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

Not directly from AliX, but Amazon resellers who probably source there's from AliX with no issues.

Any rim group buys on the go?

Other than Carbonda who should I look at for a gravel frame?

I've just received a set of LB wheels, a repeat order of a set of Novatec hubs on the grooved 35mm rims I ordered a year or so ago. Unpacking them I've noticed that the red label on the hubs don't match up - i.e they should both be on the LHS of the hub as you face forwards. This was the case with my original wheelset and I would have thought standard practice when you build wheels, but maybe that's just me being an overly anal twerp.

The front wheel can't be switched around because of the grooves for improved braking having a specific direction. It wasn't possible to see this in the photos they sent of the wheels prior to shipping, and when I queried they replied with a "unless you specify this then we won't do it" which feels a bit like I'm getting fobbed off...

Obviously wheels are round and front hubs will work perfectly fine either way round but it feels vaguely annoying that they don't match. Wondering if anyone else has had the same thing with LB wheels recently?

I 100% dont recall where I read this (either on here, or Weightweenies), but yes, its a thing with LB.

I have a pair of DT350 hubs where the labels are opposite way around front and back. I don't know if they're all like this, but it bothered me for approximately 3 minutes.

maybe that's just me being an overly anal twerp.

You've answered your own question there. If the labels were handed to your satisfaction, you'd then complain that they weren't clocked consistently with respect to the valve holes 🙂

I’m not quite that bad

I have a pair of DT350 hubs where the labels are opposite way around front and back.

Same here (except 240 EXP, red labels so they stick out more...)

it bothered me for approximately 3 minutes.

Little longer for me, maybe 4?

Farsports wheels.

I built my own, so can't blame the assembler, but they are disc hubs so I didn't have much choice in which way round they went...

I’ve been bothered for about all of five minutes. Maybe I just got lucky with my first set as they did match.

DT Swiss hubs are weird. They label their hubs opposite front and back.

Fixable with rim brake fronts, by just turning it around, but not on disc hubs. One can always peel and reaffix the stickers I guess.

The Novatec logos come off very easily with a bit of Acetone. Problem solved. :-)

Nice one

Next question. The rear is a Shimano 11 speed free hub because I’m tired of expensive Campagnolo cassettes. I have just loosely installed the Shimano cassette but removed this washer and rubber shim that was on the freehub first as I figured these were spacers for running a 10 speed cassette. Is this correct?

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The silver one is a spacer for 10sp cassetes.

The rubber is probably a seal for the freehub body to stop dirt getting into the hub body and bearings, I'd suggest that goes back on.

Of course wheels should be built with labels facing the right direction and aligned with valve holes. You don’t need your decals to be straight on your frame either.

The rubber thing may just be to hold the 10speed spacer on, so it doesnt fall off and get lost in transit...

Thanks @motoko and @danb - I figured the silver was a spacer. The rubber thing is very flexible and its profile is round as opposed to flat like a washer. So maybe Dan's suggestion is correct. You wouldn't normally have a washer behind a cassette would you?

The rubber ring may be to reduce noise and vibrations from the cassette. I know Shimano and Sram (new Force AXS in particular) have included them for this purpose.

I believe that issue was with xtr cassettes?

from Shimano:

"M9100 cassettes ship with a thin plastic shim that goes behind the largest cog, and it snugs everything down. If it came as OEM part on a complete bike, it's possible that shim wasn't installed, and that can cause creaking. Please remove the cassette and verify it's there."

The shimano one was very thin clear plastic, and only was needed on the first gen xtr cassettes. SRAM ones go between the 10-11-12 tooth cogs. 'Stealth rings' I believe they call them, no reason to be behind a cassette.
I would agree with danb's assumption seeing as the wheels didn't come with a cassette mounted.

This. Never seen or needed a rubber o-ring to hold a cassette in place.

One can always peel and reaffix the stickers I guess.

Or use the real fix.

Serious first world problems here, but if anyone is considering LB wheels, there are mad wait times.

I ordered (quite a custom job to be fair) in April and I'm still waiting! I was originally quoted 10 weeks which I felt was fine as I'd still have the summer to enjoy them but now I don't know.

Carbon-Ti X-Hub 12 / 100mm straight pull Center lock Black 24H
Carbon-Ti X-Hub 12 / 142mm Sram XDR straight pull Center lock Black 24H 56T
SPOKE Pillar Aero X-TRA 1420
NIPPLE Sapim Aluminium Black
AR45 disc Disc Flyweight hook 24H paintless UD 5 Years Without Holes
AR45 disc Disc Flyweight hook 24H paintless UD 5 Years Without Holes