I love my wife so I am building her a new bike

cycleclinic

Well it my wife's 40th this month so to celebrate/borthday present I am building her a dream bike.

I have started with a frame and fork from Speeder cycles in China. yes the name is terrible but the frame isn't. It is Carbon fibre for disc brakes. Frame weight is 1060g and fork weight is 388g. The aero post is 200g. So quite light for money I paid. the frame has full internal routing for Di2 and the rear brake hose. It is a shame the fork does not have internal routing.


I will update this thread as I build up the bike. I started tonight with the rear wheel. The rims I have chosen a 28H 38mm deep carbon tubular rim from the same supplier. I ask for them with no brake track and what they did is to not apply the surface coating to where the brake track would be, I am fine with that and it look good for a disc brake build now.

I picked the DT Swiss 240 28 spoke straight pull hubs because they are brilliant. Spokes are DT Swiss Competition with black alloy nipples. I have fitted an 11 speed body to it and the OLD has changed to 136mm in other words no real world change.
Rim weight is 330g.
Rear hub weight 232g
Wheel weight 736g

The rear disc rotor is SM-RT99 XTR 160mm because it is the best weight 124g with lock ring.

I have mounted the 11 speed ultegra cassette and the 22mm Continental GP4000 tub and the wheel weight is a shade under 1450g for the rear with a Shimano XT skewer. Not bad really.

If you are wondering what the rim is like to build with well it is excellent. It has built into a very stiff wheel and it took 1 hour in total. Tension is even to within +/-5% and radial runout is less than 0.2mm and lateral runout is of a similar magitude. When I stressed it the wheel did not budge. It is a good rim and wheel. Not all chinese kit is bad some is quite decent it seems. Also the spokes did not spin or even try too which is the fear some have when building with stright pull hubs.




More to come! the parts I have bought are a bit special.

theobrixton

Dream bike indeed, this is going to be awesome. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Calpol

Really interesting project. I hope your wife likes black! or will you get it painted?
It seems discs are becoming more and more popular on road bikes and I suppose they represent the answer to many of the issues surrounding Carbon wheels and braking. Something to ponder there.

Slo Mo Jones

You're going to build her a dream bike? Or her dream bike? Perhaps you should get her her dream present?

She was probably hoping for a holiday somewhere nice. But no, another bike. She'll be happy with all the thought you put into it.

Sodafarl

Loved reading your post. I assume with all the effort you are putting into it that it will really be appreciated.
Looking forward to the next chapter.

cycleclinic

She has been nagging me for a lighter bike for the past year as I kept on bring in my lighter weight steeds and she got some envy. she normally commutes on a 11kg steel road bike which works very well and is perfect for bad weather commuting I think though she will be riding this one alot. Also she loves the naked carbon look. Previously I have bought mystery weekends away for her birthday, this year something different as we have holidays booked already.

I do think carbon rims and disc brakes are the perfect combination.

ugo.santalucia

thecycleclinic wrote:

Also the spokes did not spin or even try too which is the fear some have when building with stright pull hubs.

Not when they are new and the nipples nicely lubricated... they will no doubt seize in the nipple and rotate aimlessly though... I have seen it in many Easton wheels

cycleclinic

Well they better not go out of tru then. As wheels age there is always an increasing risk of some issues not to worry everything has a downside, still I doubt this will be riden in the rain much so the nipple seizing is some way off.

Tonights work.
DT Swiss 28H front hub stright pull 126g
38mm deep carbon rim 332g
Dt comp spokes + alloy nipples 189g
Total 647g

So wheelset weight is a mere 1383g! Light weight and very stiff.
With both rotors, tubs, XT Skewers and cassette (no glue yet they are stretching) weight is 2523g not too bad.

Individual part weights might as well weigh everything.
Front XT skewer 53g
Front XTR 160mm rotor 124g
Pro Sleath EVO bar/stem 404g for 42cm width and 110mm length (claimed 350g so a bit over weight).
Cane creek IS42/28.6 upper assmebly (carbon) 36g
Cane Creek lower assembly IS52/40 42g
3 spacers 6g
Rear Conti GP4000s 22mm tub 267g


slowly taking shape. Next to fit the levers and bleed the brakes, yes shes getting the new Shimano R785 STI's. I hope the bleeding proceedure will be strightforward along with pushing the rear hose through the frame.

cycleclinic

Correction to combined wheel weights I got it wrong.

I am also thinking a tan wall tubular tyre would probably look good on this.

Camcycle1974

Liking this a lot Malcolm. looks a bit like a TCR. Are you sure this is for your wife?! I went down the Chinese carbon route too for wheels. Got clinchers, very pleased with them so far. An X-Pace frame might be my next project.

ugo.santalucia

thecycleclinic wrote:

still I doubt this will be riden in the rain much so the nipple seizing is some way off.

I think this is a general misunderstanding. Aluminium bonds by chemical reaction, it reacts with other metals forming intermetallic compounds. It is fundamentally driven by the large difference in work function between aluminium and saying, iron. The reaction doesn't require water to occur, it's solid state chemistry.
It's well documented in car engines with a cast iron bottom and an aluminium head fastened on top... generally the two parts become one pretty quickly

cycleclinic

I am aware of the chemistry (I do have a degree in materials science and galavanic corrosion was drummed into us) ugo. Water and the presence of salt acclerates the process but yes it will happen by itself given time. I have/had engines with cast iron blocks and alloy heads (BMW M20 25+ year old engines) and never found a head welded to the block, I know it can happen (triumph stags were famous for this) but not to the engines I have had. Overheating the engine generally makes this happen along with a perished head gasket bring the two different matals into contact, which is why most cylinder heads come off or not as the case maybe. I took mine off for engine modifications so that why there was no issue for me.

I do know my own wheels that have alloy nipples that do not see much wet do not seize (I redished one recently after a freehub swap) so it is not the problem even after 18 months. Sapim nipples are anodised even the silver ones which helps alot you see. One one set of wheels where I have riden in the wet does suffer from seized nipples (it has seen alot of water) which is fine so long as they do not need truing or re building unfortunatley the front does need rebuilding as I have worn the rim out. When it comes to rebuilds anyway I would use new spokes as they don't cost much so I will cut them out.

We are a bit off topic now. more updates to come.

Maybe it does look like a TCR frame who knows how close it is. I have yet to find a source for unbranded X-pace frames. The bike is for her it a 52cm C-T with a 53cm TT I ride a 58cm TT. I will have to build one for myself at some point but I am waiting for autumn when campagnolo release details (hopefully) of there Hydraulic braking system for road/CX then I decide which way to go.

earthvspace4XTuUWcX

Interesting build Cycleclinic, thanks for posting.

I use Coppaslip when using alloy nipples, never had a problem with them seizing.

Remarkable

Looks great so far.

cycleclinic

Coppaslip is a good way of solving the seizing issue actually I do worry though if it is too much of a lubricant leading to possible loss of tension down the line. I should try it out properly no my next wheel build I will do for myself.

Today's progress, I got the r785 calipers fitted and the hoses mounted. I had to do a small modification to the BB shell area with a small file to allow the hose to pass through the internal routing guide there as it was only meant for 5mm casing not fat hyraulic line hose!

I have also postioned the seat selle Italia Flyte flow and the handlebar to centre line of seat post is spot on for my wife, phew otherwise that would have been allot of wasted money on the bar stem combo.




Current weight is 6.26kg and all I have to add is the front mech when it turns up, chain, shifters and Di2 what nots. So It should be 7kg or so.

ugo.santalucia

I don't normally like plastic bikes,but I do like it... maybe it's the discs... Brooks bar tape in pink?

cycleclinic

I'm with you on that, I normally don't like plastic wither but your're right it is the disc brake that make it look purposeful. Pink bar tape I had not thought of that that's inspired, pink leather I am ordering some on Monday!

metronome

Looks great. There's a really nice balance going on. Intrigued to see the final result.

Miles253

Looks gorgeous, understated, and aggressive!

Camcycle1974

I hope she's not expected to ride it with that seat to bar drop!

cycleclinic

I have not set the bar height yet, that's the next thing to do before mounting the levers, cutting the hoses and bleeding up the brakes. Bleeding brake oh what fun, it's the future though so you all better get good at it.

cycleclinic

I got the Di2 hooked up now I have to set it up. Time to read the instructions again nearly there. I have bike envy so I have started buying bits for my own version now.

Brooks don't do pink leather bar tape anymore.

ride_whenever

Rookie error with the 785 calipers, should have bought the xtr race ones. Super blingy in the chrome finish and a lot lighter whilst still being perfectly compatible with the levers :twisted:

RideOnTime

Miles253 wrote:

Looks gorgeous, understated, and aggressive!

His Mrs?

cycleclinic

Sorry rookie error the R785 STI come with the R785 calipers which are similar but identical to the XT BR-M785 claipers. I don't think the BR M985 calipers will even fit I think there are hose differences preventing interchangability. Rookie error no it isn't.

Ride on time - my mrs can be summed up that way.

Matthewfalle

Seat to bar looks fine - no probs there.

Whole build looks really cool. Get some bespoke sticker made up for the frame to break up the black a bit and sorted.

Very cool build overall - top work.

cycleclinic

It's done. 7.7kg. Di2 works flawlessly. Disc brakes still need a bit of setting up (got to bed them in and clean the discs up to remove squealing) but it is ready pretty much for it's first ride. I did cut the steerer a bit shorter than I intended by missing the mark I had made but this is the drop I want to move here towards anyway so it better be right (it will be).

So now I have bike envy so I will order a frame for myself now but I will mine with campagnolo Super Record RS and the new over torque crankset. Brakes will Avid BB7 road platinium or maybe some TRP brakes. Or maybe I will wait for Campagnolo hydraulic disc brake effort as they are meant to be working on something.

Still she has one nice bike.

davidwilcock

Di2 and discs at 7.7kg, impressive, looks great too

johnnymcg259

Yeah, great effort on the build. Hope she likes it and appreciates the time you put into it. Approximate cost please?

Paul 8v

Lucky wife, looks great!

Calpol

It does look really good and very light. Those 38mm wheels seem perfectly proportioned with respect to the frame size. Its making me wonder if the 56mm tubs I am considering will look a bit big on my bike (57") frame. You've done a great job there and I hope she enjoys riding it.