I hear it will be high five hundreds on GB.......

Santa was a little late this year, but just when I was going to give up on the jolly old elf a beautiful bike box arrived. Behold the beauty that is an inexpensive carbon cross frame. Frame weight is 1210 grams right out of the box. Fork weight is an even 700 grams with an uncut 300 mm alloy steerer. For US$630.00 including shipping to Japan I could not be happier. Now I just have to build it. I have some, but not all, of the parts already hanging around my workshop. What I have includes the following:

FSA Team Carbon Crank (mega exo)
FSA Mega Exo b/b
T/A Specialties 42 tooth single chainring with dual guards
Dura Ace 7800 rear derailleur
Dura Ace 7800 right/rear STI lever
Dura Ace 10 spd chain
Dura Ace 12-25 10 spd cassette
Easton EC 90 carbon bars (26.0)
Easton/Velomax Tempest II Whelset
Nokon Cables (brake and derailleur)
Flite Titanium Saddle (old)
Deda Tape
Shimano SPD Pedals (old)

I'm thinking of a Thomson seatpost and stem, a cane creek integrated headset, and TRP Euro X brakes. I'm also looking at Carbon-Ti skewers and seat collar.

Am I missing anything?

_________________
TED ESSENFELD
Schoorl, Noord-Holland, Nederland
Bike Pics
English Custom Steel Internal di2
Litespeed Ghisallo

One odd thing I noticed about the frame is the rear drop out and how each is attached to the frame. The drop outs are bonded seamlessly to the chainstay, but they are attached to the seat stay with what looks like chainring bolts. It looks like the bolts were attached then the dropout was painted and the frame clearcoated. It seems like an odd way to assemble a frame...

In all other respects, quality and finish are better than what I expected for the money.

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TED ESSENFELD
Schoorl, Noord-Holland, Nederland
Bike Pics
English Custom Steel Internal di2
Litespeed Ghisallo

looks good. front cable hanger might be the only thing to add?
or are you going to drill the stem?

_________________
"I want to absorb all of your pop culture"

xnavalav8r, thats a nice looking frame at a great price, where can I order one?

I think it's worth trying Eggbeaters or the new XTR pedals.

Irish - There are a bunch available on Ebay. Let me ask my supplier if I can pass on his contact info here.

Limba - I have several sets of old 747 SPD pedals in my shop. I might as well use them. I have heard great things about eggbeaters though.

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TED ESSENFELD
Schoorl, Noord-Holland, Nederland
Bike Pics
English Custom Steel Internal di2
Litespeed Ghisallo

The frames headtubes are way too short in 54, 57 and 59 cm, almost 2 inches of spacers are inacceptable. Also top tube lengths are way off. Why a light cf frame, when it will ride like crap?

Is that the frame from ebay.com ?

Sam Liu or sth else ?
I agree the steer tube is for cyclocross to low...

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Never Give up !!

I bought the frame from WW user pena135. He also sold me my TT frame.

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TED ESSENFELD
Schoorl, Noord-Holland, Nederland
Bike Pics
English Custom Steel Internal di2
Litespeed Ghisallo

Resurrecting an old post...

Finally settled in back in the US. My first cross race is a week from today. I'm finishing this build tomorrow. I decided to build it up with a Sibex titanium fork. I never did get a very good seatpost, but found one with a matching 3K weave that was inexpensive though not terribly light. I'll likely have to change that but it will do for now. I'll post some pictures tomorrow after the build.

Two notes... the stickers have to come off the Easton wheels and I haven't glued my tubular cross tires onto them yet. I may have to race on clinchers this weekend.

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TED ESSENFELD
Schoorl, Noord-Holland, Nederland
Bike Pics
English Custom Steel Internal di2
Litespeed Ghisallo

Welcome home,

Post some pics. Curious to see the sibex fork and the frame with it. Wonder how the fork would ride?

Finished the build today. The only thing I haven't done is glue up the tubulars. I'm putting Challenge Grifo (32c) on the Easton Tempest II wheels. For now I have a pair of Easton Circuit wheels on. Total weight is 7.7 kg with the training wheels. I'll try to post pics, but here is a link to the album on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... c900fd4806

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TED ESSENFELD
Schoorl, Noord-Holland, Nederland
Bike Pics
English Custom Steel Internal di2
Litespeed Ghisallo

Pictures added...

Final build:
FSA Team Carbon Crank (mega exo)
FSA Mega Exo b/b
T/A Specialties 42 tooth single chainring with dual guards
Dura Ace 7800 rear derailleur
Dura Ace 7800 right/rear STI lever
Dura Ace 10 spd chain
Dura Ace 12-25 10 spd cassette
Shimano left/front brake lever
Easton EC 90 carbon bars (26.0)
Ritchey 4-axis Stem
Mortop Semi-integrated Headset
Easton/Velomax Tempest II Whelset w/Challenge Grfo Tubular tires (to be installed)
Nokon Cables (alloy brake and carbon derailleur)
SLK Saddle
Origin8 3K Carbon Seatpost
Fizik Tape
Shimano SPD Pedals (old)
TRP Euro-X Carbon Brakes
Sibex Titanium Fork

_________________
TED ESSENFELD
Schoorl, Noord-Holland, Nederland
Bike Pics
English Custom Steel Internal di2
Litespeed Ghisallo

Nice drumset.