All Reviews

The reviewer presents the LightFast CSA Disc wheelset, a handmade carbon wheel from a Chinese brand. He chose a 35mm deep, unpainted rim with visible carbon finish, carbon spokes, and LightFast's own 36-tooth engagement hub with ceramic bearings. He highlights the wheels' light weight, measuring 619g rear and 1140g total, and notes they are well-built, true, and roll smoothly. He appreciates the option to use DT Swiss hubs at extra cost but prefers to test LightFast's own hubs. The wheels are tubeless-ready but require taping. He mentions a 15% discount code bringing the price to about $968 including shipping, and notes no additional customs duties. He plans to test them on the road and have them checked by his mechanic, who found them well-centered with only minor spoke tension adjustments needed.

The LightCarbon Super Light Disc Brake Road Carbon Frameset With Integrated Handlebar is discussed as part of the reviewer's bike build. The reviewer mentions purchasing the frame at Eurobike and opting for a higher grade of QA/QC and materials, which cost slightly more. They highlight the ease of building the bike, particularly praising the handlebar routing and integrated handlebar/stem combo. The reviewer notes the frame's quality and compares it favorably to more expensive brands like Cannondale and Look. They also mention some personal preferences about handlebar width and graphics.

The reviewer praises the ICAN Graro Carbon Gravel Bike Frame for its thoughtful design, versatility, and value. They highlight its use of quality carbon materials, internal cable routing, compatibility with various groupsets, and numerous mounting points for accessories. The custom paint option is noted as a unique feature at a competitive price. The frame is described as well-made and robust, suitable for gravel, touring, and winter riding. The reviewer plans to build it into a high-spec gravel bike for a fraction of the cost of top-tier brands.

The reviewer provides a detailed review of the WHEELTOP EDS GeX Gravel Wireless Groupset, highlighting its budget-friendly electronic shifting system with hydraulic disc brakes. They discuss its features, performance, and unique aspects compared to other systems on the market. The reviewer tested the system with various cassettes and chains, noting its versatility and reliability. They also mention the company's recent developments and potential future improvements.

The reviewer discusses the Alvas DA45, a complete Chinese road bike priced at around £950, featuring a T800 carbon layup, Shimano 105 electronic groupset, and 60mm deep wheels. He notes that it feels similar to other aero bikes, highlights the lack of quality control concerns with Chinese products, and suggests it could compete with mid-level bikes after some modifications.

The reviewer provides a six-month update on the TAVELO Arow after 4,500 km of racing. The frame set is praised for no issues with the bottom bracket and seat post, but the lack of aerodynamic validation is a disappointment. The saddle is a Riot 3D printed carbon one from AliExpress, which has been good. Chain rings were changed from Pass Quest (which caused chain drops with 12-speed Shimano) to a Dutch brand, which resolved the issue. The handlebars have no issues. The reviewer switched from an L2 ERX groupset to 12-speed Shimano Ultegra, noting Sprint shifters are excellent. The cassette was changed from a Chinese lightweight one to Shimano for better shifting. Wheels are CWS, with a 50mm rear and 28mm front tire combo preferred over the 65/75 for crosswind stability. Bottle cages are Canon Arow ones, which can drop bottles if not inserted straight. Overall, the bike is good with some component changes.

The reviewer discusses the Nepest MAUI wheels, a Chinese brand, comparing them favorably to a high-end Western wheelset (Roval Rapide CLX). He highlights their light weight, ceramic bearings, carbon spokes, and competitive price. He notes they perform well in terms of speed, comfort, and wind stability, though they are slightly less snappy when sprinting out of the saddle. He suggests potential improvements such as wider external rim width and a different range of depths.

The reviewer tested the CYCPLUS AS2 Pro Max Tiny E-Pump for a year and found it to be a convenient and reliable gadget. He appreciates its small size, precise pressure settings, and ease of use, but notes it is expensive and has some drawbacks like battery dependency and noise. He concludes that while it's not a necessity, it's a luxury worth having.

The reviewer discusses the CYBREI Carbon Crankset, comparing the original DUB version with the new 24mm spindle version. He highlights the crankset's popularity, stiffness, lightness, and reliability, noting its adoption by SRM and use in the World Tour. The 24mm version offers compatibility with Shimano setups and larger bearings but is heavier and more expensive due to its titanium spindle.

The reviewer discusses the Tavelo Arow, a high-end aerodynamic road bike frame he has used for nearly a year. He highlights its development, aerodynamic design, lightweight construction, and versatility, noting it performs well not only on flat terrain but also in climbs and rolling courses. He also mentions the brand Tavelo, the frame's specifications, and his personal build with Chinese-market components.

The reviewer received the TanTan GR-201 carbon gravel frame for review. He highlights its generous tire clearance, numerous mounting points, and innovative down tube storage. He praises the clean internal construction and overall design but notes the frame is not lightweight and has some minor paint imperfections.

The reviewer discusses the RIRO Carbon Fiber Crank extensively, highlighting its performance and design improvements over other carbon crank sets. They mention using it for over a year with more than 2,500 miles, noting its durability and solid construction. The crank set features a single bolt securing mechanism similar to SRAM, which the reviewer praises as superior to other designs. They also appreciate the better quality chain rings that come with it, which have lasted longer than those on other crank sets. However, they note an issue with the original extraction bolt cracking under excessive use, though they consider this an uncommon scenario. The reviewer also mentions a newer version of the RIRO crank set with a different design and heavier weight but improved features like a 29mm axle and better shifting performance.

The reviewer discusses the ZTTO flat mount to post mount adapters when installing brakes on their gravel bike build. They mention using these adapters to convert the frame's flat mount system to accommodate post mount brakes, which are standard for mountain bikes. The reviewer notes the adapters came with pre-greased screws, making installation easier. However, they encounter a significant issue where the rear brake adapter doesn't fit properly with the frame, causing the brake to sit crooked. This forces them to purchase a Shimano GRX brake instead. The front brake adapter works correctly, but the rear compatibility issue is a major drawback.

The reviewer mentions using their 'trusty Elite Wheels ENT Drive' wheelset for their flat bar steel gravel bike build. They describe setting up the wheels with Schwaba G1 tires in 40mm for all-around gravel use. The wheels are shown being installed with ZTTO 160mm rotors using a center lock system. The reviewer does not provide extensive commentary on the wheels' performance but includes them as part of the functional build.

The reviewer mentions using the Schwalbe G-one 700x40c 40-622 28x1.50 Allround Tubeless Bicycle Tire Tyre for their flat bar steel gravel bike build. They describe these tires as 'allaround in 40 mm' and state that they should be 'perfect for some gravel' riding. The tires are part of the wheel setup along with Elite Wheels ENT Drive rims.