Chinese Open Mold Gravel / CX Bikes

[SL06]

...

When did you order? How long until it shipped? Did you weigh it before building it up?

Delivery took a long time but this was in the middle of COVID-19 and EMS flights out of China were suspended.
More importantly, as soon as EMS resumed flights, Workswell contacted me ... a week after that it was delivered to my doorstep (in Australia)
I did not weigh it but it is not heavy.
I did closely inspect the quality (as best I could), it seems well made, no observed imperfections, layup seems fine inside and out, cable entrances and exits all OK, etc.
I felt confident riding it on the first outing. Will take it for a smash-fest on the first opportunity.

Hi, I am interested in that frame for travelling with luggage. Have you try to install front / rear rack on it and what is the load capacity ?

[SL06]

Hi, I am interested in that frame for travelling with luggage. Have you try to install front / rear rack on it and what is the load capacity ?

[jever98]

Agreed. Too bad that the 505 is gone. Not much in that "sportier" gravel area.

A bike or frame that is not a chinese open mold, but very good imho is the superx by Cannondale. Very nice geometry and great vertical compliance. I have both the superx and the carbonda.

[kroem]

Package arrived, GR039 About 1067g, with blacl matt (was suppoed to just get like UD Matt, but they screwed up the order)



Waiting for some more parts for the build, should be fun!

[liam7020]

A quick question for any GR029 users on the forum. I looking at this frame for CX and the size 54cm has just the right geometry for me, coupled with the fact it has a BSA bottom bracket which is a handy fix to replace. However am I right in thinking that this frame does not have threaded drop-outs for the thru axles and the axle supplied with the frame is a bit of a boat anchor?

Is there a WW work around this? For example would this work: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/brand-x-thru-a ... ZKEALw_wcB

Thanks for any advice.

[kroem]

Buy J&L thru axles instead.

[liam7020]

Yes that what's I'd normally do to get lighter thru axles but the point here is that, from what I'm led to believe, the right dropouts on the GR029 framesets are not threaded and therefore require a nut to secure the thru axle.

Now there are a zillion types of nuts on the the internet but which ones fit the GR029? Sellers like Tantan can provide their own version of thru axle for this frame but they are extremely heavy. So which nut fits the GR029 is my question? Cheers.

[bobrayner]

Surely the nut is specific to the bolt rather than the frame? Unless a framebuilder wants some special integration (in which case they should either include the special nut, or simply thread the dropout), the nut should just have a flat face which presses on a flat face of the dropout. At most it would be milled a little, or have an anti-vibration washer, but neither of those should be frame-specific.

So the main question is how the thru-axle is threaded, and how many mm it projects out beyond the dropout - presumably it takes a slightly longer axle. There should be a single standard for thread pitch, but apparently there are several different options!

My current bike has a cheap Chinese CX frame with no threading on the dropout - in the past, the nut sometimes worked loose on long hard rides, but I fixed that with threadlock.

[motorapido]

Had a similar problem with my Tideace CX039TA, and resorted to machining my own nut out of aluminium and anodising it for the rear axle , and modifying the nut and making an aluminium bush for the weird fork setup that had carbon dropouts that were big enough to take a 20mm axle.
For many of the thru axles you can buy the nut as well, and the OD for these in the majority seems to be standard.
Most have a flat or notch in the outer diameter to accept a locking grubscrew that is threaded through the frames dropout for rear axles.

[djel]

I'm looking to purchase a gravel frameset to build something on the cheap and looked at a few of the most popular options from Xiamen. The shipping costs of Carbonda is way higher than Tantan and Workswell; anyone else experienced this?

I was about to order from Tantan, but the communication is so poor that it doesn't inspire much confidence (not in the product, but the experience/service). I exchanged emails with Amy and it always take 2-3 emails before she can respond to all my questions even though I try to be extra clear in my comms.

I might just end up going with Workswell, but keen to hear your thoughts on the shipping costs. The prices quoted below are for one frameset shipped to Canada.

Carbonda

DHL US$ 230 (3-10 days)
EMS US$ 270 (6-8 weeks)

Tantan/Seraph

EMS US$ 95

Workswell

EMS US$ 110

[Point]

Yesterday I paid $190 (15-35 days) for delivery from Carbonda to the UK - supposedly the US price of delivery should be cheaper according to the riding gravel mega-thread.
There was also the $230 (3-10 day) option but I was told, again on the riding gravel forum, this doesn't include the tax/import whereas the slower $190 option does.

Agreed it seems steep, but I was more confident buying with Carbonda as the communication was good and general peer feedback is great.

[crazy brit]

I'm looking to purchase a gravel frameset to build something on the cheap and looked at a few of the most popular options from Xiamen. The shipping costs of Carbonda is way higher than Tantan and Workswell; anyone else experienced this?

I was about to order from Tantan, but the communication is so poor that it doesn't inspire much confidence (not in the product, but the experience/service). I exchanged emails with Amy and it always take 2-3 emails before she can respond to all my questions even though I try to be extra clear in my comms.

I might just end up going with Workswell, but keen to hear your thoughts on the shipping costs. The prices quoted below are for one frameset shipped to Canada.

Carbonda

DHL US$ 230 (3-10 days)
EMS US$ 270 (6-8 weeks)

Tantan/Seraph

EMS US$ 95

Workswell

EMS US$ 110

Salut neighbour!
I have a Carbonda CFR 696 frameset on order, the feedback for the product seems to get good reviews (the CFR 696 is essentially a Ridley Kanzo Adventure), they are really easy to work with, very responsive to questions. Yes, the shipping is not cheap but the overall price for a custom painted frame + shipping cost is still a great deal and (key point here) within my budget. Plus with DHL I can get it quickly with peace of mind.

Not to say the others are not good options also, just giving my experience.

They emailed me photos of my painted frame just this morning, can't wait to start the build

[kroem]

I'm pretty sure the Carbonda experience is way better than Tantan (and likes). I had a hard time to communicate with Winow (Tantan reseller(?)) - but eventuiellt I learnt how to deal with it (SIMPLE QUESTIONS ). Now, I have my frame at least ...

[djel]

interesting note from Workswell on the frameset prices...

Due to the shortage of the carbon fiber materials to make the rising price much,also the cost of other material of production is increased also,even a cable cover,so the raw frameset unit price has increased much start from 17th of December,2020.

[NoS9]

Hi,

Anyone has experience or recommendation with this frameset?
https://www.yoeleobike.com/products/car ... l-frame-g1

Thanks