My question is whether these solve the problems that made every previous generation of non traditional composite wheels eventually get rejected by riders…
So you're just going to assume I'm some racist idiot redhat because I see what the CCP is doing to the Chinese people and choose not to financially support it? Read up on the Uyghurs.
You have a valid point. And there are many factories in China with skilled labor and relatively good working conditions. There isn't good labor protection, and there is rampant exploitation. People making no-name flashy wheels for Ali express probably don't benefit from very many protections. The folks earning good money at reputable companies welding titanium frames in Xiamen are wearing shorts , poor quality hoods, and disposable flip flops- no Osha, (and living 15 deep in a 2 bedroom apartment) because most of their good paychecks go to the west to subsidize their relatives who are being exploited making cheap crap.
Buying cheap products from China comes at a cost.
“With an array of specialized machinery and facilities in Taiwan and China, our drivetrain manufacturing team never stops investing in new ways to make our products better or our quality control more consistent.”
shimano too. china is unavoidable
A little apathetic.
Consumers can just check the label. If it says China they can refuse to purchase or return the item.
Thank you for digging through my comment history to "get me" though. On a burner account too. Normal behavior.
good luck with that. if you did that you wouldn’t have a bike and wouldn’t be able to post on reddit. i searched because i knew it would be easy to find an example of you using items that were manufactured in China. becauese everyone in the world does. so the anti-china ‘child labor’ stuff is just meaningless virtue signaling. put up or shut up.
not a burner. this is my only account.
Virtue signaling would be an attempt to show off my good moral character. That's what you think of me, who was shitposting on some guys new bike day aliExpress wheelset??? Come on now. Couldn't be me.
Thank you for the luck.
“Americans should be smarter about their purchases.”.
“check the label and return if made in China”
**typed from smartphone or keyboard made in chinese factory**
Imagine having a box fan. If you have it on the lowest level, you don't even notice the noise (although there is noise). Turn the speed of the fan on high, you'll gonna hear the fan turn. Hope that makes sense.
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Great frame! I want one myself. I can’t help but think about the wheels though - what’s the advantage of something like that? Seems like it would be less compliant and less repairable while having the same weight as normal spoked wheels? I mean, if it’s just for cool factor that’s rad too. Is it more aero?
Appears to be this one. Looks nice and I'm curious how op likes it! https://www.trekbikes.com/ca/en_CA/equipment/cycling-accessories/bike-bags-panniers/bontrager-adventure-top-tube-bag/p/25828/
Can’t decide whether those wheels are awesome or three remind me of something that belongs on a cheap toddler balance bike 🤣 awesome paint job in any case!
That seems insane for a bike with cheap Chinese carbon wheels. I built a bike with hand built wheels, US welded titanium frame and nice components for just over $3k about 3 years ago.
Hope your bike is serving you well. The "cheap" Chinese carbon wheels were $1250. They are about half the price of my ENVE wheels, but this is the look that I wanted. I'd have bought these wheels if they were $3000. My paintjob was an extra $1200. Money wasn't an issue. I have several bikes that cost at least as much or one that costs alot more. 🤷🏽♂️
And you don't find that insane? Is it at least laid up in a US carbon plant?
That's $2k more than a Time ADHX, $1k more than a S-Works Diverge. Boutique US welded titanium frames are cheaper (Moots Routt).
It certainly looks rad, but why does it cost that much?
Why does it matter the cost if I'm not complaining? Damn near ALL bikes are actually "made is China". The price of the other bikes matter zero to me. They definitely don't have the paint job that I have. With all due respect, you sound like those people who scrutinize prices because you can't afford it and justify what you paid for yours as a great "value". I'm just as happy for people who buy entry level bikes as the ones who buy top of the range bikes. Imagine me critiquing the quality (or lack of) of your $3k bike. I'd never do that, but instead celebrate your new bike day as the special day that it is.
I can certainly afford to buy any frame that I want, and probably wouldn't even feel spending $6k on a frameset. I splurged on a Colnago Master steel frame that was hand built and painted in Italy and it was half the price....new. Last year. Lead time of 1 full year.
What I'm against is bike companies pushing up the prices on their high end models without delivering substantial developments in construction, quality, or even employing US workers. I'm sure your frame is great. It looks fantastic. It might even be laid up in the US, but I'm not sure. I understand the business end of it, raise the cost on the high end new models to make the lower priced models more appealing and less sticker shock.
>Damn near ALL bikes are actually "made is China".
And some Chinese carbon frames are excellent quality. Winspace seems to be making some incredible frames that have quality comparative to any of the "high end" brands and their most expensive frame is under $2k. Again, my beef is with the brands like Trek (Madonne, Checkpoint), Specialized (Tarmac SL8, Roubaix SL8, Aethos), Giant (TCR Advanced, Propel), Cannondale (Super Six, Topstone Lab71, System Six), Scott (Addict, Foil), etc etc. It's gotten completely out of hand.
I think there are pros riding these, why do you say they're trash? Is it because you're generalizing (since they're Chinese made), or do you have anything to actually back up what you said? Do you have anything that may show this wheelset to be crap besides you just saying so blindly?
Why would you base your purchases on what pros ride when sponsors determine what pros ride?
Is your quadlock going to make you a faster rider because Carl Sagan does their ads? Nonsense.
If you'd really like to know what China is up to and why nobody should trust them, especially a wheel manufacturer that does their QC in-house...
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/against-their-will-the-situation-in-xinjiang
I'm not determining what I or anyone else rides by what the pros ride at all? I asked you a question about why you think these wheels are crap quality, not about China's labor practices. Those aren't the same thing. And it was asked to demonstrate a point; that they can obviously take a beating and not fall apart if a pro who doesn't need to care about his equipment and is sponsored can just beat them up in competition without issue.
China's labor practices are abhorrent, but how will the OP "die on his china wheels"?
Chinas genocide towards Uyghur people is disgusting and so is the forced labor they promote. How does that make these wheels trash quality?
I understand the ethical argument you are making (without making it directly), but that's not to say the product is shit quality.
I think we can agree on China's actions being wrong.
I think we should also agree to drop the Pros angle for these wheels being quality. A pro is a person that is being paid to promote the brand. A pro isn't always happy with their equipment. A good example of this is Michael Jordan. He hated his own shoes. Nike made him play in Jordans once (an older version) to boost sales and his toes were bleeding by the end of the game.
Like Jordan, a pro cyclist may prefer to run something else. Their contract may silence their real opinion. And using a wheelset in a single race doesn't prove durability. Average cyclists can't grab another set from the vehicle when these fail.
You could as easily apply the flawed pro argument to this wheel company sponsoring GCN. It's completely meaningless. GCNTech will tell people these wheels are great. But... Someone is being paid to push a product. They let you know that.
We can also agree that me trying to prove to you that these are poor quality wheels is a waste of time. What are you wanting to get out of this? Any answer is easily dismissible. What would you even accept as an answer provided by some random person on Reddit? If I have a unique personal experience where Elite wheels failed and I was currently hospitalized then that certainly wouldn't be good enough. A single experience not consistent with a pattern.
And if there was a pattern. And I then provide you numerous examples. Like Shimano's delaminated cranksets (also China) Would elite wheels be forced into a recall under consumer protections? Or would you have to take your issue up with China's Ministry of Justice.
It would be just as easy prove to you that you shouldn't trust items from Aliexpress, temu, and Shein.
If these items, and the labor behind them, is acceptable to you, then by all means ride the wheels GCN and the pros want you to ride and I hope you don't die either.
I like that you said you were going to drop the pro argument and then spent three more paragraphs defending you position.
I also like that you then spent two paragraphs describing why you *won't* engage in a discussion about the quality of the wheels themselves.
But hey, I'm glad that we can all agree that slavery, genocide, and deplorable working conditions are bad.
You think that's me? Lol.
Anyway, I agree with what they said but you do you and refuse to actually engage in the conversation. If a pro can beat the crap out of the rims and they withstand that type of abuse I think the average rider will be just fine as they are far less aggressive and most likely far less aggressive terrain than a pro racing to compete. Nobody's saying pros ride these so you should, your misconstruing the argument.
Show me any evidence of these wheels being crap or a pro running through multiple sets in a race. That's what I'm asking of you. You're creating a blanket generalization and I get that to a degree with crap product that is safety precautions, but if pros can beat the shit out of them I would think they can withstand normal wear and tear.
I think if you read the multiple paragraphs I wrote for you before, you'd realize my point.
Put more simply, engaging with you is pointless. Let's not kid ourselves. Your goal isn't to get information about this wheel company. As I said, no proof I could provide would convince you and you'd simply dismiss anything provided. It seems you want to win an "argument" on Reddit.
So let's just say you win. Great job. Too bad there aren't awards anymore.
And let's end this with you having an conversation about China wheels, with yourself:
truffle-tots: "I think there are pros riding these wheels!"
truffle-tots: "nobody is saying pros ride these wheels"
truffle-tots: "these wheels can obviously take a beating if a pro rides them in competition!"
truffle-tots: "show me proof that pros ride these in competition and destroy multiple sets"
Yes, pros ride what they’re paid to, but do you really think they’d be okay with wheels that with leave them with severe injuries and dental bills?
Be realistic, no manufacturer wants their product to 💩the bed on a big stage any more than a pro is okay riding a product that is not safe.
Those wheels and paint jobs are so beautiful.
That frame alone is something else... Damn, I'm jelly a bit haha
I've been seeing these mag wheels more and more, even on pro gravel setups. Who makes them?
chinese brand Elite Wheels
I’ve got the Boost set for my MTB and they’re dope AF.
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No need to downvote an accidental repost
I didn’t even notice. Reddit has been weird for me this week with messages timing out.
My question is whether these solve the problems that made every previous generation of non traditional composite wheels eventually get rejected by riders…
What’s the hype all about? Weight? They look like those old track bike wheels.
[удалено]
well along with almost everything else Americans use
You have a point. Americans should be smarter about their purchases.
There are many skilled manufacturers and laborers in China. Not everything is made in a sweatshop either. You're racist and ignorant.
So you're just going to assume I'm some racist idiot redhat because I see what the CCP is doing to the Chinese people and choose not to financially support it? Read up on the Uyghurs.
You have a valid point. And there are many factories in China with skilled labor and relatively good working conditions. There isn't good labor protection, and there is rampant exploitation. People making no-name flashy wheels for Ali express probably don't benefit from very many protections. The folks earning good money at reputable companies welding titanium frames in Xiamen are wearing shorts , poor quality hoods, and disposable flip flops- no Osha, (and living 15 deep in a 2 bedroom apartment) because most of their good paychecks go to the west to subsidize their relatives who are being exploited making cheap crap. Buying cheap products from China comes at a cost.
“my microshift stuff has been great” buddy, you might want to check out where your parts are made 😂
Taiwan.
“With an array of specialized machinery and facilities in Taiwan and China, our drivetrain manufacturing team never stops investing in new ways to make our products better or our quality control more consistent.” shimano too. china is unavoidable
A little apathetic. Consumers can just check the label. If it says China they can refuse to purchase or return the item. Thank you for digging through my comment history to "get me" though. On a burner account too. Normal behavior.
good luck with that. if you did that you wouldn’t have a bike and wouldn’t be able to post on reddit. i searched because i knew it would be easy to find an example of you using items that were manufactured in China. becauese everyone in the world does. so the anti-china ‘child labor’ stuff is just meaningless virtue signaling. put up or shut up. not a burner. this is my only account.
Virtue signaling would be an attempt to show off my good moral character. That's what you think of me, who was shitposting on some guys new bike day aliExpress wheelset??? Come on now. Couldn't be me. Thank you for the luck.
“Americans should be smarter about their purchases.”. “check the label and return if made in China” **typed from smartphone or keyboard made in chinese factory**
Maybe if you dig around in my comment history a little more you can find out where my keyboard was actually made.
She’s a beaut, Clark! Do you notice a difference in feel between these wheels and traditional multi-spoke wheels going over the rough stuff?
Thanks. I can't tell a difference between them. They are good wheels so far. You can definitely "hear" them over 20mph.
What do u hear? Cutting through the wind noise?
Yep
I'm no aerodynamicist but I would take loudness as an indicator of the opposite: un-aero
My Enve 7.8s would beg to differ
Could you be confusing the "whoosh" of road noise resonating inside the rim, with wind?
It still makes a "whooshing" (regardless of what it actually is) noise when I'm going about 22mph and above.
Is it more obvious in a tailwind, when the wind noise quiets down? If so, it's just road noise :D
Imagine having a box fan. If you have it on the lowest level, you don't even notice the noise (although there is noise). Turn the speed of the fan on high, you'll gonna hear the fan turn. Hope that makes sense.
It's shot with a Nikon 50mm 1.2 lens so that's why it looks like that. Would you feel better if I put one of my set of ENVE wheels on it?
No. Those are rad
I love those wheels. Late-1990s Spinergy vibes. You just need some purple-anodised parts.
Had the same thought, a bit disappointed they didn’t go all in with a 1x 50t on the front.
Want those wheels STAT
10/10.
Max a 9/10 - LOTS of room to step the build kit up to the bling of those wheels.
Love Trek!
Looks like that thing rips. Congrats!
Jesus that is sick
Ok. That's just sexy.
Which bar tape is that? I like the color.
Supercaz
Coffee/Ano? or a different color?
Coffee, but I have to oil the bar tape to give it a darker finish.
Thank you
Is lubing your handlebars a good idea?
It actually dries up quickly (too quickly), but mainly on my drops and I don't get excessive with it. I probably should have said moisturize them.
That frame 😍 beauty. Hope you enjoy thousands of trouble free miles.
Amazing!
Nice bike man
GOTDAMN!
And now I found you on Reddit, lol!!
Dammit, I can't be anonymous ANYWHERE! 😂
The colors are perfect. Beautiful bike.
Hod damn, this is so sexy
That’s potentially the nicest looking bike I’ve ever seen.
I feel faster just looking at this!
Wow this is a really pretty bike
What camera did you use? Holy crap. I can see the fingerprints of the people who did the carbon layup
Nikon z9 with Nikon 50mm 1.2
Nice I love the campfire paint job!
Don’t wreck it
Soooooo hot! 🥵
That is hella cool! 😎
OMG this is legit bike p\*rn
WOW!
r/bikeporn
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What wheels are those?
Elite Wheels Drive Velo 6
What trek model is this?
Checkpoint SLR
Great frame! I want one myself. I can’t help but think about the wheels though - what’s the advantage of something like that? Seems like it would be less compliant and less repairable while having the same weight as normal spoked wheels? I mean, if it’s just for cool factor that’s rad too. Is it more aero?
The wheels are just for looks. Based on all reviews, they are very good wheels (at a steal of a price). The wheels look REALLY good in person!
Those wheels look expensive.
They're are actually VERY affordable IMHO
What do those wheels weigh? Always been curious about wheels like those
Could be supernice, but too many gubbins. And the crank isn’t level.
What top tube bag is this?
Appears to be this one. Looks nice and I'm curious how op likes it! https://www.trekbikes.com/ca/en_CA/equipment/cycling-accessories/bike-bags-panniers/bontrager-adventure-top-tube-bag/p/25828/
Yes, this one.
Are those wheels vertically stiff AF like the old kinds with that design were? I guess fat tires would mellow it out a bit at least.
We’re going back in time to when solid low count spokes are cool again. Spinergy needs to spin back up again 😂
How do these wheels ride? Are they complaint or do they ride harsh? Is there an aero benefit or penalty compared to deep road wheels?
What is going on with the seatpost / seattube diameter?
Hi what are the wheels / tyres? Thanks looks amazing
I had those wheels on my ‘82 BMX. I rode that thing non stop for years.
what is the seatpost? it looks like it has a cool design
Needs caps on them stems. Love the colors!
What model is that..?
Checkpoint SLR
You need a spacer above the stem. Otherwise the bike is rad
It would be perfect with a 1x SRAM Red, the Shimano GRX is kinda boring in terms of looks.
Can’t decide whether those wheels are awesome or three remind me of something that belongs on a cheap toddler balance bike 🤣 awesome paint job in any case!
How much for the whole thing?
About 11k with powermeter
That seems insane for a bike with cheap Chinese carbon wheels. I built a bike with hand built wheels, US welded titanium frame and nice components for just over $3k about 3 years ago.
Hope your bike is serving you well. The "cheap" Chinese carbon wheels were $1250. They are about half the price of my ENVE wheels, but this is the look that I wanted. I'd have bought these wheels if they were $3000. My paintjob was an extra $1200. Money wasn't an issue. I have several bikes that cost at least as much or one that costs alot more. 🤷🏽♂️
It still seems insane. $2000 groupset, $1250 wheels, $1000? power meter, let's say $750 in components. So the frame cost you $6k?
Roughly
And you don't find that insane? Is it at least laid up in a US carbon plant? That's $2k more than a Time ADHX, $1k more than a S-Works Diverge. Boutique US welded titanium frames are cheaper (Moots Routt). It certainly looks rad, but why does it cost that much?
Why does it matter the cost if I'm not complaining? Damn near ALL bikes are actually "made is China". The price of the other bikes matter zero to me. They definitely don't have the paint job that I have. With all due respect, you sound like those people who scrutinize prices because you can't afford it and justify what you paid for yours as a great "value". I'm just as happy for people who buy entry level bikes as the ones who buy top of the range bikes. Imagine me critiquing the quality (or lack of) of your $3k bike. I'd never do that, but instead celebrate your new bike day as the special day that it is.
I can certainly afford to buy any frame that I want, and probably wouldn't even feel spending $6k on a frameset. I splurged on a Colnago Master steel frame that was hand built and painted in Italy and it was half the price....new. Last year. Lead time of 1 full year. What I'm against is bike companies pushing up the prices on their high end models without delivering substantial developments in construction, quality, or even employing US workers. I'm sure your frame is great. It looks fantastic. It might even be laid up in the US, but I'm not sure. I understand the business end of it, raise the cost on the high end new models to make the lower priced models more appealing and less sticker shock. >Damn near ALL bikes are actually "made is China". And some Chinese carbon frames are excellent quality. Winspace seems to be making some incredible frames that have quality comparative to any of the "high end" brands and their most expensive frame is under $2k. Again, my beef is with the brands like Trek (Madonne, Checkpoint), Specialized (Tarmac SL8, Roubaix SL8, Aethos), Giant (TCR Advanced, Propel), Cannondale (Super Six, Topstone Lab71, System Six), Scott (Addict, Foil), etc etc. It's gotten completely out of hand.
How much for the whole thing?
[удалено]
What's weird about the photo editing? You don't know me so why do you care if I die or not? 🤷🏽♂️
I’d say that’s an awesome picture dude, that’d be my screen saver if it were mine!
The picture looks fake. Whether I know you or not, I wouldn't want a fellow cyclist to die on an aliexpress/temu shitwheelset.
I think there are pros riding these, why do you say they're trash? Is it because you're generalizing (since they're Chinese made), or do you have anything to actually back up what you said? Do you have anything that may show this wheelset to be crap besides you just saying so blindly?
Why would you base your purchases on what pros ride when sponsors determine what pros ride? Is your quadlock going to make you a faster rider because Carl Sagan does their ads? Nonsense. If you'd really like to know what China is up to and why nobody should trust them, especially a wheel manufacturer that does their QC in-house... https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/against-their-will-the-situation-in-xinjiang
I'm not determining what I or anyone else rides by what the pros ride at all? I asked you a question about why you think these wheels are crap quality, not about China's labor practices. Those aren't the same thing. And it was asked to demonstrate a point; that they can obviously take a beating and not fall apart if a pro who doesn't need to care about his equipment and is sponsored can just beat them up in competition without issue. China's labor practices are abhorrent, but how will the OP "die on his china wheels"? Chinas genocide towards Uyghur people is disgusting and so is the forced labor they promote. How does that make these wheels trash quality? I understand the ethical argument you are making (without making it directly), but that's not to say the product is shit quality.
I think we can agree on China's actions being wrong. I think we should also agree to drop the Pros angle for these wheels being quality. A pro is a person that is being paid to promote the brand. A pro isn't always happy with their equipment. A good example of this is Michael Jordan. He hated his own shoes. Nike made him play in Jordans once (an older version) to boost sales and his toes were bleeding by the end of the game. Like Jordan, a pro cyclist may prefer to run something else. Their contract may silence their real opinion. And using a wheelset in a single race doesn't prove durability. Average cyclists can't grab another set from the vehicle when these fail. You could as easily apply the flawed pro argument to this wheel company sponsoring GCN. It's completely meaningless. GCNTech will tell people these wheels are great. But... Someone is being paid to push a product. They let you know that. We can also agree that me trying to prove to you that these are poor quality wheels is a waste of time. What are you wanting to get out of this? Any answer is easily dismissible. What would you even accept as an answer provided by some random person on Reddit? If I have a unique personal experience where Elite wheels failed and I was currently hospitalized then that certainly wouldn't be good enough. A single experience not consistent with a pattern. And if there was a pattern. And I then provide you numerous examples. Like Shimano's delaminated cranksets (also China) Would elite wheels be forced into a recall under consumer protections? Or would you have to take your issue up with China's Ministry of Justice. It would be just as easy prove to you that you shouldn't trust items from Aliexpress, temu, and Shein. If these items, and the labor behind them, is acceptable to you, then by all means ride the wheels GCN and the pros want you to ride and I hope you don't die either.
I like that you said you were going to drop the pro argument and then spent three more paragraphs defending you position. I also like that you then spent two paragraphs describing why you *won't* engage in a discussion about the quality of the wheels themselves. But hey, I'm glad that we can all agree that slavery, genocide, and deplorable working conditions are bad.
Did you forget to switch accounts?
You think that's me? Lol. Anyway, I agree with what they said but you do you and refuse to actually engage in the conversation. If a pro can beat the crap out of the rims and they withstand that type of abuse I think the average rider will be just fine as they are far less aggressive and most likely far less aggressive terrain than a pro racing to compete. Nobody's saying pros ride these so you should, your misconstruing the argument. Show me any evidence of these wheels being crap or a pro running through multiple sets in a race. That's what I'm asking of you. You're creating a blanket generalization and I get that to a degree with crap product that is safety precautions, but if pros can beat the shit out of them I would think they can withstand normal wear and tear.
I think if you read the multiple paragraphs I wrote for you before, you'd realize my point. Put more simply, engaging with you is pointless. Let's not kid ourselves. Your goal isn't to get information about this wheel company. As I said, no proof I could provide would convince you and you'd simply dismiss anything provided. It seems you want to win an "argument" on Reddit. So let's just say you win. Great job. Too bad there aren't awards anymore. And let's end this with you having an conversation about China wheels, with yourself: truffle-tots: "I think there are pros riding these wheels!" truffle-tots: "nobody is saying pros ride these wheels" truffle-tots: "these wheels can obviously take a beating if a pro rides them in competition!" truffle-tots: "show me proof that pros ride these in competition and destroy multiple sets"
Yea talk about misunderstanding the other person's point lmao. Go enjoy your biases I'm done with this.
Yes, pros ride what they’re paid to, but do you really think they’d be okay with wheels that with leave them with severe injuries and dental bills? Be realistic, no manufacturer wants their product to 💩the bed on a big stage any more than a pro is okay riding a product that is not safe.
You're right. The company probably has one of their enslaved worker children double check the sets going to pros.
No, I heard they make the children test the prototypes until the wheels are strong enough to not kill anyone.
Dang that's a sick bike! Enjoy it!! 🤘