You could say the bike is a Chinese technology extravaganza. I have slightly mixed feelings about that but on the other hand I enjoy the experimentation that is possible when the outlay isn't so painful. It's fun escaping the hegemony of the manufacturers we know oh so well. As pictured here the bike has cost me £2,000. It weighs 7.85kg albeit still lacking a couple of accessories.
This build was only completed on Friday when a ride round the block revealed no obvious issues. Still it was rash for the first proper ride yesterday to be a 190km jaunt down to Portsmouth and back. It was not entirely hassle-free, the seatpost clamp design is a strange one and I had to stop a few times early on to torque it as high as I dared until it settled down. But other than that it was an excellent experience, the Ltwoo shifting impressed, the brakes bedded in, and I was able enjoy the ride without worrying about the bike. Just me, cos I don't do that distance very often.
The paint is a custom colour, Pantone 7711c, with my logo on the down tube.
The RIRO chainset is a recommendation from a friend for something decent out of AliExpress.
ER9 front mech is functional rather than elegant but does the job
ER9 rear mech delivers fast precise shifting. 12 speed here but can be programmed for other gear counts. Try that with the main suppliers.
GP5000s TR tyres in 32mm width, Lezyne valve
Aliante saddle in a slotted version held in place by the unconvincing clamp. The seatpost is not actually round, it's squared off at the rear so not easy to swap in something else.
The shifter levers with their noticeable kick outwards. Frame tyre clearance is given as 35mm but it will take more, up to 40mm perhaps.
RH shifter. The Ltwoo shifters are a lot slimmer than the Campag shifters I'm used to. They seem nicely made. Could do with better access to the shifter tightening bolt though.
Rear dropout and caliper, TRP rotor
Front caliper. Ltwoo supply adaptors to cope with the various possible combinations of front/back 160/140 rotors. Clunky but keeps their SKU count down?
Front wheel, Nextie NXT40CRX-AW wavy rim built onto a Bitex hub with Sapim D-Light spokes
Integrated bars, went with the trend and selected 38cm width, the narrowest available with this frame. They're nice.
First impressions are of a silent efficient ride. Climbs very well. The geo is not stretched out. On a longer ride I often get lower back pain but very little of that on yesterday's ride.
