Cheap & ULTRA Lightweight - ZTTO Carbon Rim Brake Calipers

[@Ryan97beyond]

I heard fouriers caliper brakes are not bad. Kudos to you luke, for doing these types of videos.

[@Hambini]

"when i was in Lidl buying something soft and creamy"....

[@antoniolaza736]

well, for a few months i have done some upgrades to my bike from aliexpress, but my first orders concerning bike stuff were an aero helmet and an oversized mixim pully cage which were pretty nice, haven't noticed almost any problems with them (a bit of wind was sliding from under the lenses because they are sticked with 3 magnets to the helmet and the pulley cage wheels with ceramic bearing which have a bit more move side to side than my shimano used to have, just a bit of noise more, performance the same) then i have moved on to some bib shorts and a cycling kit which i find very comfortable and affordable, didn't have enough time to test how long it will last, some bar tape and a carbon handlebar aero from tosek (had a bit of doubt when buying but i have tested it applying pressure when mounted, heard a few squeacks, but decided to give it a ride and testing it gently, after 900km i have tested it even rougher but it still keeps up though it is a bit spongy (had an aluminium one before maybe just the feeling) hope i have tested it enough, for the moment i kinda trust it, seems strong enough for my weight. Got a alu stem too, rainbow color from aluminium, same stem cap they hold well. Concerning other parts like groupset, i think i will keep my tiagra 4700 for the moment, it holds well and has no problem, no reason to switch it, wheels still on aluminium and frame is carbon from wilier (some model from 2012 but holding good, i'll keep that). Riskiest was the handlebar, got lucky it is intact, yet :))). Anyway, it might be a gamble from time to time, test it very precaucios, especially if it is a part you really depend on. Great content, would be intresting to see some chinese tyres ( rolling resistance 1000 watts + xD) keep going Luke, amazing content ^^

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah the tiagra 4700 groupset is a SOLID choice, I ran my set for over 20,000 miles, and loved it! The one thing I'm not too sure on is the cheaper helmets. It's one of those things that either works, or doesn't. Plus is difficult to assess how good it is from looking at it/holding it. I've had my kask mojito for many years, but admitedly it was quite expensive at £90, so i can see why the helmets that look decent for £15-£20 are so appealing...

[@Bikaiii]

Do review on those TIME pedals you're using, seeing them all over aliexpress too, tempted to get a Xpresso 15 from there but held back after looking at the customer feedbacks. Great video nonetheless!

[@vlogsbyakkas343]

ZTTO are a brand that Halfords uses for some of their parts on their Carrera bikes...take from that what you will By the way, another incredible video mate, love your content as always

[@TraceVelo]

NO WAY, i had no idea Halfords use Ztto stuff... Learn something new everyday! Thanks for the comment Akkas!

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

As a "Weight fanatic" on my 2019 now - somewhat less than "SuperlightM6LXBrompton" (My LOOK with Shimano Dura-Ace weighed 6,8 Kilo), I have seen a Brompton owners mention of changing to ZTTO brakes, and the less than assuring "spongy feeling"!! I have started changing most of my original Brompton brakes to some titanium parts, so I hope to come further down than my present, around 8,5 kilo, with mudguards of course, as a "Rainy Dane"! Finn. Denmark

[@kobgt]

For me, there's still good for casual riders wanted to lighten their bikes affordably. Yeah! Lots of 'knock off' from by bank account also from watching mostly your review on these kind of products! Just keep on bringing these stuff to review. After there is nothing else to 'carbonized' let us know your final bike weight all together.

[@TraceVelo]

Speedtech, you can aways count on me to sift through the AliExpress garbage, to bring you the hidden gems!!!

[@wtfiswiththosehandles]

Well, I buy on aliexpress expecting a knock-off. There are some things very much worth buying, and some are not - you yourself know best. The only time I got something genuine, was an SLX groupset. And I was shopping for a genuine Shimano, so all was right. I don't get how someone could go to Aliexpress, buy these brakes, and be disappointed that they're not "original"... I think it's important to buy stuff that has a lot of buys already, with lots of positive comments from buyers. For example last year I bought a carbon saddle, which is a knockoff (comes in 2 varieties - with or without Bontrager logo... figures, eh), and it is absolutely fantastic - and it cost only $30.

[@benmillns8976]

I got really excited when the notification for this popped up, but now I'm really disappointed! Do you think it's the carbon flexing too much or the steel bolts? I'd be tempted to go full weight weenie and replace the bolts with some titanium bling to see if it stiffens them up.

[@TraceVelo]

This would make zero difference unfortunately. It's just the nature of the construction. The carbon and the aluminium just flexes alot as you have seen... I dont think any upgrades to the calipers would change this tbh.

[@ozgurinsan]

what is your cycling headphones?

[@TraceVelo]

So those are the Shokz headphones I discussed in the sponsor segment at the start :)

[@ozgurinsan]

@@TraceVelo sorry i skip the sponsor segment 😀

[@arcoulant87]

You need some knock off white paint for that back wall, just saying

[@Kingjay814]

Braking performance is kind of everything to me. I wouldn't keep something that reduced the performance that's much especially in an emergency situation. So for my while they do look awesome, this would be something I'd pass on. As for knock offs. I don't see a problem with that at all. Especially if it's comparable quality. I buy a lot of off brand things and some of which I prefer to their "brand name" counter parts.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah, fair enough! I'm happy to take a bit of a risk on brakes, but can definitely see the argument with sticking with more traditional branded products for the key 'safety' areas of the bike

[@Rossingiol]

Especially in food industry, the same products out of the same factory are often sold by different names. This is very common across german-based super markets such as Lidl and Aldi

[@derekhobbs1102]

I suspect that Aldi energy drink is actually Red Bull, it's made in same country.

[@S41t4r4]

except most of the time it's not the same product. Aldi and Lidl specify how these product need to be and those bigger companies only use their own production machines

[@iyadkamhiyeh527]

Almost all supermarkets in Germany sell the same knock off stuff, even with the same pricing to the last cent..

[@haakman123]

Would be awesome to see a sub 6.8 Ali build! Would that even be possible?

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah, that would be AWESOME! I've been looking into this for the last few weeks actually. I recon I could do it, just...

[@TundralTV]

Why would one struggle with this? There's everything from light framesets to titanium bolts. Sensah Empire is quite lightweight, although the selection of truly lightweight cranks on Ali (if you don't count for example SRAM cranksets sold on Ali) isn't that good.

[@11-inch]

My caad12 is 6kg on the dot

[@sepg5084]

@@11-inch the question was about Aliexpress builds

[@chrispeach85]

It is possible. My hill climb bike is 6.0kg on the dot. All Ali parts 👍

[@maxab7e63s5]

I'm finally over the "weight wennie" thinking and have parts that perform well from well establish brands. And my bike is a mish mash of bike mfg's. SRAM cassettes, FSA Cranks, Orbit Seatpost, Ritchey handlebars, Combination of MTB and Road shimano derrailleurs and brakes, bontrager rear hub, rolf front hub, kinlin rims. And 10+ year old Aluminum frame made by a no longer existing bike company.

[@Vixen1525]

Also when considering "weight", it can offer more comfort. Maybe a sattle that weighs 50 to 100 grams more than your current one to say can offer more comfortability because it could have more gel to it or other stuff like that. Or for example when it comes to brake pads that they last longer, because they are thicker, when speaking about rim ones.

[@maxab7e63s5]

@@Vixen1525 I have to amend my comment. I’ve been buying some lightweight aliexpress components such as saddles,seatpost, ti skewers and just recently some carbon cranks that trace has been using on his bike and not only did I get a significant weight reduction but the bike is actually more comfortable and a bit more agile. Only time will tell how long these components will last but right now I’m all smiles

[@sergion1406]

I like what you doing keep compare and explore this boss and budget stuff. Personally i have cheap carbon chineese seatpost and saddle on my aluminum scott gravel and its works fine.

[@TraceVelo]

Awesome, thanks for the comment Sergio, glad you have had some luck with these cheaper parts!

[@andrewgavin...]

Over the last 20 years I have seen light weight brakes come and go in popularity. the consistent thing with this product is that the performance is never there compared to something like a DA or Record level caliper. being able to stop fast allows you to ride faster!

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah you are right. When it comes to braking, you need really stiff materials to transfer that camming motion into pressure on the rim. Carbon can be very stiff, it's just a shame these are so spongy... I think the cane creek ones will be the best bet for a lightweight caliper with some real bite!

[@82vitt]

They are for

[@davidgarza2267]

Great video Luke, but please don't ride those brakes in traffic. We need you in one piece!

[@steve050867]

I think the main problem is the ratio of Brake lever movement to brake calliper movement. If you adjust the caliper so the pads don't rub on your wheel rim the lever movement might not be enough to put full braking force through the calipers. There's no easy way around that.

[@AJackal]

I have to say, being partial to an Ali Express bargain myself, that your videos have been a great source of information on my purchases. As regards cheap knock offs, it depends on the part, brakes can make the difference between getting hurt or not so I'd definitely do some research before buying, and personally would probably stick to established brands. Having said that, my riskiest purchase so far has been a carbon handler. I initially ordered a knock off specialized aerobar from a no name shop (£250 new for £30 on AE), but then I thought better of it and cancelled the order. Eventually, I ordered one from OG-EVKIN (£45), and it looked well made, was well packaged, arrived quickly (10 days) and I still have all my teeth! They're a proper factory shop and for crucial components I wouldn't trust just some no name seller who you know doesn't care about preserving their reputation or quality control at all. I notice you haven't tested any OG-EVKIN products yet (that I've noticed), so I'd recommend them to you.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah i've had OG-EVKIN on my radar for a while now. From what i have seen, they seem to operate a bit like Toseek. I'll def check them out in the future. Anyway, thanks for the comment Alex!

[@joelv4495]

Ya, I wouldn't touch actual counterfeits with a 10ft pole.

[@keanermitano477]

BXT and Kocevlo make nice carbon fiber products :)

[@nemonemo9407]

Yet another great post, Luke, and good question re. Aliexpress. I reckon people watching your channel (by definition) will be those who are "interested but sceptical" and will have "caveat emptor" in mind. PS - don't worry about the time thing. Maybe you have your sponsors in mind, and sure, it might not technically be a decade since you got those Tiagra callipers... but that's aeons measured in cycle industry terms. I'm sure real people all get this, and only a pedantic mor#n could possibly worry about being mislead. So FWIW, keep up the banter and honesty: that's what we watch for, and that's what will keep us coming back. And I hope your sponsors get this too.

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks nemo, love this comment! Yeah I always try to show the good and the bad. It's so easy to shit all over these products, and while some of them definitely deserve the critisism, other really are great bargains!

[@hockysa]

Depends on the product. Small things like the saddle, phone holders, lights from AliExpress but brakes probably not for me. That being said I would consider these carbon knock off brakes if I was to setup a bike for hill climbs.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah fair enough, and i agree, for a hillclimb bike where high performance braking isn't paramount, this could be a viable option...

[@darktugas9673]

Ahh yes, the pwediepie of youtube cycling

[@SiParengBen]

Hello Luke! I would like to know your opinion, I'm looking forward to upgrading a 2x8 group set to either a 2x11 (Sensah Empire shifters and derailleurs) or a 2x9 Shimano Sora STI's and use the same derailleurs from the 8 Sensah speed group set? *my choices are driven on the budget that's why 2*11 or 2*9 :) thanks #AskLuke #AskTraceVelo

[@grantnyenes3742]

Another great video Luke… like you, I love a bit if Chinese carbon and a bargain too, but the thought of using Aliexpress unknown carbon on the brakes is a step too far for me. After seeing the amount of flex says to me” anything that bends that much is gonna fail”

[@TraceVelo]

Fair enough, I dont think i'm expecting these brakes to last particularly long... Time will tell however!

[@starstream8161]

Incredible, fantastic coverage as always, Luke. You're the most authoritative source that can be trusted when it comes to Chinese Bicycle parts and I bet thousands out there rely on your analysis to make a purchase decision. I myself was considering Sensah Empire thanks to your video. And honestly, I think Sensah made the upgrade to metal parts in their Empire entry level groupset BECAUSE of your coverage and review video. Keep doing what you're doing, and you'll be really contributing massively into improving the safety of people and quality of these Aliexpress brands. Sometimes, one sample size is all you need. And you're the proof. Amazing job.

[@avocette]

From my experience tinkering with various pivoting mechanical gizmos, it's difficult to fuck up nylon bushings/rollers and make flexy aluminum parts (matter of fact, it's easier to snap them or make them too stiff), so I'm guessing that the sponginess comes from the horrendous tolerances in the interfaces at the fasteners (loose pivots) or between the aluminum and carbon, the latter being more likely due to the aluminum part moving much more relative to the carbon plates. Anyways, I've used the meroca aluminum calipers before (when I used to have a rim-brake bike) and besides being slightly lighter than Sora calipers, they actually perform pretty mint in the braking response department. Also, the fewer moving parts the caliper has, the better.

[@aveedub7403]

Hi Luke, loved the video buddy. My bike buying habits tend to be based on reviews, such as yours, generally you are not going to be disappointed or potentially massively outta pocket! I did buy one if those Chinese carbon oversize pulley wheel cages you reviewed, good product, but not fitted as cant seem to make it fit with the Shimano rear mechs I have, 105, ultegra or dura ace! Must admit havnt had the time to ask why not though. Keep up the good output you make and looking forward to next episode.

[@TraceVelo]

Ok amazing, thanks for the comment Aveedub! That's a shame about the pulley cage though, maybe the machined 'peg' that fits into the derailleur isn't the right size...?

[@eLpELoNdeJaPoN]

Thanks for sharing your experience with these brakes ..and for saving 200 bucks from our bank account 😆 as always great video!

[@TraceVelo]

Happy to help!

[@tobiasbrewin4355]

I definitely love a bargain and don't have any major problem with buying products 'heavily inspired' by another well known more premium brand. But one thing to consider is that there's a lot of time effort and money that goes into the research and development of different products, if a company makes a 100 different prototypes to reach a final design they're going to spend a lot more than a company that copies the result of all that work. So it seems quite unfair to support companies that profit off that work without putting in that effort

[@krisnaydenov]

Depends on the product - I had the pulley cage of a LTwoo RD just snapping on me. Replaced with a GRX and it's a night-and-day difference. However, all the carbon parts are from Ali and never had an issue

[@TraceVelo]

Wow, i've never had a pulley cage snap before, you must be a powerhouse!!! But that's cool, im glad you've had some good experience on AliExpress. Thanks for the comment Kristian!

[@trailfork7815]

ltwoo is actually notorious in SEA for being just bad, most users ive seen almost always complain about the spring losing tension after a few months and the derailleur just jumping everywhere afterwards resulting in snapped cages or hangers

[@krisnaydenov]

@@trailfork7815 Good to hear I am not the only one with such issues... As they say - buy cheap, buy twice

[@adambrickley1119]

@@trailfork7815 ive been using ltwoo 1x10 on my mtb for a year and love it.

[@BB-tx7tq]

For me alli express has been a nightmare, mostly. The last time I ordered about $100 worth of items the seller was a straight-up scam artist and tried to defraud me. Items were sent to the wrong address, I filed a dispute, the scumbag seller tried to convince me to drop my dispute in the promise of returning my money which was a complete scam. A large seller to, basically thieves.

[@123huskieman]

So I bought the EE brakes from Ali, and they just arrived in the mail a couple days ago. They seem very sturdy, and very light. They came with Cane Creek EE-branded boxes, complete with bolts and extra washers, as well as an instruction manual paper. Shipping time was 6 weeks, but well worth it (so far). They should be mounted and ridden on by the end of next week.

[@loc9588]

Did you get the regular or direct mount ones? How are they holding up? How is the braking power and modulation? Sorry for the bombardment of questions but I’m eager to know

[@123huskieman]

@@loc9588 A bit finnicky adjusting the pads and arm angles, but no other problems. Stopping power is fine, similar to the r8000 brakes that were taken off my bike. But I’m only 64kg… so there’s no telling how much a rider has to weigh until it hinders the performance of the ee brakes. I’ve already had ~3000 miles with those brakes. They’re great so far 👍 Dm me on insta if you want to see pics/vid or have other questions.

[@123huskieman]

@@loc9588 Sorry, I have the center mount

[@ocampomd]

Hi, i have a set of those brakes, just waiting to know some reviews, but it appear not be polite make a video with the brand on it. how's your experience? they look fine machined, but iam keep waiting before test on a long descent.

[@michaelmechex]

I try to avoid knockoffs whenever I can. Think about it, how much care could they have possibly put into testing and production if they blatantly copied the design? Usually very little in my experience. My list of past orders on AliExpress is endless, and I have learned to always look for something that is trying to be a brand, with mostly unique products. Even a totally obscure one with a funny name. It means they want to be held accountable for their product. I even have some personal favorites in there, like Rion Bike for cycling clothing. I have seen horrors on there, too, like Mavic Cosmic wheels, that were very obviously not Mavic, because it was apparent from their pictures they were made out of cardboard. Yes, no kidding.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah this is a pretty sensible approach to be honest. I kind of feel the same. If it has a name brand on the product, it is more likely that they will have atleast done some quality testing, because ultimately they have a brand and a name to protect!

[@hollownexus9316]

If you look at some of the hambini videos you will see that some big companies don't have good quality control

[@parcosmaulo1]

cool to see you still rocking the micronew shifters, how many km have you put on those by this point?

[@tamiyafier]

Thanks again to Luke for risking life and limb on Aliexpress parts for the sake of scratching that weight weenie itch.

[@phillipdennis6690]

Love the reviews, i have purchased many things off Aliexpress ie, wheels, handlebars and pedal, most of my purchases have been ok but can be a bit luck of the draw, did get a saddle that looked very close to a Fizik top of the range, was like sitting on house brick with the frog up, ideal for the cyclist with masochistic tendency. Always take the positive attitude 😀

[@TraceVelo]

Luck of the draw about sums it up. Sometimes you get some great gear for a fantastic price, other times (like this video demonstrates) you can be dissapointed. But to be honest, IMO that is what makes it fun!

[@SgtFinaldo]

Very informative. They do look blingin brilliant. These are single pivot/traditional calliper brakes. Wonder is there a direct mount version. This isn't stiff enough. (that's what she said)

[@firesurfer]

You had one job... anyway, now I have a reason to find a Lidl. Those knockoff Kitkat look tempting. For brakes, just get a set of Campy Record brakes. They just work. Period. With very little fiddling ever. If you want to save money, get Modolo brakes, they are exact copies.

[@aaronoliveira]

I think the flexibility comes from the nylon, I didn't notice the other pieces flexing. But thanks, I saw this brake on aliexpress, I really wanted to know if they were good, but there are also several aluminum models, double actuation and light, I would probably go for those, if I had to choose

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah I would probably avoid these, especially for the price... £140 isn't exactly cheap as chips

[@stephenbrgoodall]

I’ve bought, carbon cockpits, handle bars, seat posts and saddles off AliExpress all have been what I expected but I did read reviews for all them to see they going be anything near I was expecting, with one item wrong size was sent and I returned it Also bought a alloy stem which far better any the OE items I’ve had my boxed bikes

[@benjaminstevens4468]

I use the multiple brandings on an identical product as a rubric for discounting products, especially for my biking needs. If I see an unfamiliar brand with a cheap product that I’m thinking about buying I check Alixpress, litepro, Amazon , eBay, etc… for other brands selling it, it might not be a total deal breaker, but at the very least I want to be informed about the product I am buying. If it’s something I do still want to buy, I shop around for brands selling it at a lower price, that have better color options or even that have more appealing branding, less obtrusive, or no visible branding.

[@chazphot]

Shame the performance of these isn't up to par. What do you think is the max tyre clearance? Need something to replace the Ultegra R8000 caliper on my fixed gear because it doesn't really clear a 32mm.

[@detmer87]

AliExpress brakes, what could go wrong... *FACEPALM*

[@chriscross5689]

Just like the Ali express parts.. the yoghurt made in the same factory, just finished to accommodate the lower price.

[@name-ug5xq]

Depends on the products and the money I am willing to spend for something, like as a college freshman who cannot really earn for myself yet, I still use the money my parents give me. My thought process here is that FOR NOW I can resort to the cheap stuff, I will have to get them serviced or learn how to service myself by buying the proper tools, but at the end of the day, I am nowhere spending as much as when buying the "legitimate" products, but I do have plans that LATER down the line when I start earning for real, I will buy Shimano/name-brand ones, simply because the quality just cannot be compared. It's like replacing/servicing something cheap for now because it's all I can afford to lose, but when I buy the legit stuff, I expect a lot less servicing and maintenance

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah this is totally fair, and to be honest, is exaclty the reason i started to explore the cheaper alternatives in the first place. But yeah, if you can afford it, the branded parts from Shimano and the like are a better buy all round!

[@name-ug5xq]

@@TraceVelo Which we all appreciate you doing! Very enjoyable in seeing this journey of yours modify and tweak your bikes little by little and is also a great reference point to see if the products I was eyeing will turn to be good buy and what compromises I have to make in favor of the lower price tag I very rewatch your LTWOO R9 reviews and have pretty much come in to terms with the compromises and fixes you have presented (currently running Sensahs and I am not really a fan of the double tap system btw)

[@dijudematthew]

I can see that you are using now Time Espresso copy pedals. We would to have the review for that soon. Interested on that one and I currently using the copy of speedplay pedal but with Ti axles from Ali. Btw, keep up the good work and more subscribers to come! 😁

[@eltigre0320]

Any chance you are going to try out the eebrakes knockoffs from Aliexpress?

[@detmer87]

Carbon brakes are stupid. AliExpress carbo brakes are beyond stupid.

[@AnipSaturday]

great review. i brought zrace new r7000 and it feel great compare old ztto .

[@KPong1337]

I gotta say i dig the delivery and editing of your stuff! Been watching for awhile and quickly caught up through them all. Also, also, your intro theme gets me pumped to watch your shit. Good on ya! Keep em coming!

[@olivera6666]

Don't touch cheap Chinese carbon bike parts anymore since I purchased 2 pairs of toseek carbon drop bars I saw on your channel and both failed where the bar clamp sits. They were torqued to the correct nm but both had crushed under the clamp. I only checked them after you mentioned the issue on a later video, glad I did. Amazon fully refunded both within 6 months of purchase Love the videos Luke Cheers

[@TraceVelo]

Really... I'm just working on another toseek handlebar video atm, if you have any pictures of these failures, i would LOVE to see them! If you have any and can email them to me, that would be amazing! [e-mail]

[@tomermahlis12]

My shimano R8000 direct mount brake are also spongy i Tightened the brake made them very very close to the rim and that fixed it they tend to bite late for some reason FYI I had the shimano carbon specific brake pads and some other brands make no difference

[@unionholdingsnightingale8248]

It can be a bit of a hit or miss. Just keep your expectations reasonable, most products have worked as expected or even better in my experience, some were disappointing. It can also be inaccurate to base your decisions purely on user reviews but generally, they serve as a good indicator. My riskiest and yet most satisfying buy was a beautifully painted carbon frame that still serves me just fine :)

[@cyclingsfatsuma9808]

It's a managed risk and experience helps. Just have to know your own shrug point

[@captaincommodore8901]

My latest project is 50% Aliexpress bike parts :D So far great experience!

[@jamie152]

luke would love you to build a full Chinese hill climb bike setup for a real lightweight setup. The bike builds are something we all look forward too!

[@chm2]

regarding your knock off product question: you ARE our research

[@MayhemSWE]

There seems to also be counterfeit eeBrakes on Ali now. Do a review of those and see if they are any better?!

[@haakman123]

I am pretty comfortable with AliExpress. Partly because of your channel I built up a carbon beach racing bike with most parts from Ali. It includes a carbon MTB frame, fixed fork, and seat post from a company called Thrust, a aluminium stem from UNO(I needed something to upgrade in the future!), carbon flared handlebars from ZNIINO, Sensah SRX pro 1x11 groupset, some crank and BB. Wheels I bought here in the Netherlands because it is a special wheelset for beach racing with an internal width of 35 in the back and 30 in the front, and could not find such wide wheels on Ali. Brakes are Shimano, just because I did not pay attention and bought ZRACE brakes which of course don't fit on a MTB

[@haakman123]

I tried to include a link to a picture, which did not work!

[@TraceVelo]

@@haakman123 Ok awesome, glad you found some success with AliExpress stuff! Thanks for the comment Nick!

[@DeTaPix]

There are seemingly counterfeit Cane Creek g4 brakes out there in aliexpress. Have you noticed them? What are your thoughts?

[@ildefonsorodrigo2136]

These videos are really informative man. Yes they're intended for road bikes but I still click on it even though I won't buy these things because I primarily ride a fixie. 😅 But on the other hand Can we get a review those new pedals?

[@jonathanwheeler86]

I tend to go with AliExpress as a "proof of concept" and if I see the value (and it's not built the best) then I will buy something with a bit more QA

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah this is definitely a viable way of approcahing it!

[@averteramoful]

Well..........I wait for Luke to try it out and go from there......

[@jackofharts94]

Sometimes the reason i buy some aliexpress cycling stuff is to annoy or wind up some people on my group rides, some just think they're worthless junk. Which some are, but there are many decent offerings. I personally don't like or buy products from aliexpress that use branding that they don't have the copyright for, but independent brands like Toseek or sensah have always been amazing for me. I use a toseek carbon saddle with no padding other than the padding from my bibs and it's so comfortable at least for me. But things like helmets, shoes and clothing i don't think is up to standard yet.

[@TraceVelo]

Nice! Yeah i've been riding a fully carbon saddle for a while now. With decent bibs, i can barely tell the difference from one with padding...

[@danielhall3895]

You're taking a big safty chance there. Braking is not where I would be looking for marginal gains from weight savings in exchange for the risk of faillure, this is where the never ending quest for weight savings starts to become dangerous and no longer may be beneficial. Well built, alloy calipers are light enough today, while still being functional and safe. I think aero consideration of the shape of the brake is more important than weight here.

[@CarsandBikes]

Are these calipers available as a direct mount instead of a regular mount?

[@askmeaboutmattweiner]

I think it would be really cool if you could take all your cheap carbon stuff and do an x-ray episode. Bring them to an X-ray tech or carbon professional and see what their opinions are of the internal makeup.

[@jonburnell532]

These brakes would be fine for hill climbs. It's a requirement to have them, but you barely use them, so as long as they're light.... As for knock offs, I'm happy if I can get a 90% product at 70% price. But I do lot of research before buying, just to make sure it's not a false economy.... Or just plain crap

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah agreed, for a budget climbing bike, these would be a great addition!

[@obpads]

Greetings from Japan, Luke. Thanks for your videos which are really entertaining & informative. I have purchased lots of stuff from AliEx since I learned about it back in 2014. I built 3 full carbon bikes in 2015, 2018, & 2020, and I’m so happy that I got good quality framesets. Sold the first one after 2 years & still using the other two. I have confidence in buying full carbon frame sets , saddles, lights, carbon seat posts, brake pads for carbon wheels, & cassettes. I wouldn’t recommend buying helmets, carbon handlebars, stems, & components. I stick to the tried & tested original Shimano groupset. As others said, buying stuff in AliEx is a hit & miss but best is to read reviews first & buy from reliable sellers. Cheers!

[@rejuvenatebikes]

#hellaspongy 😂 I’d have gone for the Taiwanese KCNC offerings if out to buy super lightweight rim brake callipers off Aliexpress or the Fouriers CNC/forged versions are also a solid option as Planet X used to sell these and hill climbers still use them… would be good to see how they compare to these

[@andor_yoko]

When going to AliExpress it feels the same as going to Lidl. You can't expect the highest quality but you can expect some pretty good items. I do a lot of shopping on AliExpress myself. I don't buy much over ~€20/£20 because in that 'higher' price range I don't really like to gamble. The priciest item I bought was a knock-off Lego set for €40 and it was definitely worth the money, so sometimes/often you can be lucky. You get pretty good at spotting things that are no bueno when shopping on AliExpress, so there isn't much that can go wrong for me. I wouldn't buy many tech products there though, like smartwatches, spreakers, earphones, headphones. They are often not that great and you can't return them either. Even though I do my own fair amount of shopping watching this channel gave me other insights in the matter that really helped me with some decisions :)

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah that's why these calipers are a bit of a harder sell. At £140, they are cheap comparatively speaking, but that's still alot of money to gamble on something that could be total garbage!

[@projectcycling]

I use aliexpress a lot but expecially for tools. I found lot of bike tools or accessories that I couldn't find in normal shops, sometimes specific objects and I find it very cool. Normally I don't buy counterfeit products with the goal of having a cheap "real". For example I needed a flat bottom stem to couple my integrated aero spacers.. just for the look. I found those Ec90 stem that works really well but I don't know if they are a rip off or not. Sometimes you just need bike parts just to test if they work or not in a specific build project. I recently bought a ZTTO bb86 bottom bracket really similar to the token ninja but with some features that I prefer and 3 times less expensive. It depends frankly. I also used to have a Dengfu frame that was a rip off of a Cervelo S3 (I discovered it later) but it was improved because I could fit 32mm tires where the original could fit 23mm max. To me one thing is buy something to have a cheaper "big brand object" and another is to buy an object to try something different don't paying attention if it is a rip off or not

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah getting obsure bike tools is a great use for AliExpress. I have loads of little tools that I have bought over the years. The best thing i bought was a set of bearing pullers for £25. Ones from the likes of park tool are ridiculous money, especially for something you are going to use like 3 times a year. My torque wrench too, that was a bargain!

[@projectcycling]

@@TraceVelo yes I bought a complete universal bottom bracket bearing press tool, a truing stand, hydro cable cutter, spokes tension checker, etc... lot of stuff. Now I wanna try the ztto 36t ratchet for dt swiss hub

[@BruceBaklarian]

Hey Luke, I love your channel and how adventurous you are with the products you use and review. Perhaps after knowing your experience with an item I would purchase it from AE, but other than that I don't think I would otherwise, I really don't trust their products, at least not for my bikes. I haven't ever purchased anything for my bikes from AE but perhaps in the future I may. Great content man, keep it coming.

[@lichang4110]

I considered buying these calipers, decided the narrow opening wouldn't work. Bought the ee brake look-a-likes instead. Haven't installed yet, but they look solidly made. I don't feel I'm taking away business from ee brake, because I was never going to buy from ee brake anyways, too expensive. If I hadn't bought the ee brake look-a-like, I would have bought shimano. I can afford shimano brakes, but the ee look-a-likes were a lot lighter. Hope you can review the ee look-a-likes one day. BTW internet says some negative things about the Lekki8 quality and customer service. Some say these chinese ones work as good if not better than the original.

[@TraceVelo]

I think you probably made the right choice. I've seen loads of comments from people who got those ee brake clones, and they have been saying they are awesome

[@davidbadcut]

Trace, upload more videos and then we'll subscribe ;) Really liking the videos, you're not like those awful youtubers like Noakes that get stuff for free or heavily discounted, do 1 day on it, and say it's amazing and really good. Keep it up!

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah im trying to get more videos out. It's always difficult to carve out more time between my 9-5. Free time atm is an absolute myth for me. Plus I'm a one man band and literally do everything myself... maybe i should get an editor in to help me

[@boyacki]

the funnies are back! your singing :D such fantastic review with unbiased detail. always enjoy the material and kudos for the honesty at the end. very integral and i think how much enjoyment you demonstrate radiates with the viewers (i does for me anyway!)

[@sebbelito2975]

You probably read the LEKKI 8 thread on Weightweenie already, it appears the fake from China is incredibly similar with the original ones, so close that it is being discussed to be the same thing. Same story applies to the fake CaneCreek eewing brakes in blue/pink that can be found on Aliexpress, extremely similar to the real deal.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah that weightweenies thread was invaluable tbh, there are some really switched on people in those threads! The EE brakes though, they appear to be complete counterfeits. From what i have seen, recently the listings for those brakes have actually removed any cane creek/EE branding. I suspect they felt the pressure from lawyers somewhere...

[@hw5533]

I have bought a few things from AliExpress but have never invested in anything substantial. I find their descriptions not detailed enough, for example, when shopping for an ebike motor a lot of the critical dimensions were not declared. I'm constantly on the look out for cheaper bicycle parts and never buy anything full price (even branded stuff). I feel like the Shimanos of the world are involved in some level of price fixing and everything just seems to be getting more and more expensive. Eventually, this Chinese stuff will rival the quality of the trusted brands and in some cases that is already happening. I am a big fan of used bicycle parts, vintage parts and generally don't follow the cycling fashions but still have as much fun.

[@richardggeorge]

Shimano had got so much market share they feel as though they can charge what they want...

[@markjthomson]

Got to say love my aftershokz... so good... wind noise can be an issue but a buff over the ears helps while maintaining hearing.

[@buddhahat]

I have some Shokz they're great for riding and keeping your road awareness, can definitely recommend!

[@Ob1sdarkside]

Handlebars, seatposts, a carbon aluminium wheel and a saddle from aliexpress, all have been rock solid. One carbon handlebar was slightly off in the left hand drop, it was a little longer in the reach. Got a refund for it.

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks for sharing

[@DiegoCamarero]

if those only were available in direct-mount (dual pivot) version... I just can't find that.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah unfortunately I've not seen them in direct mount either

[@walker15130]

My entire groupset (ltwoo ax, jiankun ixf and zrace parts) came from aliexpress and I have successfuly recommended similiar builds to my friends. I would still need much more research before buying cheap structural carbon components from there. The estabilished brands would be fine to buy, but they aren't that cheap anymore.

[@TraceVelo]

Nice, good to hear you have had some luck with the cheaper groupsets :)

[@navicto]

I'm always tempted by these videos but at the end of the day I wouldn't chance my life on bargain, no-name brakes.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah totally understandable. Brakes are a place I am willing to chance it, but i wouldn't ever go crazy with these brakes. They have been totally fine the last few months, but there is always a little doubt in the back of my mind...

[@tullioderosa5657]

I bought a set of these brakes. I don't run the widest rims but once the pads were fitted they were touching the rim with no way to loosen them off, unusable. But out the box they look great, well made so was disappointed in how they fitted. They now sit in the box they came in unused on the shelf. When people are generally riding wider rims these days I wonder who these brakes are for.

[@TraceVelo]

If you have them, maybe grab some thinner pads, or just sand down some cheap pads, and give them a go. They are not amazing, but like I said they are pretty good for casual rides... plus they look cool, which adds like 15mph to your average speed 😎 👌

[@chrispeach85]

I've had more hits than misses on AE. Probably >90% success rate. Certainly never had an accident caused by dodgy or ineffective parts. That said, I wouldn't be buying knock off suspension forks, dropper posts or fully hydraulic brake systems from ztto or similar. Like others have written, stick to the smaller parts, do your research, look for long term reviews and sellers with a lengthy history. Reputable forums are also a good place to look when considering frames etc. Keep creating. Always look forward to your content.

[@tullioderosa5657]

As far as buying other carbon products from Aliexpress goes I've bought drop bars, integrated drop bars, deep section rims, saddles, seat posts, bottle cages, 1" and 1.1/8th carbon forks. I've used all these products for sometime now and I'm very pleased with them. The carbon brakes though are a big fail and I couldn't recommend them to anyone.

[@editdroid99]

During your video, I noticed I have the same bike work stand as you, and I was wondering how you were able to use it in you smallish workspace (as the legs take up a obscene amount of space when deployed)... until I saw the correction at the end, and I saw your solution. Normally I am a problem solver, and in truth had not attempted to solve this one, but thanks for the wide shot at the end to save me the trouble. Fantastic video as always!

[@TraceVelo]

No worries christopher. In all honesty, I rarely use the bike stand for it's intended purpose. 95% of the time, i just turn my bike upside down 🤣

[@benandbarny1]

I see the Costello pedals are you doing a review of them? Knock off time pedals I believe

[@TraceVelo]

Yep, just getting some miles on them as we speak!

[@11-inch]

Luke, regarding your rear brake caliper not returning and spring not strong enough, you can adjust the tightness of the caliper via the front nut, loosen it a little bit

[@11-inch]

I’ve got a pair, so I know 😉

[@koli154]

Waiting For Cheap Cleats Shoes

[@godlike30000]

Great vid as always Luke! On the topic of cheap parts, it depends on the part. Pedals, FD , BB, and RD are all Shimano 105 because I'd like to avoid them hassle of them breaking. My brakes are tektros. Now my cockpit is full on Chinese Carbon. My crank is the same as yours. I plan to get an ultralight cassette as well. I use Sensah Team Pro which is basically Sensah Empire with Shimano cable pull ratio. As long as the part in question has mostly good reviews and don't break unless under extreme abuse I would not hesitate buying the part.

[@larisonjohnson]

Luke! King of cheap carbon content! Great topic. AliExpress and Cheap Chinese items certainly have a place in my life. But not when my life may depend on them. Like you, I targeted brake calipers a few years ago for upgrade. Looked at Cane Creek, for a second 🤣, and opted for a used set of BR-9000, $150 USD. Cleaned up, swapped in some light weight pad frames/ hardware and got the weight down to 265g +\-. Braking performance is amazing, perhaps perfection? What about a 1x road group to seriously shave some weight?

[@TraceVelo]

Larison, thanks for the comment! The approach you have taken seems pretty fair, and is in line with alot of other commenters. I think people are happy to cheap out on certian things, like maybe the saddle and crankset, but things that are integral to safety on the bike, such as the brakes, many people like yourself will steer clear. This is actually a really sensible approach, and probably mitigates many of the issues surrounding some of this cheaper stuff...

[@jonathanbacay4619]

Do a review of ltwoo gr9 set pleaseee. It is a gravel specific set I hope you notice my message

[@TraceVelo]

Ohhh, thanks for the heads-up! I have a gravel bike build in the works, so will check this out!

[@kenblair2538]

Great review as usual, Luke. I get my carbon knock off stuff from Amazon. Better protection. I stay away from safety related stuff. Carbon bottle cages, shift levers , silk men's boxers , all quality stuff. KB

[@TraceVelo]

Not a bad shout to be honest, the buyer protection and returns policy is MUCH better on Amazon!

[@Nardypants]

I bought several survey poles from Aliexpress along with a few tripod furniture. I always knew what I was buying, but even if you have to be gentle with the soft chinesium threads and one careless assembly can ruin the pole, it's still a better deal IMO to buy a pole for under 100$ when the branded, genuine article will cost 400$ or more. And I've been lucky with certain items where it looks like the aluminium is much better quality.

[@CarlCzanik1]

Thanks for your content... I've bought a few cheap bits off AliExpress over the last while - often inspired by your channel. I do make a point of reading the reviews first though. It has been a bit of trial and error and as such been a bit hit and miss. Toseek bar & stem, ungraded bottle cages, unbranded seat post - zero issue, with about 2000km's no problem. On the other hand, a knock off GoPro mount from ZTTO for example was pure shite... A while ago I had a cans of beer while browsing AliExpress which had hampered my judgement a bit. I ended up buying a knock-off ceramic BB by ZTTO. It arrived and looks alright but I'm worried about the grade and hardness of the aluminium. So, I haven't brought myself to install yet. I might just do that in the next few weeks as my BB is starting too show sign of needing replacement.

[@shannonparker7404]

You're a unit Luke. Never ever change. 😁

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks Shannon!!!!

[@JimbobB1978]

Like others have said it`s hit and miss, you roll the dice with AliExpress. I have taken a big risk and ordered the counterfeit EE brakes from AliExpress for the same money as the ZTTO`s. Should be arriving in the next couple of weeks, so I`m keeping everything crossed they`ll be a bit better than the ZTTO`s. One thing I`ve found with Ali is customer service is almost non existent and raising any sort of appeal with Ali is a waste of time. Their cut off time for raising any concerns or faults is also deliberately set so short that by the time you`ve discovered any flaws it`s too late to complain.

[@mokujinsan9946]

Nice show mate, I was lucky to pick up a used set of CNC Alloy Ciamillo Micros GSL here in Berlin. Heavy at 190 grams per set with pads and hardware but they work fantastic and they look amazing. The knock off Ciamillo carbon versions you have would be great on a UK Hill Climbing scene on a budget to get the whip to be around 4.5kg.