Chinese Open Mold Gravel / CX Bikes

The spirit of Grav-lo-cross. No but seriously, cyclocross and gravel go here!

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jever98
Posts: 1175
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:02 pm
Location: Seattle

by jever98

Interesting!

Which handlebars did you order with it? At least on Aliexpress, it looks like there are ones with different stem angles.

What I would also be curious to hear is how it works to travel with an integrated front end like this. If you have to pack your bike, can you put it in a bike bag? I can't get my head around how to get the handlebar off if the cables are cut to lenth.

lastly, I am wondering how the routing for the front brake works: it looks on the photos as if there is a hole in the fork for the brake line to come in, but how does that work if you run it down the steerer?

Cheers
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No longer in the industry

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IrrelevantD
Posts: 857
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2015 5:47 pm
Location: Near DFW Airport

by IrrelevantD

jever98 wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 7:46 pm
What I would also be curious to hear is how it works to travel with an integrated front end like this. If you have to pack your bike, can you put it in a bike bag? I can't get my head around how to get the handlebar off if the cables are cut to lenth.

lastly, I am wondering how the routing for the front brake works: it looks on the photos as if there is a hole in the fork for the brake line to come in, but how does that work if you run it down the steerer?

Cheers
I never thought of that, that's a good question. I supose with Hydraulic, full housing cables or electronic, you could just have a little extra cable in the tubes. With anything cable actuated with actual cable stops, I'm not sure how that works.
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Ruben58
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:08 pm

by Ruben58

jever98 wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 7:46 pm
Interesting!

Which handlebars did you order with it? At least on Aliexpress, it looks like there are ones with different stem angles.

What I would also be curious to hear is how it works to travel with an integrated front end like this. If you have to pack your bike, can you put it in a bike bag? I can't get my head around how to get the handlebar off if the cables are cut to lenth.

lastly, I am wondering how the routing for the front brake works: it looks on the photos as if there is a hole in the fork for the brake line to come in, but how does that work if you run it down the steerer?

Cheers
Handlebars were tricky actually. It took some back and forth with the seller. I believe the model name is HB010 for the one I will get. It has quite a steep stem angle. Theres pictures around with a 'flatter' stem but that maken the handlebars almoist point up a bit.

As for the cable routing. I do not know exactly but I expect the hydraulic cable to rout through a hole in the fork next to the steerer. Am also a bit confused as different sellers list different rotor sizes but that is probably a spacer thing... trying to find out the exact thru axle type too, went off 12x100 front but there's different thread pitches etc..

kroem
Posts: 435
Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 4:37 pm

by kroem

That GR039 looks pretty nice. I have a Velobuild gravel right now and the seatpost is bugging me out.
Current
Waltly Gravel (stolen... and found!)
P-X Spitfire Ti
Fairlight Strael

Old
Canyon Ultimate SLX 6.7kg (crashed)
Tantan GR039 7.2kg (sold)

Ruben58
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:08 pm

by Ruben58

kroem wrote:
Fri Feb 07, 2020 5:16 pm
That GR039 looks pretty nice. I have a Velobuild gravel right now and the seatpost is bugging me out.
In what way? The proprietary shape? Or is it slipping? I've seen people fix that with a bit of extra clearcoat.

kroem
Posts: 435
Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 4:37 pm

by kroem

Ruben58 wrote:
Sat Feb 15, 2020 7:23 pm
kroem wrote:
Fri Feb 07, 2020 5:16 pm
That GR039 looks pretty nice. I have a Velobuild gravel right now and the seatpost is bugging me out.
In what way? The proprietary shape? Or is it slipping? I've seen people fix that with a bit of extra clearcoat.
The proprietary shape and the saddle "mount". Well I wouldn't care about the shape if I didn't want to change it :)
It's not slipping for me after some carbon paste.
Current
Waltly Gravel (stolen... and found!)
P-X Spitfire Ti
Fairlight Strael

Old
Canyon Ultimate SLX 6.7kg (crashed)
Tantan GR039 7.2kg (sold)

andreas
Posts: 296
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2014 10:21 pm

by andreas

Is there any open mold frame like the Salsa Cutthroat? I need clearance for 29x2.25" Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro studded tires (no, I don't want to run 650B, please don't derail with discussion regarding this :) )

emotive
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2016 10:40 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by emotive

andreas wrote:Is there any open mold frame like the Salsa Cutthroat? I need clearance for 29x2.25" Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro studded tires (no, I don't want to run 650B, please don't derail with discussion regarding this :) )
I don’t think so. 700 x 50 (29 x 2.0) was the max I have seen so far.

Perhaps an open mold 29er with a rigid fork will be as close as you can get as this time.

jpeterson1012
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2019 10:06 pm
Location: Chicago

by jpeterson1012

I've had good experiences with the ICAN GRA-02 paired with a Lauf Grit SL fork and ICAN 50mm tubeless.

Hexsense
Posts: 3269
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 12:41 am
Location: USA

by Hexsense

jpeterson1012 wrote:
Wed Mar 11, 2020 10:55 am
I've had good experiences with the ICAN GRA-02 paired with a Lauf Grit SL fork and ICAN 50mm tubeless.
ICAN GRA-02 is the same frame as yishun g010-d, right?
At least their geometry look identical.
https://www.yishunbike.com/gravel-bike- ... d_p47.html
https://icancycling.com/products/gravel ... rame-gra02

I'm eyeing it too. Their unique (-ish for open mold gravel bike) long low geometry might allow me to use -6 degree stem which then enable the use of redshift shockstop stem. If I need anything steeper than -6 (like -10 or -17) then redshift shockstop doesn't have such stem option.
Also, their seat post shape is standard (not aero) and seat tube length in my size is appropriate to use DCB Flex Seatpost. Some CX bike has a seat tube too long that I can't use suspension seatpost.

TheIneffable
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2019 10:44 pm

by TheIneffable

Anyone have recommendations for a gravel frame/mould for a shorter rider?

Looking for one that IDEALLY has a <51cm effective top tube, or around there.

I don't mind if it needs to run 605b wheels or not. Just looking for one for a smaller female rider.

Cheers!

emotive
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2016 10:40 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by emotive

TheIneffable wrote:
Sat Mar 14, 2020 4:55 am
Anyone have recommendations for a gravel frame/mould for a shorter rider?

Looking for one that IDEALLY has a <51cm effective top tube, or around there.

I don't mind if it needs to run 605b wheels or not. Just looking for one for a smaller female rider.

Cheers!
A few smaller riders are using the Carbonda CFR505 and CFR696, both are available in 48cm and 51cm sizes. There is an extensive 3 year long Carbonda thread over at https://ridinggravel.forumchitchat.com/ ... da-8254658

Hexsense
Posts: 3269
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 12:41 am
Location: USA

by Hexsense

A geometry that'll work well for 650b:
1.) bb drop of around 60mm preferred. No more than 70mm acceptable. You might get away with more than 70mm bb drop if the crank is shorter than 165mm (maybe 160 or 155). But if you keep the common size 165mm, then try to keep bb drop under 70mm.
2.) Headtube angle not steeper than 71 degree. Fork offset of no more than 50mm. These will create trail value that isn't too low when using 650b wheelsize and tires that isn't so big. Steeper HTA and higher fork offset will make bike twitchy on gravel when using 650b with tire size around 35-40mm.

That's it, the rest are free style.

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eucalyptus
Posts: 527
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2020 3:51 am
Location: Sweden

by eucalyptus

I have a raw UD carbon GR039 frame on order from Miraclebike.

First looked to buy it from Seraph (tantan) or some other manufacturer, but then it would be ready in the end of April or sometime in May... Okay, Miracle has not sent i it even though I ordered it a couple of weeks ago :P After weeks of trying to find one just before and in the middle of this corona crisis, Miracle was the only one to say they had one in stock, size 54.

Also wanted it in 3K matte finish, but then everyone said I need to order 25 or 50 frames minimum LOL. So will just have to go with UD and have it custom painted.


To make it a 6kg build or something like that, I also bought a custom 1040 gram (need to weigh it) wheelset from Timetec on aliexpress. Very helpful guy! Asked for custom turquoise nipples which he didn't have, so he outsourced for me and found the right one :) 250gram rims with DT swiss 180 EXP hubs and CX ray spokes.

Gonna be one exciting build :D I have a full SRAM AXS red Etap groupset to go with it, or a mullet build, because I am going with the AXS XX1 derailleur and cassette.

Gerben321
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2020 11:20 am

by Gerben321

Hi guys, I'm looking for a carbon fiber frame to replace my Trek Crossrip frame. Could you suggest me one? I've added some background information to my needs in a topic here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=160858&sid=87405362 ... 4af9eced10

Thanks in advance!

by Weenie


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