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

Some carbon clincher road wheels with your choice of decals spotter/dammit-style:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHEELS-CARBON-CLINCHER-700C-50MM-DEEP-RACE-TIME-TRIAL-DECAL-MAVIC-ARGYLE-/130760549999?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item1e71efa66f#ht_2535wt_1397

^ what is the opinion of carbon clinchers esp. orient carbon clinchers?
The whole 'your tires will explode' argument' ..

if you're braking on them, don't get carbon clinchers.

ok so who makes black alu rim/braking surface (H+Son style) and deep section carbon?

Mavic Cosmic Carbone Exalith

Found these;
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-arrival-700C-carbon-rims-clincher-40mm-with-aluminium-brake-surface/598340672.html

Opinions please..

bit shallower but only £90

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-Of-Carbon-Road-Bike-Clincher-Wheel-Rim-42mm-700C-32H-32H-/370647310260?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item564c4d1fb4#ht_1535wt_1163

You can get 50mm ones in europe for not far off that. The alu braking surface + carbon fairing design is a heavy one though.

http://www.cnc-bike.de/product_info.php?cPath=39_187_889&products_id=1028

703g!

convince me not to buy these and go orient instead: http://www.stradawheels.co.uk/shop/h-plus-son-archetype/

They are costing me £400 including delivery and Ti QR skewer.

The Mavic Exalith coating is done by Keronite in UK, do you think there would be a market for a Keronite coated Kinlin rim or similar if they do batch jobs? Group buy?

I'd have thought that they'll be coming on other rims.

You can get Keronite coated chainrings from the East.

http://www.weiku.com/search/?key=Keronite&cid=0&btnsearch=

Found these;
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-arrival-700C-carbon-rims-clincher-40mm-with-aluminium-brake-surface/598340672.html

Opinions please..

There are similar rims on AliExpress from other sellers for about half that, e.g. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Alloy-Carbon-Road-Bike-Clincher-Wheel-Rim-42mm-28-32/490193219.html

But 703g?

Google says H+Son is 600g. Why bother?

Madness. Do you think they're any good?

Could be weight of a pair.

I notice there is a ton of knock off kit on aliexpress, including rapha winter kit

Google says H+Son is 600g

H+Son says H+Son is 615g. Who are you going to believe?

They are also £133/pr, which is about £30 more than (780g) Chinese Carbon/Al ($130 + VAT + 5% Duty = £101)

TBF it was more to illustrate a point.

Point being, what is the point?

I get it from a looks perspective (I'm constantly tempted by carbon clinchers), I just think that you could probably do better. An extra £30 isn't a great deal on a total wheelbuild and having a UK retailer to help you out if something goes wrong is probably worth that.

I notice there is a ton of knock off kit on aliexpress, including rapha winter kit

The materials are usually good. The pad in my bibs is well impressive. Ut the stitching on rock racing kit went within a few uses.

I'm not of cyclist build though.

TBF it was more to illustrate a point.

Point being, what is the point?

I get it from a looks perspective (I'm constantly tempted by carbon clinchers), I just think that you could probably do better. An extra £30 isn't a great deal on a total wheelbuild and having a UK retailer to help you out if something goes wrong is probably worth that.

The carbon fairing has a better profile than most 'aero' aluminium rims. Still fecking heavy.

What you want is reinforced carbon clinchers like mine. But wider with a better profile. Like some zipps.

You get what you pay for it guess.

Point being, what is the point?

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having a UK retailer to help you out

This is completely contrary to the spirit of this thread

I've been riding one of the Chinese crabon fribe frames for about a month now and it takes an incredible amount of abuse without giving me any problems. Maybe it feels great because I came from a steel bike but yeah, I expected less from something like that.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/436432/trainingbike2.jpg

The same frame and forks as I've got hanging on my wall at the moment.