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

Just did some research into rake and how it affects handling.

Looks like the increase in rake will cause a decrease in trail, leading to sharper handling, as will the increase in headtube angle from the reduced axle to crown height (which I'd already worked out).

Makes sense when you know how it works!

So unless anyone can suggest better, the Trigons it is!

BTW getting Conti Competitions on is quite exciting.

You'd better get used to it they puncture every 2 seconds

Has anybody seen any carbon disc only cyclo-x forks in their travels on ta web with a axle to crown about 390-430mm, a rake of around 38mm, weighing 500g-ish?

I want to replace the steel forks (a-c = 440mm, rake = 38mm, weight 1015g) on my MTB for a more commuter friendly light weight carbon, while also dropping the front end a bit, sharpening the handling (current 68deg headtube angle is too slack) and still running a disc up front (would prefer disc only for a cleaner look).

I've seen some good reports about the Trigon MC01 XC carbon monocoque fork that looks good at 495g, a-c = 415mm, but the rake is 48mm. For £120-130 on Ebay.

Is 10mm of rake actually gonna affect the steering that much? And if so, how (sharpen or slacken)?

http://www.carboncycles.cc/?s=0&t=2&

Yeah, I checked out Carbon Cycles, but their lightest suitable fork, the carbon steerer, 425mm a-c, is 730g. Nearly 240g heavier than the Trigon.

Plus that one would cost more!

You'd better get used to it they puncture every 2 seconds

Personal experience?

So unless anyone can suggest better, the Trigons it is!

Trigon make Ritchey's WCS forks ..

Personal experience?

Yep.

Smashed both in less than a week.

Bugger. Ah well, I'll see if my experience matches yours.

Trigon make Ritchey's WCS forks ..

All the more reason to try the Trigon's. They're like a third of the price of the Ritchey's.

All the more reason to try the Trigon's. They're like a third of the price of the Ritchey's.

Agreed .. I seem to remember Dario Pegoretti was using Trigon forks on his frames after Reynolds stopped making forks. I don't know if he still is as he designed his own fork and I don't recall reading whom manufactured that for him. Anyway, my point being they have some reputation as a decent manufacturer rather then a no name brand.

what do people think of this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xmas-discount-Full-Carbon-Road-Bike-MTB-27-2mm-Seatpost-300mm-/370564801930?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item564762258a

wht is the general opinion about Toray T700 carbon ?

When laid up by experts and carefully moulded into rims and quality controlled and sold by a retailer with a warranty it's great.

When knocked out after hours with wonky brake tracks and voids in the mould, not so much.

In other words the exact grade of carbon fibre a frame or wheels is made of is much less important than who it is made by and exactly what they are doing with it.

Further reading

http://redkiteprayer.com/?p=7036

http://www.cervelo.com/en_us/news-blog/engineering/article/the-myth-of-modulus/2939/

Finished my wheel (with rim from dammit) last week

1kg on the nose with a gatorskin tub and no skewer. Zipp stickers will make it go faster, science fact

only if the stickers are evenly spaced, but if misaligned the wheel will not want to turn in a circular fashion

One of the Chinese ebay sellers has started doing 88s on Novatec track hubs for 340 notes delivered; had only seen road wheels up until today.

One of the Chinese ebay sellers has started doing 88s on Novatec track hubs for 340 notes delivered; had only seen road wheels up until today.

Link plyse?

Oval wheels are faster james, everyone knows that and I won't hear any different

are you thinking of roval wheels?

One of the Chinese ebay sellers has started doing 88s on Novatec track hubs for 340 notes delivered; had only seen road wheels up until today.

These sellers? http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/carbon-track-wheel.html

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=220921648368&index=24&nav=SEARCH&nid=71383948339

Same seller has listed 50mm for £300 delivered.

Fook yeah! But something isn't quite right. Who can spot it?

valves?

It's clean?

The other frame in front left now has no wheels?