Orient Express - Cheap Chinese Rims / Wheels / Forks / Frames / Cranks / Etc

I was aiming at one of their frames but I couldn't find many pictures of it being built up. They use Alloy 6005, so that's the only downer, besides price seem attractive.

I bought one to fuck around on when I lived in China. It was cheap as chips so wasn't expecting a lot, so it exceeded those. It was literally fine, wasn't precious, stood up to being p-ed around on and jumped down stair sets etc. (this was a 'track' frame) so either I got a good one, or they're fine. data point either way.

Thanks for the feedback. There aren't many orders so I am not sure I am 100% ready to make the jump. We'll see!

Titanium bottle cages that hold bottles...any suggestions?

Anyone got or tried the Lightbicycle rims with grooved brake tracks? Are they much better?
I might need to replace my rims soon and the double whammy of better braking and tubeless upgrade would be great

Oh, and any tips about ordering direct from LB would be handy too. Pay for tax up front or chance it?

I've no comparison with the non-grooved track - once you've spent X you as well spend Y.
On Tax, pay upfront, I've done 2x orders (each with a different approach) and after customs/handling fee the cost is the same but with added hassle and time.
Though I don't know the odds of getting through unchecked..

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thumbs up

Or buy mine if YAL doesn't want them

Bought the 606 - had it for a 2 months and i still have teeth. used the mounts for cages with luggage and now have a pizza rack on it carrying 5-10kg tops. Seems okay so far. The steerer was pretty ugly when it showed up and in hindsight I should have got the 505 fork, the mounting points are lower down and you can mount things to the front of the brake bridge, which you can't with the 606 (which mean the pizza rack needed a bodged work-around).

Carbonda were pretty good to deal with - offered a full refund if i wasn't happy due to the ugly steerer and it arrived within a week or two.

Thanks a lot for the feedback, good point about the 505, will have to do some digging about clearance I guess - ideally I'd like to be able to fit 700c 40mm with guards.

Any recommendations for flat pedals (low profile)?

I have some panaracer slick gravel-thingys in 38 with some sks mudguards. A bit of room left so I'd imagine you could squeeze in 700x40.

Finally took some photos.

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Ta, worst case I'll get 38 or so, which is probably still more than reasonable. I emailed Carbonda again today, they'd do a mounting point at the front of the brake bridge for an extra $5, which sounds pretty good. I reckon I'll go with the 606 then.

How many £?

Looking at building a rigid or short travel carbon 29er for bikepacking races that are a bit spicier than a gravel bike can handle- Silk Road etc.

Does anyone have first-hand experience of the Carbonda MTB frames, or equivalent? Trawling other forums etc and feedback seems overwhelmingly positive...

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cheap !

@pit knows about this kinda thing

Carbonda, Workswell, Dengfu. Can't go wrong with any of these. Pick the one you like the most. Get just the frame, their headsets, clamps, and BBs are a bit shit.
My Workswell 162 with Tandell forks, and Nextie wheels.

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Basically would like what I paid for them, but minus the import/postage. USD 159 each.

I have these rims in a slightly shallower model, the new brake track does actually work in the wet which almost takes getting used to in itself.

Anyone have any recommendations for a carbon track wheelset?

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