BIGROCK Sohtea. The "Chinese Aethos"? Half a year later...
China Cycling
3. Oktober 2024
https://www.pandapodium.cc/brand/bigrock/ - Check out my bigrock ;)
The BIGROCK Sohtea is a frameset that impressed me when I bought one to check out last winter. SInce then, I've now actually built three of these things up as complete bikes. My favourite (the lightest, ofc) is a 5.9kg hill-mashing beast. This is a great bike for climbers, or traditionalists who prefer round tubes and simple seatposts.
00:00 Intro
00:31 Montage
00:45 What is the BIGROCK Sohtea?
03:19 Build one: Superlight Climbing Build
08:03 Build two: Budget Build
09:03 Build three: E-Bike Build
10:08 How does it ride?
11:38 Build Quality
12:04 Buyer Beware
13:30 Q&A Session
17:00 Summary
Keywords: bigrock,big rock,chinese,china,aethos,frame,sohtea,sohteah,soteah,t800,t1100,china cycling,review,deep dive,install,l-twoo,erx,superlight
Erwähnte Teile
Bigrock Sohtea Superlight Carbon Road Bike Frameset
Brand Day
RahmenBigrock Sohtea Superlight Carbon Road Bike Frameset
Erstellt: 24. März 2026The reviewer provides a detailed review of the Bigrock Sohtea frameset after extensive use, having built three of them and ridden thousands of kilometers. They describe it as a very pure, traditional climbing bike with round tube profiles and a 27.2mm seatpost, offering versatile build options. They highlight two versions: a standard layup and a lighter Team Edition using high-modulus carbon fiber. The reviewer praises the build quality, T47 bottom bracket, included accessories, and the frame's stiffness and climbing performance. They note it is not the most aero on flats and has toe overlap on small sizes, but overall are very impressed, especially with the weight and value.
KI-Zusammenfassung
Pros
- Very pure, traditional bike design with round tube profiles
- Versatile build options - works with separate bar/stem or integrated cockpits, any wheels
- T47 bottom bracket is easy to work with at home
- Two versions available: affordable standard and lightweight Team Edition
- Standard version is under $1200 including frame, fork, seatpost, accessories - a bargain
- Standard frame weight is around 780g, very light for an all-round frame
- Team Edition frame weight is 680g (size XS) including paint and all accessories
- Team Edition uses high-modulus (e.g., Mitsubishi T1100) carbon fiber
Cons
- Not the best for aerodynamics on flat sections at high speed (30-40kph)
- Toe overlap exists on small sizes (reviewer uses XS), as with most small frames
- Team Edition is more expensive (~$1668)
- With very light wheels (~900g), the bike can feel twitchy/nimble on descents due to low gyroscopic effect
- Potential for scams on platforms like AliExpress with listings that are too good to be true
Key Points
- Frame is described as a traditional climbing bike
- Uses a normal 27.2mm seatpost
- T47 bottom bracket
- Standard version: ~780g, under $1200 for frameset
- Team Edition: ~680g (XS), ~$1668, uses high-modulus carbon like Mitsubishi T1100
- Paint and accessories are included in the stated weights
- Frame weight increases by ~30-40g for a Medium size
- Tire clearance: officially rated for 700x30, reviewer thinks 32mm would fit
MyBikeParts
Bigrock Sohtea Superlight Carbon Road Bike Frameset
