Chinese Carbon 1x Gravel Bike - Full build & test

[@jackriley1989]

Man, if you honestly think I've got the time to watch some lavish 50 minute long production of you painstakingly describing a tightass Chinese gravel bike build then you are absolutely right. I love this channel.

[@TraceVelo]

Not gonna lie, had me in the first half 🤣

[@juanpecan7089]

The endoscope in the frame was my commitment point. This man gives his audience INFORMATION.

[@davidalves4035]

👍🏽

[@stickyprickle]

If I can get a Grizel on the cycle to work scheme then that’s the way I am going

[@kennycube5126]

@@stickyprickle Did you get one?

[@JBroms64]

The fact that you pointed out such a design flaw in Sensah's product, and then had them send you hardware, is truly a testament to how honest and sound your tech reviews are.

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks JBroms! Yeah I really try and keep my reviews honest and unambiguous, and props to Sensah. They are always improving, and def listen to feedback...

[@sitoudien9816]

Such a flaw should have been caught. These are exSram engineers, not some flyby night operation.

[@fomorabbit6906]

@@sitoudien9816 They're always improving, just not as fast

[@chris9650]

@@sitoudien9816 maybe that's the reason they are ex sram 😄

[@2ForceCycles]

A true pioneer in cycling tech. Thank you sincerely, Luke.

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks A Saw!! Not sure I would call myself a pioneer, more like an ambitious cheapskate! But you're very welcome, glad you like my stuff 😎

[@stephencaringal354]

Truue

[@1fizzychicken]

Ambitious Cheapskate 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@sham2613]

When the new gravel wheels coming,you are going to loose you cheap skateness image albeit similar mainstream manufacturer wheels are far more expensive

[@48Niall]

@@TraceVelo ijust is

[@livings118]

Just going to say, hands down some of the best cycling content on KZbin! I am building my first roadbike because of Luke! Keep up all the good work and amazing videos.

[@Destide]

Neon Pink bar tape would have been my go to full vapour-wave ascetic , Great list of components as usual

[@TraceVelo]

**Macintosh Plus plays** 🎵

[@markvonwisco7369]

I have some neon pink jerseys. They're almost eye searing in full sunlight. I want to be seen when I'm riding in traffic at the beginning and end of my rides.

[@stinkyfungus]

When i built My wife's x gravel (what this frame is) in turquoise blue - she asked for neon pink bar tape and cages. (It got lizard skin neon pink bar tape, and neon pink Supa Caz polymer cages)

[@gregbyrne7725]

48 mins of Trace Velo goodness, what's not to like? Lovely build, great video.

[@bobsvideos1000]

As a suffering home mechanic moving into the world of hydraulic disc brakes, I find your videos enjoyable, and most helpful. Less likely to explore the Ailexpress jungle, but if I do, this is the first place I'll go for advice.

[@Kuriketto]

A handy tip I learned a while ago for cutting carbon tubes is to first apply shaving cream at the cut point. Makes the whole process much safer and cleaning up a breeze by trapping all the carbon dust.

[@TraceVelo]

I can def see that working, thanks for the tip!

[@Cade_Media]

Sweet build, 1x all the way.

[@aim-at-me]

it begins!

[@1sigmabikes]

Never heading back to 2x

[@wtfiswiththosehandles]

@@1sigmabikes Curious, why? I went back to 2x in a gravel bike, 1x didn't provide enough high gear for me. Gravel riding means that I ride both at MTB speeds on a trail, road bike speeds on the road, and inbetween speeds on gravel and hardpack surfaces.

[@jamble7k]

2x is still better for everything other than mtb

[@1sigmabikes]

@@wtfiswiththosehandles fair question. And I do not unilaterally endorse 1X - it is a personal choice that works for me. My fitness is mediocre. Maybe a middling Cat 5 or poor Cat 4 on a good day - any drivetrain efficiencies are pretty moot, as I am nowhere close to chasing marginal gains. My geography is flat with rolling hills I don't group ride, so cadence matching is irrelevant My gear spacing is 11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-26-30-34, so I have 1T in high gears, and only jump ratios while climbing. I run 48T in the front, giving me a max gear close to 50-12 on 2X With the way I use 2X, I am really only sacrificing 2 ratios and a granny gear. And so much simpler, and less faff than 2X But as I said, 1X is not for every rider in every situation, but it is for me.

[@gabkas5824]

I have made myself a gravel bike back in March this year… The frame seatpost bar(integrated internal cables) fork are airwolf carbon.. not bad for chinese build tested about 200 miles flawless… also got aliexpress carbon wheels, hybrid pedals, shoes, seat(80grams) and topped with 1*11 grx groupset and token ninja bb… My inspiration was You Luke and thanks for all the reviews of chinesee goods… Happy owner of under £1500 8kg bike :):) i am glad You have got to the point to build and review aliexpress gravel bike… dont know how to add photo, would like to share it with You :)

[@garrygalvez9339]

Is your carbon wheel set described as for gravel bike or identified as for road bike ?

[@gabkas5824]

gravel of course- and tubeless@@garrygalvez9339

[@mahonah]

With this video I have made up my mind and pulled the trigger on getting the Giant Conduct braking system for my gravel bike build. Thank you for all the entertaining videos you make.

[@mattferg84]

I saw the length was 49 minutes and had every intention on skipping parts, but here we are an hour later. What an awesome video, edited so tightly and great information along the way, fantastically done and what a beautiful bike in the end!

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks so much Matt. I sink countless hours into making these videos, especially sat at my computer editing, so I really appreciate comments like these!!!

[@ICANCycling]

I am very excited to see ICAN gravel frame can become the part of your full bike build. Hope you can be satisfied with its quality, we will continue to supply better and affordable carbon bike products to our customers to make them satisfied

[@arcboutant]

An other tip when cutting cf ,e.g. the steering tube is, after smoothing the cut seal with clear nail varnish as cf can draw in moisture.

[@KamikazeCommie501]

Another tip when cutting carbon fiber (e.g. the steering tube) is: after smoothing the cut, seal with clear nail varnish as cf can draw in moisture. There you go, made your comment readable.

[@oliverstevens4689]

@@KamikazeCommie501 I had no issue reading his comment, don’t be a prick mate.

[@Yewchooob]

@@KamikazeCommie501 I'll give you another tip.

[@SimonPlanteSP]

That seems like a CFR696 frame. I have done 5000+ km so far with it (3000 km of those in touring mode, with extra rack, bags, ... ) I'm in love with that frame It is so versatile and so far it's been rock solid.

[@kim_chimpy]

Rocking a chinese gravel frame from aliexpress with SRX pro with SRAM Apex 1 full hydro shifter and caliper and I absolutely love it. Now I just need to invest in a good wheelset

[@kidShibuya]

Oh god damn you, I was seconds from going to bed, and this is near an hour long!

[@TraceVelo]

Nathan, get some sleep, the video will be here tomorrow 🤣

[@rogergalvez3795]

Hi Luke. Like the video. I got mine few months ago and I have logged a couple of thousands miles on it. The frame is so beautiful that I decided to dress her with Shimano GRX 800 2x. The ICAN 40 gravel wheels, panaracer tyres and zipp aluminum cockpit. So far it has been great

[@tomichaubg]

Hi Luke, I'm very happy for you! Gravel bike looks great. On the topic of future changes, I was expecting you'd mention mudguards, makes so much sense having the eyelets and riding in the wet and all. Also, when you get those wheels, you need to also order a cape and mask, because your ride will look like that of a superhero! Very impressed overall by the build. Ever since your first road bike build I was inspired to make a Chinese carbon frame + Sensah bike myself, but I'm a steel kind a guy and in 2020 I came across a 1950s beautiful large frame and just had to give it new life. Last year I fully restored an old steel mixte Peugeot bike for my wife, and this year I'm saving up for my own real gravel dream build. I wanted to go back to the Chinese carbon + Sensah idea, but then the unexpected happened. I got my hands on a great condition, 2nd hand Sram Red Etap hydraulic 11s groupset + cassette for less than £700 and they cost thousands when new! So I decided to go a bit more high-end (and solid) and am now hunting for Chinese titanium. Have you looked at titanium and is there anything you would recommend?

[@icedog75]

I've been running ICAN 50mm carbon road wheels for the last 2 years and they have been rock solid performers...I've wondered about their gravel frame so this build comes at a great time for me. Great job.

[@TraceVelo]

Awesome, good to hear some more more success stories about ICAN

[@markoshark4697]

If you have a look for the Carbonda CFR696, there are a huge number of threads around it - Its the same frame (both made by FlyBike), but different OEM

[@sinisterwolf89]

I have been looking at frames to build my own gravel bike, and I think you just gave me the answer! Thanks for that.

[@ranamv13]

Finally! I kept checking on a daily for you to drop this so it could help me with building mine (first timer). But I started anyway, and let me tell you what a fun experience! Great job Luke!

[@tomozanne]

Looks like a Carbonda 696 mold frame, in which case it should fit 50mm tyres. I've got 50mm Panaracer Gravelkings on mine, plenty of clearance. Great video, those new wheels looks AMAZING, can't wait for that vid!

[@wasupwitdat1mofiki94]

Very smart build. I don't see what valid reason anyone could come up with to argue your choices. If it works and it is fun to ride it's a winner. And you saved enough money to buy accessories like bags and other bits and bobs needed for an epic adventure. Thanks for sticking to the big brands again. 👍

[@alexlohr7366]

I can wholeheartedly recommend Zeray ZP-108S SPD pedals. I've already broken the axles of a few wellgo and no-name pedals after less than a year and these lightweight pedals are holding up for more than the last two years; they're quite a bargain, easy to clean, setup and incredibly reliable. I even originally bought a second set just to make sure I had spares that I haven't even touched, those will now go on my next build.

[@mlee6136]

The Giant brake system is very interesting, I’d be up for a longer term review. Nice job with the video, The background music is so cool.

[@carlwhitley9591]

Your reaction to riding gravel was the exact same as mine when I first gave it ago. Such fun.

[@rorychivers8769]

25:30 douse the tube with some cutting fluid, and you'll throw less carbon fibre dust into the air while your cutting it. 3-in-1 is probably good enough, if you don't happen to own a milling machine....

[@nikpetrov6260]

Thank you for your work man! It’s really interesting for me as a novice to watch process of building bike from the scratch. With all the details and unexpected nuances.

[@stevenleith7237]

Fantastic video Luke. Great gravel build love that frame review section. I also run a Giant Conduct/Connect braking system. I found that I went through pads quite quickly. However switched to a full sintered brake pads - wear problem solved and they are great wet or dry. With full stopping and grip the trails, rocks or mud. Really looking forward to a 5000 - 10000 km review. again fantastic VIDS brother keep it up.

[@joetaylor486]

I found the same immediacy of braking and great modulation with the very similar Hope V2 system. A great concept in hybrid braking for both these

[@dirkhunt9425]

Luke, Thanks for another great video. One suggestion on determining where to cut the fork. Don't cut it until you have ridden the bike a while and get it properly fitted (or comfortable). Since the frame geometry of a gravel bike is usually a little more relaxed, the stem height may not translate that well from your road setup to your gravel bike. I (like you) had to get a shorter stem 90mm instead of 110mm) compared to my road bike. I also ended up at a different seat to handle bar level as well and a slightly higher stem height. Have fun

[@erikrhendrickson]

At 26:07 you mention the steerer pug, but it should prolly be a longer plug so it will extend past the crown race/bearing area. Durianrider mentions this often and for good reason because without the long plug, there is greater chance of failure of the steerer tube at the top of the head tube. Just a recommendation.

[@bobtahar]

Used the Sensah SRX on my gravel bike for over a year now... works great... the down shift click is pure satisfaction.

[@joeochoa4030]

Hello Bob , did you used a one-by Too ? Or a regular crank with a SRX on the back ?

[@bobtahar]

@@joeochoa4030 single chainring 1x..

[@thomasjousse2427]

I genuinely cannot wait for your review on the Elite Wheels Drive, they look insane.

[@squee666]

Hey @tracevelo you older videos got me good. I started my own gravel build after seeing your reviews on products of a budget. This is my first gravel bike/road use bike. Funny enough I bought the same groupset,crank,seat,chain,bar tape. I was going to get the same handlebar but opted out. "update I have bought the giant kit aswell got a cheap one online that just needs new hoses" decided this after I realised my groupset was coming with nutt brakes I also settled for deore MTB centerlock rotors although I also bought 6 bolt adapters just incase. My rims I settled for are elite carbon gravel wheels with a 22mm ID. The frame I opted for was an Aliexpress Grevil in t1000 carbon, their own cheaper frames only use t700 and I must admit the profile of the bike and the chameleon paint option I selected looked real nice. I plan this to be my perma build on a budget for both road/gravel and hope to see more recommendations from you. Thanks again for the content. Sam

[@TraceVelo]

Hey Sam, really interesting reading over your choices. Overall that's a fantastic price for all that gear, and the build sounds wicked! But yeah the chinaplay pedals are OK for now, but yeah might have to check put some classic shimnao spd's when I have a second. Anyway thanks for the comment and good luck with the build!

[@stephenbrgoodall]

I just bought the same frame on Grevil AliExpress, waiting for be made and painted and sent to me still. How do you like the elite gravel wheels I was thinking to order them next, so should have main parts for bike all arriving similar times Curious what bar and stem did you go for? Are you from N.Ireland too?

[@squee666]

​@@stephenbrgoodall my wheels are still on way and frame only got sent out few days ago. so the parts will arrive end of june/mid july. The stem was the di2 gravel stem on alie because I wanted a less aggressive drop angle and the evkin carbon stem 6degree both which are t1000 carb. That and it gives me a good starting point for the future when I will eventually get a fit depending how deep im in. And yeah belfast, my bikes all being sent to manchester since my da has all the tools and plenty of access to shop near him. Plan to fly over to a mostly finished bike, maybe go lake district etc then on day back take the trans penine trail to liverpool and ferry over in the night.

[@stephenbrgoodall]

@@squee666 I’ve been looking at that di2 gravel bar but not sure if I like idea it as would rather cut the steerer a little long use a straight topped bar but it’s the only option if want less than 25 degree of flare and carbon on ali Ah cool so just a couple weeks ahead of me, I’m down in Fermanagh will have met up with our gevils in the future maybe I’m trying to look for Grx shifters and components, or I might pull my rival hydraulic parts off last years winter bike build

[@squee666]

​@@stephenbrgoodall @trace velo we going places :) "i.imgur.com/XGnIkUE.jpg" just need to do the gears/chain/tape, will see how your tests go with the zrace,juins until then i stuck with nutts and ceramic pads

[@jasoncross6151]

I used to have the conduct braking system, was very impressed and I also swapped out the callipers for Hope RX4 which worked brilliantly. Kept the callipers and moved over to Hydro 105 levers. Great video as always.

[@k04s4]

epic content 👌 always click when I see a trace velo production 😎

[@TraceVelo]

My man!!!! 👊😎

[@mauriceramey7819]

I have been looking at this frame specifically for a while now this was perfect for me

[@crazylarryjr]

A couple of tricks with Carbon fiber, is spray the cut area with water (1) every few minutes and have a shop vac handy (2). #1. The water limits the dust in the air, please still use the mask just in case, but lowers the dust issue vastly. #2. Also, if you have a high suction shop vac, you can position it close to where you are cutting to also vacuum most of the dust coming out of it as well. These are tricks i've used to minimize the hazard of working with Fiberglass and Carbon fiber.

[@roebbiej]

Awesome video, you can taste your passion and dedication in your videos! Well done.

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks Robert! What an awesome comment!

[@SpeedyBangBong]

I'm riding the same groupset for around a year now, and when I love the price, and how snappy it all works, I have some trouble with longevity of the setup, meaning after few hundred kilometers, I already need to readjust the derailleur because half of the hears jump up and down. I've seen some people mentioning in the comments about some fix to that, but I haven't tried it yet, other than that, great group.

[@TraceVelo]

The key to keeping sesah working smoothly is to keep the derailleur clean, and the shift cables clean and free of junk. On a road bike, this isn't too difficult, but I can see how on gravel this might be more tricky. It also helps to put a little bit of light oil on the shift cables before feeding them into the cable housings. Sensah also likes a clean well oiled chain in my experience 😊

[@davidleiper1]

Fab video, I think your best yet. Off to buy a gravel bike frame!

[@eschedefilmcrew]

Absolute legend apisode again.. i don't get, how you only have 71k subscribers.. you definitely deserve more! As for the bike: I love the Giant conversion kit... it looks super janky and weird, and if it was my bike, i'd 100% put full hydraulic on it (in fact i did), but it gives your bike an even more exotic look. :D Great stuff. And yeah... treat yourself to some proper SPD pedals... i always wanted to fit some Eggbeater pedals to my MTB or Gravel Bike, but honestly i'm still way too happy with the super entry PD-M520 on literally all my bikes. So yeah, great episode, loved it! Have fun grinding some dirt with your nice bike! (:

[@goldenmath4091]

was looking forward to your build Luke, bike looks sweet matey : )

[@zolar7a]

Thanks Luke. I've had this frame sitting in my shopping cart for a while now and this video (along with the discount) gave me the nudge I needed. Now I need to scrounge up the rest of the parts. Leaning towards the Juin cable/hydraulic brakes.

[@buzzzam2095]

Without seeing the video i already hit the like button and comment. Hehehe, so happy when new video notification

[@4knetic723]

Hey Luke, love your work mate, I have been surprised when I saw the subscriber count, you have come along way and I have always said that you deserve much more subs than what you have now, your work is fabulous, keep it up. Video Idea: why not make a video comparing different brake rotors and different sizes of rotors.

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks so much dude. But yeah I can't complain, hopefully by the end of the year I'll hit 100k 🤞 Glad you like the videos tho, and yeah I have a video about some cheaper rotors in the works, so stay tuned!!

[@not-a-raccoon]

I totally agree. I've been subbed since the first video. Ice watched every one, I'm I'm absolutely shocked that our boy doesn't have way more subs.

[@stuartbird5139]

Another quality TV production, it's clear how much hard work went into this so thanks. The more I hear about tubeless and especially disc brakes the more I think "nah...not for me". The set up, the maintenance...urgh

[@luukrutten1295]

Looks like a pretty nice bike. Next up a cycling holiday. So you can use all the mounting points.

[@BrianRPaterson]

Great video. Sadly, ICAN no longer offer the X-Gravel in this spec. They've moved on to the X-Gravel 2. It looks lovely, but appears to be a "fully integrated only" frame, with all the hoses and shifter cables running down the headset. I'm not keen on buying into a cockpit that makes changing the bars or stem such a major undertaking. Does anyone have any ideas or guidance on getting around that problem? i.e. Are there any clever bar/stem solutions that allow you to run the hoses out of the headtube/fork steerer, and still make it easy to swap a stem or change a bar? Any advice would be much appreciated. Cheers

[@michaelbradbrook9575]

Hi Luke, apologies for the zombie 🧠 comment, but I wanted to give you kudos for this video. I bought this X-Gravel frame, the Sensah SRX groupset, but used Juin Tech brakes, Ryet integrated bar & stem, and Elite ENT carbon gravel wheels for an awesome gravel build. The frame paint looks fantastic and I fitted some tan-wall mixed terrain tyres to give it some extra cool factor 😎 I can't wait to get off the paved roads and onto some gravel! P.S. you need some SPDs pedals and shoes with recessed cleats to manage the riding/walking combo.

[@chrisc738]

I’ve been using the ZTTO cassettes for a while now. Have three on a trio of tubular ‘cross wheels I built last year plus another on my gravel bike. Light, bling, and holding up very well so far. The one on the gravel bike has around 1000 miles on it so far and is holding up well (I swap out chains regularly and use home brew hot wax). I think you’ll be pleased with it.

[@jamescourier1545]

That color is remarkable. Simply lovely! I have a Light Bicycle Journey frame ordered in Forest Green on the way.. I hope it ends up looking as pretty as this.

[@esanchez47]

First of all, the bike looks sweet! Loved the insights about every component. I bought a 2018 Giant TCX about 5 months ago which has the Conduct system. At the beginning i was kinda skeptical because i didn't know anything about them, and to be fair, after some months of doing practically every terrain with the bike (gravel, tarmac, mud), my doubts are deep buried now: i really liked it because as you say, it's practically the same feel as a hydraulic brake.

[@dygbi]

always love a trace velo production

[@ellmer1fudd]

Excellent excellent video, a champion for those of us who love cycling but don’t have the mega bucks to support our expensive habit! Even more relevant and timely in today’s climate of inflation. By the way I have the Giant Conduct system on my gravel bike, I’ve had it for two years now and honestly I love it. I’ve done zero maintenance to it since set up and the breaking power is, as you say ‘spot on’! More than you can ever need (even for me, a 90kg that enjoys hurtling down hills!) Keep up the great work Luke!

[@anserrizvi3304]

"Movie magic!" 😂 Definitely Luke!

[@starstream8161]

Whew that was a sweet ride you took us through! Very enjoyable video. One day, maybe, one day, I want you to build a complete Chinarello with the most bombastic and expensive color option. Oh and I also would love to see if you can paint your road bikes. Show me a masterclass painting with gradients using spray paint cans. (I've done it and it's actually very doable)

[@bitemahaggis]

You need to be presenting the Crystal Maze! Sweet build👍💗

[@tjeaey]

This made me subscribed to your channel! Thank you for this vid.

[@Jardsss]

all of sensah's road groupset from 9-12 speed are really good

[@paulsweeney5642]

Thanks for taking the time to entertain us, it’s appreciated.

[@1a2b3c4.]

Let me tell you about my gravel bike, changed the 10 speed freewheel to a gigantic 10 speed freewheel cassette from Amazon kept everything the same except for thicker tires. Your video gave me the idea.

[@monkeysrightpaw]

My biggest concern with the frame would be the mounts for panniers etc. As you tighten any bolt into the frame there is an equal and opposite force pulling the nut out of the frame. That's why they weren't originally included in carbon frames. And the more weight on them the worse that will be. These nuts look fairly simple from the internal video but maybe there is something actually seated inside the carbon during the layup. Load up the frame for bike packing and go off road for a while then compare how well sunk the nuts are. If there is any paint cracking around them from the flex from the weight during bumps and potholes.

[@inferno4001]

Is personally go for aluminium for bike packing. Definitely with 10kg+ of additional weight on the bike...

[@AndrewDBrown2020]

Thank you so much - I really want to build my own bike and your suggestions/tips (and even delivery) are spot on. Thanks again.

[@TraceVelo]

No problem, glad you liked it. Thanks for the comment Andy!

[@memo-nq6vz]

Have waited eagerly for the video and will take your experience as a basis for building my gravel bike.

[@kettato9912]

I've never seen a braking system like that, pretty cool!

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks Ket, yeah that's why I wanted to check it out, love trying new stuff!

[@robertcollins4685]

I can’t wait till Sensha make fully hydraulic brake shifters. The quality of stuff they make now is awesome. Just wait till Luke tests a pair to get his seal of approval and I’d be buying them.

[@TheImprobableIronman]

Great video - I really enjoyed that. Loved seeing your reaction to the first ride - exactly how I felt about my Planet X On One Free Ranger when I got it.

[@benl8762]

You literally built my favour colour bike, and I like your style, subscribed.

[@KPong1337]

Finally finished this beast and love the beast you built. Such a great vid!!

[@darrengarvie8832]

No wonder you have not been on a lot the last few weeks you had this monster video not do 😁 really enjoyed this I would love a gravel bike 😁

[@jonobuckley3215]

Just got some of those Didoo bib shirts you recommended. Thanks - very pleased👍🏻. Now I’m looking a Sensah groupsets online. Gonna have to sell a kidney at this rate….

[@TraceVelo]

1x kidney setup. Lighter, more ergonomic, that's a win win in my book!

[@jonobuckley3215]

@@TraceVelo 😄

[@haroldb9154]

Heard that sensah is coming out with a fully hydraulic brake compatible groupset later this year 😉

[@TraceVelo]

Well well well, someone has their ear to the ground 😎 But yeah definitely stay tuned on that front!

[@mireia3208]

Please be more specific, if they release a hydraulic version I might wait for it then :P

[@sotirbg]

Yesss, I've been waiting for this video for a long time.

[@jamielnuevo4464]

I've been waiting for this video for a long time and finally! Man what a quality video again, keep it up and much love!

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks dude, really appreciate it 🙏

[@jamielnuevo4464]

Sheesh no problem man just a big fan from Philippines

[@juckame943]

Absolutely loving your content, mate! Laughed way more than I should on the eyes open joke

[@TraceVelo]

HA, cheers Justin! Yeah my eyes def got a little bloodshot afterwards 🤣

[@johnathanlee9748]

Don't even cycle much due to work but ordered a jersey and bib short from Siroko for when I switch jobs just so I can help you out :) Wouldn't have bought if it wasn't Trace running the ads

[@mrT-gx5bq]

video start, first thumbs up and then comment for the great work and then watch & enjoy :)...even watched the sponsor segment...just for u luke :)

[@timtaylor9590]

most importnat when mounting levers on carbon bars is smoothing the edges of the clamps, they are very sharp and will not curve perfectly with the bars which means the sharp metal edges will contact and potentially cause a hazard, smoothing or rounding them off some can save you a world of trouble.

[@GrouEEf]

I got myself a giant contend ar 1, the shop kept the wheels and gave me a discount, so I paid 1350€ for a 105 equipped gravel/road bike. Threw in some Winspace carbon wheels, comes in at 9,3kg for 2000€ in gravel mode, including pedals. With my 50mm hyper wheels it's a 8,5 kg light road bike. Just a brilliant do it all build.

[@RaveniusSFRJ]

Really glad for you, you deserve free stuff fur such a master piece videos. Enjoy your gravel bike mate!

[@Anatedu861]

I don't mind the lengthy edit: your vids have always been funnier on 2x.

[@jameschapman4357]

First off love the videos. I actually put dual function pedals on my gravel, flat on one side with spd on the other. I like the versatility of that setup especially with some of the more hillier terrain you can get in the states. Walking up a hill is just so much more comfortable in a pair of trainers then bike shoes.

[@KamikazeCommie501]

I didn't even know those existed. Definitely putting some on my bike

[@joeochoa4030]

😳😳🤔🤔🤔hmm , brand and model ?

[@jameschapman4357]

@@joeochoa4030 CXWXC parts number CX-159-US. On Amazon for $39.98 usd

[@spacefreight]

Simply brilliant entertainment. This channel at its best.

[@smoore5540]

Nice build, when ordering any sensah shifters, how do you know your ordering the newer metal version and not the old plastic one? Is there a model number etc? Cheers

[@eddywu2630]

Hi Luke, long time fan of your videos. The one comment I have regarding the brakes is stating that the cables stretch. Brake/gear cables don't stretch. For them to stretch you have to plastically deform the cable, probably not something regular humans can do by pulling axially on the cable. I've tried the cable actuated brake for a long time now and the main contributing factor to their "sponginess" are cable housing stiffness, number of bends the cable needs to make, sharpness of the bend, and the piston return force. If you route the cables externally and without a lot of kinks, cable actuated disc brake braking performance should start getting closer to hydraulic brakes.

[@matthewbenger8355]

I can't believe you cut that steerer freehand man😂😱 gave me the absolute fear. Really cool build, and that's an attractive price with some good looking component's. I have a dolan GXA, with 2x GRX and I would highly recommend to anyway, bit more competitive price with a nice hunt wheelset (though I think it's now 300 quid more 1900, instead of 1600 I paid last year)

[@machrellibet9457]

Hey Luke, I love your videos! I hope you can consider making cycling vlogs while on the road!

[@nuvianprasetyo7010]

Nice video. i also built 1600 dollar chinese gravel bike weight 9.1 kg with tiagra hydraulic 2x groupset mixed with grx crank

[@TraceVelo]

Nice, yeah I actually considered the hydraulic tiagra groupset, but opted for 11 speed instead. Tiagra is a solid choice tho!

[@felixjackson2670]

Had same sealant issue with WTB 650’s...returned under warranty,got replacement...exactly the same!! So just persisted and after few days were fine😳love your build. Bought an SP Cycles frame from China few years ago..also Fulcrum wheels and SH SRAM groupset from eBay. Love it.

[@Lazy_Jay_Racing]

I recently built myself a lightweight xc mtb 29er, for racing and general riding.. With a combination of your channel and Hambini's channel I went for an Ican carbon frame and matched it with a range of new and great quality second hand parts.. I went for a set of carbon Farsports wheels (1350gms) and sram 12spd NX/XX1 and level LT brakes. The complete bike weighs 10 kg. I absolutely love the way it rides and like you, I am really impressed with the Ican frame. 😁👌

[@kenblair2538]

Wow ! Like, you did knock that build out of the park. That color, is super. KB

[@bastiorange4002]

Luke you are the best! First of all, I had a bad day and than I saw you new upload, took me that our, and you absolutely made my day! And your way of building bikes is awesome. I always watch night's for some budget bangers. And you have the best. I really would like to try the giant brake setup. Could be a next upgrade to my gravel 😁😁😁

[@claudiomunoz663]

Me gusta que el planteamiento sea no descalificar los componentes chinos a priori, pero si objetivamente. Muy inspirador, gracias.

[@O2GKart]

Nice video @TraceVelo! I love this channel and the video in fact you and some others inspired me on my own build. And what a coincidence! A year ago I built the exact same frame but going on full spec 1x12 mullet gravel racing / long distance machine but under 2,5k, sub 8,5kg (with some tricks). I have to say that the build is as fast as rocket & also bombproof (I had quite bad crash at 30km/h). I still go through trails with mtb friends. Hope you enjoy the bike! For the ones interested is the build parts: - Ican X-gravel frame (same as TraceVelo but 2 tone sparky green) - Shimano XT Pedals (must for bad/muddy trail days) - DT Swiss GR1600 (alternatively some from china or ZIPP 303s if more budget) - Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M Tubeless (best for all round & mud) , (G-ONEs are destroyed quickly) - SRAM 1x Rival hydraulic Brake levers (right with dropper post actuator as it was cheaper and lighter than force) - SRAM 2 piece road 160 & 140 rotors (lightweight, heat dissipation is must, I'm aggressive descending, took them to the limit twice) - SRAM Force Dub carbon crankset + 46t chainring (offer for the same price as an apex, don't ask why) - SRAM X01 MTB mechanical rear derailleur (plenty of stock, as everybody wants AXS) - SRAM GX MTB 10-52 cassette (X01 is better and lighter though) - Ratio Technologies 1x12 Upgrade Kit / adapter to modify the levers & derailleur (Here is the magic) - Aliexpress Carbon saddle, stem & handlebar (cheap & lightweight) You can go with Aliexpress cassette to save some bucks and even cut on some components (even go for Sensah, I think they are releasing soon a 1x12 gravel groupset as well), but overall quality of my build matches top end 6k to 10k gravel builds. As note in fact that is a Carbonda CFR696 frame, which is the open mold that a lot of other brands have been using for their midrange carbon bikes such as the old model of the Ridley Kanzo Adventure, Berria, Planet X, or De Rosa, amongst others ( I do not discard some of them even resell from Carbonda). (Also Carbonda released a new one last year with fully internal cable routing, worth checking)

[@Carftymk]

sounds like a cool build, you got any pics of your sparky green frame? i was thinking of a green 696 too in the future

[@bedathprop]

I would say the closest thing to this build might be the Free Ranger from Planet X. As for pedals, I’ve always loved Crank Brothers Eggbeaters..so cool. Thanks for using the Giant brake set up; a real revelation!

[@jack.3991]

If you look closely I think the latest free ranger may be the same frame?

[@fentuz]

@@jack.3991 yes, it has the same details and shape. Same as the chainreaction victus too

[@markoshark4697]

@@fentuz And the Carbonda CFR696, Obed Boundary, Kanzo Adventure 1.0/Kanzo C - There are some differences, as the big name brands specifiy the frame to have a pressfit BB, the ICAN and Carbonda version have a threaded BB. All made by FlyBike.

[@brauljo]

9:47 Is there any difference between the Senicx PR2 and GR2 other than the chainrings that come with the crankset? Like are they both compatible with the same chainrings and 68 mm bottom bracket shells?

[@TraceVelo]

Im not totally sure, but it might be. I assume you will be able to swap the chainrings between them. But having said that, the spacing for 1x and 2x cranks might not be the same. Prob worth a bit of Googleing, but might work...

[@qwertyazerty2137]

For getting a straight cut on a carbon steerer I use two old stems as a guide but it's not perfect. I am about try using a double home antena mast clamps. As for the saw, I am using a standard black wolfram blade for cutting tiles and I think it is exactly the same as on a genuine carbon saw from park tool but I've seen people using a standard blade for cutting metal tubes with 24 TPI.

[@wheatonrunner69]

Nice build, looking forward to that new wheel review!