All Reviews

The reviewer tested the Goldix R180SL 700C carbon wheelset on a Trek Emonda and found it exceptionally light at 1195g for a 50mm rim depth, making it the second lightest 50mm carbon wheelset he has tested. He considers it a better value than the Elite Wheels ENT 2.0 and 3.0, praising its carbon spokes, 36T ratchet hub, and internal carbon construction, but criticizes the limited warranty, 21mm internal width, and poor marketing.

The reviewer tested the UpVine Ultra 40D wheelset, a sub-1kg carbon road wheelset, in the Italian Alps. He found it exceptionally light with lively dynamics, excellent climbing performance, and stable crosswind handling, but noted issues with tire installation and a lack of published wind tunnel data. He considers it a high-quality option with a lifetime warranty, though priced at the upper end of the Chinese carbon wheel market.

The reviewer presents the Tavelo Arden as a new Chinese frameset that builds on the success of the Tavelo Arrow, shifting toward a more all-round, comfortable geometry while retaining high performance. He highlights improvements in tire clearance, bottom bracket standard, and stack height, and notes that it competes with bikes like the Specialized SL8 and Factor Ostro. He mentions two versions (Race and SL) with different carbon layups and prices, and asks viewers whether they would spend that much on this frameset.

The reviewer mentions the Wuezi 1x chainring as a cheap and lightweight option for 1x conversions, particularly for hill climb racing. He states that he uses these chainrings on pretty much all of his 1x builds, and that they cost around £7 to £10 depending on size. A 38-tooth version costs £7 and weighs around 54 grams. Swapping to a 1x setup with this chainring allows removal of the front mech, cables, and double chainrings, saving over 200 grams for just £7. The main downside is having only a small chainring, which limits versatility.

The reviewer discusses the RideNow Race Formula TPU Inner Tube as a top value weight-saving upgrade for cyclists prioritizing weight reduction, such as for hill climb builds. They use the standard 36-gram version, noting that while lighter 18-gram tubes exist, those risk durability compromises. The reviewer praises the quality of RideNow TPU tubes as among the best Chinese options and highlights significant weight savings compared to stock butyl tubes, along with the added benefit of compactness for saddle bags. However, they note that TPU tubes are difficult to repair after punctures.

The reviewer ranks the mixed carbon 5D saddle third in a value-focused list, praising its extremely low weight and price while noting inconsistent finish quality. Despite cosmetic flaws, the saddle is found comfortable and durable enough for off-road use.

The reviewer describes the Elitaone seatpost as a legendary ultra-value AliExpress component that is super cheap and super light, but warns that it is somewhat fragile and requires careful installation to avoid cracking, especially when tightening the clamp. He notes it can save a significant amount of weight compared to heavier stock seatposts, such as the 260g+ post on the Canyon, and mentions it is available in standard round sizes and different clamp designs.

The reviewer discusses carbon bottle cages that are a clone of a discontinued Bond Trader design, found by searching 'Triple X bottle cage' on AliExpress. He praises their bottle retention and durability, noting they are ultra light and used on his race bikes without issues. At 18g per cage, they save about 54 grams compared to assumed 45g stock cages, for a cost of about £15-16.

The reviewer discusses the UNO Stem as a classic AliExpress upgrade, noting it is a traditional style stem that is super light and a great value, but it is incompatible with bikes that use proprietary steerer tubes like the Canyon featured in the video.

The reviewer discusses an AliExpress cassette, referred to as the Speed Out Cassette, which appears to be the Ultralight SPEDAO SLR2 Road Cassette. He initially planned to include it as an upgrade for a Canyon Endurance CF6 but had to remove it because the Canyon uses a proprietary Q's (Cues) groupset that is incompatible with HG cassettes. However, he notes that for a standard 11-speed bike like Shimano 105 or Ultegra, the cassette would save over 140 grams for around £55. He also mentions that he found these cassettes to be durable despite being fully steel.

The reviewer includes the Superteam Carbon Wheels as the ninth best value AliExpress upgrade for reducing bike weight. He selects the Super Team Classic wheels as an example, noting they weigh 1500 grams for a 50mm rim depth and save 437 grams compared to the stock DT Swiss wheels on the Canyon Endurace CF6, for a cost of £300. He mentions he has not personally used this specific set but has been impressed with other Super Team wheels he has ridden, including the Gravel Classic Pros, which survived the brutal Three Peaks Cyclocross. He also notes alternative brands like CSC and Elite at similar price points, but finds Elite wheels often heavier.

The reviewer discusses the Hudud Carbon Crankset as the first item in a top 10 list of best value AliExpress bike weight upgrades, ranking it as the worst value. He notes it is a full carbon crankset with a titanium spindle that he has used on his lightest road bike builds. While it is not cheap at £230 including spider, it is not extortionately expensive for a full crankset. It offers significant weight savings of around 300g compared to the stock Shimano 105 cranks on the Canyon Endurace CF6, and provides additional benefits such as customizable crank lengths down to 155mm and compatibility with cheap AliExpress power meters using the Easton mounting interface.

The reviewer presents the 2K Aero 60 Ghost wheelset as a flagship, premium offering from 2K, highlighting its exceptionally low weight for a 60mm deep carbon-spoke wheel, high stiffness, and agile handling. He notes the wheels are designed specifically for 2K, come with a 3-year warranty and a one-time accident replacement, and retail for $1,599. While praising their performance, he acknowledges the price as a potential obstacle in a competitive market and notes that 60mm depth can be challenging in crosswinds.

The reviewer, Luke, tests the WHALEROAD R7, a 1x14 electronic groupset made by Sensah (branded as Whale Road for Western markets). He finds it performs well overall, with crisp shifting and good brakes, but notes a few issues like a stiff derailleur that required adjustment and proprietary mounting hardware. He considers it a strong value option, especially for all-road or gravel bikes, though not ideal for dedicated road racing due to cadence jumps. The groupset requires a UDH hanger for 14-speed use and is priced around $1000.