called it. I spoke with the owner, Simon, who was very helpful and answered all my questions and now I can say I am also a proud owner of a change bike! I will start a new post with all the info regarding importing the bike to europe.
#175
Newbie