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

Do you still have a photo of yours? This was mine, from 2010!

I think they were all lost when photobucket went paid only

Looking for a straight alpina 1 inch fork alternative. Anyone got one of these?

https://a.aliexpress.com/_uYTlh9

Picked my go-proes up from SBC Cycles after taking them in to get trued. Turns out they weren't out of true by very much at all, but the tire hadn't seated properly and it to my eye it seemed more out of true than it was.

Either way, i'd asked SBC to give the wheels the all clear as i'll be doing the Lands End -> John o Groats at the end of the month and didn't want to risk it.

Feedback is that they're very well built and shouldn't be a problem at all. Tension was good and the wheels were only half a mm or so out of true.

Everyone who buys alu or steel frame sets from AliX from now on.
Please post the weight in this thread before you build it up.

i'll be doing the Lands End -> John o Groats at the end of the month

It probably won't be the wheels which are your downfall in this, but it's still a pretty high risk strategy to punt on some rather untried product as mission critical to the success of your holiday.

alu or steel

Why not the crabon and titanium ones too?

Are there any steel or aluminium tourer/crosser/gravel type frames worth looking at?
Thanks

Does anyone have a shiny kalloy stem and can confirm that the logos are removable?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001803335962.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.34f854a1IsZU36&algo_pvid=616ae4b2-2b92-465e-9c73-8860de80b016&algo_expid=616ae4b2-2b92-465e-9c73-8860de80b016-3&btsid=2100bdf016211615686552572e2f23&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

Yes... I've had a few, nail varnish remover and cotton wool will take the logos clean off... however, they're not robust... I split one, but I suppose it was on my bike, that goes over rough terrain and is subject to small jumps etc... I'm 85kg. It was enough to change out all the ones I had fitted for something a touch burlier.

If you're a slip of a thing and stick to the road, you may have more joy.

I just received one of these in the post
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32969142304.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.71da4c4dF255do
No info on torque specs for the bolts that clamp the saddle rails - any thoughts/experience? 4n too much?

They broke, the brake broke (haha) or this spring inside. When riding home from work I heard a crack, and the brake wasn’t working anymore, or it *only worked / brake:

Yes they are.

Tubular glue remover seems to be the best at getting screened decals off stuff. Leave it on the logos for 5 mins and then generally comes off in one wipe, whereas nail varnish remover needs a bit of scrubbing.

Note: don't get it all over your white bathroom countertop. It may not come out and you may get shouted at by your partner.

First time using Aliexpress (this thread gave confidence) and this $28 Elitaone post arrived within 11 days: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32822592827.html

160g for the 31.6/350mm - very impressed with the finish. It feels really solid and the carbon tubing is thicker than my equivalent lightweight 3T/Deda equivalents. May eat my words (and the road) when I try it out tomorrow. I'm probably classified as obese at the moment, so if anybody's going to break it, it's me.

It's good to see this thread going back to its roots, taking a punt on cheap parts that might work :D

Bought a chainring for my Sram Apex 1 cranks that seemingly very few people make chainring for, as I needed a 38t.
Chainring arrived with some chainring bolts as well, thought that was odd. But then realised the holes weren't drilled the correct diameter, so original chainring bolts didn't fit through, but the 4 bolts they had provided were obviously too small a diameter to match the receiving bolts. All round shambles and impossible to get a refund despite providing evidence etc.
Was a Pass Quest Apex chainring in case anyone searches for recommendations.

Edit to add: super annoyed as well because couple of days later the rep for absolute black came into our store and was able to tell me that they were getting stock in 2 weeks, and I managed to order one at essentially the same price as the aliexpress special

What a mess..
the only strange thing is the refund, aliexpress refund policy is in general really good i think they keep the money till the client is satisfied and the sellers are in general more worried to be blocked by the platform than to keep the money of a bad product. I buy alot of crap from there and every time something was not to the right spec i asked and received a refund.

I had a fight with one seller over a 3 dollar item they insisted was at my local post office despite the tracking showing it had never got out of Singapore. In the end, Aliexpress just overrode them and gave me the money

Hmm maybe I should push this a bit then. Annoyingly it's Ali who seem to have made the judgment. Not sure if it's different being in NZ

Ali reps don't research details and problems of products they have no knowledge of. to make a better case where something not as described or faulty better take as many detailed pictures as allowed with highlighted problem and description or make a video. otherwise it will be - delivered> signed> not my problem kinda thing

someone asked about the tsunami steel frame on aliexpress, i have been delivered one. It sound and straight for a steel frame is not too heavy the headset is ok but the seatpost clamp is a lump of metal.. building it up i encountered a problem with one of the read disc bosses, i think it need to be chased and probably a shorter bolt than usual

4 Attachments

Oh and the geometry is not exactly as the geo chart, the headtube is 5mm taller and i think the top tube is shorter which is still work ok for me but still something to think about

Cheap ass thumbies: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32999123125.html
Just arrived. Solid, shifting is very satisfying, micro-ratcheting thingy with about 23 clicks, which is nice. Pulls a lot of cable, should easily handle 9 speed. The resistance can be adjusted too. For 3 EUR it's a steal.

Getting slightly off topic but has anyone been tempted by the Chinese GPS / bike computers?
I don't like either Garmin or Wahoo, and the specs and prices look pretty good.

https://www.igpsport.com/
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002353325856.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.677c7ceeMhiSWb&algo_pvid=22f6d196-5cbb-4ae2-b2cc-8f23dbb879a4&algo_expid=22f6d196-5cbb-4ae2-b2cc-8f23dbb879a4-10&btsid=2100bdcf16219526506674592e091d&ws_ab_test=searchweb00,searchweb201602,searchweb201603_

Thanks.. it was me that asked!