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

I might be willing to die while exploring new frontiers for good of humanity, just not sure that cheap Chinese cranks is a frontier worth dying for.

Is this a Kalloy stem, or a copy?

Looks like the same stem available here on eBay from China, if that helps:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254235272089

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This is such a tease, first they document every tiny step and then silence, I guess this is where they
go dark to do their tax shenanigans,

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Never goes beyond there in my experience. Try the same tracking number on royal mail and parcelforce sites. They usually take over from there

it sort of worked

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Wheels just appeared at my door. Weight is ridiculous and the laser etched logo is very nice.

HUB-F Bitex BX312F/R
Sapim CX Ray
Sapim Brass Oil slick nipples
AR25 disc Hybrid Hook UD Paintless Disc 24H

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This all came together surprisingly easy, tubeless installation went without any issues and disc rotors and cassette ended up in the same place so not adjustment needed.
Saved 900g vs the old wheelset and I am relieved that I do feel a bit of a difference so it wasn't
completely pointless.

Brass nipples as well, so you could have gone lighter!

My deeper LB AR35s with Carbon Ti hubs are around 1300g for reference

Keen to hear some riding feedback on the AR25

It's tricky to say anything meaningful, on the current bike I can only compare them to the basic
Giant alu wheels that came with the bike but I also changed tyres so that might have an effect.
Went from Maxxis Rambler 42 to Tufo Speedero 40, both measure 42mm but the Maxxis feel squishier at the same pressure.

First impressions is obviously the easier spin up and noticeably less effort uphill, they have a soft feel to them when accelerating which I think is the lack of resistance that you normally get when speeding up quickly.
Steering also feels a lot lighter.
Side to side flex I can't really tell, don't notice anything unusual while riding but I don't have any way to measure that.
They did feel a bit harsher over a bumpy surface but that is probably the tyre.

Great, thank you.
I spoke to one guy who had two sets, one with carbon spokes and one with regular and he was saying they're very flexy but you never can tell whether it's a placebo effect

Depends also on what you expect, I might think "oh, these ride nice" but somebody more performance oriented might think they steal all their energy.

Just got photos through of mine (not sure I went for this option but anyway). Very excited now..

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I know those waves are supposed to remind us of whale fins, but to me they always conjure up the wear we used to have on Mavic CD tubular rims

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Used to have? :)

Fancy!

Is semi hook holding up ok so far? What kinda weight are you and pressures running?

So far it's holding up without issues but I haven't put much stress on it with offroad riding yet.
80kg + bike at 40psi with a 40mm tyre.

I’m assuming you can use tubes if something goes wrong? This is my main issue but I’ve not had to resort to a tube in ages

I think you can always use tubes, even on hookless rims but the tyres need to be tubeless ready.

I'm hunting for a titanium seatpost with a setback that will hold my carbon saddle with 7x9mm rails. I've messaged TiTo but they tell me their clamps can only handle 7x7mm steel rails.

Does anyone know a different supplier I could try?

I'd be tempted to file the TiTo clamp by 1.5-2.0mm, as it looks just about chonky enough. Obviously not a great plan A though, would rather buy a dedicated 7x9mm rails post.

I'd be tempted to file

Where? Don't touch the cradle, there's not the material spare. There might be room to mill the two side wedges to make the upper and lower cradle sit 2mm further apart

even on hookless rims but the tyres need to be tubeless ready.

Not all tubeless ready tyres are safe to use on hookless. They need to be specifically approved.

You could just buy the wedges for oval rails for pre 2015 Enve seatposts from Saddleback