Hong Fu build thread

Lemag

macken04 wrote: »

yes I though this could be a potential issue, however it states the minimum torque is 22n/m, which should be fine for most parts, however, the headset and seatposts could be an issue, as it states on the carbon seatpost color to tighten to 6n/m. I though this to be strange as many wrenches are only accurate to +/- 4n/m. This is why all the documents I have looked give 45 - 50 n/m recommendations or something along those lines.(45 - 50 being a random range)

It'll be pretty useless to you as a torque wrench. You'd be better to use your allen keys and go with feel. 6nm max for anything on a carbon bike.

Edit: 45-50 sounds nuts to me. Are you sure that it isn't 4.5-5.0? I have a bike specific torque wrench which doesn't go past 8.0 (I think)

2nd Edit: 3nm - 12nm scroll down this page to see the black and orange thingy for mine

TinyExplosions

macken04 wrote: »

Hi lemag,
I will have to install the headset, however, it is fully integrated and I have replaced a fully integrated one on my current bike. I used pvc pipe as opposed to the proper tool to install the fork bung (worked a treat). I purchased a general tool set with everything bar the torque wrench. I looked at the sram pdf and for some parts it recommends a torque of 45-50 n/m. Could this be incorrect??

If you're in dublin, you are more than welcome to borrow my torque wrench (to save you worrying about if you have the right one). I'm in Dublin 8 if you fancy it (or any other tools you may need)

macken04

Woops, knew it was to good to be true. Would even the bottom bracket, cranks etc be that tight? Its gona have to be quarter turns of the allen key from now on and pray I don't hear a snap, crackel and pop :eek:

macken04

TinyExplosions wrote: »

If you're in dublin, you are more than welcome to borrow my torque wrench (to save you worrying about if you have the right one). I'm in Dublin 8 if you fancy it (or any other tools you may need)

Thats very kind of you, may have to take you up on that offer. Just need to decided on groupset and wheels and all is go. Gong to watch the adverts section for a while in the hope something nice will come up

TinyExplosions

macken04 wrote: »

Thats very kind of you, may have to take you up on that offer. Just need to decided on groupset and wheels and all is go. Gong to watch the adverts section for a while in the hope something nice will come up

No bother at all mate, it's always there so whenever you've got everything together, drop me a PM and we can sort it out.

Lemag

macken04 wrote: »

Thats very kind of you, may have to take you up on that offer. Just need to decided on groupset and wheels and all is go. Gong to watch the adverts section for a while in the hope something nice will come up

You could take these off my hands

macken04

I would be interested lemag, however, I am waiting until I start my new job in june until I buy anything else. If there still on sale then I would defo consider them. Just trying to hold onto my money through the last two months of college.

Lemag

macken04 wrote: »

I would be interested lemag, however, I am waiting until I start my new job in june until I buy anything else. If there still on sale then I would defo consider them. Just trying to hold onto my money through the last two months of college.

They could make a nice addition but it'd probably work out a lot more economical to buy a complete groupset, tbh. Looking forward to seeing the complete build in 'images of beauty'.

blorg

There are a few things that are around 40Nm: the cassette, the BB cups and (with SRAM only) the crank bolt. You can generally do these bits by feel, a torque wrench is not so essential.

Most stuff will be around 4-6Nm, some of it maybe less. As mentioned you really need a torque wrench that tops out at 20Nm max. A wrench with a small range topping out below 20Nm will be accurate at that range, not so one topping out in the hundreds.

macken04

Ok so a few updates to the build;

Have decided to go with sram rival for groupset. The best price I have seen is from merlin (mentioned here). I plan of changing the crankset to force if my budget allows.

For wheels I currently have a set of Aksiums with campy hub so I will buy a rear shimano wheel then swap the front, between current bike (now training bike) and hongfu bike. This will do for training spins and general use.

Further to the wheel situation, I am giving serious consideration to buying a set of hongfu carbon rims and building them up with cxray spokes and I think novatech hubs. This will be over the summer as money allows. Weightwenies have some very detailed threads on this matter, detailing lasing patterns, spoke count etc. I will probably go with a 33mm clincher, this would come in fully built at $500 usd.

Again any advice is greatly appreciated

blorg

Purely from what I have read, some people doubt there is any point to rims as shallow as 33mm. More weight with little Aero benefit.

macken04

yes this is something I will have to look further into. I am somewhat afraid of 50mm being to deep for general usage. Is there any cons to using carbon wheel on climbs and general mountain cycling? My knowledge of carbon wheels is very limited. The hongfu wheel just seem like an exceptional deal for the money

mloc123

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=70738669&postcount=44

My chinese clincher rim built with cxrays on a powertap hub. I have only used it in one race so far, not sure I'd use carbon clinchers as an everyday wheelset.

Lumen

macken04 wrote: »

I am somewhat afraid of 50mm being to deep for general usage. Is there any cons to using carbon wheel on climbs and general mountain cycling? My knowledge of carbon wheels is very limited. The hongfu wheel just seem like an exceptional deal for the money

In my experience 50mm rims are fine for all "general" conditions, including the gale force winds we had a few weeks ago. I don't like braking downhill to a standstill in the streaming wet, wouldn't take them to the Alps, and would avoid using them in salty winter conditions (as I would any expensive wheels) but they're find otherwise.

blorg

The downside on climbs is the weight. For non racing cycling, I think light non-aero wheels will feel better. I have Zipp 404 tubs (58mm) and Mavic Cosmic Carbones (52mm.) The Zipps were very much race only but I used the Carbones on some long cycles. I never felt any sidewind issues personally, but they do feel heavier going up a hill (there were after all ~500g heavier than the Zipps and ~450g heavier than my lightest clinchers.) The Mavics are certainly solid, I would have no worry about durability using them as a daily wheelset.

macken04

I think I would like to take up racing next year, but my first step will be to join a club and learn the finer points of riding in a bunch. For this reason, I think the aksiums would be better, however, 50mm clinchers may be a good investment if I am seriously considering racing. I could never rationalise the price of a set of Zipps or similar, thus the hong-fu wheels may be a good compromise.

Also I can get them in a matte black 3k finish to match the frame. Now that, I believe, would look amazing

Lemag

It might be worth baring in mind that the resale value of your bike probably won't be as good as that of an equivalently speced branded bike. Also, re the carbon wheels, you'll have to swap out brake pads between your carbon wheels and your alu wheels. If this will be your only bike then is this a hassle worth your consideration?

TheBlaaMan

macken04 wrote: »

I think I would like to take up racing next year, but my first step will be to join a club and learn the finer points of riding in a bunch. For this reason, I think the aksiums would be better, however, 50mm clinchers may be a good investment if I am seriously considering racing. I could never rationalise the price of a set of Zipps or similar, thus the hong-fu wheels may be a good compromise.

Also I can get them in a matte black 3k finish to match the frame. Now that, I believe, would look amazing

Come on then, post up some images of the project so far so we can see your progress


(actually so that we can slag off your garden/driveway/front room etc )

macken04

Blaaman; i will as soon as it arrives, will be a little while still.

lemag; good point, while I have another bike, having two types of wheels used on the bike will be a pain. Do many here swap between aluminium for training and carbon for the good days and races?

Mloc; They look great, would you care to share the build experience with me?

My final worry with the carbon wheel is heat. I would worry that on longer descents that break heat may cause a blowout. I read that Zipp apply a special resin to prevent this on their clinchers. Can anyone shed light on the issue?

blorg

Blowouts on braking are more an indicator of poor braking technique (sitting on the brakes.) I've seen it happen in the Alps in 38C, not so much in Ireland. You really shouldn't brake much descending, just a bit before any corners.

You can use SwissStop yellow pads on both carbon and aluminium but have to check them very carefully for aluminum shards before putting on the carbon.

Braking on carbon is different than aluminum. Different in the sense of worse. Wet is bad and even dry it is more 'grabby' where the pad tends to lock onto the wheel. It is acceptable braking, especially racing where you shouldn't be braking much anyway, but unquestionably worse. My own experience with a carbon braking surface is with Zipp 404 tubs, but I hear similar from others.

Deep section is of benefit racing but I wouldn't get them otherwise. I have several non-deep section light clinchers I would prefer for a day in the Wicklow mountains for example (or for that matter the Alps.)

morana

it would be great to see some pictures!

I read that Durace blocks are great for carbon rims. I will get them because loads of euro for rake blocks doesnt make sense to me. I have told a few guys who want to change bikes about the chinarello and the hong fu stuff and they are interested in them. Lets be honest bike stuff is far too expensive ! how can a helmet cost €170! and thats just the start of it!!!

I am thinking about some of their rims to build a race (hyperon-esque) wheelset. I am on the lookout for good light hubs

Anyway keep going and we look forward to you in the bunch on the bike.

DirkVoodoo

morana wrote: »

how can a helmet cost €170! and thats just the start of it!!!

Well, part of it is marketing for sure, but a lighter helmet that has more vents and a more complex shape will be more difficult (hence costly) to design and will require more intricate and expensive tooling to create. Those EPS molds are not cheap to begin with even for a basic helmet.

morana

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Well, part of it is marketing for sure, but a lighter helmet that has more vents and a more complex shape will be more difficult (hence costly) to design and will require more intricate and expensive tooling to create. Those EPS molds are not cheap to begin with even for a basic helmet.

the marketing is the big part of it.
I accept that the initial costs are high but I would bet that has nothing to do with the price that it hits the shop shelf at!

Anyway lets not go OT

blorg

Blah blah, moulds, blah blah. €170 FFS! For a bit of polystyrene foam! €170! They are LAUGHING at you (and me, I have an Atmos.)

macken04

Well it finally arrived yesterday. I say finally, however, it came 9days before the 42 they told me it would originally.

I'll start with the bad, the stem is rubbish, weights a ton and is carbon rapped, which I was told it wasn't. The bottom brackets was not faced as I requested and will need to be done by LBS. The seat post is also slightly on the heavy side, but for 30 usd i aint gona argue too much.

Now the good. Frame is stunning, literally not a blemish. The matt finish is amazing. All the wholes match up, so many of the issues others have suffered seem to have escape me ( i hope). Everything was well rapped and tightly packed. The bars are lovely, really do like them. There does not seem to be any paint of parts of the bike were there shouldn't, accept small bit on bottom bracket face. They charged 90 usd for delivery and according to the documents the fee was 91 usd, if I read it correctly so no complaint there. Shipping took 5 working days from China to my door (quicker than CRC; DIG), it arrived in Ireland on monday night (maybe queeney slowed it down getting to my door).

So as soon as I get a minute will update with pictures of it all. Please keep any recommendations on build options coming. Really happy with it so far, its 900g for the frame according to my scale which prob is not accurate but ill take it.

abcdggs

ultegra group on adverts? Quite a bargain...

Lemag

macken04 wrote: »

So as soon as I get a minute will update with pictures of it all.

I'm looking forward to seeing this.

macken04 wrote: »

Please keep any recommendations on build options coming.

What do you have to get?

macken04

A groupset, wheels (prob aksiums), saddle and some place to get custom decals done. Doesn't look like I'll have time to build it up before the Wicklow sadly. Will post up pics 2mo.

Thinking getting a set of hong fu's 50mm soon.

Lemag

macken04 wrote: »

A groupset, wheels (prob aksiums), saddle and some place to get custom decals done. Doesn't look like I'll have time to build it up before the Wicklow sadly. Will post up pics 2mo.

Thinking getting a set of hong fu's 50mm soon.

I thnk that you were looking at SRAM. Good choice IMO. Noone can recommend a saddle for you. It's a case of trial and error. I'll try to dig out a link for you regarding the decals. Rather than the Aksium would you consider Pro-Lite? After applying the 'pro40' code these come in at £106.

Why are you thinking of getting carbon wheels? You're fairly new to this, right? Not participating in any racing yet?

Lemag

Make your own decals www.lazertran.com./.