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

700c slicks have slightly smaller diameter than 26x2.3" mtb tyres, so consider 26" carbon mtb frames which will be deeply unfashionable (hence cheaper) and should be nice and stiff in the rear, which I think should more than make up for the extra weight.

consider 26" carbon mtb frames

Wrong brakes for a HC bike shirley?

That Hongfu is available new from a UK seller for £350 on ebay; even if you already have a CAAD12, that probably gets close to the £1/g weight weenie index, as pointless as that quest might be.

Wrong brakes for a HC bike shirley?

26" might mean V-brake bosses, but a 140mm weenie rotor should be useful enough for riding down the hill.

a 140mm weenie rotor should be useful

It might be useful, but putting dick breaks on a weight weenie HC bike is adding back most of the potential weight saving on the frame. Also, most crabon XC frames are going to be built for at least 80mm fork travel, so you either have a long fork (heavy) or drop a road fork in and get shit steering geometry and a 100mm+ BB drop. And where are these mythical cheap and light 26" frames anyway? A 5 year old Scott Scale RC is no lighter than a CAAD12 but no cheaper than a Hongfu

should be nice and stiff in the rear, which I think should more than make up for the extra weight

For all that weight makes a negligible difference, I've never seen any evidence that additional stiffness above the basic minimum provided by 531C isn't even less of an performance advantage.

Ha!

TBF, weight does make a difference. Just calculate your power to weight ratio with the added weight of the bike.
Of course for most people is just easier just eating less pies, but not everyone can lose weight easily.

And then work out the potential time advantage over the hill climb due to your marginally improved power to weight, which is likely to be negligible.

Aerodynamics (at lower gradients) and rolling resistance is probably more important.

However light bikes are fun, and the Cannondale Supersix evo (non himod) is light, stiff and pretty cheap these days if you’re going second hand.

Lots of food for thought there, ta!

Appreciate that weight saving makes only a small amount of difference but as said above, light bikes are fun... Which seems counterintuitive if the science shows not much improvement in performance, but maybe it is psychological.

Hongfu looks a good shout but I'll also keep an eye for a supersix on eBay. @Acliff , why do you say non hi-mod - just because cheaper?

Depending on the size they’re about 950g and 350-400g for the forks, which is pretty light, and they tend to go for around £300-350.

Hi-mod saves around 300g and still pretty good value for the weight, £650-£1000?

Strong hill climbing pedigree, BB30 for lightweight cranks, standard 27.2mm seatpost diameter for light seatposts, nothing that limits choice like below BB brakes or dual mount. supposedly just as stiff as the himod frames but at a small weight penalty.

I can sell you some HiMod forks for cheapz. Because, damaged steerer tube, but if you're weight weenying you can cut the damaged top down to save grams

How much (in mm) is left from the fork crown to the damaged bit?

Total length is about 240mm, damage is 15-20mm at the top

Thanks! Agree they look a good option - will keep an eye out for one on the bay and if nothing much shows up on budget look to hongfu...

Anyone running a carbon seat post and haven't been impaled yet? After a 26.8 and a 27.0

I built up a cervelo copy with a carbon post. A mate has it now but 7 years later it’s going strong. That said, it wasn’t any lighter than a decent alu one

Anyone got a knock off Spec Power saddle going spare?

I have one of the “EC90” or something similar in my desk drawer in work

sounds perfect. Gimme a shout if you find it and I can pick it up from you some time.

Just remembered

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Looks like you didnt use it much. Very cheap on ebay. Was it no good?

Bought it from someone on here. Did ride it a couple times but I’ve got a legit one on both of the road bikes that I often ride now. It was fine but did feel slightly different I found

Different in a bad way or good enough to assess the shape? I'd like to try a shorter nose saddle (all my saddles are Selle Italia SLR variants) but don't want to blow a load of cash on something I end up hating

I've struggled with pretty much every other saddle I've tried so I'm very particular about them, or rather my bum is. Its absolutely fine as a saddle and you're right, the shape is basically the same. My bottom just didn't like it as much as the proper ones (which are annoyingly spenny)

good enough to the ass shape?

ftfy