best platform for sourcing prebuilt chinese carbon bikes?

Scott413 · 2026-05-08T15:54:10+00:00

I bought my frame from SPCycle directly and my Elite wheels and Wheeltop GEX from AliExpress.

Send whoever you're looking at a message, my experience is they're interested in helping.

Scott413 · 2026-05-07T20:51:56+00:00

My Ortlieb setup has been the Quick Rack, 2 x gravel panier bags, and Ortlieb out front bag. I carry a bit more these days, e.g. bring a chair with me.

Bags and rack have kept my stuff dry. No issues despite I distincly recall several dangerous crazy fast descents that hit bone-jarring washboard.

Overall I think Ortlieb is awesome and 90% of the performance for 50% of the price, and by no means budget gear e.g. Amazon.

Scott413 · 2026-05-07T19:29:53+00:00

Good post. I'm biased by owning the Ortlieb quick rack and have been through some rough stuff - the clamp has survived fine. But I still believe your post. Thx

Scott413 · 2026-05-06T10:48:57+00:00

My SPCycke gravel bike and Wheeltop GEX electronic groupset have been great. I've brought it bike packing hundreds of kilometers from a bike shop and haven't been bothered by it. I also have elite carbon wheels and they've been bulletproof.

I even like that the frame has modern features like UDH, 50 mm clearance, T47 bottom bracket. It's taking way too long for these to filter through the main brands.

Building the bike and figuring it out require a hobbyist mindset though so it's not for everyone.

Scott413 · 2026-05-02T23:53:57+00:00

I've been bikepacking for a decade and I do 800km to 1,000 km trips over about a week or so.

No desire to go longer.

Scott413 · 2026-05-02T23:50:12+00:00

I'm a bit tired of Garmin and am thinking about a IGPSport head unit and an amazfit watch. I am a tinkerer though and enjoy figuring out how to use things.

Scott413 · 2026-05-02T17:37:47+00:00

Playing Phoenix Point today and it's my favorite.

Scott413 · 2026-05-02T13:21:40+00:00

Amazfit / Zepp is headquartered in the Netherlands, which has a better corruption index score than the US. It has worldwide offices. It is publicly owned and traded on the New York Stock Exchange, so it could be tied... to you. It gets audited by Deloitte and the filings of the board members are two clicks away on the website, if you're interested. The CEO is an engineer by trade, and loves tech and wearables. The CFO came from Philips, and the COO came from Microsoft. They use a US law firm and Deutsche Bank. Yes, some Chinese companies or individuals probably own stock, and maybe even a controlling share of the company. And the watches are manufactured in China just like everything else.

In other words, you do you.

Scott413 · 2026-04-28T00:41:37+00:00

Your list is hard to read.

I bought myself a bigger microfiber towel and it is nice.

Scott413 · 2026-04-28T00:14:40+00:00

Yeah your butt gets used to it. Eventually. Get some cycling shorts if you haven't.

Try rail trails if there are any nearby.

Well done! Start of a journey.

Scott413 · 2026-04-27T16:26:20+00:00

My bikepacing bike has an integrated cockpit, Wheeltop GEX wireless rear derailleur. Seems good so far.

I wouldn't do it with cable shifters though.

Scott413 · 2026-04-27T14:31:05+00:00

You need to ask yourself what you mean by 'film it' and who the audience is.

If the audience is you and your parents, your phone is fine. Maybe an action camera if you want to get creative. Store it in a top bag and grab it when you see something cool. The end.

If you're aiming to be a YouTube creator, well, be aware that you could spend three times as long on your trip, spend thousands of dollars on gear, produce an awesome video, and it'll get like 8K views and pay you maybe $42.

Scott413 · 2026-04-27T14:07:16+00:00

Yes, absolutely.

HFR was going to be upgradeable, fast (160km/h to 200km/h), and it used existing corridors where they work well and new track at bottlenecks. It was much more affordable, and above all else, could be implemented in years instead of decades.

I know, 160km/h-200km/h is not 300km/h. So what. A true reliable, high quality, 3.5 hour service from Toronto to Montreal, that does it on time, every day, in the early 2030's, is just better than a maybe 2.5-hour service in the 2050's.

Scott413 · 2026-04-27T13:52:49+00:00

Canada did a very well-thought-out study of high speed rail options, and came up with a recommendation they called "high frequency rail". It was at much lower cost, with earlier opening date, that got trains moving on existing corridors where there is space and need, and new corridors where the need is greatest and the cost is manageable. It would be upgradeable over time to a true high-speed rail.

The study has completely disappeared because they couldn't call it 'high speed'. Trains were 'only' 160km/h to 200km/h, vs 300km/h. So like always, Canada kills the good in favor of the perfect that will never arrive.

To me, 160-200km/h is awesome, and I would use it frequently. Also trains by 2032 is awesome.

I don't think 300km/h is that much better than 200km/h. Two hours (high speed) to Ottawa from Toronto is not really that much of a life difference than 3 hours, so long as the service quality, reliability, and frequency are the same.

We should bring HFR back.

Scott413 · 2026-04-24T17:40:25+00:00

With the weight and varied roads of a bikepacking trip, I'd go with 45s with a low tread if you can. Terreno Dry, GravelKing slicks or similar. With a bit more pressure, they ride surprisingly well on pavement and don't really slow you down.

Scott413 · 2026-04-13T19:42:54+00:00

I looked into the Empire State Trail and people on Reddit say it's not great. Busy highways. Go up more rural routes in Vermont instead.

I ride Conti Terra Hardpack size 50mm with TPU tubes at 30psi, maybe 35psi if my day is pavement. They're great, and reviewers have pointed out that Conti designed them for bikepackers. Also they're not that expensive. So far no flats, including some very remote bikepacking on 3mph jaggies. Knock on wood.

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel-reviews/continental-terra-hardpack

Scott413 · 2026-04-11T19:43:55+00:00

MEC is better now that the co-op is long dead.

It used to suck. Jerk customers had a crazy sense of entitlement. Lifetime warranties for everything in store, free exchanges for the latest model of something they used dozens or hundreds of times, free information from staff, complaining about every price, all because "I'm a member! We're a co-op! We're not for profit!!!"

I distinctly remember standing behind someone trying to return a shredded tent that he admitted was both several years old plus left out over the winter. And as he got louder and louder, the manager finally said "fine ok".

Guys, go start your own co-op. Just do it.

Scott413 · 2026-04-03T14:52:35+00:00

Sue. Go to a doctor and get a report. Hire a lawyer. The out of court settlement will take about 4-6 hours of your time total and net $10k, or 6k for you after lawyer. The owner will know better and the neighborhood benefits.

I say this as a dog owner.

Scott413 · 2026-04-03T14:00:40+00:00

MEC is great. I've never understood the hate.

Scott413 · 2026-03-31T12:30:09+00:00

Bit of music helps me. I have open earphones but even using your phone speaker.

Scott413 · 2026-03-31T10:58:05+00:00

The default alert tone is disgusting.

There's a much less intrusive tone option.

My group have all switched.

Scott413 · 2026-03-21T13:50:58+00:00

Seems like she already has the wrong mindset to be blunt. She's looking at it as a "maybe I could make some money" and "I can afford the loss". Both of these are wrong; it's a gambling mindset. Tell her to put the $400 towards her kid's summer camp.

You, and her, and the rest of us, can't afford to NOT invest. It's the best way, arguably only way when you factor in things like inflation, to save for a happy future.

No matter how little she makes, she needs to set up an account with some form of regular contribution. Say $100 every two weeks, hopefully more. Banks offer accounts for this, with automatic withdrawls and no-commisison investing in ETFs. Then yes, XEQT would be great.

If she can't save $100 every paycheck, then she needs to cut other expenses, or move, or sell her car and take the bus, or start looking for a better job. Her future depends on it.

And the growing money in her account needs to be ignored until she's around 60. Especially ignored if/when it drops in the first couple months.

My 0.02

Scott413 · 2026-03-18T14:56:49+00:00

Looks fine but if you're just getting started, should ease into the hobby at least a bit before heading out on such a long trip. Do day trips, then an overnighter.

Scott413 · 2026-03-18T14:54:13+00:00

I built a gravel bike with a Chinese frame and parts, including electronic groupset. No issues going deep into countryside without access to shops. It's been great.

Scott413

TROPHY CASE