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

I've been emailing back and forth with Kyle at Farsports and have ordered a set of their new 50mm*23mm 3k matte rims. Just going to get their rims sent and will have them built up with 20 & 24H Hope Pro 3's.

I've tried emailing Farsports about these but built up into wheels, what sort of response time are you normally looking at?

HoKe had a bad experience with pre built Chinese wheels. Where possible, just buy the rims and get a reputable shop to build them for you over here. Dammit has done this also and has never had a problem with his Chinese rims, I believe.

... apart from the ones that he did have a problem with...

I've tried emailing Farsports about these but built up into wheels, what sort of response time are you normally looking at?

What email address are you using?
I employed a scattergun approach and sent an email of enquiry to every far sports email address I could find.
Got 3 replies all with slightly varying rim prices/delivery costs.
Kyle FU sounded like he knew what he was talking about.
Try him on sales2@farsports.cn.
He replied first thing in their morning.

HoKe had a bad experience with pre built Chinese wheels. Where possible, just buy the rims and get a reputable shop to build them for you over here. Dammit has done this also and has never had a problem with his Chinese rims, I believe.

What sort of price are you looking at for a 20/24h build with spokes? Ton?

There's loads of information on the FarSport wheels in this thread.
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=87659&sid=6e305cd966aa8a83b14dea69fc4b9ef9&start=630

Regarding the brake pads, the consensus seems to be that the supplied pads, which are supposedly very similar to Reynolds Blue are a lot better than Swisstop Yellow, and you should set up your brakes so that the pads are as low as possible to avoid excessive heating at the edge of the rim.

I ordered some U shape 50mm clinchers (FSC50-CM) with the new high temp and basalt brake track yesterday morning. These aren't the 23mm width ones, but are 20.5mm I believe.

So far, the service has been great, very responsive to emails.

I'll post some pictures and a review once mine arrive.

Isn't £35 for brake pads taking the piss?

Depends on how much your rims cost. If you're spending +£600 per rim protecting them seems like a worthwhile investment.

Aren't regular Swiss Stop Greens about £25?

Wheres the best place to get some road hubs?

HoKe had a bad experience with pre built Chinese wheels. Where possible, just buy the rims and get a reputable shop to build them for you over here. Dammit has done this also and has never had a problem with his Chinese rims, I believe.

Nope, he has.

Are you sure?

I thought the ones with the issue were rims that he then had built over here.

Re hubs - it depends what hubs. Ribble usually have some pretty good deals. Otherwise the bobob place that does Novatec.

HoKe had a bad experience with pre built Chinese wheels. Where possible, just buy the rims and get a reputable shop to build them for you over here. Dammit has done this also and has never had a problem with his Chinese rims, I believe.

The wheelset built was fine, it actually the rim that was at fault here, the front rim has a few small cracks that seems to be repaired by some glue/paint. :/

Are you sure?

I thought the ones with the issue were rims that he then had built over here.

Re hubs - it depends what hubs. Ribble usually have some pretty good deals. Otherwise the bobob place that does Novatec.

Some of the first rims he bought had bubbles in the varnish, i know becuase I bought one. Whats the bobob place? Ribble only does shimano and campag I wanted novtatec

Bdop cycling

ahh thanks, thats the site i was thinking of but i couldnt remember its name

Gah, no silver hubs. I need silver. SILVER DAMMIT!

Ambrosio or Novatec sometimes come on ebay in different colours.

spattr try this guy: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/The-Cycle-Clinic?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

Wheres the best place to get some road hubs?
http://www.bikehubstore.com/

^ this too, great service

Thanks chaps

There's loads of information on the FarSport wheels in this thread.
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=87659&sid=6e305cd966aa8a83b14dea69fc4b9ef9&start=630

Regarding the brake pads, the consensus seems to be that the supplied pads, which are supposedly very similar to Reynolds Blue are a lot better than Swisstop Yellow, and you should set up your brakes so that the pads are as low as possible to avoid excessive heating at the edge of the rim.

I ordered some U shape 50mm clinchers (FSC50-CM) with the new high temp and basalt brake track yesterday morning. These aren't the 23mm width ones, but are 20.5mm I believe.

So far, the service has been great, very responsive to emails.

I'll post some pictures and a review once mine arrive.

The blue pads that Farsports et al supply are perfectly acceptable on the basalt brake track- they don't last long though as that surface is extremely abrasive.

I commute using them, and they were fine in the rain today, for example.

I would, 100%, use Black Prince on a non-basalt brake track rather than the blue "Reynolds-alikes".

Bikedomeworks seem to be out of stock for the 20/24h Novatec hubs I wanted. Does anywhere else sell the Bolt on versions nice and cheap?

These ones:

http://www.bikedomeworks.tw/ebay%20images/hub/boldon%20r32-1.jpg

cough Got lost on the last page cough Any info from anyone? BDOP are quite a bit more expensive than BDW for some reason.

And delivered without charges.
Will endeavour to get some pics up/thoughts on quality/finish tonight .
Won't be too happy if I get a letter from George Osborne demanding the charges after the fact.....

How are they looking? Any pics yet?

How are they looking? Any pics yet?

Went out last night to play pool and didn't feel like carting them with me.
Will get some up tonight. Stupidly loud Hope Pro 3's arrived too.

Have got some decent pics but stupid plus+net is taking an age to upload them....hang on.....