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

Do you pay customs by TPD shipping option?

Thanks to Brexit Lightbicycle don't offer TPD any more. Previously they used to post the wheels to the Czech Republic and then they'd make their way to the UK from within the EU.

Thanks for the info... another “thank you” for brexit!

I might chip in on this order.

Looking for a gravel rim/wheelset - 700cc. Any specific lb model you guys recommend?

WR38 is ideal for gravel.

I had an email last week from LB offering TPD shipping so I think it's back on.

kinda tempted by this... is that price for a specific rim? as the one i'm looking at sells with them for 239USD....

I'd get them to double check that as it was not an option last month when we did our group order.

Ok good shout, will double check.

Yeah that was for an R25 I think. All (?) other rims are more expensive.

Now we're planning to pay the customs fee up-front so I'm predicting around £150 total cost (item + shipping + VAT/customs) for my single R35 rim.

Do you know what kind of a deal there may be in terms of shipping savings /discount?

I've got my eye on some of their mountain bike rims, and this could push me over the edge...

Now we're planning to pay the customs fee up-front so I'm predicting around £150 total cost (item + shipping + VAT/customs) for my single R35 rim.

If you're now looking at paying customs up front, are you open to including wheelsets? Is there a saving on the wheels/rims themselves or just the shipping?

any one have experience of refunds on aliexpress?

Aliexpress is offering a 20% refund for a freehub that has ridiculously notchy bearings. I clicked the decline button and requested 50% to cover the cost of new bearings.
Heard nothing back then today the 20% has automatically been issued without my approval.
Is there a way to contact them to ask for more? None of the live chat options seem to work.

Is it Ali Express or the seller that have offered the 20%?

AFAIK the way the dispute process works is that if the buyer and seller can't agree then Ali Express makes a ruling and their ruling is final.

It's aliexpress that offered 20%

Hardly ever use AE and the lay out of the website is messy and hard to navigate, but I've found an option to make an appeal on the 20% decision so will see how it goes.

The seller had been silent until the 20% was issued by AE but just had from them now offering to give back the remaining 30% via PayPal directly which seems slightly suspect.

Has anyone tried these 15mm Ti spanners?

And is Ti a terrible idea for a jersey-pocket, occasional-use spanner?

is Ti a terrible idea

Mostly, yes. If it was forged from a high strength Ti alloy in the form of the classic Campag peanut butter wrench, it would be usable. Cut from thin sheet of no particular grade (so probably CP), it will probably fail the first time you try to use it. I'd trust the Moxie version in 7075T6 more than a thin sheet Ti one even if the thin sheet was Grade 5

^ Understood. Thanks, that's saved me some wasted time.

Moxie version in 7075T6

Looking for a cheapskate version of this lead me to AliExpress :)

I have a similar straight version bought from eBay. It’s probably the same tool, I have used it a few times at home and it hasn’t broken yet. It is short for leverage, but I have managed to open my hub bolts pressing with my foot. I keep it in my seat bag if I will need to fix a puncture.

I’ve had a mare with refunds before but had
much more success getting a full refund through my credit card company.

Thankfully we're only talking about £25 so I wasn't too upset, more just the principle really.
So AE refunded 20% and today the seller has actually paypal'd me the remaining 30% so all good now I suppose.

But the process is pretty off putting. Seems AE just decide what percentage they think is reasonable and you have to like it or lump it.

Any views on the Hunt Carbon 3o all road disc vs the light bicycle equivalent?

I'm thinking Hunt comes with a lack of customs headaches.

you have answered your own question, I have both, somehow I think LB are 'better'. Dont ask me why.

I bought the Hunt 30 carbon disc wheels a couple of years ago but returned them without riding them because they were ~120g overweight and only 19mm internal width rather than 21mm advertised.

Bought a set of LB AR46s with DT Swiss 240 hubs instead. These were cheaper, lighter, deeper and with better hubs although I did have to wait a few weeks. No customs headaches back then...

Two votes for LB eh, good to know. Hunt have some long wait times at the moment too.

@Amey any advance on 'better'? Did you upgrade hubs ?

24 spokes front and rear feels a bit low for real off roading?